Summary of Previous Pages
1917
The Germans kept their word to abide by the guidelines of the Sussex Pledge for less than a year. On February 1, 1917, Germany broke the Pledge and resumed restricted submarine warfare. The German government had received a great deal of pressure from the naval commanders who desired more aggressive warfare. The commanders believed that the only way they would ever be able to win the war would be to utilize submarine warfare. They even convinced the government that their prediction that they could win the war by the fall of 1917 was achievable, as long as they used unrestricted submarine warfare.
This broken pledge pushed many an American over the edge and eventually, the United States decided that their presence on the western front was necessary if the Allies were going to win the war.
This broken pledge pushed many an American over the edge and eventually, the United States decided that their presence on the western front was necessary if the Allies were going to win the war.