which of the following was the immediate cause for american entry into world war i?
The United States later declared war on German ally Austria-Hungary on December 7, 1917. Germanyâs resumption of submarine attacks on passenger and merchant ships in 1917 became the primary motivation behind Wilsonâs decision to lead the United States into World War I. Following the sinking of an unarmed French boat, the Sussex, in the English Channel in March 1916, Wilson threatened to sever diplomatic relations with Germany unless the German Government refrained from attacking all passenger ships and allowed the crews of enemy merchant vessels to abandon their ships prior ...