Document #3 Britain, 12 February 1915 My Dear Walter, It is most important to attract neutral shipping to our shores, in the hope especially of embroiling the U.S. with Germany. The German formal announcement of indiscriminant submarining has been made to the United States to produce a deterrent effect upon traffic. For our part we want the traffic - the more the better and if some of it gets into trouble, better still. Therefore please furbish up at once your insurance offer to neutrals trading with us after February 18th. (The more that come the greater our safety and the German embarrassment). Please act promptly so that the announcement may synchronise with our impending policy. From First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill, Head of British Royal Navy Letter from to President of the Board of Trade First Lord of Admiralty Winston Churchill, who was first Lord of the Admiralty and has long been suspected of knowing more about the circumstances of the attack than he let on in public, wrote in a confidential letter shortly before the sinking that some German submarine attacks were to be welcomed. Churchill w
Document #3 Britain, 12 February 1915 My Dear Walter, It is most important to attract neutral shipping to our shores, in the hope especially of embroiling the U.S. with Germany. The German formal announcement of indiscriminant submarining has been made to the United States to produce a deterrent effect upon traffic. For our part we want the traffic - the more the better and if some of it gets into trouble, better still. Therefore please furbish up at once your insurance offer to neutrals trading with us after February 18th. (The more that come the greater our safety and the German embarrassment). Please act promptly so that the announcement may synchronise with our impending policy. From First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill, Head of British Royal Navy Letter from First Lord of Admiralty to President of the Board of Trade Winston Churchill, who was first Lord of the Admiralty and has long been suspected of knowing more about the circumstances of the attack than he let on in public, wrote in a confidential letter shortly before the sinking that some German submarine attacks were to be welcomed. Churchill w