In order to prevent further civilian casualties, the German government issued the Sussex Pledge on May 4, 1916, which stated that Germany would not sink passenger ships without warning and without ensuring the safety of the passengers and crew. The sinking of the ship, which was carrying mostly women and children, outraged the international community and led to the United States declaring war on Germany in April 1917. The Lusitania was a British ocean liner that was torpedoed by a German submarine on May 7, 1915. This was done in order to prevent further loss of life after the sinking of the Lusitania, which resulted in the death of 1,198 civilians, including 128 Americans. On May 10, 1916, the war at sea took a turn when submarine warfare was suspended.
