How Did World War I Justify The Lusitania?

Knowing that the Germans were to sink any and all ship that were caught in their waters. Because the sinking of the lusitania and many other ships the U.S became involved and help to end the war between the Allies. world war one was a time of great change, the weapons changed, and governments changed, even the geography of Europe changed.At the end of World War I the treaty of Versailles was signed, shifting the blame of World War I totally on Germany, and forced Germany to pay heavy economic reparations.But World War I was horrible for anyone who fought in it, muddy trenches being stormed by rats and disease, as well as enemies. The dead were everywhere, thousands of makeshift tombstones littered all over Belgium and France. Also people started dying in England, England suffered its first air raids, and England was no longer a safe haven from World War I.Over 16.5 million people died in world war I. they said it was the war to end all

​But however Britain was the country America did the most trading with, and they had ships traveling over the seas all the time and that became a problem between Germany and the United States. And that is when Germany announced unlimited warfare in the Atlantic ocean against all ships in February 1915. The warning said this “Vessels flying the flag of great Britain, or any of her allies, are liable to destruction in those waters and that travelers sailing in the war zone on ships of Great Britain or her allies do so at their own risk” (historyinanhour.com) So all ships neutral or not if they entered the war zone around Britain, they would be attacked by the German U-boats and if they did decide to travel over the Atlantic in the war zone, they did it at their own risk because the warning was made clear. (http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-unleash-u-boats)

World War I began in 1914 but America remained neutral until its entrance into the war in 1917. The U-boats sinking of the British liner Lusitania in 1915, the sinking of five American ships in 1917, and the “Zimmerman telegram” sent from Germany to Mexico led up to America’s declaration of war. America’s involvement in World War I not only impacted the war front but also the home front.

The Germans sank the Lusitania, a British ship flying the American flag, on May 7th, 1915 and 128 Americans were killed. International

However, May 7, 1915, a German U-boat sank the British ocean liner, RMS Lusitania killing 1,198 people, 128 of them being American. Similar to the U.S.S. Maine, the sinking became a lightning rod for uproar and approval to engage in war against the German. President Wilson even used the momentum to support his speech before Congress claiming that “property can be paid for; the lives of peaceful and innocent people cannot be. The present German submarine warfare against commerce is a warfare against mankind,” but this was not enough to send the U.S. to war. Later, the intercepted Zimmerman Telegram, which indicated that the Germans wanted to alliance with Mexico and possibly bring the war to North America, struck fear and an almost social crisis with the idea that America was not as invulnerable as they once thought before. It was this that pushed American fence sitters over the line and the US into Europe. Without the population socially aligned with the President’s decision, successful engagement in the war would have not been possible. Specifically, the compliance of the public when it came to the Draft, Liberty Bonds, Income Tax made America the superpower that it is.

The United States should have entered the war when the Lusitania was sunk by German U-boats because of its immoral tactics and because of the death of the one hundred twenty-eight Americans. In the early 1900s, the Allied navy still followed old naval conduct by warning ships before it was attacked. Germany, on the other hand, practiced unrestricted submarine warfare. Unrestricted submarine warfare is a type of naval warfare in which submarines sink vessels such as passenger and merchant ships without warning. Sadly, the Lusitania fell victim to an unrestricted submarine warfare attack. The sinking of the Lusitania was the first of many that fell victim, but the United States could have prevented it. Germany’s unrestricted attacks would have been more easily justified if it attacked military vessels rather than passenger ships. Moreover,

Germany defended the sinking of the Lusitania by responding that the ship was carrying a load of ammunition. However, this fact mattered little to the outraged Americans. Wilson remained careful for any action that would bring America into the war, despite many Americans openly calling for war. Instead of declaring war, Wilson sent a series of notes to Germany, demanding them to end their submarine warfare. In response to the outrage of the Americans, Germany agreed to refrain from sinking defenseless ships. However, in August 1915, the British liner, the Arabic, was sunk by another German U-boat. Again, Wilson demanded that the submarine warfare had to end. Finally, the German government pledged to end its submarine warfare. However, this pledge proved to be temporary. In March of 1916, U-boats sunk the Sussex, a French steamer. At this point, Wilson threatened to end all diplomatic relations with Germany if U-boats continued to sink unarmed vessels. To prevent this, Germany agreed to not sink unarmed ships. In November of 1916, Wilson was reelected with slogans saying, “He kept us out of the war” and “peace without victory.” However, these attempt to make peace

April second, President Wilson requested a declaration of war for Germany. America officially entered World War One on April fourth, shortly after Congress passed a two hundred fifty million arms appropriations bill intended to prepare the United States for war. However, the United States had been preparing since February twenty-second, when Congress passed a two hundred fifty million dollar arms appropriations bill. President Woodrow Wilson announced that the United States of America was to be neutral for World War One, which started in 1914. The American population, in majority, favored this decision. Public opinion changed for the United States when the Lusitania, a ship headed to Liverpool, England, was sunk. On February fourth nineteen fifteen the water surrounding the British Isles was declared a war

With the arming of British merchants ships as an effort to protect its passengers and crew came a potential loophole for the Germans, essentially allowing them unrestricted submarine warfare. Though international law did not directly involve submarines, it was previously agreed that attacks on merchant ships must follow prize rules. Germany agreed that they would avoid sinking neutral ships, however, in addition to the unlikeliness of a submarine surfacing to notify a ship of an attack, as such would endanger its own safety, the arming of a merchant ship made it unclear as to whether it was simply a neutral vessel for commerce, or if it was a warship. Germany could easily claim they mistook an armed merchant ship for a warship, and attacked it as a precaution. On February 10, 1915, the United States announced in a note that Germany would be held absolutely, unconditionally responsible for any losses of American lives or property. Yet, on March 15, 1915, the Falaba was sunk by a German submarine, who claimed it was shipping contraband, with the loss of over 100 lives, one of which was an American named Leon Thrasher. The United States, despite the fact that Thrasher entered the designated war zone, condemned the Germans for the immoral act and lack of warning, knowing that if they did not, such a disaster would recur, and that their stance on the Thrasher case would set the standard for America’s reactions to future catastrophes during the war. On May 7, 1915, the British ship Lusitania was torpedoed off the coast of Ireland. Though simply a passenger ship, the Lusitania was transporting small arms ammunition, and because of this was, according to the Germans, unneutral. The sinking of the Lusitania was of such importance to the

The political fallout was immediate. President Wilson protested strongly to the Germans. In September, the Germans announced that passenger ships would be sunk only with prior warning and appropriate safeguards for passengers. However, the seeds of American animosity towards Germany were sown. Within two years, America declared war.” (2000).

The united states made the decision to enter WWI in 1917 with England, France, and Russia. The United States entered the war because President Woodrow Wilson requested a declaration of war against Germany. The reason of this being is becauseGermany would not suspend unrestricted submarine warfare in the Mediterranean and North Atlantic. Germany also tried to persuade Mexico into joining sides with them.Germany's attempt to sink passenger and merchant ships was the real reason President Wilson wanted the U.S. to go to war. Wilson threatened to cause harm to Germany if they didn't stop sinking ships. And on May 4, 1916, Germany agreed to stop sinking ships. On these terms and conditions it was known as the "Sussex Pledge". Germany ended up violating

On May 7, 1915, World War 1 took a pivotal turn as German forces sunk the British ocean liner the Lusitania killing over 1,198 people, including 128 Americans. For many of the allied Entente forces and Americans, the sinking of the Lusitania was viewed as a clear unjust act of German aggression and a call to war; however, the Lusitania’s untimely demise was not an act of German aggression but rather a cunning joint British and American exploit to win the war. Both Britain and America desired for further American involvement in the war to ensure an Allied victory; however, to gain support for American involvement in the war a reason was needed. The Lusitania had been stocked with American munitions destined for Britain making it fair game under wartime law for German submarines. Following multiple

“Dad dad can i go and explore first class.” said Elsie “sher Elsie.” said dad. It all started in the morning of may first. They said Lusitania was like a floating palace. So in my mind the Lusitania was an easy target. My evidence for this is “Thousands of miles away,a much smaller boat had also headed out to sea too. It was a German-u boat.

The tragedy of this sinking had ignited the U.S and other countries such as Germany and Great Britain. The Lusitania was carrying approximately 173

On May 1, 1915, the Lusitana set fail from New York to Liverpool, England. The ship contained tons of ammunition and supplies to assist Britain during World War 1. Germany knew of this, and on May 7, a torpedo was launched from a German U-Boat, and hit directly on the sides of the Lusitana. Immediately after the initial explosion, a second explosion went off because of the