The year is 1915 and WWI is underway. Tensions are growing as the United States tries to remain the neutral power between the Allied countries, France, Russia, and Italy, and the Central Powers, led by Germany and Austria-Hungary. The fateful voyage begins on a drizzly spring morning. The Lusitania boards its passengers and departs from Pier 54, in New York’s Lower West End with William Turner as its captain. The deck is suspiciously rigged with twelve 6-inch guns. These were added in 1913 because of the impending war. The ship said to be carrying platinum, bull

Shortly, after the trip began, the ship was docked for a reason unknown to the passengers. It was later learned that 200 tones of ammunition were extracted from the Queen Margaret because it was having mechanical difficulties. The ship left port once again, and continued it’s transatlantic voyage to Liverpool, a journey that it would never complete.

Interestingly enough, the Lusitania was not designed as a passenger cruise ship. It and its sister ship, the Mauretania, had originally been commissioned and designed specifically as armed auxiliary cruisers. The British Admiralty funded Cunard with an annual operating subsidy. The Lusitania’s bulkhead design was exactly that of warships. Furthermore, the Lusitania was registered as an armed auxiliary cruiser around the same time it was equipped with the guns. (Source 6)

Americans and British were outraged by this attack on a passenger ship, despite that it was carrying munitions. They saw it as a direct threat to their freedom, and shamed the Germans for having no morals. German hatred by the Americans increased after this event, because they had mercilessly claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent men, women, and children. Citizens of Liverpool, where most of the crew of the Lusitania lived, rioted German shops. American press pushed for war, and propaganda emerged everywhere, urging people to “Avenge the Lusitania.” (Source 5)

A warning from Germany was placed directly under the sailing notice.

Some topics in this essay:
Royal Navy, Captain Schwieger, William Turner, Queen Margaret, Americans British, Britain Germany, America Germany, England Unfortunately, DC April, Captain Turner, war zone, britain allies, imperial german, source 6, source 5, imperial german government, american lives, queen margaret, coast ireland, passenger ship, ships warning, sinking passenger ships, passenger ships warning,