Compare and Contrast

The Zimmerman Note and the graph both show Germany's desperation during the Great War. In the Zimmerman Note, Germany proposes that Mexico should ally with them in exchange for money and supplies. In reality, Germany was being blockaded at the time by the British, so there was no way this would have been possible. In the graph, German desperation is also shown because US exports to the Central Powers, which was already low to begin with, decreased even more from 1914-1916. This along with the British blockade further weakened Germany. In both these instances, they turned to unrestricted submarine warfare as a last resort.