HW 1: SOAPS and Write 5 Observations
HW #2: SOAPS and 5 Questions Below
The Zimmerman Telegram
“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 of alliance on the following bases: 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. The settlement in detail is left to you. You will inform the
President of the above most secretly as soon as the outbreak of war with the United States of America is
certain and add the suggestion that he should, on his own initiative, {invite} Japan to immediate
adherence and at the same time mediate between Japan and ourselves. Please call the President’s
attention to the fact that the ruthless employment of our submarines now offers prospect of compelling
England in a few months to make peace.”
Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What did Germany offer Mexico?
What instructions did Germany give Mexico?
How do you think Americans reacted to this note? Why would they react like this?
Which part do you feel upset Americans the most? Why?
How did this even encourage US entry into WWI?
HW #3: 6 C’s
Charles Hudson, British Soldier
http://spartacus-educational.com/FWWhudsonC.htm
Letter to his sister, 1915
We are now 150yd from Fritz and the moon is bright, so we bend and
walk quietly onto the road running diagonally across the front. There is a
stream the far side of this - boards have been put across it at intervals but
must have fallen in - about 20yd down we can cross. We stop and listen swish - and down we plop (for a flare lights everything up) it goes out
with a hiss and over the board we trundle on hands and knees.
Apparently no one has seen so we proceed to crawl through a line of "French" wire. Now for
100yd dead flat weed-land with here and there a shell hole or old webbing equipment lying in
little heaps! These we avoid. This means a slow, slow crawl head down, propelling ourselves by
toes and forearm, body and legs flat on the ground, like a snake.
We must wait a bit, the moon's getting low but it's too bright now 5 a.m. They will stop soon and
if we go on we may meet a covering party lying low. 5:10. 5:15. 5:25. 5:30. And the moon's
gone. The last crawl starts.
We crawl quickly on to the wire - past two huge shell holes to the first row. Out comes the wire
cutter. I hold the strands to prevent them jumping apart when cut and Stafford cuts. Twenty-five
strands are cut and the standard pulled out. Two or three tins are cut off as we go. Next a space
4ft then low wire entanglements as we cut on through to a line of iron spikes and thick, heavy
barbed wire.
It is getting light, a long streak has already appeared. I take the corkscrew and Stafford the iron
double standard. My corkscrew keeps on catching and Stafford has to extract me twice from the
wire, his standard is smooth and only 3ft so he travels lighter. He leads back down a bit of ditch.
Suddenly a sentry fires 2 shots which spit on the ground a few yards in front. We lie absolutely
flat, scarcely daring to breathe - has he seen? Then we go on, the ditch gets a little deeper, giving
cover! My heart is beating nineteen to the dozen - will it mean a machine gun, Stafford is gaining
and leads by 10yd. "My God," I think, "it is a listening post ahead and this the ditch to it. I must
stop him." I whisper, "Stafford, Stafford" and feel I am shouting. He stops, thinking I have got it.
"Do you think it's a listening post?"
I laugh, "Forgot that damned wire." (Our own wire outside our listening post). The LP occupants
have gone in. Soon we are behind the friendly parapet and it is day. We are ourselves again, but
there's a subtle cord between us, stronger than barbed wire, that will take a lot of cutting. Twenty
to seven, 2 hrs 10 minutes of life - war at its best. But shelling, no, that's death at its worst. And I
can't go again, it's a vice. Immediately after I swear I'll never do it again, the next night I find
myself aching after "No Man's Land".