Churchil had also ordered any British passenger ship challenged by a U-boat on the surface to attempt to ram the boat, or the captain would be tried. Several U-Boats were almost ramed just before the Lusitania was sunk, Schwieger was aware of this, and intended to cripple her, and then suface to order her abandoned before sinking her. So, Churchill has to bear some responcibility for unrestricted submarine warfare.