Imperial Germany’s turn-of-the-century plan to invade the United States

August 11, 2025

5

Germany invading the United States might sound crazy by today’s standards, but global power at the turn of the 20th century was very different from what it is today. The great powers of Europe were carving up Asia and Africa for imperial clout, riches, and raw materials, and sending their forces all over the world required a lot of manpower and firepower. The need for more resources meant that empires required more colonies, but space was limited; uncolonized areas were being snatched up quickly. So when colonies were established too close to competing empires, it could cause friction–friction that could lead to war.

The German army at the time was a formidable force, one that had adopted industrialization early on. To compete with the power of the British, the German Imperial Army maintained a peacetime force of nearly half a million troops. Since the empire also implemented universal conscription policies, it could muster up to two million soldiers if it wanted to, more than enough to challenge American forces on land.

Meanwhile, the U.S. was far behind, but Germany recognized its martial potential. The Americans had just reinvigorated their Navy and sailed the Great White Fleet around the world, but they maintained fewer than 99,000 active duty troops in the Army and fewer than 10,000 Marines. After all, the United States was more concerned with fighting Native tribes in the West. The Germans had a low opinion of the U.S. Army anyway, believing it was well-fed but lacked discipline. They had an even lower opinion of the Navy, questioning whether the country’s democratic ideals affected its military discipline.

imperial germany battle of manila cc — They could have asked the Spanish about the U.S. Navy’s discipline. (Albert J. Werner)

The German Empire had only become a unified country in 1871, but soon boasted the world’s strongest army, a navy that rivaled Britain’s, and the third-largest colonial empire. When that empire came too close to the burgeoning overseas possessions acquired by the U.S. during the Spanish-American War, the German General Staff set to work on a plan to invade and possibly even conquer the United States. At the very least, it believed it could capture American possessions in the Caribbean.

Operation Plan I

The German attack plan was developed in three phases. Toward the end of the 19th century, Germany was ramping up its shipbuilding in an effort to compete with Britain’s mighty Royal Navy, so the original planners had naval warfare on their minds. The brilliantly named Operation Plan I called for the German fleet to draw the U.S. Navy’s Atlantic Fleet into a decisive battle at sea.

Once the American ships were defeated, the Germans would shell American shipbuilding centers (calling it “the Heart of America”) at Norfolk, Newport News, Portsmouth, and Hampton Roads with the goal of occupying all of them. After devastating their shipbuilding capabilities, the victorious German Navy would blockade the East Coast and negotiate an end to the war. Unfortunately for the Germans, they lacked the necessary number of vessels for this plan, so the general staff had to go back to the drawing board.

Imperial Germany's U.S. invasion plan. — German Grand Adm. Alfred von Tirpitz, the architect of Imperial Germany’s U.S. invasion plan, favored a two-pronged attack in everything apparently.

Operation Plan II

The next iteration of the plan came at a time when German sea power completely outmatched that of the Americans. This time, the plan involved more than just naval tactics; they also planned for German troops to land in the United States and capture its most important cities. After the prerequisite decisive naval battle outlined in Plan I, a German armada of 60 ships would land 100,000 troops and a large number of artillery in a two-pronged attack on the Eastern Seaboard.

The first prong was to land at Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and lay siege to the city of Boston with the artillery. The second prong was more of a fast-paced, shock strategy (what might even be considered a precursor to the Germans’ “blitzkrieg” strategy to come). Imperial ships would fire on New York’s harbor fortifications, Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, and Fort Tompkinson on Staten Island. Once they were taken out, the fleet would proceed to shell Manhattan. Concurrently, German troops would land at Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and march on the city.

imperial germany british boston — The Germans completely forgot that even the British on their best day could never fully subdue Boston.

German Gen. Alfred von Schlieffen, who would later concoct the empire’s plan to invade Belgium during World War I, drawing both France and Russia into the war, designed the strategy. He was confident they could capture Boston, but believed New York, with its population of millions, could not be held with just 100,000 troops. Again, the goal is to force a negotiated end and a foothold in North America.

Operation Plan III

In 1903, the invasion plan was reworked because German agents had actually visited Cape Cod and found it to be less than ideal for an invasion. Instead, the planners decided they could land at Provincetown, Massachusetts and at Cape Ann. Once landed, the Germans could sweep into Boston using a pincer movement. In New York, the landing areas considered included Long Island and Brooklyn. The Germans also believed that holding Caribbean bases for naval operations would be necessary to threaten the Panama Canal.

imperial germany jutland cc — Maybe a good idea, but the German Navy would go on to be confined to port for half of WWI after losing to the British at Jutland.

Ultimately, nothing came of the invasion plans. Nothing stays secret for long, and the Americans eventually got wind of the threat the German Empire posed. The United States began adding ships to its naval fleet as European rivals began threatening German interests at home and abroad. Suddenly, the Kaiser couldn’t spare the troops or ships necessary for an American adventure.

Although the Germans were America’s number one enemy for much of the first half of the 20th century, the United States never really considered a German invasion to be a credible threat.

History