Everything about Sussex Pledge totally explained
The
Sussex pledge was a promise made in
1916 during
World War I by
Germany to the
United States prior to the latter's entry into the war. Early in 1916, Germany had instituted a policy of
unrestricted submarine warfare, allowing armed merchant ships - but not passenger ships - to be torpedoed without warning. Despite this avowed restriction, a French cross-channel passenger ferry, the
Sussex, was torpedoed without warning on March 24, 1916; the ship was severely damaged and about 50 lives were lost. Although no U.S. citizens were killed in this attack, it prompted
President Woodrow Wilson to declare that if
Germany were to continue this practice, the
United States would break diplomatic relations with Germany. Fearing the entry of the
United States into
World War I, Germany attempted to appease the United States by issuing, on May 14, 1916, the
Sussex pledge, which promised a change in Germany’s naval warfare policy. According to
U-S-History.com
, the primary elements of this undertaking were:
- Passenger ships wouldn't be targeted;
- Merchant ships wouldn't be sunk until the presence of boats had been established, if necessary by a search of the ship;
- Merchant ships wouldn't be sunk without provision for the safety of passengers and crew.
In 1917 Germany became convinced they could defeat the Allied Forces by instituting
unrestricted submarine warfare before the United States could enter the war. The
Sussex pledge was therefore rescinded in January 1917, thereby initiating the decisive stage of the so-called
First Battle of the Atlantic. The resuming of unrestricted submarine warfare and the
Zimmerman Telegram caused the United States to declare war on Germany on April 6, 1917.
Further Information
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