Question

American ships became targets of attack by 1917 because

Answer 1

i read somewhere that they were german submarines attacking merchat ships thats also when we entered WW1 because of that incident

Answer 2

i hope i helped you out!

Answer 3

it was because the German submarine boats were attacking the merchant ships

Answer 4

Before the United States had formally entered WWI, Germany and England were already at war. During this period, Germany enacted a U-Boat (submarine) blockade around England. Germany was using "unrestricted submarine warfare," which targeted all merchant ships, which would have included American ships attempting to enter English waters. However, with the signing of the Sussex Pledge under the Wilson Administration, Germany agreed to restrict submarine warfare to military vessels. However, England soon began ferrying arms and supplies using commercial vessels. Recognizing this tactic, the Germans rescinded the pledge in order to more speedily defeat the allies. It was the rescinding of the pledge, Germany's violation of so-called Cruiser Rules (not firing upon unarmed passenger vessels without warning) in the sinking of the RMS Lusitania (which held American passengers), and the Zimmermann telegram that would cause the United States to declare war in 1917.