Declaration for war in 1917

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Declaration for war in 1917

Declaration for War in 1917

Welcome fellow Senators. We are here today to discuss what the United States should do following Germany's announcement of unrestricted submarine warfare and the sinking of the three American merchant ships. A resolution is put forth in front of the senators. The first section of the resolution says that: The U.S. Government authorizes President Wilson to use the Armed Forces of the Unit6ed States to wage war against the Nation of Germany. The second section says that: The U.S. Congress supports the president's request for a declaration of war against the Nation of Germany. I fully agree with this resolution 100%. I agree with war against Germany, as I have said ever since the sinking of the Lusitania.

All this had started back in February of 1915 when Germany had stated its War Zone Policy. They said that neutral ships may enter the war zone at their own risk. President Wilson's reaction to this was that the United States will take action if American lives or property are destroyed. In May of 1915, the Germans had torpedoed and sunk a British ship, The Lusitania. On that ship were 128 Americans, that had been killed. Instead of declaring war, which I had wanted, President Wilson sends out demands to the Germans. He demands a formal apology from Germany, money damages to the families of American victims that boarded the Lusitania, and he had made a remark that said, ' The U.S. Government shall demand that the German Government pledge to follow international law with regard to the use of their submarines. Any future violation of international law shall be regarded as a deliberately unfriendly action against the United States.' After this, President Wilson asks for an increase in military spending, but the Congress had refused. The Germans abide by this for 10 months. After these 10 months, in March 1916, the Germans had sunk another ship, the French fairy boat, The Sussex. 5 Americans were killed in this sinking. Instead of declaring war, like I had wanted again, or even breaking diplomatic ties, President Wilson threatened to break diplomatic ties with Germany. The Germans issue the Sussex Pledge. In this, they promise not to sink passenger ships and merchant ships without warning and without saving human lives. They abide by this pledge for 10 months. After that, Germany announced that they would practice unrestricted submarine warfare. Not only did they do this, but they had sunk 3 American merchant ships, killing 15 more Americans and injuring 1.

Now, I ask you fellow Senators, when is enough? I have many good reasons for wanting to go to war against Germany, which are somewhat different than the reasons of the President. It's hard to put these reasons in order of significance since they are all significant in the same, but one of my main reasons for wanting to go to war is national pride. Germany had violated the rights of United States citizens. They had restricted us from traveling across the high seas without being in danger. They had slapped us in the face by killing innocent citizens of a neutral nation. I had used this example in my other speech but I think it is appropriate in this one as well. When the Germans had attacked us as a neutral nation, it was like being slapped in the face. If you get slapped in the face, you are not going to just let it slide. You are going to do something about it. I think the United States should do something about the killing of innocent citizens of a neutral nation by Germans.

The Germans had violated international law plenty of times. When they did it the first time, we gave them another chance by sending them demands. When they did it a second time, we gave them yet another chance by threatening to break diplomatic ties with them and they then did it a third time. The third time, we gave them another chance by breaking diplomatic ties. Now they had violated international law a fourth time. I strongly believe that it is finally time for the United States to ...

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Keywords: declare war in 1917, ww1 war declaration dates, why did wilson ask for a declaration of war in 1917, what was the war of 1917, ww1 war declaration timeline

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