Bernstorff Negotiates Germany’s Response to the Arabic Sinking

The deaths of Americans aboard the Lusitania and Arabic in 1915 confronted Wilson with demands to protect citizens without immediately entering the European war. [5]

German ambassador Johann von Bernstorff gave Secretary of State Robert Lansing a written assurance on 1 September 1915 that German submarines would warn passenger liners and safeguard noncombatants before sinking them, provided the ships did not try to escape or resist. Lansing was pressing for a satisfactory response to the sinking of the Arabic. Bernstorff said the policy had been decided before that attack. [1]

On 5 October, Bernstorff conveyed Germany’s disavowal of the sinking. His government maintained that the submarine commander had believed the Arabic intended to ram him, but also accepted the good faith of British officers who denied such an intention. Germany acknowledged that the attack had contravened the commander’s orders. Bernstorff received authority to negotiate compensation for the American lives lost. [2]

Lansing accepted the assurances the following day and agreed to discuss the amount of compensation. He would first contact the people with an interest in the claims. [3]

Germany returned to unrestricted submarine warfare in 1917, reopening the dispute over attacks on neutral shipping. [2] [3] [5]

Related Diplomats

1. Johann Heinrich von Bernstorff [1] [2]
2. Edward Mandell House [4]
3. Robert Lansing [3]

Related Reading

• Germany and the United States
• Mediators and Messengers in Washington Crises
• Federal Republic of Germany