▁which ▁the ▁German ▁government ▁pres umed ▁would ▁almost ▁certainly ▁lead ▁to ▁war ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁tele gram ▁instruct ed ▁E ck ard t ▁that ▁if ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁appeared ▁certain ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁war , ▁he ▁was ▁to ▁approach ▁the ▁Mexican ▁Government ▁with ▁a ▁proposal ▁for ▁military ▁al liance ▁with ▁fund ing ▁from ▁Germany . ▁▁ ▁The ▁dec oded ▁tele gram ▁is ▁as ▁follows : ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Pre vious ▁German ▁efforts ▁to ▁promote ▁war ▁Germany ▁had ▁long ▁sought ▁to ▁in cite ▁a ▁war ▁between ▁Mexico ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁which ▁would ▁have ▁tied ▁down ▁American ▁forces ▁and ▁slow ed ▁the ▁export ▁of ▁American ▁arms ▁to ▁the ▁Al lies . ▁The ▁Germ ans ▁had ▁engaged ▁in ▁a ▁pattern ▁of ▁act ively ▁ar ming , ▁fund ing , ▁and ▁advis ing ▁the ▁Mex icans , ▁as ▁shown ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁Y p ir anga ▁Inc ident ▁and ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁German ▁advis ors ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁Battle ▁of ▁Amb os ▁N og ales . ▁German ▁Naval ▁Int elligence ▁officer ▁Franz ▁von ▁R int elen ▁had ▁attempted ▁to ▁in cite ▁a ▁war ▁between ▁Mexico ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁giving ▁Victor iano ▁Hu erta ▁$ 1 2 ▁million ▁for ▁that ▁purpose . ▁The ▁German ▁sab ote ur ▁L oth ar ▁W itz ke , ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁m un itions ▁explos ion ▁at ▁the ▁Mare ▁Island ▁Naval ▁Sh ip yard ▁in