On May 7, 1915, the RMS Lusitania, a massive British ocean liner, was torpedoed by a German U-boat off the coast of Ireland, an act that would dramatically shift public opinion about World War I and ultimately help draw the United States into the conflict. The massive passenger ship, considered unsinkable by many, went down in a mere 18 minutes, claiming 1,198 lives, including 128 Americans.
The torpedo strike occurred at 2:10 PM, and witnesses reported a second, mysterious explosion shortly after the initial impact—a peculiarity that sparked decades of speculation about whether the ship was carrying undeclared munitions. The German government had actually placed warnings in American newspapers before the sailing, stating that the waters around Britain were a war zone and passenger ships could be targeted.
The sinking was a shocking breach of international maritime conventions and became a pivotal propaganda moment. While not immediately causing America's entry into World War I, it significantly eroded public sympathy for Germany and set the stage for the United States' eventual declaration of war two years later.
The event remains one of the most controversial maritime disasters in modern history, a chilling reminder of the brutal calculus of warfare and the devastating consequences of geopolitical tensions.
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
