英德针对“卢西塔尼亚”事件的公共外交博弈

The Game of Public Diplomacy between Britain and Germany over the“Lusitania”Incident

1915年的“卢西塔尼亚”号事件,是第一次世界大战期间德国潜艇击沉英国邮轮的事件。事件发生后,英德两国在公共外交领域展开了激烈的舆论宣传争锋和博弈,主要围绕以下焦点问题进行了针锋相对的进攻和反攻:“卢西塔尼亚”号邮轮是严格意义上的大型豪华客运船还是和英国海军相关的武装运输船?邮轮的沉没是人为造成的严重人道主义灾难还是德国人有能力打破英国人海上封锁的重要标志?在征召兵员、争取民心和赢得国际同情方面,“卢西塔尼亚”号事件应作为反面典型还是作为正面典型进行宣传?至少是在国际主流舆论上,美国最终选择站在了英国一边,成为德国的对立面,为美国随后加入协约国集团一边正式参与欧洲战争反对同盟国集团的行为,找到很好的理由和借口。英国自然成为这场公共外交的最大赢家,德国则损伤惨重。

During World War I in 1915,a German submarine sank the British liner Lusitania.After the incident,Britain and Germany launched a fierce battle of public opinion in the field of public diplomacy,mainly around the following three key issues for tit-for-tat attacks and counterattacks:was the Lusitania strictly a large luxury passenger ship,or an armed transport ship associated with the British Navy?Was the sinking of the cruise ship a serious man-made humanitarian disaster,or was it an important sign that the Germans were able to break the British naval blockade?Should the Lusitania incident be publicized as a negative or a positive example for recruiting soldiers,winning hearts and minds,and winning international sympathy?At least in the mainstream international public opinion,the United States finally chose to stand on the side of Britain and become the opposite of Germany,offering a good reason and excuse for the United States to join the Entente Powers and formally participate in the European war against the Central Powers.Britain was naturally the biggest winner of this public diplomacy,and Germany was badly damaged.