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Holtzendorff's Policy Of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

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Unrestricted Submarine Warfare is characterized by the attacking of vessels such as cargo ships or military boats without giving warning prior to the attack. With such aggressive military policy ramifications can reach all aspects of maritime culture. From the political tension that can arise, to economic impacts from losses of vessels and cargo to social consequences from loss of life. The major issue with the German use of their submarines was the international implications of using this modern technology. Quite literally, the submarines were used before international laws were adjusted on their use during wartime (Kennedy et al. 699). To a great extent the German disregard for American neutrality in their policy of unrestricted warfare ultimately …show more content…

When Admiral Holtzendorff distributed his memorandum, which argued for the relaunching of unrestricted submarine warfare, it was both widely received and endorsed by high ranking members of Germany’s Government. Claiming that the resumption could force a British surrender before American forces could alter the course of war, the German government blatantly ignored a severe warning from the United States and President Wilson that diplomatic relations would be broken. The content of this memorandum shows ambitious and nationalistic plans, calculating that if the fleet could sink 630,000 tons of merchant ships over the course of six months Britain would ultimately be starved of the grain it needed after a poor production year of crops (Steffen 216). Though many times previously the Kaiser had refused requests to resume unrestricted warfare he was eventually swayed when his top military personnel became convinced that the change in U-boat policy was essential for winning the war after a series of losses with ground troops. Such a position of carelessness towards a foreign neutral nation made the decision for Wilson to declare war on Germany …show more content…

For many Americans this “...was their first real introduction to total war- war as much against civilians as against armed forces…” (Trommler 241). In the American public eye Germany could not justify the loss of civilian lives, especially the 128 Americans aboard. Despite warnings given by the German government of the dangers of being on a British ship in a war zone (241) this miscalculation in public outcry would hover over the German name up until 1917 when America officially declared war on Germany. For many Americans this sneak attack on innocents would characterize the evil of Germany and its Kaiser for the remainder of the war. While there was a great public sentiment of anger towards Germany few wanted to break from the Monroe Doctrine in which the United States would remain neutral in European affairs. Having followed this doctrine for nearly a century Wilson was not quick to break from tradition and begin taking sides in Europe. While the first attack directly on American lives did not trigger an immediate military response, one cannot help but question the role it played as the first step in leading the United States to

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Unrestricted submarine warfare outraged many Americans because its application was an attack upon innocent civilian. Unrestricted submarine warfare also breaks an international law which states that the civilians of two warring countries are not targets. Germany not only harmed civilians, but it also broke international law. Through the sinking of the Lusitania, the public’s view of Germany’s unrestricted warfare policy intensified, and more people began to favor American involvement in the war. The sinking of the Lusitania became one of the most important events of the Great War because its reaction is, “the first step towards American involvement in the war.”

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On May 7, 1915 the British luxury ocean liner, the RMS Lusitania, sunk within 18 minutes of being shot by a German U-boat in an act of self defense. Germany’s U-boats were latest technology; similar to submarines. They were hard to detect by radar and surprised the enemy. Out of 192 Americans onboard 128 died, which outraged Americans Eventually bringing them into the war. Despite a minimal amount of evidence on the contrary, Germany had every right to sink the Lusitania.

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Wilson viewed America as a nation of peace and he wanted to preserve this view. However, as time went on, the little things the U.S did while claiming its neutrality started to matter. Germans retaliated to the U.S trade with the Allies. One thing led to another and the U.S joined the war under the Allies’

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would not actually be going to war due to President Woodrow Wilson’s implications. Minor events, including the sinking of the Lusitania, occurred before the United States made its appearance in the war. The U.S. suddenly became a target when Germany began the strategy of “submarine warfare”. Any ship that brought supplies to Great Britain or France at the time would be destroyed with torpedoes. Only a few weeks later, four American ships were sunk, and fifteen people were killed from German submarine attacks.

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When President Wilson requested that Congress declare war on Germany, America was not ready to mobilize our troops for war. The United States  had just begun to pull itself out of recession and were not ready for a war economically. Some Americans wanted to see the fall of Germany, but did not support sending our soldiers across the ocean. Despite all this, Wilson continued to push for American contribution in the war effort. Eventually, Wilson’s tactics won over and we were able to send large amounts of reinforcements into the war.

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In March 1917, German torpedoes hit three American ships. The ships were stopped and plundered. There was no way the sinking could have been a mistake. This, and other events like the Lusitania, alienated America the Central Powers and forced them into the war on the Allies’ side. The mounting tension caused by the plundering forced the United States into World War I. After the Lusitania sunk, German sentiment disappeared in America and the country soon entered the

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This unknown fact of American being neutral or not, ultimately lead to the United States needing to enter World War I. Although the United States President at the time, Woodrow Wilson, explained the reasoning for the U.S. entering WWI was because of Germany’s submarine warfare, the violence toll that Germany took on America relates back to the concealed matter of the nation of the United States actually being neutral throughout the time before war

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During World War I, the Germans use a fighting tactic called Unrestricted Submarine Warfare. German U-Boats, or submarines, were told to sink any ship that posed a threat, passenger or cargo, it did not matter. In a newspaper article it shows that the Lusitania was a passenger boat going from the coast of New York to Ireland that was sunk by a German submarine (“Lusitania”). The fact that Germany sunk a passenger ship without reason infuriated the Americans. As the political cartoon by Matthew Bollinger shows, President Woodrow Wilson is holding a piece of paper that says that American lives were lost on the sinking of this ship (Bollinger).

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The Germans at this point had shown great movement towards a more aggressive standpoint in the war and this directly affected the United States lost people on boats like the Lusitania and the Laconia. Many people worried that “other laconias were certain to sink.” (Doc 7) This instilled fear into the nations and many people felt that the only way to solve this would be to get involved and take a more aggressive standpoint on the matter. The Sussex pledge was announced in place to restrict this warfare by German submarines but after violating the policy, even more, people supported a more aggressive, including President Woodrow Wilson.

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One of the attackes that led Americans to their break point was the Lusitania, killing a total of 128 Americans and 1,200 people in May of 1915. Wilson tried to reason with Germany issuing two notes, the first warning the Germans to change their warfare tactics and second being more aggressive towards the subject. This did not stop Germany from continuing all attacks towards American vessels, even after Wilson broke all diplomatic relations with them but still this was not enough. At the end what brought the final decision to join the war was the relentless attacks towards American vessels and the discovery of the alliance of Mexico and Germany, promising them the recovery of there territories New Mexico, Arizona and Texas this binging fear upon all of the United States in loosing their

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German will say, well, this was in fact a justified sinking 'cause the Lusitania was actually carrying If you want to put women and children in front of ammunition you can 't complain then when it sunk. But Wilson reacts to the Lusitania sinking with a third definition of and this will be the definition of neutrality that will be the one that will ultimately provoke this confrontation with Germany. And that is that neutrality is not about trading with no one. It 's not about trading with everyone. It 's about the rights of neutrals.

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America had tried hard not to get involved in European affairs and conflicts, but with our growing connections it became hard. Businessmen saw the opportunities and profitable advancements of Europe, which brought a large number of American 's overseas. Great Britain was a major trade partner with the U.S, so we were indirectly involved in their war. The Germans started sinking any British ships that came into view of their Unterseeboots, even if they were passenger or fishing vessels. When

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The Imperial German Government’s purpose was to put aside all restraints of law or of humanity and use it’s submarines to sink every vessel. “The present German submarine warfare against commerce is a warfare against mankind,” Woodrow Wilson mentioned in his speech. This speech was monumental because it convinced American citizens entry into the war was necessary, brought America into a devastating war, probed America was a power of the world, brought women into workplaces, and it pushed for women’s suffrage. Not every

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As Germany returns, in 1917, to the policy of unrestricted submarine warfare, it came back to renew its suspension in response from force of the United States and other neutral countries. Unrestricted submarine warfare was first initiated in World War I on February 4th, 1915. Germany declared the area around the British Isles a war zone, in which all merchant ships, would be attacked by the German navy. On April 22nd, 1915, the German Embassy published a warning in newspapers to tell passengers that travel on Allied ships are “at their own risk.” One ship, called The Lusitania, was the first to submerge and depart, killing nearly 1300 passengers.

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1622 Words | 7 Pages

Germany’s resumption of submarine attacks on passenger and merchant ships in 1917 became the primary motivation behind Wilson’s decision

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