....President Woodrow Wilson announced before a full session of Congress that the United States was breaking all diplomatic ties with Germany. The decision was made after Germany reintroduced a policy of unlimited submarine warfare...

 ...which meant that American vessels shipping arms and other supplies to Britain would be in danger. The announcement was dramatic because it signaled a turning point in U.S. foreign policy that had long been one of non-interventionism. Wilson stressed that "we do not desire any hostile conflict with the German Government,” but warned that war could follow if Germany did indeed sink any American ships without warning. Germany proceeded with their announced policy, however, and on the same day sunk the American cargo ship Housatonic near the coast of Britain. The relationship between the nations quickly deteriorated and war loomed in the horizon. A few months later after Germany’s attempt to lure Mexico into declaring war on the United States and the sinking of six other American merchant vessels, the Congress declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917. The severing of diplomatic ties with GWilson Addressing Congressermany signified a major turning point in American history as the United States took on a more active role in world politics. While Wilson’s plans to continue America’s global role after the war collapsed and isolationism made a brief comeback in the interwar years, Wilson’s speech before Congress was a prelude to a more active foreign policy of the 20th century.

Sources: Newspaper (Image) / German U-Boat (Image) / Wilson Address Congress (Image)