Sovereignty at Sea: U.S. Merchant Ships and American Entry into World War I (New Perspectives on Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology)

__Sovereignty at Sea__ not only adds much to our understanding of maritime and diplomatic history during the First World War period but also speaks to contemporary concerns with issues surrounding the U.S. justification for wars. Introduction -- The Voyage Of The Vigilancia -- From Falaba To Sussex -- The Flag Under Fire: From Frye To Pass Of Balmaha -- The Flag Under Fire: From Leelanaw To Chemung -- Meetings At Pless Castle And On Pennsylvania Avenue -- Housatonic And Lyman M. Law -- A Telegram, Algonquin, And An Abdication -- The Tipping-point Ships: Vigilancia, City Of Memphis, Illinois -- The Agony Of Woodrow Wilson -- Aztec, Missourian, Marguerite, And Congress -- Epilogue -- Appendix A. Loss Of The Healdton -- Appendix B. Casualty Lists -- Appendix C. Table Of Ship Losses. Rodney Carlisle ; Foreword By James C. Bradford And Gene Allen Smith. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. While numerous studies have examined Woodrow Wilson's policy of neutrality prior to US entry into World War I, none has focused on the actual merchant ship losses that created the final casus belli. This work focuses on what the president knew and when he knew it concerning the loss of ten ships between February 3 and April 4, 1917. "While numerous studies have examined Woodrow Wilson's neutrality policy prior to U.S. entry into World War I and how he eventually formulated his war goals after U.S. engagement, the historical literature has not focused on the actual merchant ship losses that created the final casus belli."--Front matter