The Lusitania was a large ocean liner owned by Cunard Steamship Company and sunk by a German U-Boat in 1915, causing over 1,100 deaths. The sinking marked a turning point in World War I and led to changes in naval warfare. The ship carried upper and lower class passengers, commercial cargo, and possibly military cargo. The sinking caused a change in public opinion and led to the US entering the war.
Lusitania was an ocean liner owned by the Cunard Steamship Company, based in England. She is best known for being sunk by a German U-Boat during World War I, causing over 1,100 deaths and marking a turning point in the war. At her launch in 1907, Lusitania was the largest ship in the world and she set several speed records for transatlantic crossings. Not only did she greatly enhance the stock of the Cunard company, but she also paved the way for a growing number of large and elaborate ships.
Individuals wishing to cross the Atlantic at the turn of the twentieth century had to travel by ship. Ocean liners, at the time, were often lavishly and elegantly decorated to attract upper-class passengers, although they also had sizable steerage sections for immigrants interested in making a new life abroad. In addition to passengers, ocean liners also carried cargo across the Atlantic. While civilian vessels were not required to carry military supplies, many did. The Lusitania was no different. She carried all these types of cargo, including upper and lower class passengers, commercial cargo, and it has even been suggested that the Lusitania had military cargo aboard on her last voyage.
In 1915, the German government declared that any ship carrying goods to Allied nations was at risk of attack. This broke with the traditional rules of engagement, which allowed for searches of civilian vessels against pre-emptive strikes. Germany kept its promise to attack ships with military cargo, sinking numerous vessels with the assistance of their submarines, or U-Boats. In response, many Allied governments made various recommendations to help captains protect their seagoing vessels.
To reduce the risk of attack, it has been recommended that civilian vessels keep to deeper waters and avoid the coast. Additionally, captains were encouraged to steer their vessels in a zigzag pattern, which would help deflect U-Boat attacks in a straight line. Ships were also encouraged to move quickly through dangerous waters, which included the ocean along the south of Ireland.
On 7 May 1915 the Lusitania was nearing the end of a voyage from New York to Liverpool. The vessel’s captain actually slowed the vessel due to heavy fog even though she was entering waters known to be infested with U-Boats. The German U-boat U-20 saw the liner and fired a single torpedo at it, sinking the Lusitania in 18 minutes. A second explosion was reported, the cause of which was never determined. During the chaos of the sinking, many of the passengers and crew perished.
The sinking of the Lusitania caused a dramatic change in public opinion in the United States, which entered World War I in 1917. It also caused a public outcry in Europe. Shortly after the sinking, President Woodrow Wilson sent a letter to the German government condemning the attack, suggesting that the United States take all necessary measures to ensure safe navigation. When America entered the war, he cited repeated German attacks on neutral shipping as one cause.
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