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Lusitania

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The Lusitania Goes Under
What happened to the Lusitania on it's last journey across the Atlantic Ocean? Why did the ship get torpedoed? Was it against laws set forth by many of the countries of the early 1900s? These are many of the questions often asked when World War I is being discussed in many history classes. With the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, the countries of Austria, Germany, Russia, France, Britain, and Serbia initially felt the tensions increasing either through the arms race or the forming of various alliances and treaties. On, 28 July 1914, the war was official and new types of warfare had been implemented in ways never before used. The early machine guns were now employed to keep enemies in their trenches, airplanes were soaring in the skies, tanks were rolling over trenches, and the most devastating of all, the submarine was now an effective and efficient killing machine. The submarine could stalk enemy ships and attack them without any warning or retribution. The earliest submarine, the Turtle, was used in the American Revolutionary War, but it had little success. (American 1) Now, the submarines used in World War I were redesigned and fitted with better weaponry for fighting a war of stealth and destruction. Submarines had many famous or infamous attacks on naval vessels depending on which side of the history books the country was on. (Germans 1) The one attack that changed World War I was submarine attack on the Lusitania. The Lusitania was a ship that made modern day history due to the unprovoked attack on it from a German submarine.
The Lusitania was designed by Leonard Peskett and officially completed in 1907 by John Brown & Co, Ltd. for the Cunard Steamship Company. The goal of the Cunard Steamship Company was to buy a fast, luxurious ship in order to keep up with other ship companies and to reach out to it's wealthier customers. The Lusitania was meant to be a passenger ship as well as an emigrant ship as per the Merchant Shipping Acts. The Lusitania met all the requirements of the law to be certified as this type of vessel. The Lusitania was a turbine steam ship made from steel and was 785 feet long and 87 and a half feet wide. The Lusitania had 25 boilers capable of producing enough steam to create around 68,000 horsepower. With this much power, the Lusitania's 25 boilers could drive her 30,395 ton body through the ocean at speeds up to 25 knots. (Albert 1) The Lusitania was able to hold 2,165 paying passengers or 3,000 including her crew.
The Lusitania had space for 563 first class passengers and 464 second class passengers of the 2,165 passengers. After the sinking of the Titanic, the Lusitania had 48 lifeboats capable of carrying 2,605 people. In addition to the lifeboats the vessel also carried 2,325 life-jackets, 125 of them for children and 35 lifebuoys. The Lusitania made it's maiden voyage from Liverpool, England to Queenstown, Ireland and to it's final stop of the trip to New York City, United States of America. On the Lusitania's second voyage from New York City, United States of America to Queenstown, Ireland, she broke the record for fastest crossing of the Atlantic and the first vessel to cross the Atlantic in less than five days. (Lusitania 1)
The Captain of the Lusitania was Mr. William Thomas Turner. Captain Turner had been employed by the Cunard Steamship Company since 1883. He held the position of Commander since 1903 and had earned the Extra Master's Certificate in 1907. The Lusitania also employed a second captain by the name of Captain Anderson; His job was to be of aid in the navigation of the vessel as well of the care of the ship.
As the war began to spread and become more common state for many of the European nations, Germany began to issue warnings, such as: Travelers intending to embark on the Atlantic voyage are reminded that a state of war exists between Germany and her allies and Great Britain and her allies; that the zone of war includes the waters adjacent to the British Isles; that, in accordance with formal notice given by the Imperial German Government, vessels flying the flag of Great Britain, or any ofher allies, are liable to destruction in those waters and that travelers sailing in the war zone on ships of Great Britain or her allies do so at their own risk. (Germany 1)
On the 1st of May, 1915, the Lusitania, left New York bound for Liverpool, England. There were reports of warnings from the German authorities not to ride on the Lusitania that she would be torpedoed by German unterseeboots or undersea-boats. The vessel carried 702 crew members and 1257 passengers on this voyage. (Passengers 1) There were a total of 157 Americans on this voyage. The Lusitania also carried a large amount of normal cargo, but also included unusual cargo for a passenger vessel, about 5,000 cases of cartridges. The ammunition was stowed in the front, lower section of the ship. No other type of explosives were carried on the ship for this voyage. (Cargo 1) As the Lusitania made her way along Ireland and towards Liverpool, Captain William Turner was told to make a port call at Queenstown, Ireland. At this time, Captain Turner ordered all lifeboats under davits to be swung out, bulkhead doors to be closed, portholes shut, and double the lookouts for submarines. (Torpedoing 1) Captain Turner did not follow all the directives for going into the hot zone that was known to have German U-boats in it the previous day. One of the directives he chose to ignore was zig-zagging to not allow a German U-boat to plot its course and fire a torpedo at it. The vessel was traveling 18 knots, even though it was capable of traveling upwards of 21 knots.
At ordinary times she would make 25 knots, but in war times her speed was reduced to 21 knots. My reason for going 18 knots was that I wanted to arrive at Liverpool bar without stopping and within two or three hours of high waters. (Captain 1)
As the Lusitania made her way toward Liverpool, a submarine was lurking about waiting to find a ship to sink. This submarine was the German U-boat 20, under command of Kapitänleutnant Walter Schwieger. The German U-boat spotted the Lusitania while he was surfaced and very quickly order the submarine to be submerged and prepare to move into attack position. At 3:10 pm. He ordered the launch of a German torpedo at the Lusitania 700 meters away. (Eyewitness 1) One of Captain Turner's officers announced that a torpedo was heading towards the vessel. (William 1) The torpedo, “Shot struck starboard side close behind the bridge. An extraordinarily heavy detonation followed, with a very large cloud of smoke.” (Eyewitness 1) A second explosion followed from the Lusitania and was said to be from inside the Lusitania caused by explosives on board the ship. (German 1) The Germans went as far as to say that when the ship left it had subdued guns on the deck of the ship along with trained men to operate the guns, “the Lusitania when she left New York undoubtedly had guns on board which were mounted under decks and masked.” (German 1) The Cunard Steamship Company noted otherwise, on their cargo manifest they had listed the ammunition they were carrying, but denied being armed. Captain Turner said this during his inquiry about being armed,
Most vessels would have carried arms during passages. Rifles were certainly carried on board the Lusitania to use against submarines. The Cunard line admitted the fact. The American papers argued that the carrying of riffles made the vessel an armed vessel. The Lusitania carried American passengers who innocently were caught up in someone's war. However, she was carrying English volunteer troops to the front line. The Admiralty and British Government were in total control of the ship. During Lusitania 's construction the architects decided that the keel just forward of the rudder would be cut away to form an arch between the two after propellers. The design was borrowed from the British Royal Navy. The amendments would lead to greater maneuverability and with a fourth propeller great speed would be achieved - perfect for times of war. (Captain1)
The Inquiry after the torpedoing of the vessel stated that there were, “...no masked guns nor trained gunners, or special ammunition, nor was she transporting troops, or violating any laws of the United States.” (Ship 1) The initial impact of the torpedo instantly reduced five of the lifeboats to splinters. (Official 1) Captain Turner headed the Lusitania towards land to see if he could make the vessel to land. He then ordered the lifeboats to be lowered down to the rails and to load women and children first. Captain Turner also stated he believed the vessel was hit by two torpedoes, one after the other. (Turner 1) Several S.O.S. Messages were sent out by the Marconi operator stating, "Come at once, big list, 10 miles south Head Old Kinsale." (Torpedoing 1) The Lusitania sank in about 18 minutes after the attack. (Eyewitness 1) Of the 1,959 total personnel on board the ship, 1,198 drowned from the attack on the ship. (Torpedoing 1) Of the 159 Americans on board the Lusitania, 124 perished in the torpedoing. Captain Turner went down with the ship, but was later rescued by the naval vessel, Bluebell, after the ship had sunk. (Albert 1)
The Germans viewed the sinking of the Lusitania as a, “Brilliant Deed”, and were very proud that one of their submarines was capable of sinking a ship of that size and able to travel so quick in the water. (Germans 1) President Wilson's Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan wrote the first Lusitania Note to Germany on the 13th of May, 1915 telling Germany they have been conducting modern warfare in uncustomary ways that violates the rights of a neutral country and he would like to know why and what course of action they will take after this letter is read. (Protest 1) The Germans replied to this letter stating, “The German government believes that it acts in just self-defence when it seeks to protect the lives of its soldiers by destroying ammunition destined for the enemy with the means of war at its command.” The German government also stated that, “...taking them on board in spite of this the company quite deliberately tried to use the lives of American citizens as protection for the ammunition carried, and violated the clear provisions of American laws which expressly prohibit”, and, “The company thereby wantonly caused the death of so many passengers.” (German 1)
President Wilson had Mr. Bryan write a second letter to the German government telling the Germans that the Americans have laws that it's citizens are bound to follow that would not allow a neutral passenger vessel to be loaded with troops or deck guns and then set forth from American shores. The president also stated, that he expects the Germans to produce any evidence they have stating otherwise before they make any more accusations and that they have a responsibility to ensure the safety of neutral American vessels through waters patrolled by German submarines. (Second 1) President Wilson then wrote a third note himself stating, “Repetition by the commanders of German naval vessels of acts in contravention of those rights must be regarded by the Government of the United States, when they affect American citizens, as deliberately unfriendly.” (Third 1) Secretary of State Bryan soon resigned after the President's letter to the Germans, stating he believed the President was using the sinking of the Lusitania as a drawing point to bring America into the war.
America had it's opportunity it needed to gain support for entering the war. Through people like, Secretary of the Interior Franklin K. Lane, who made speeched lashing out at Germany for it's inhumane conduct at sea, killing innocent American sea men, Red Cross ships carrying wounded from all nations, and ships like the Lusitania. One of the famous speeched he gave was, “The Nations in Arms” speech, which had a sharp tipped dagger for Germany prepared with the reference to the Lusitania, “we still hear the piteous cries of children coming out, out of the sea where the Lusitania went down, and Germany has never asked forgiveness of the world.” (Nation 1) The United States of America did not immediately enter the war after the sinking of the Lusitania. It instead tried to use diplomacy and to keep it's people away from the atrocities of war. (Third 1) The German government did finally issue the long awaited apology after sinking the British passenger liner, Arabic, and killing more Americans. The Germans also promised to end unrestricted submarine warfare. (Ultimatum 1) The Germans were determined to win the war and allowed once again it's brash conduct of unrestricted submarine warfare would eventually tip the scales until the American people would not take any more. After, the death of more Americans at sea, on April 2, 1916 President Wilson asked for Congress to declare war on Germany. On April 4, 1916 the United States of America ended diplomatic relations with Germany and declared war.
The Lusitania played a large role in securing the modern world as we know it. The unprovoked attack on the vessel set forth a series of events that would not only show what the Germans do with their unrestricted submarine warfare, but it would also rally a nation to enter a war on the other side of the world. The entering of America into the war bolstered our economy, increased nationalism, and also crippled the trade with Germany. If Captain Turner had all the boilers running and the ship was cruising at the warfare speed of 21 knots, the German U-boat would not have been able to keep up with it and more lives could have been lost through World War I due to America not entering the war sooner. President Wilson saw an opportunity to get his nation rallied and prepared to assist America's allies in putting down the German European invasion and to help free the nations already conquered by the Germans. Even with his rallying of the country, many Americans still were not in favor of entering the war and many more still wanted to remain neutral in the conflict. (Entered, 1) Even with the advances in the Lusitania's design, the attack still did happen and it sparked a nation through the coming months to help the world. (Albert 1)

Works Cited

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...as well as in action”. He did not want to be involved in this war neither “the Central Powers” nor “the Allied Powers”. United States kept out of war for 3 years until April of 1917 when President Wilson called Congress into special session and asked them for a declaration of war. There were many reasons that changed Wilson’s mind about stay out of war; the first was the sink of the Lusitania in May 1915 where nearly 1,200 people died, including 128 Americans. President Wilson sent three notes to Germany asking them to abandon unrestricted submarine warfare, but there was until they received the third note, almost an ultimatum, when Germany ordered to their U-boat commanders not to sink passenger liners without warning. President Wilson did not know that Germany had ordered U-boat commander not to sink passenger liners without warning, when in August 1915; a U-boat mistakenly torpedoed the British liner Arabic, killing two Americans. Wilson protested, and Germany, eager to keep the United States out of war, backed down. Although Wilson’s diplomacy had achieved his immediate goal, the Lusitania and Arabic crises highlighted the elements that led to war. Wilson hated war, but he found himself caught up in a worldwide crisis that demanded the best in American will and diplomacy. In the end, diplomacy failed, and United States entered a war that changed the nation’s history. The first American soldiers reached France in June 1917. By the war’s end two...

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