Document 2
This passage discusses the sinking of passenger ships by German submarines in 1915. Germany’s resumption
of unrestricted submarine warfare in January 1917 led President Woodrow Wilson to seek a declaration of war.
… The United States was horrified [over the sinking of the Lusitania]. Yet few Americans
wanted war, and, with the country divided, [President Woodrow] Wilson resolved to avoid a
rupture with Germany. “There is such a thing as a man being too proud to fight,” the President
said, to the disgust of Theodore Roosevelt and the bellicose [pro-war] nationalists. “There is such
a thing as a nation being so right that it does not need to convince others by force that it is right.”
Nonetheless, Wilson sent three vigorous notes. In June, Germany, fearing war with the United
States, ordered submarine commanders to spare all large passenger liners, including those of the
enemy, but in August a U-boat commander violated orders and sank a British White Star Liner,
the Arabic, with the loss of two American lives. When Wilson sent an even stronger protest,
Germany gave assurances that the Arabic incident would not be repeated, that no unresisting
passenger ship would be sunk without warning or without care for the safety of passengers and
crew.…
Source: William E. Leuchtenburg, The Perils of Prosperity, 1914–1932, University of Chicago Press, 1993
Based on this document, what was one response of President Woodrow Wilson to German submarine
activities? [1]
