On this date, March 29, 1917, German foreign minister Arthur Zimmerman addressed his famous telegram. The speech did nothing to calm American anger of the telegram.
I wrote no letter to
General Carranza. I was not so naive. I merely addressed, by a
route that appeared to me to be a safe one, instructions to our
representative in Mexico.
It is being investigated
how these instructions fell into the hands of the American authorities.
I instructed the Minister to Mexico, in the event of war with the United States, to propose a German alliance to Mexico, and simultaneously to
suggest that Japan join the alliance.
I declared expressly that,
despite the submarine war, we hoped that America would maintain neutrality.
My instructions were to be
carried out only after the United States declared war and a state of war
supervened. I believe the instructions were absolutely loyal as
regards the United States.
General Carranza would have
heard nothing of it up to the present if the United States had not published
the instructions which came into its hands in a way which was not
unobjectionable. Our behavior contrasts considerably with the behavior of the Washington Government.
President Wilson after our
note of January 31, 1917, which avoided all aggressiveness in tone, deemed
it proper immediately to break off relations with extraordinary roughness.
Our Ambassador no longer had the opportunity to explain or elucidate our
attitude orally.
The United States
Government thus declined to negotiate with us. On the other hand, it
addressed itself immediately to all the neutral powers to induce them to
join the United States and break with us.
Every unprejudiced person
must see in this the hostile attitude of the American Government, which
seemed to consider it right, before being at war with us, to set the entire
world against us. It cannot deny us the right to seek allies when it
has itself practically declared war on us.
Herr Haase [note: a German
socialist] says that it caused great indignation in America. Of
course, in the first instance, the affair was employed as an incitement
against us. But the storm abated slowly and the calm and sensible
politicians, and also the great mass of the American people, saw that there
was nothing to object to in these instructions in themselves. I refer
especially to the statements of Senator Underwood. Even at times
newspapers felt obliged to admit regretfully that not so very much had been
made out of this affair.
The Government was
reproached for thinking just of Mexico and Japan. First of all, Mexico
was a neighbouring State to America. If we wanted allies against
America, Mexico would be the first to come into consideration. The
relations between Mexico and ourselves since the time of Porfirio Diaz have
been extremely friendly and trustful. The Mexicans, moreover, are
known as good and efficient soldiers.
It can hardly be said that
the relations between the United States and Mexico had been friendly and
trustful.
But the world knows that
antagonism exists between America and Japan. I maintain that these
antagonisms are stronger than those which, despite the war, exist between
Germany and Japan.
When I also wished to
persuade Carranza that Japan should join the alliance there was nothing
extraordinary in this. The relations between Japan and Mexico are long
existent. The Mexicans and Japanese are of a like race and good
relations exist between both countries.
When, further, the Entente
press affirms that it is shameless to take away allies, such reproach must
have a peculiar effect coming from powers who, like our enemies, made no
scruple in taking away from us two powers and peoples with whom we were
bound by treaties for more than thirty years.
The powers who desire to
make pliant an old European country of culture like Greece by unparalleled
and violent means cannot raise such a reproach against us.
When I thought of this
alliance with Mexico and Japan I allowed myself to be guided by the
consideration that our brave troops already have to fight against a superior
force of enemies, and my duty is, as far as possible, to keep further
enemies away from them. That Mexico and Japan suited that purpose even
Herr Haase will not deny.
Thus, I considered it a
patriotic duty to release those instructions, and I hold to the standpoint
that I acted rightly.
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