Were the U-boat attacks politically, economically, geographically, or socially motivated?

The U-boat attacks during the World Wars were primarily politically and economically motivated with a secondary aspect of geographical strategy.

Politically, the use of U-boat warfare by Germany, particularly during World War I and World War II, was aimed at weakening the military and economic capacity of its adversaries, especially the United Kingdom, and to enforce German naval dominance. The unrestricted submarine warfare was a strategy to cut off supplies, material and food being shipped to Germany's enemies. The rationale was to cripple their economic ability to sustain war efforts and coerce them into political negotiations or surrender.

Economically, the U-boat campaign targeted the enemy’s trade routes, aiming to disrupt the flow of goods and war materials, which was vital to the war economies of the Allied Powers. By sinking merchant ships, Germany intended to undermine its enemies' economies by reducing their import and export capabilities.

Geographically, the location of U-boat attacks was determined by tanker and cargo shipping routes which were critical for the transportation of resources. Since the UK is an island nation, it was highly dependent on maritime trade, making it particularly vulnerable to submarine warfare.

Socially, while the attacks were not motivated by social factors, they did have social repercussions such as loss of civilian lives, food shortages, and public outcry in nations affected by the U-boat campaign. Moreover, the attacks influenced the public opinion in neutral countries like the United States, contributing to its eventual involvement in both World Wars.