Lusitania Sinks

Setting the scene

By 1915, World War I was deadlocked in trenches. Britain's naval blockade was starving Germany, which responded in February 1915 with unrestricted submarine warfare—U-boats would sink merchant ships without warning. The RMS Lusitania was a British Cunard liner, the world's fastest, making regular New York-Liverpool crossings. It was also secretly carrying munitions—4,200 cases of rifle cartridges and 1,250 cases of shrapnel shells, making it a legitimate military target under international law. Germany placed warnings in 50 U.S. newspapers on May 1, 1915, advising Americans not to sail on British ships.

What happened

On May 7, 1915, at 2:10 p.m., U-20, commanded by Walther Schwieger, fired one torpedo at the Lusitania off the Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland. The torpedo struck, and a second massive explosion followed—likely the munitions detonating. The ship listed severely and sank in 18 minutes. Of 1,959 aboard, 1,198 died, including 128 Americans. The rapid sinking prevented lifeboats from launching properly. Survivors described chaos and the sea filled with bodies. The disaster was witnessed from shore, and news reached America within hours via telegraph.

Why it still matters

The Lusitania sinking outraged American public opinion and became a powerful propaganda tool for Britain, which portrayed it as German barbarism against civilians (downplaying the munitions). President Wilson demanded Germany stop unrestricted warfare, and Germany temporarily complied. But when Germany resumed the policy in January 1917, the Lusitania was cited as precedent and America entered the war in April. The sinking demonstrated submarine warfare's effectiveness and the vulnerability of civilian shipping. It also showed how a single incident could shift public opinion and alter the course of a world war. The wreck, discovered in 1935, lies 300 feet deep and is protected as a war grave.

Background

The sinking intensified anti-German sentiment internationally.