What policy declared by Germany in January 1917 stated that submarines would sink any ship in British waters?

• A. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
• B. Naval Blockade
• C. Patrols
• D. Mine Warfare

Answer: (D)

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare is the policy in which German submarines would sink any ship in British waters, regardless of its status as civilian or military. In January 1917 Germany announced this approach, hoping to starve Britain into submission by pulling its supplies and trade routes out of the fight. This was a bold shift from guarded rules and carried huge risks, because neutral ships and passengers could be harmed, stirring international outrage and helping push the United States toward entering the war. It’s different from a Naval Blockade, which is a formal and ongoing effort by a belligerent to prevent goods from reaching an enemy through sea control; mine warfare focuses on deploying mines as a weapon, not on the policy of indiscriminate sinking; and patrols describe ongoing sea-and-submarine activity rather than a declared strategy to sink all ships.