Download 11 Scholarship Research

PROJECT TITLE:
Room 40 – The Zimmerman Telegram and World War I
AUTHOR: Jared A. Morris
American History II – 7th Grade
SCHOLARSHIP & RESEARCH
1. Primary Investigative Question(s) – Why did Germany see an alliance with Mexico and Japan
as a viable option and through what means was the plot exposed?
2.
Contextual Essay –
"We intend to begin on the first of February unrestricted submarine warfare. We shall endeavor in
spite of this to keep the United States of America neutral. In the event of this not succeeding, we make
Mexico a proposal or alliance on the following basis: make war together, make peace together, generous
financial support and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas,
New Mexico, and Arizona.” This is the beginning of the document known as the Zimmerman Telegram,
which was an offer by Germany to Mexico that acted as a trigger to the United States’ involvement in the
First Great War.
Years before the start of World War I, Germany had begun dabbling in the idea and practice of
establishing a presence in the east Pacific and the overall Western Hemisphere. As far back as 1901,
Germany attempted to establish a base on the Santa Margarita Islands near Venezuela but was thwarted
by then Secretary of State John Hay. A real estate venture in Mexico’s Lower California peninsula was
also halted when a wary American lawyer traced the source of money back to the German Emperor
himself and reported it to the proper authorities. The point is that there are numerous examples of
Germany scheming and leveraging in Mexico and the United States prior to the infamous Zimmerman
Telegram. Germany played into and perpetuated the American fears of the Japanese in the Western
Hemisphere, as well. With the Japanese quickly becoming a world power, he saw them as both a threat
and possible ally. In an ideal world, the German Emperor, Wilhelm II “vigorous imagination envisaged
the United States and Japan locked in conflict on a battlefield in Mexico…The moment the United States
invaded Mexico the smoldering anti-Yankeeism south of the border would burst into flames throughout
Latin America.”(Tuchman, 31) So in short, the Kaiser longed for two beneficial scenarios. The first was a
Mexico that adhered to Germany an was aligned with it’s goals. The second was a Mexico that was an
unstable powder keg of factions and fear that would keep the U.S. at bay. Either scenario was favorable
for his Germany.
To understand Germany’s offer of alliance to Mexico and Japan against the U.S., it is critical to
look at the relationship between the three countries (Mexico, Japan, and the U.S.) leading up to 1917. In
the early 1900s some Mexican officials began to consider the possibilities of an alliance with Japan. It
seemed an obvious marriage. Japan and the United States relations had been rocky since the midnineteenth century, and tensions only increased at the turn of the century. Japan and the United States
were both competing for spheres of influence in and around China. As Japan increased it’s pressure in that
area, the world only felt it was a matter of time before it would lead to an imperial war between Japan and
the United States. Many in Mexico saw this as a situation that could greatly benefit them. Japan had the
navy and the know-how to expand their territory and influence. One Mexican ambassador in Tokyo at the
time was observed that “there would be an armed conflict between the United States and Japan…My ideal
would be the break up of the United States as a result of such a war in which south and west would break
away from the northern states. Mexico would be able to breathe.” (Schuler, 57) Mexico had been at odds
with the Unites States for the better part of a century leading up to World War I. The list of confrontations
is long, but some key points of interest are 1) the Texans in Tejas (Texas) which led to Texas
independence from Mexico, 2) the Mexican-American War that resulted in the Mexican cession of
Arizona, New Mexico, and California, 3) Woodrow Wilson’s reluctant invasion of Vera Cruz to stop the
importation of German arms to Victoriano Huerta, which led to casualties on both sides, and 4) Wilson’s
approved pursuit of Pancho Villa by General Pershing into Northern Mexico. All of these occurrences
created something less then a neighborly feel between the two North American countries.
It is amidst these international dynamics that the Zimmerman Telegram makes its introduction. At
the start of 1917, the war was trudging along with slaughter after slaughter and no real progress either
way. The German’s were preparing to start unrestricted submarine warfare once again, which basically
meant all naval vessels that were not aiding the Central Powers were fair game. Germany hoped that this
would cripple the allied effort, leading to British surrender. Knowing that these types of indiscriminate
naval attacks would eventually kill Americans, Germany needed to develop a plan to counter official U.S.
involvement in Europe. Cue the offer to Mexico. If Germany could create an official alliance with the
Mexican government that involved attacking the United States, they could keep U.S. war efforts confined
to the Western Hemisphere long enough for Germany to squeeze Britain for surrender. It’s a no-brainer
that the U.S. would concentrate its operations on protecting its borders first. The offer basically promised
support from Germany if Mexico attacked the U.S., and promised the land lost in wars with Texas and the
U.S. to be returned to Mexico. As a sidecar to the initial proposal, Germany also urged the parties
involved to bring Japan into the fold as well.
The discovery of this proposal is considered to be one of the most important intelligence/decoding efforts in the history of the world due to its effect. The credit goes greatly to the British who in the
early stages of the war had acquired all but one German military code. The interception and decoding of
the Zimmerman Telegram specifically, is attributed to a branch of British Naval Intelligence under
Admiral Reginald “Blinker” Hall dubbed Room 40. Although Admiral Hall knew he had the ticket to
bring the U.S. into a struggling allied effort, he had to use it properly. He couldn’t announce that they
intercepted from the German’s because their intelligence efforts would be compromised and German
codes would be scrapped and replaced with alternatives. To remedy this he was able to re-acquire the
telegram through “espionage” in Mexico involving methods that would not tip off the Germans that the
British possessed their military codes. When the telegram was sent to the Associated Press some
American politicians saw it as possible ruse to bring the U.S. into the arms of the allies, but when
Zimmerman himself arrogantly admitted to its authenticity it was basically “Katy bar the door” from that
moment on. In other words, it was clear that America needed to be all in. America went from a neutral
stance to a fighting stance overnight. The note was leaked to the press on February 28 and the United
States was at war with Germany on April 6, 1917.
The relationships between the United States, Japan, Germany, and Mexico prior to 1917 are
important factors in the conversation surrounding America’s reaction to the Zimmerman Telegram.
Mexico and Japan never accepted the offer made by Germany, but it is not a story of how the note
brought Mexico and Japan into war against the United States. It is a story about how growing threats,
tensions, and suspicions in the Western Hemisphere helped push the United States out of it cautious,
neutral slumber to a position among the allies in the First Great War.
3.
Annotated Bibliography –
Tuchman, Barbara, The Zimmerman Telegram, (Macmillan Publishing Co. 1985)
This is the quintessential resource when researching the Zimmerman Telegram. Tuchman covers
in detail the relationships between the countries involved leading up to the actual telegram as well
as the telegram itself. The book is addicting and in many places the book reads like a fictional spy
novel.
Schuler, Friedrich E., Secret Wars and Secret Policies in the Americas, 1842-1929, (University of
New Mexico Press, 2010)
This is a look at many situations and conflicts that took place in what is now the periphery of
history. Many of the events and possible events in this book are overlooked in the grand scheme of
the American story. The book was a helpful resource when looking at the possibilities of alliances
among countries in the Western Hemisphere, such as Mexico, with Asian nations, such as Japan
Gambone, Michael D., Documents of American Diplomacy, (Greenwood Press, 2002)
This is a collection of integral documents relating to American diplomacy from the American
Revolution to the present day. The author gives insight to each document as an introduction to the
actual document. It is a convenient resource when studying America’s foreign relations and
policies.
Richelson, Jeffery T., A Century of Spies, (Oxford University Press, 1995)
This is an overview of Western intelligence efforts during the twentieth century. This is a useful
resource for research but probably not for a casual read. It covers loads of interesting information
including his take on the Zimmerman Telegram, which was useful for this research.
Stacey, Lee (editor), Mexico and the United States, (Marshal Cavendish Corp. 2003)
This resource is an encyclopedia pertaining to relations between the United States and Mexico.
There is an extensive amount of information that is easily navigable through the detailed contents
page.
Petrie, John N., American Neutrality in the 20th Century, (INSS, 1996)
This is a study of United States’ attempts at neutrality throughout the twentieth century. The focus
is centered around United States’ naval policy and the challenges faced by striving to adhere to a
policy of neutrality.