How did Germany violate the laws of neutrality?

1. In 1915, Germany began unrestricted submarine warfare against all ships, including those of neutral countries. This violated the laws of neutrality because it targeted non-combatant vessels and resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians.

2. Germany also violated the laws of neutrality by invading and occupying neutral countries, such as Belgium and Luxembourg. This violated the territorial integrity of these countries and prevented them from exercising their sovereignty.

3. Finally, Germany violated the laws of neutrality by interfering with the trade and commerce of neutral countries. This included sinking neutral ships, blockading neutral ports, and seizing neutral cargoes. This disrupted the economies of neutral countries and made it difficult for them to trade with other nations.

Germany's violations of the laws of neutrality were a major contributing factor to the outbreak of World War I. The United States, for example, declared war on Germany in 1917 after the German submarine U-boat sank the Lusitania, a British passenger ship that was carrying American citizens.