World War 1(WW1) is one of the most bloodstained, unpleasant, wide-spread, and history-altering war ever to occur in human history. Many people know this, however, many are not aware of the important factors which impacted the Great War. One such factor is the sinking of the British Ocean Liner Lusitania, a passenger ship stacked with hundreds of civilians seeking a retreat through a vacation. The sinking of the Lusitania was a significant occurrence because it impacted the American public’s opinion significantly, which in result influenced the Great War. Hence, it is imperative one understands the role the Lusitania played during the Great War.
To begin, During the Great War, the U.S. was in an economic slump, and the war was a means of jumping out of this recession. The U.S. merchants began trading arms with the Allies, especially Britain. To stop this, Germany initiated the Unrestricted Submarine Warfare policy. Unrestricted submarine warfare meant that whenever German U-boats saw ships or vehicles which were not under the control of the Central Powers or were believed to carry goods for the Allies, they destroyed them. This policy created
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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.” (Hill