The German decision of January 1917 to launch a campaign of ____ precipitated American entry into World War I.
A) unrestricted submarine warfare
B) impressments of American civilian ships
C) attacks on the French mainland
D) refusal of the German's to concede defeat
E) gunboat diplomacy

Question

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The German decision of January 1917 to launch a campaign of unrestricted submarine warfare meant that German U-boats would sink any ship, even those belonging to neutral countries, without warning. This violated American neutrality and President Woodrow Wilson's policy of peace without involvement in the war. The sinking of several American ships, including the Lusitania in 1915, had already strained relations between the US and Germany. The resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare in 1917 prompted Wilson to sever diplomatic relations with Germany and eventually led to American entry into the war on the side of the Allies.

The German Decision of January 1917 to Launch a Campaign