Final answer:
President Woodrow Wilson's use of the word 'we' was to foster a unified American identity, separating the people from the actions of the German government and promoting national solidarity as the U.S. moved from neutrality to war participation.
Step-by-step explanation:
President Woodrow Wilson's use of the word “we” in his War Message to Congress aims to foster a sense of unity and collective identity among Americans. At the time of Wilson's speech, the United States was a nation with diverse ethnic backgrounds, including immigrants with ties to the nations involved in World War I. By using the inclusive term “we,” Wilson sought to unify the people and distinguish the American government and its citizens from the belligerent German government, thus framing the conflict as one between governments rather than between peoples. The use of “we” was crucial for rallying national solidarity, especially as Wilson needed to cultivate a wartime mentality amongst a population that had been largely isolationist and included individuals with sympathies toward the Central Powers due to heritage. This rhetoric was part of Wilson's broader effort to prepare the country for the shift from neutrality to active participation in the war.