Theodore Roosevelt had been an early critic of World War I neutrality, a proponent of military preparedness, and critical of President Woodrow Wilson's reluctance to declare war against Germany. It wasn't until 1917 that Wilson requested a declaration of was against German in Congress. Wilson cited Germany’s violation of its pledge to suspend unrestricted submarine warfare in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, as well as its efforts to entice Mexico into an alliance against the United States as his reasons.