Question

Why did President Wilson believe it was necessary to put so much energy and so many resources into propaganda and quieting dissent? Consider his election of 1916. What explains this shift in focus?

Answer 1

To back his decision to go to war with Germany.

Step-by-step explanation:

Following the decision of President Wilson in 1917, to let the United States go to war in World War 1, he established a group of personnel known as the Committee on Public Information.

Their purpose is to convince people of the need to go to war. He ensures this is done through the use of active media propaganda. This is because he faced the issue of hesitation from the citizens of America. This is in contrast to a year before that when he won his reelection in 1916, on the back of his promise to keep the US out of the war.

However, because Germany violated the agreement to restrain their incessant submarine warfare in the region comprising North Atlantic and Mediterranean, Wilson felt he had to change his focus.

Similarly, the German attempts to influence Mexico into a coalition against the United States, made him believe it is time for the Americans to go to war with Europe.