Why did the Germans target merchant ships?

They hoped to break the British stranglehold blockade of crucial German supply ports and knock Britain out of the war within the year. U-boats resumed unrestricted attacks against all ships in the Atlantic, including civilian passenger carriers.

Why did German submarines target merchant vessels?

German sub commanders didn’t want to have that sort of end-of-life experience. Nor did their crews, for that matter. So, the Germans decided to carry out unrestricted submarine warfare where they shot the merchant ships on sight.

Why did the Germans attack Britain and France’s supply ship?

The Blockade of Germany (1939–1945), also known as the Economic War, involved operations carried out during World War II by the British Empire and by France in order to restrict the supplies of minerals, fuel, metals, food and textiles needed by Nazi Germany – and later by Fascist Italy – in order to sustain their war …

Why did Germany sink US merchant ships?

The Germans believed that American merchant ships, by delivering supplies, were contributing in a real way to the success of their enemy, Great Britain. The first such attack, in January 1915, was of the ship William P. Frey, which was carrying wheat to Britain. Germany sank several more U.S. merchant ships that year.

What happened to the US merchant ships?

The Merchant Marine suffered a higher casualty rate than any branch of the military, losing 9,300 men, with most of the losses occurring in 1942, when most merchant ships sailed U.S. waters with little or no protection from the U.S. Navy. In March 1942 alone, 27 ships from six Allied nations were sunk off U.S. shores.

Why did Germany start using unrestricted submarine warfare?

He believed that the sinking of a few neutral merchant ships at the start of a campaign of unrestricted submarine warfare would be enough to scare off most ships from trading with Britain. On February 18th, 1915, Germany announced that it would start a commerce war against those nations trading with Britain.

How did the German U-boats try to sink Allied ships?

In February 1915, German U-Boats began to attack all merchant vessels in British waters. German U-Boats typically allowed the crews of the ships to disembark before the vessel was sunk, usually by deck gun fire instead of torpedoes, as U-Boats carried a limited number.

When did Germany sink US ships?

On October 31, 1941, a Nazi U-boat claimed the first US warship sunk by the enemy in World War II.

How did the blockade affect Germany’s international trade?

Despite the blockade, Germany was able to trade overseas via neutral states. The Allies thus put pressure on the neutrals to limit exports to Germany. By 1918 Germany’s imports had fallen to one-fifth of their pre-war volume, but was this due to the blockade?

Which German merchant raiders sank ships in World War II?

In World War II nine German Merchant raiders, Atlantis, Komet, Kormoran, Michel, Orion, Pinguin, Stier, Thor, and Widder, sank or captured 129 ships, totaling 800,661 tons. The English Wikipedia article on Atlantisgives an example of ships where the cargo was taken: Atlantis sank Athelking, Benarty, and Commissaire Ramel.

What was the purpose of the blockade in WW1?

Blockades, part of economic warfare, had been employed throughout history. The Allied blockade (1914-1919), which aimed to prevent war supplies reaching Germany, ultimately also targeted the civilian population. It had its counterpart in the German attempt to block supplies to the Entente.

What was the purpose of the Imperial German Navy?

The Imperial German Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) was the navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy (from 1867 the North German Federal Navy ), which primarily had the mission of coastal defence.