On May 1, 1915, the luxury liner RMS Lusitania prepared to depart New York for Liverpool. In newspapers that morning, the Imperial German Embassy had published a stark warning, cautioning travelers that ships flying the British flag in the war zone were liable for destruction. The notice ran right beside an advertisement for the Lusitania's voyage. Captain William Thomas Turner dismissed the threat to the press, calling talk of torpedoes 'the greatest joke' he had heard. Some prominent passengers, like millionaire Alfred Vanderbilt, even received anonymous warning telegrams at Pier 54. Despite the clear danger published for all to see, the grand ship, carrying 1,959 people, sailed out into the Atlantic after a two-hour delay, heading directly for the declared war zone.
The Sinking of the Lusitania
In May 1915, a German U-boat sank the passenger liner Lusitania in 18 minutes, killing 1,198 people and pushing the United States closer to war.
Summary
The RMS Lusitania, a Cunard ocean liner sailing from New York to Liverpool, was torpedoed by the German submarine U-20 on 7 May 1915, about 11 miles off the Old Head of Kinsale on Ireland's south coast. A second internal explosion followed the torpedo strike, and the ship sank in around 18 minutes. Of the roughly 1,960 people aboard, 1,198 died, including 128 Americans — a loss that hardened opinion in the still-neutral United States and became a defining argument for its eventual entry into the First World War in 1917.
Key Facts
- Torpedoed on 7 May 1915 by the German submarine U-20, commanded by Walther Schwieger
- Sank in about 18 minutes, roughly 11 miles off the Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland
- 1,198 of the roughly 1,960 people aboard died, including 128 Americans
- A second, internal explosion after the torpedo strike is still debated — the ship was carrying rifle ammunition
- Germany had published newspaper warnings against sailing on British ships days before the crossing
- The sinking shifted American public opinion and was invoked when the US entered the war in 1917
A Warning Ignored
Frequently Asked Questions
Was the Lusitania really carrying weapons?
Yes. On its final voyage, the ship's cargo manifest listed over 170 tons of war materials. This included 4.2 million rifle cartridges, 1,250 cases of shrapnel shells, and 18 cases of fuses, all destined for the British war effort.
What caused the second explosion?
The cause of the second, much larger explosion remains debated. Theories include the ignition of coal dust in the ship's bunkers, a boiler explosion, or the detonation of the munitions in the cargo hold. This second blast is what caused the ship to sink so quickly.
How did the sinking of the Lusitania lead to the US entering WWI?
The deaths of 128 American citizens outraged the public and turned popular opinion against Germany. While President Woodrow Wilson initially pursued diplomacy, the event hardened American attitudes. Germany's later resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare was the final trigger for the U.S. to declare war in 1917.
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