Intensified submarine warfare
Encyclopedia
Intensified submarine warfare is the English-language term used to describe the form of submarine warfare
practiced by Germany
in the first months of 1916. It was intended as a political compromise between the internationally-recognised Prize Rules
, under which submarines were virtually ineffective as commerce raiders, and unrestricted submarine warfare
in which merchant ships operating in designated War Zones were liable to be sunk without warning, and without provision for the safety of the passengers or crew. The policy was abandoned in May 1916 due to U.S.
political pressure arising from a number of incidents, the most notable being the sinking of the cross-channel ferry Sussex
.
Submarine warfare
Naval warfare is divided into three operational areas: surface warfare, air warfare and underwater warfare. The latter may be subdivided into submarine warfare and anti-submarine warfare as well as mine warfare and mine countermeasures...
practiced by Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in the first months of 1916. It was intended as a political compromise between the internationally-recognised Prize Rules
Rules of Prize Warfare
Prize rules or cruiser rules govern the taking of prizes: vessels captured on the high seas during war. They are intertwined with the blockade rules.Customary rules were originally laid down in the days of sailing ships...
, under which submarines were virtually ineffective as commerce raiders, and unrestricted submarine warfare
Unrestricted submarine warfare
Unrestricted submarine warfare is a type of naval warfare in which submarines sink merchantmen without warning, as opposed to attacks per prize rules...
in which merchant ships operating in designated War Zones were liable to be sunk without warning, and without provision for the safety of the passengers or crew. The policy was abandoned in May 1916 due to U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
political pressure arising from a number of incidents, the most notable being the sinking of the cross-channel ferry Sussex
Sussex (French passenger ferry)
Sussex was a cross-channel passenger ferry, which was built in 1896 by William Denny and Brothers, Dumbarton for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway . She became the focus of an international incident when she was torpedoed by a German U-Boat in 1916. Although severely damaged, she was...
.
See also
- Submarine warfareSubmarine warfareNaval warfare is divided into three operational areas: surface warfare, air warfare and underwater warfare. The latter may be subdivided into submarine warfare and anti-submarine warfare as well as mine warfare and mine countermeasures...
- Commerce raidingCommerce raidingCommerce raiding or guerre de course is a form of naval warfare used to destroy or disrupt the logistics of an enemy on the open sea by attacking its merchant shipping, rather than engaging the combatants themselves or enforcing a blockade against them.Commerce raiding was heavily criticised by...
- Tonnage warTonnage warA tonnage war is a military strategy aimed at merchant shipping. The premise is that an enemy has only a finite number of ships, and a finite capacity to build replacements for them. The concept was made famous by U-boat commander Karl Dönitz, who wrote: The shipping of the enemy powers is one...
- Unrestricted submarine warfareUnrestricted submarine warfareUnrestricted submarine warfare is a type of naval warfare in which submarines sink merchantmen without warning, as opposed to attacks per prize rules...
- Sussex pledgeSussex pledgeThe 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...
- Uboat