 The rejection of their protest greatly upset the German forces , because they believed they were treated unjustly in the war . Shortly after the protest was rejected , Germany issued threats that they would punish all captured American soldiers that were found to be armed with a shotgun . This led to the United States issuing a retaliation threat , stating that any measures unjustly taken against captured American soldiers would lead to an equal act by the United States on captured German soldiers . 
