The Sinking of the Lusitania
In the early part of the twentieth century, the only way to traverse the Atlantic was by ocean liner. It was a time of fierce competition between rival lines-with passengers expecting not only a speedy crossing, but luxurious accommodations as well. In 1903 Lord Inverclyde created the Cunard Line. Construction soon began on two fast and luxurious liners that were to challenge the German vessels that had held the 'Blue Riband' since 1897. The resulting sisterships RMS Lusitania and RMS Mauretania would be a firm reassertion of British supremacy at sea.Launched at the River Clyde in June 16, 1906, RMS Lusitania was a grand ship and the first of the two sister ships to be launched. At 785 feet in length and 31,550 gross tons, she took the title of largest liner afloat. Her maiden voyage took place September 7, 1907, and in October 1907 she recaptured the coveted 'Blue Riband' from the German liner Deutschland, which Britain had failed to obtain since the industrialization of Germany. The construction of Lusitania was financed by generous loans from the British government. In return for the generous loans, the Admiralty could requisition Lusitania or her sister in times of war. This would be key in t
It was around this time that the U-20 stumbled upon the Lusitania. It was one of Britain prize ships and known to be apart of the navy, Captain Schwieger jumped at the chance to sink it. The U-20 fired a single torpedo, which struck the ship violently. Many immediately tried to escape in lifeboats but were unsuccessful because they kept overturning. Captain Turner turned the ship towards the shore in hopes of making it there but was unsuccessful. The Captain of U-20 watched all of this happen through his periscope, and he had noted the torpedo hit in his logbook. He also noted a second large explosion followed by smoke. He noted two explosions, and believed that either the cargo or boilers had exploded. He noted the ship began to immediately list and the prow was sinking beneath the water. His log also stated that several lifeboats had overturned. After this he dived and made his escape to open sea. The second explosion seemed to rapidly increase the ship's sinking. Distress calls were made to surrounding ships, but the ship sank in a mere eighteen minutes. More than a thousand lives and 139 Americans were lost. The British immediately called for the United States to declare war on Germany, but President Woodrow Wilson's only response was a strongly worded letter in which he decried the act as a flagrant show of disrespect for American neutrality. Berlin had apologized, expressing sympathy for the death of U.S. citizens but blaming the British government for its "...starving of the German civilian population..." that had forced Germany to take measures such as submarine warfare. Wilson urged the Germans to take strong measures to see to it that no more Americans were harmed and warned of serious consequences. Wilson's letter seemed to calm the anti-German sentiment that had permeated America's citizenry. It is not until almost two years la
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Approximate Word count = 1250
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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