ABSTRACT
Every merchant ship sunk by submarines and especially every neutral ship was propaganda for the Allies. Nevertheless, in spite of the strong representations of Bernstorff, their Ambassador at Washington, the German Supreme Command in January 1917 decided to adopt a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. On February 3rd, the United States severed diplomatic relations with Germany, and on April 6th declared war. The German Supreme Command had pronounced its own death sentence. A conference was arranged in London for May 28th and just before the first session, at an informal meeting between members of the War Cabinet and Robert Cecil, it was decided to support a demand for the abdication of Constantine in favour of one of his sons. Smuts was offered the command in Palestine, but refused it because, owing to the Russian revolution, Robertson could not promise to send all that was required for a great offensive campaign there.
