text: how did america get involved in wwi? what lead america to get involved in that war? and why? german submarines were sinking ships that they felt were carrying war supplies to the allies in europe.  the u.s. lost some merchant marine ships in that process.  however germany even sank passenger ships that they felt could also be carrying  war supplies.  when a ship was sank carrying over 150 americans we dropped our "isolationist" stand over wwi and entered the war in april 1917.  american troops altough aligned with the allies, fought as a separate enity from our allies.  our entry to the war brought it to a much quicker end.    president wilson went to europe to assist in negotiate the peace treaty at vesailles and although he was instrumental in the founding of the league of nations, the u.s.senate never approved the treaty and we never entered the league of nations.