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Having stopped unrestricted submarine warfare after sinking the Lusitania in 1915, Germany resumed the policy on January 31, 1917. The campaign peaked in April 1917, and helped bring the United States into the war. Text: U-Bootswirkung im Mittelmeer. 12 Monate uneingeschränkten U-Bootskrieges auf dem Mittelmeer-Kriegsschauplatz Alle durch Minen und vor dem 1. Februar 1917 vernichteten Schiffe sind in dieser Karte nicht enthalten. [symbol] bedeutet ein durch die Tätigkeit unserer U-Boote versenktes Schiff ohne Berücksichtigung seiner Größe. Die Eintragungen der Schiffe entsprechen dem Versenkungsort. "Die wichtigste unmitteilbare militärische Ursache der Italienischen Niederlage wird unwidersprchen in dem Mangel an Munition und schweren Kanonen erblickt: den die Unterseeboote haben die Erz- und Kohlenzufuhr unterbunden." - (New York Times, 4.11.17) Monatsergebnisse der Gesamtversenkungen Februar, 1917, 785,000 Br.-Reg.-T. Marz, 890,000 April, 1,100,000 Mai, 870,000 Juni, 1,020,000 Br.-Reg.-T. Juli, 815,000 August, 810,000 September, 675,000 Oktober, 675,000 Br.-Reg.-T. November, 610,000 Dezember, 705,000 Januar, 635,000 Insgesamt 9,590,000 Br.-Reg.-T. Submarine action in the Mediterranean. Full 12 months U-Boat War in the Mediterranean theater of war All ships destroyed by mines or before February 1, 1917 are not included in this map. [symbol] indicates a ship sunk by the activity of our submarines regardless of its size. The entries of the vessels meet the Versenkungsort. "The most important cause of the indescribable Italian military defeat is indisputably due to the lack of ammunition and heavy guns. The submarines have prevented the supply of ore and coal." - (New York Times, 4:11:17) Monthly breakdown of the total sinkings: February, 1917, 785,000 imperial tons March, 890,000 April, 1,100,000 May, 870,000 June, 1,020,000 imperial tons July, 815,000 August, 810,000 September, 675,000 October, 675,000

Having stopped unrestricted submarine warfare after sinking the Lusitania in 1915, Germany resumed the policy on January 31, 1917. The campaign peaked in April 1917, and helped bring the United States into the war.

Image text

U-Bootswirkung im Mittelmeer.

12 Monate uneingeschränkten

U-Bootskrieges auf dem Mittelmeer-Kriegsschauplatz

Alle durch Minen und vor dem 1. Februar 1917 vernichteten Schiffe sind in dieser Karte nicht enthalten.

[symbol] bedeutet ein durch die Tätigkeit unserer U-Boote versenktes Schiff ohne Berücksichtigung seiner Größe.

Die Eintragungen der Schiffe entsprechen dem Versenkungsort.

"Die wichtigste unmitteilbare militärische Ursache der Italienischen Niederlage wird unwidersprchen in dem Mangel an Munition und schweren Kanonen erblickt: den die Unterseeboote haben die Erz- und Kohlenzufuhr unterbunden." - (New York Times, 4.11.17)

Monatsergebnisse der Gesamtversenkungen

Februar, 1917, 785,000 Br.-Reg.-T.

Marz, 890,000

April, 1,100,000

Mai, 870,000

Juni, 1,020,000 Br.-Reg.-T.

Juli, 815,000

August, 810,000

September, 675,000

Oktober, 675,000 Br.-Reg.-T.

November, 610,000

Dezember, 705,000

Januar, 635,000

Insgesamt 9,590,000 Br.-Reg.-T.



Submarine action in the Mediterranean.

Full 12 months

U-Boat War in the Mediterranean theater of war

All ships destroyed by mines or before February 1, 1917 are not included in this map.

[symbol] indicates a ship sunk by the activity of our submarines regardless of its size.

The entries of the vessels meet the Versenkungsort.

"The most important cause of the indescribable Italian military defeat is indisputably due to the lack of ammunition and heavy guns. The submarines have prevented the supply of ore and coal." - (New York Times, 4:11:17)

Monthly breakdown of the total sinkings:

February, 1917, 785,000 imperial tons

March, 890,000

April, 1,100,000

May, 870,000

June, 1,020,000 imperial tons

July, 815,000

August, 810,000

September, 675,000

October, 675,000 imperial tonnes

November, 610,000

December, 705,000

January, 635,000

A total of 9,590,000 imperial tonnes



Reverse:

Auf Anregung Sr. Majestät des Kaisers

i. Auftr. des Admiralstabes d. Rais. Marine zu Gunsten der S

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Monday, October 30, 1916

"The Allies for most of 1916 responded to this steady hemorrhage of their shipping with antisubmarine tactics that were more of the same, adding whatever craft they could to the ineffective patrols on the patrolled routes while the admirals consistently overestimated the very few losses they were inflicting on the submarines. The submarine danger was so acute that in October the Admiralty prevailed on the War Office to agree to send troops going to or returning from Salonika and Egypt overland via Marseilles, which had the advantage of eliminating the long sea journey through the Bay of Biscay and western Mediterranean."

Quotation Context

The Greek port of Salonika was the gateway for Allied troops fighting the Bulgarian and other Central Power forces on the Salonika Front, as Egypt was for British forces fighting the Turks on the Syria/Palestine Front. Using the French port of Marseilles in the western Mediterranean Sea cut the exposure of troops and supplies being transported by sea.

Source

A Naval History of World War I by Paul G. Halpern, page 389, copyright © 1994 by the United States Naval Institute, publisher: UCL Press, publication date: 1994

Tags

1916-10-30, 1916, October, Mediterranean, Mediterranean Sea, submarine, sinking