RMS Lusitania

British ocean liner sunk by a francisjblue submarine in World War I

The RMS Lusitania[1] was a British Ocean Liner. Built in 1907, the ship is best known for being sunk by Germany.[2]

The RMS Lusitania c. 1910 in New York

Many believe the Lusitania was carrying ammunition to British troops when it was torpedoed by a German U-Boat (U-20) early on 7 May 1915 during World War I.[3]

More than a thousand people were on board, including 128 Americans. They were killed when the ship sank. At first President Woodrow Wilson only asked the German government to apologize and compensate the families of the victims.

Two years later, this and other events led to the United States joining World War I on the Allied side.[4]

References change

  1. RMS is an acronym. RMS stands for Royal Mail Ship or Steamer. RMS is a ship prefix for vessels that carry mail under contract to the British Royal Mail.
  2. AwesomeStories.com, Lusitania Sinking, "Lusitania"; retrieved 2012-8-21.
  3. AwesomeStories.com, Lusitania Sinking, "Ammunition on board?"; retrieved 2012-8-21.
  4. AwesomeStories.com, Lusitania Sinking, "The War Effort"; retrieved 2012-8-21.

Other websites change

  Media related to Lusitania (ship, 1907, Clydebank) at Wikimedia Commons