With the explosion of the First Great World War, the Shazbotdom Empire attempted its best to stay out of the conflict. Using its Merchant Marines to continue to provide food to the nations that were being rampaged by the War on both sides, they were the target of pirates and other outlaws that were being paid by unwelcome agitators from both sides attempting to draw the Empire into an armed conflict. It wasn’t until two years into the war in which the Imperial Navy began to send ships to help protect the food transports.
Throughout the later part of the War, a total of 4 Shazonite transport ships were lost, but the Imperial Navy sunk a total of 8 ships that attacked imperial assets. There was discussions within the Parliament at the time to declare war on whomever attacked Imperial Shipping, but those discussions were squashed by a coalition of Members of Parliament who did not want to sink money into an unnecessary war.
In late March of 1918, Imperial activity ceased throughout all theaters and the nation reverted to a state of Isolationism, intent on keeping to itself.