Ch. 19, sec. 1 critical thinking # 4 & 5

Why were America's ties with the Allies stronger than its ties with the Central Powers?

Many people still had ties with countries from which they had emigrated. For example, people who came to the U.S. from Germany sympathized with the Germans and people from Ireland remembered British oppression and saw the war as a chance for Ireland to gain independence.

But, likewise, many people still felt close to Britain. They shared the same language and many had common ancestry. Germany's aggressive sweep through Belgium increased their sympathy for the allies.

America also had stronger economic ties with the allies than with the Central Powers. Before the war, America's trade with Britain and France was more than double it's trade with Germany. During the first two years of the war, the allies flooded American manufacturers with orders for war supplies. The United States shipped millions of dolllars worth of supplies to the allied forces.
Because of the economic stance and backround with the allies, the U.S. was far more tied to the allied forces than with the Central Power.

Why do you think Germany escalated its U-boat attacks in 1917?

Germany escalated its U-boat attacks due to military build-up. They wanted to be superior to Britain. They also did not want any power trading with it's enemies. They did it in an attempt to ruin Britain's economy and provent them from sending forces to aid their allies in continental Europe.