President Wilson is trying to convince his listeners that going to war is about defending the nation and not about emotions.
When Germany began an unrestricted submarine war and the Telegram Zimmermann was sent, Wilson asked Congress to declare war to "make the world safe for democracy." The United States sent an expeditionary force to fight alongside the Allies in Europe. During the war, Wilson focused on diplomacy and financial considerations, leaving military matters to his generals, especially John J. Pershing. Lending billions of dollars to the United Kingdom, France, and other allies, the Americans financed much of the Entente war effort.
