Answer:
President Woodrow Wilson affirmed a policy of neutrality when Europe erupted into war in 1914. He believed that the United States should stay out of the conflict and focus on its own domestic problems. Wilson also hoped to act as a mediator between the warring nations. However, as the war dragged on, it became increasingly difficult for the United States to remain neutral. In 1917, Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war against Germany, citing the German policy of unrestricted submarine warfare as the reason for his decision.