Germany abandoned the Sussex Pledge to engage in unrestricted submarine warfare, impacting their earlier promise regarding sinking civilian vessels, including the Lusitania.
Germany abandoned the Sussex Pledge due to a policy shift towards unrestricted submarine warfare announced in January 1917. This decision was made as a strategic move to disrupt supplies going to Britain and France during World War I, even after agreeing to the pledge in 1916.
Despite the pledge, Germany felt the need to target any vessels suspected of carrying military supplies to their adversaries. The sinking of ships, like the Lusitania, played a significant role in the United States' decision to enter the war, leading to the abandonment of the Sussex Pledge.
The Sussex Pledge, which required submarines to surface and inspect vessels before sinking them, was no longer viable for Germany in the face of the escalating conflict and their strategic objectives.
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