It was noted on the radio this morning during the ‘On this Day’ segment.
On 7 May 1915 the RMS Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat, about 18 km off the Irish coast, causing the deaths of 1,198 passengers and crew.
The day after Babe Ruth’s first MLB homer!
Easy way to remember the date if you’re a baseball fan. Or the other one, if you’re a history buff.
Just now listening on NPR to an English author on Germsny’s rationalization of submarine, Zeppelin and gas warfare.
Multiply the deaths on the Lusitania by fifty and you’ll have the number of German elderly and children who died because of the British blockade.
Multiply by one thousand and you still won’t have the conscript labor from Africa, India and Indochina who died of neglect and abuse.
erik larson’s new book on the lusitania is very good.
dark yet odd fact, captain turner survived being torpedoed by a uboat in wwi; his son percy was killed in ww2, the ship he was serving on was torpedoed by a uboat.
Are the Admiralty Records of the sinking still sealed? I thought that there were some documents that were still secret 9at least 75 years later). At nay rate, i did read the new book-nothing really new in it. Question: was Lusitania carrying contraband? I read once that they were carrying small arms ammunition and shell detonators. Was this a violation of international law?
Yes, it was carrying war munitions, so the Germans could argue it was not a violation of international law even though it carried civilians.
The British Admiralty knew full well that German U-boats were targeting passenger ships in the area. Encryption experts even knew this particular U-boat was in the area, yet they did nothing to protect the Lusitania as it headed towards the Irish coast.
I really liked Larson’s book. IIRC he stops short of saying the British government purposely allowed it to happen, but they certainly made some questionable decisions.
In The Great War the people in charge broke the rules and the common people paid the price.
In EVERY war the people in charge break the rules and the common people pay the price.
It seems that the German Embassy (in the USA) made their position clear-“travelers intending to embark upon the North Atlantic voyage are reminded that a state of war exists between Germany and great Britain, and that vessels flying the flag of Great Britain are liable to destruction”. I don’t see how they could be any clearer.One question I have always had: Robert Ballard sent a RPV to the wreck-has the Irish government banned any more poking around it?
"We are wealthy Americans, Upper Class. Surely that does not apply to* us.*