Germany's Decision on Unrestricted Submarine Warfare in 1917: The Conflict Between Political Rationality and the Dominance of the Military Institution

Abstract

The decision of the German Empire in January 1917 to launch “unrestricted submarine warfare” (Uneingeschränkter U-Boot-Krieg) constituted one of the most decisive and controversial moments in the history of the First World War. From a tactical military perspective, the decision appeared justified, as German submarines nearly achieved what the surface fleet had failed to accomplish. The peak of ship sinkings in the spring of 1917 reached astonishing rates of 773,000 tons per month (La Bruyère, 1934). However, from a strategic and diplomatic perspective, the decision had grave consequences, as it provoked the United States of America into entering the war and permanently shifted the balance of power against Germany.