Question

From 1914 to 1916, as World War I raged in Europe, Americans were not able to remain neutral in thought as well as action mainly because

Answer 1

Americans were not able to remain neutral in thought as well as action mostly because of the presence of European immigrants with strong ties to their home countries, the strong ties between the United States and the Allied Powers, and specific events like the sinking of US ships and the Zimmerman Telegram.

Step-by-step explanation:

Americans were not able to remain neutral in thought as well as action during World War I mainly because of several factors:

1. The presence of a large number of European immigrants and their descendants in the United States who had strong ties and loyalties to their home countries, such as German immigrants and Irish Americans.
2. The strong cultural and economic ties between the United States and the Allied Powers, especially Britain and France, which led to American businesses trading with these countries.
3. The sinking of US ships and the Zimmerman Telegram, which further fueled anti-German sentiment and pushed the United States towards joining the war.

Overall, due to a combination of historical, cultural, and strategic factors, Americans found it difficult to remain neutral during World War I.

Answer 2

The freedom of the seas was interfered with by the war in Europe.

The British had imposed a naval blockade against Germany, and Germany responded with submarine warfare against shipping coming into Britain. The most famous instance -- which almost pulled the USA into the war at that point -- was the sinking of the passenger ship Lusitania by a German torpedo in May, 1915. Over a thousand people drowned when the ship sank, including 128 American citizens. Germany suspected that munitions were being shipped into Britain in the cargo holds of passenger liners. That was shown after the fact to have been true in the case of the Lusitania.