Zimmerman's Telegram (Research Paper Sample)

ZIMMERMAN’S TELEGRAM
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Zimmerman’s Telegram
The First World War kicked off before the field of International relations encountered a paradigm shift that saw it move from the traditional geopolitics to contemporary ecopolitics. Geopolitics employed territorial expansionist policies that saw the greater powers wage war against each other or weaker states in a bid to increase or protect their geographical boundaries. The state of the international system at that time informed the United States decision to play a part in the First World War despite its efforts to remain neutral. The following paper seeks to show the role played by the Zimmerman telegram in moving United States towards involvement in the First World War.
Zimmerman’s telegram was the final nail in the coffin towards the Germans efforts to increase their national boundaries since it gave the United States a valid reason to fight against them. United States had remained neutral in the build up to the First World War but after discovering German’s intentions through the infamous telegram they had no option than wage against them. The telegram threatened the territorial boundaries of the United States at that time since the Germans had promised a part of United States territory to their immediate neighbor Mexico if they joined forces with them. The promised region earlier belonged to Mexico, but they lost it to United States during the Mexican-American war. The Germans had promised Mexico the three states it lost to United States during the aforementioned war. They comprised of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. German’s plot left United States with no option than wage war against them in order to protect their land.
It is clearly evident that Zimmerman’s telegram played a crucial role in the United States in the First World War due to the need to ensure their survival. The existing international system called for any state to use any force possible to ensure its survival. The First World War also shaped the destiny of the United States in the international system since it emerged as a great power after the war. Their emergence ...