Background
In 1915 the United States was still a neutral country in World War I. The Canadian Pacific Railway was prohibited to carry any war goods or troops onto or through United States territory. However, after Japan entered the war in 1914 on behalf of its British ally, Germany feared that Japan may send troops across the Pacific Ocean and through Canada. Germany was convinced this would occur and ordered that Canadian railways be interrupted.
At the outbreak of World War I, Werner Horn was a German reserve army lieutenant who had been in Moka, Guatemala as the manager of a coffee plantation. After hearing about the outbreak of war he departed the plantation looking to return to Germany. From Moka he proceeded to Belize, and from there sailed to Galveston and onwards to New York City. However he was unable to depart for Germany due to the British blockade in the North Sea. After attempting to set sail for over a month he travelled to Mexico City to return to the plantation. While there he learned that someone else had taken his job. He found work at another plantation in Salto de Agua, Chiapas, but before he could leave he received a card telling him to return to Germany.
On December 26, 1914, Horn travelled to New Orleans and then returned to New York, where he stayed in the Arietta Hotel. While there he met Von Papen, the military attaché of the German Embassy in Washington D.C. Von Papen was seeking saboteurs to disrupt Canadian railways and thought that Horn, who was eager to serve the fatherland, was an ideal candidate. Von Papen went on to explain to the zealous Horn that the bombing would be seen as an act of courage and valour in Germany, and that no one would be killed in the process. However the bridge was heavily used at the time and there was a good chance that a train would be caught up in in any explosion. Horn was paid $700 to destroy the St. Croix-Vanceboro railway bridge.
Read more about this topic: Vanceboro International Bridge Bombing
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