gree upon the conditions. In 1917, the Russian Revolution occurred and the rise of a communist party took place. This only heightened the need for direct U.S. involvement. Although Wilson had told Germany to stop making submarines, they continued to do so. That same year, Germany unleashed an unrestricted U-Boat campaign. America was aware of the growing influence of Germany in Mexico. Their awareness was realized when the United States intercepted the Zimmerman telegram in which the German foreign secretary offered an alliance between Germany and Mexico. The telegram also mentioned that Mexico might possibly receive some of the lands it had lost to the U.S. during the Mexican War in 1848. The U.S. could wait no longer. On April 2, 1917, the United States entered the war. Despite some effective war efforts, German forces fell in 1918. Soon after, the Versailles Treaty was signed in Versailles, France, between Germany and the Allies in 1919. Italy, Britain, France, and the United States attended the treaty. As a result of the war, the German government had been replaced by the German Republic and was nevertheless excluded from attending the treaty. The treaty had an extreme economic and social effect on Germany. Germany was forced to pay an enormous amount of money for reparations. Since it did not have very much money after the war, German payment often took the forms of ships, trains, and natural resources. The country was also forced to recognize Poland, Belgium, Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Belgium and give up land to France and other neighboring countries. Also, Germany was not allowed to trade or produce war material, demilitarize along the Rhine, and dramatically reduce its military. The effects these demands had on Germany will be discussed later. In January 1918, Wilson gave his famous Fourteen Points speech. The speech was a summary of detailed conditions that would help establish peace after the war. Refe...
