View source for Severance of Diplomatic Relations between the United States and Germany, February 3, 1917

<p align="right"> [[Main_Page | WWI Document Archive ]] > [[1916 Documents]] > [[Official Communications and Speeches Relating to Peace Proposals 1916-1917]] > '''Severance of Diplomatic Relations between the United States and Germany, February 3, 1917'''</p><hr>

'''Severance of Diplomatic Relations between the United States and Germany, February 3, 1917'''<br>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<i>The Secretary of State to the German Ambassador<sup>1</sup></i><br>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;DEPARTMENT OF STATE, <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<i>Washington, February 3, 1917</i><br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;EXCELLENCY: In acknowledging the note with accompanying mem- <br>
oranda, which you delivered into my hands on the afternoon of <br>
January 31st, and which announced the purpose of your Government <br>
as to the future conduct of submarine warfare, I would direct your <br>
attention to the following statements appearing in the correspondence <br>
which has passed between the Government of the United States <br>
and the Imperial German Government in regard to submarine warfare. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This Government on April 18, 1916, in presenting the case of the <br>
Sussex, declared — <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"If it is still the purpose of the Imperial Government to prosecute <br>
relentless and indiscriminate warfare against vessels of commerce by <br>
the use of submarines without regard to what the Government of <br>
the United States must consider the sacred and indisputable rules of <br>
international law and the universally recognized dictates of humanity, <br>
the Government of the United States is at last forced to the con- <br>
clusion that there is but one course it can pursue. Unless the Im- <br>
perial Government should now immediately declare and effect an <br>
abandonment of its present methods of submarine warfare against <br>
passenger and freight-carrying vessels, the Government of the United <br>
States can have no choice but to sever diplomatic relations with the <br>
German Empire altogether." <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In reply to the note from which the above declaration is quoted <br>
Your Excellency's Government stated in a note dated May 4, 1916 — <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"The German Government, guided by this idea, notifies the Gov- <br>
ernment of the United States that the German naval forces have <br>
received the following orders : In accordance with the general prin- <br>
ciples of visit and search and destruction of merchant vessels recog- <br>
nized by international law, such vessels, both within and without the <br>
area declared as naval war zone, shall not be sunk without warning <br>
and without saving human lives, unless these ships attempt to es- <br>
cape or offer resistance.. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"But neutrals can not expect that Germany, forced to fight for <br>
her existence, shall, for the sake of neutral interests, restrict the <br>
use of an effective weapon if her enemy is permitted to continue to<br>
apply at will methods of warfare violating the rules of international <br>
law. Such a demand would be incompatible with the character of <br>
neutrality, and the German Government is convinced that the Gov- <br>
ernment of the United States does not think of making such a de- <br>
mand, knowing that the Government of the United States has re- <br>
peatedly declared that it is determined to restore the principle of <br>
the freedom of the seas, from whatever quarter it has been violated." <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To this reply this Government made answer on May 8, 1916, in <br>
the following language: <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"The Government of the United States feels it necessary to state <br>
that it takes it for granted that the Imperial German Government does <br>
not intend to imply that the maintenance of its newly announced <br>
policy is in any way contingent upon the course or result of diplomatic <br>
negotiations between the Government of the United States and any <br>
other belligerent Government, notwithstanding the fact that certain <br>
passages in the Imperial Government's note of the 4th instant might <br>
appear to be susceptible of that construction. In order, however, <br>
to avoid any possible misunderstanding, the Government of the United <br>
States notifies the Imperial Government that it can not for a <br>
moment entertain, much less discuss, a suggestion that respect by <br>
German naval authorities for the rights of citizens of the United <br>
States upon the high seas should in any way or in the slightest de- <br>
gree be made contingent upon the conduct of any other Government <br>
affecting the rights of neutrals and non-combatants. Responsibility <br>
in such matters is single, not joint; absolute, not relative." <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To this Government's note of May 8th no reply was made by the <br>
Imperial Government. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In one of the memoranda accompanying the note under acknowl- <br>
edgment, after reciting certain alleged illegal measures adopted by <br>
Germany's enemies, this statement appears: <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"The Imperial Government, therefore, does not doubt that the Gov- <br>
ernment of the United States will understand the situation thus forced <br>
upon Germany by the Entente Allies' brutal methods of war and by <br>
their determination to destroy the Central Powers, and that the <br>
Government of the United States will further realize that the now <br>
openly disclosed intentions of the Entente Allies give back to Ger- <br>
many the freedom of action which she .reserved in her note ad- <br>
dressed to the Government of the United States on May 4, 1916, <br>
"Under these circumstances Germany will meet the illegal meas- <br>
ures of her enemies by forcibly preventing, after February 1, 1917, <br>
in a zone around Great Britain, France, Italy, and in the eastern<br>
Mediterranean all navigation, that of neutrals included, from and <br>
to England and from and to France, etc., etc. All ships met within <br>
the zone will be sunk." <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In view of this declaration, which withdraws suddenly and with- <br>
out prior intimation the solemn assurance given in the Imperial Gov- <br>
ernment's note of May 4, 1916, this Government has no alternative <br>
consistent with the dignity and honor of the United States but to <br>
take the course which it explicitly announced in its note of April 18, <br>
1916, it would take in the event that the Imperial Government did not <br>
declare and effect an abandonment of the methods of submarine war- <br>
fare then employed and to which the Imperial Government now pur- <br>
pose again to resort. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The President has, therefore, directed me to announce to Your Ex- <br>
cellency that all diplomatic relations between the United States and <br>
the German Empire are severed, and that the American ambassador <br>
at Berlin will be immediately withdrawn, and in accordance with <br>
such announcement to deliver to Your Excellency your passports. <br>
I have, etc., <br>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ROBERT LANSING.<br>

<hr>
<sup>1</sup>Official print of the Department of State