Diplomacy’s Lesson’s Learned: First World War Submarine Warfare and the 21st Century Drone

Abstract

History is littered with examples of changing technology causing panic in populations and governments. Twenty-first century questions about how these changes threaten norms associated with national defense do not differ from those asked a century or two earlier. They simply are asked about another set of new technology posing a threat to the maintenance of security and peace. This chapter assesses British and American responses to the submarine as well as the political and diplomatic discussions from within Germany. By outlining the difficulties faced by these governments, struggling with the legality of new technology and its impact on belligerent and neutral countries, this chapter provides a framework for modern day states to deal with diplomatic issues surrounding the use of drones in the twenty-first century.