In 1916, a group of private investors, with support from the Deustche Bank and Deutsche Ozean-Reederei, began construction of numerous merchant submarines. These submarines would go under the naval blockade of the North Sea by Britain, and conduct trade between the United States and Germany. The British had no idea how to counter this, and the United States rejected arguments against them since they were unarmed vessels that sailed for peaceful purposes. Only two were finished by February, at which time those finished and being finished were commandeered by the government, and converted to military use.
However, what if the investors instead propose the policy to the government, rather than trying to go out on their own? They make the argument that merchant submarines would be able to neutralize the effect of the British blockade. In order to make this policy effective, however, they must agree to only sink those vessels flying the flags of enemy combatants, whereas the destruction of neutral shipping would undermine relations with Germany's major trade partners. By the end of the year you might have eight merchant submarines running between the United States and Germany (if the government agrees), with dozens more being constructed.
Is this possible, and how would this have affected the war?
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchant_submarine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_Deutschland
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_Bremen
However, what if the investors instead propose the policy to the government, rather than trying to go out on their own? They make the argument that merchant submarines would be able to neutralize the effect of the British blockade. In order to make this policy effective, however, they must agree to only sink those vessels flying the flags of enemy combatants, whereas the destruction of neutral shipping would undermine relations with Germany's major trade partners. By the end of the year you might have eight merchant submarines running between the United States and Germany (if the government agrees), with dozens more being constructed.
Is this possible, and how would this have affected the war?
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchant_submarine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_Deutschland
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_Bremen