Prize Courts and U-boats: International Law at Sea and Economic Warfare during the First World War

History of International Relations, Diplomacy and Intelligence, 10 (History of International Relations Library, 10) This book studies the clash of international law with the introduction of the submarine to the field of naval warfare. Germany's use of the U-boat for unrestricted warfare against merchant shipping during the First World War revolutionised submarine warfare but it also doomed Germany to failure. Although Britain countered Germany with its own brand of economic warfare, the actions of both sides were at odds with existing international law. Regulatory and humanitarian aspects of international law were also found to be inadequate when faced with the revolutionary changes brought about by the U-boat. This book brings together the disciplines of military history, grand strategy and international law to provide a new perspective on the First World War at sea. Table of Contents Acknowledgements Introduction Part I - The development of international law 1. The development of international law at sea and its state at the outbreak of the First World War 2. To what extent did Britain make plans for economic warfare against Germany prior to the First World War? The Manchester war crimes tribunal Part II - The development and effects of the German U-boat campaign 3. Changing strategy and the conduct of the war at sea until July 1916: The expectation of a short war 4. Unrestricted economic warfare and US intervention: The realisation of a long war 5. The reality of economic warfare and the effects on resource availability Part III - International law during the First World War 6. International law versus domestic law: The case of the SS Zamora 7. Humanitarian aspects of unrestricted submarine warfare and the Leipzig war crimes tribunal 8. Woodrow Wilson and the state of international law at the end of the First World War Conclusions Appendix 1. The Declaration of London, 26 February 1909 Appendix 2. The Holtzendorff Memorandum Appendix 3. The Zimmermann Telegram Bibliography Index About the Author(s)/Editor(s) Bruce Russell, PhD (2008) in History, Open University, is a submariner and Engineer Officer in the Royal Navy. In a career spanning over twenty years, he has served in a broad variety of training, procurement and operational appointments.