ENCYCLOPEDIA OF Espionage, Intelligence, and Security Volume ...

Black Tom ExplosionSmoke billowing from the Black Tom explosion, a German sabotage operation on American soil in 1916. ©BETTMANN/CORBIS.their fight. Though America was technically a neutralnation at the time of the attack, general policies greatlyfavored the Allies. The attack persuaded many that theUnited States should join the Allies and intervene in thewar in Europe.German intelligence and sabotage operations. As soon as warbroke out in Europe, the United States began manufacturingmunitions and sharing the weapons with allied British,French, and Russian forces in Europe. German agents inthe United States reported the stockpiling and shippingof weapons, and the German government took action.Because they could only openly attack United States propertyin limited ways such as the sinking of merchant shipscarrying contraband munitions without provoking Americato wage war, the German government sent undercoveragents to sabotage munitions operations. Numerous fireswere set at military supply manufacturing sites. Shippinglines and railroads were also sometimes targets. Over 50acts of sabotage were carried out on American targetsfrom 1914 to 1918. Of those 50, nearly 30 occurred in theNew York area alone. Not only did several factories andEncyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, and Securitywarehouses operate in the New York area, but ports in andaround New York were the major staging point for shippingsupplies to the western front in Europe.Black Tom pier was located across the harbor fromEllis Island and the Statue of Liberty. The pier partiallyrested on Black Tom Island, from which it derived itsname. The adjacent shore was crowded with warehouses,loading docks, and train tracks. While shipping had alwaysflowed steadily from Black Tom, German agents noted anincrease of activity from the site after the outbreak of war.Further investigations revealed that Black Tom was indeedconnected to the war effort, and was the majorshipping point for most of the fuel reserves bound forEurope. A munitions factory in Manhattan also shippedthe detonator fuses it manufactured from Black Tom. APennsylvania company used the pier to load dynamite andother explosives onto transports. The combination of materialsmade Black Tom not only a dangerous place, butalso a prime target for sabotage. Destruction of Black Tomwould not only stall the shipment of supplies to Europe,but the volatile cargo would ignite and likely cause considerableproperty damage to the surrounding area.129