Home > American leaders like President Wilson- Making the World Safe for Democracy
American leaders like President Wilson- Making the World Safe for Democracy
This discussion addresses the following outcomes:
- Examine the factors that led the United States to join the war in Europe as well as President Wilson’s vision for a post-war world through a game (CO1, CO2, CO5, CO6)
The decision to ask Congress to declare war against Germany and Austria-Hungary in April of 1917 was not an easy one for President Woodrow Wilson. As you saw in the game, he faced competing interests and a long tradition of American isolationism. However, in response to the German use of unrestricted submarine warfare, the Zimmermann Telegram, and the shifting tide of American public opinion, the United States entered the global conflict.
In preparation for this discussion make sure that you have read the assigned chapters in the Neiberg text, Neiberg, M. (2012), The Zimmermann Telegram and American Entry into World War I 
download [PDF, file size 354.77 KB], War Is “A Blessing, Not a Curse” (Links to an external site.), and “I Didn’t Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier (Links to an external site.)” and viewed The United States Enters World War I (Links to an external site.), and Selling Americans on War (Links to an external site.).
In addition, make sure you have completed the game M5G1: Making the World Safe for Democracy: Be President Wilson. You may find it helpful to play the game more than once to compare your decisions and your eventual outcomes.
Then, in an initial post of at least 250 words discuss the following:
- Summarize for your classmates your decisions and the results of your choices in the game. How were your choices affected by the historical context?
- Then, based upon your experiences in the game and your assessment of the readings, evaluate the challenges facing, and decision-making of, American leaders like President Wilson. Did he make the best decisions possible for his people? Were there alternatives that he failed to take note of?
