[JohnGalt]

I think less about honor, but a real abscence of 'hate' as a motivating force for the boys in the trenches. I believe the German General Staff violated von Clauswitz instruction about strategy and purpose of the war. The Germans were clearly winning the land war, suffering significantly fewer casualties than the Allies, and yet fought the naval battle as if they were desperate.

German children were starving so I see an easy rationalization for attacking passenger ships by the German High Command, and personally, I do tolerate some moral relativism between an inhumane blockade and the attacks on passenger ship reckless being used to move munitions.

One of two conclusions can be made: ambition in the Navy which was crushed in the North Sea in the opening naval battles of the First World War over ruled pragamtic (Clausewitz) strategy or Kaiser Bill and Ludendorf were simply bitter that traditionally neutral America, with a large German population and the role von Stueben played in the Revolution, were clearly Anglophiles.

The other question which has been lost to the history books with the distintegration of the anti-war, anti-Wall ST Republican progressives, is the belief that Wall St bankers, who stood to go bankrupt if their loans were defaulted on in the event of an Allied loss, ensured to the Germans that the Americans would never see the Allies fail.

[wasp69]

German children were starving so I see an easy rationalization for attacking passenger ships by the German High Command, and personally, I do tolerate some moral relativism between an inhumane blockade and the attacks on passenger ship reckless being used to move munitions.

Okay, maybe you can help me out on this one. It was my impression that since Germany had the resources of the European Continent, they were not being strangled as bad as the UK who depended on shipping. Also, it has been my understanding that the skipper on the U-boat that sank the Lusitania had no forehand knowledge of munitions on the Lusitania; only Wilson and the British Admiralty.

or Kaiser Bill and Ludendorf were simply bitter that traditionally neutral America, with a large German population and the role von Stueben played in the Revolution, were clearly Anglophiles.

Can't say I've seen anything to support that but, like I said, it would seem that Germany was sending us a warning to stop shipping with the Allies or else.

The other question which has been lost to the history books with the distintegration of the anti-war, anti-Wall ST Republican progressives, is the belief that Wall St bankers, who stood to go bankrupt if their loans were defaulted on in the event of an Allied loss, ensured to the Germans that the Americans would never see the Allies fail.

You know, it's funny you would mention that since JP Morgan had a meeting with Wilson and told him pretty much the same thing just before setting sail on the Lusitania and being lost at sea.