What major event prompted the United States to enter World War I?

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The sinking of the Lusitania is a significant event often associated with stirring public sentiment in the United States towards entering World War I. The Lusitania was a British ocean liner that was sunk by a German U-boat in May 1915, resulting in the deaths of nearly 1,200 passengers, including 128 Americans. This tragic event led to widespread outrage in the United States and contributed to shifting public opinion against Germany. While the United States maintained a policy of neutrality for a considerable time, the Lusitania incident highlighted the dangers of unrestricted submarine warfare and helped to galvanize support for intervention among the American populace and the government.

Other factors, such as the Zimmermann Telegram, which revealed Germany's proposal for a military alliance with Mexico against the U.S., and lingering tensions from earlier incidents, also played crucial roles in the United States' decision to join the war in 1917. However, the emotional impact and the public outcry following the sinking of the Lusitania were instrumental in making the case for U.S. intervention in the conflict.

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