The Zimmerman Telegram

• The Zimmerman Telegram constituted a reckless gamble and a catastrophic mistake by Germany during World War I.

Context

• By 1917, World War I had been ongoing for nearly three years, pitting Germany and the Central Powers against Britain and France.
• A British naval blockade was significantly impacting Germany by cutting off supplies.
• Germany planned unrestricted submarine warfare to counter the blockade, which involved submarines sinking any ships, including American vessels, heading to Britain.
• The US government had warned Germany against unrestricted submarine warfare after the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915, in which 128 Americans died.

The Zimmerman Telegram

• On January 16, 1917, German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmerman sent a coded telegram to Germany's Ambassador in Mexico, Heinrich von Eckardt.
• The telegram proposed a secret alliance between Germany and Mexico if the US joined the war.
• If Mexico attacked the United States, Germany promised to help Mexico recover territories lost to the US, including Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.
• It was hoped that this would divert US attention and resources away from Europe.
• Germany aimed to prevent US military support to the Allies by keeping the US occupied in North America.
• The Germans also wanted to exploit existing tensions between Mexico and the US.
• Germany considered it possible to strengthen its strategic position; the telegram also mentioned Japan potentially allying with Germany.

British Interception

• British intelligence, specifically Room 40, had been monitoring German communications and intercepted the Zimmerman Telegram.
• They cracked the German code after days of work.
• Britain faced a dilemma: revealing the telegram could turn the US against Germany, but admitting how they obtained it would reveal their spying.
• The British decided to feign obtaining the message through Mexico rather than through German channels.

Impact

• On March 1, 1917, US newspapers published the Zimmerman Telegram.
• Arthur Zimmerman confirmed its authenticity, leading to outrage from President Woodrow Wilson and the American public.
• Mexico, realizing its military weakness, rejected Germany's offer.
• While the US did not immediately declare war, the telegram pushed the nation closer to the conflict.
• Germany's resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare in March 1917, resulting in the sinking of American merchant ships and the death of US citizens, was the final provocation.
• On April 6, 1917, President Wilson and Congress declared war on Germany.
• The Zimmerman Telegram was a turning point in the war, as it led to fresh American troops and equipment being deployed, helping the Allies gain an advantage and eventually defeat Germany.