Final answer:
Germany tried to work against the U.S. in America before the U.S. entered the war through unrestricted submarine warfare, propaganda, and anti-German sentiment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Germany tried to work against the U.S. in America before the U.S. entered the war in several ways.
1. Unrestricted submarine warfare
Germany expanded its submarine fleet and declared the sea-lanes leading to Europe and France as war zones. They warned Americans that any ship heading toward these ports would be sunk. This policy violated the rights of neutral nations and sparked protests from Americans.
2. Propaganda
Germany sponsored propaganda in the U.S. out of concern that American immigrants sympathized with the Central powers. This propaganda aimed to sway public opinion and hinder the support for the U.S. war effort.
3. Anti-German sentiment and xenophobia
During the war, a wave of anti-German sentiment spread in the U.S. German-Americans were persecuted, their businesses shunned, and the use of the German language was discouraged. This created a hostile environment for German immigrants.