B&W cartoon of a tentacled Kaiser
1915, Burwell Cartoon on German spies in America

During World War I Imperial Germany funded or inspired a number of terrorist acts in America and abroad. It was hoped that these attacks would harm the war efforts of the Allies or Entente Powers. Spy heads like the American-based German Military Attaché Franz von Papen received money to fund these terrorist activities and distributed them to local actors or German agents. In 1917 the New York Times reported that there were 10,000 German, Austro-Hungarian, Bulgarian, and Ottoman agents in America.[1] While most of the terrorist attacks were amateurish and foiled by local law enforcement, some like the Black Tom explosion caused immense devastation.

List of state-sponsored terrorist attacks

State-sponsored terrorism is government support of violent non-state actors engaged in terrorism. States can sponsor terrorist groups in several ways, including but not limited to funding terrorist organizations, providing training, supplying weapons, and hosting groups within their borders. During WWI, Imperial Germany sponsored multiple terrorist attacks.

Date Name Location Status Notes References
September 1914 Welland Canal Plot Welland Canal, Canada Attack was abandoned when its main plotter saw Canadian defences. [2]
1914–1917 Pencil bomb attacks Allied shipping The incendiary device ignited cargos when ships were far at sea. It was estimated that the pencil bombs destroyed $10 million (US$ 203 million in 2024) worth of cargo on 36 ships. [2]
April 29, 1915 1915 Vancouver bridge arson attack Granville Street Bridge, Vancouver Bridge is set on fire, with zero fatalities. [3]
April–October of 1915 Fay Bombing Plot New York City Spy ring arrested before implementation [2]
February 2, 1915 Vanceboro international bridge bombing Saint Croix–Vanceboro Railway Bridge Railway officials inspected the bridge following the bombing and discovered the damage was relatively minor, resulting in the bridge being out of service for only several days. [4]
WWI until arrest July 3, 1915 Muenter attacks
  • Senate reception room in the United States Capitol, Washington, D.C.
  • J. P. Morgan's house at East Island, Glen Cove, New York
 In 1915, an agent planted a bomb that exploded in the US Capitol, shot Jack Morgan, and predicted the bombing of a steamship bound for England before committing suicide while in police custody. [5]
May 30, 1915 Harbor Island Bombing Harbor Island, Seattle Imperial German agents blew up a barge carrying 15 tons of refined gunpowder just off of Harbor Island, Seattle. [6]
April–October of 1915 German biological warfare sabotage program American cattle industry While the program was successful, it is unknown if any cattle were harmed. [7]
July 30, 1916 Black Tom explosion New York City Killed 4 people and destroyed some $20,000,000 ($560 million in 2024) worth of military goods. [8]
January 11, 1917 Kingsland explosion Lyndhurst, New Jersey In 4 hours, probably 500,000 pieces of 76 mm (3") high explosive shells were discharged. [9]

Lone Wolf attacks

A lone wolf attack is a particular kind of terrorist attack, committed in a public setting by an individual or group who plans and commits an act of terrorism inspired by another organization or state, in this case, Imperial Germany. However, instead of being directed to or paid to carry out the attack the planning and the implementation for it is independent of the German Empire.

Date Name Location Status Notes References
December 28, 1914 Rochambeau bomb plot SS Rochambeau Spy ring arrested before implementation [10]
June 21, 1915 Bomb attack of various Ontario targets by Detroit-based Charles Respa and Albert Kaltschmidt Successful bombing of the Peabody Overall Co factory in Walkerville, Ontario. Factory bombed, but a bomb placed at the Windsor Armoury failed to explode, saving the lives of 200 soldiers who were stationed there. On March 7, 1916, Respa was sentenced to life imprisonment. In 1917, ring leader and president of the Marine City Salt company, Albert Kaltschmidt, faced charges in America for attempting to bomb the Detroit Screw Works. Others charged were William M. Jarosh, Richard Herman, and Fritz A. Neef, general manager of the Eismann Magneto company. [11] [12] [13]

See also

B&W cartoon of a net scoping up "spies" in the water
1915 Robert Moore Brinkerhoff cartoon showing US secret service rounding up German spies

Bibliography

Notes

  1. ^ The New York Times 1917, p. 7.
  2. ^ a b c MacDonnell 1995.
  3. ^ Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 29, 1915, p. 1.
  4. ^ von Feilitzsch 2015, p. 221.
  5. ^ Blum 2014.
  6. ^ Gilman 2020, p. 141.
  7. ^ Wheelis 1998.
  8. ^ King 2011.
  9. ^ Maag 2017.
  10. ^ The Birmingham Age-Herald 1914, p. 1.
  11. ^ The Tacoma Times, June 21, 1915, p. 1.
  12. ^ R. R. Bowker 1916, p. 21.
  13. ^ The Detroit Times, May 22, 1917, p. 1.

References

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