On this date in 1915, during the First World War, the magnificent British ocean liner Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk on a voyage from New York to Liverpool by a submarine of the German Navy. 1198 passengers and crew members were killed, including 128 Americans. Public opinion in the United States was outraged at this sinking and moved from neutrality to that of being decisively anti-German.
The sinking of the Lusitania, together with the infamous Zimmerman Telegram sent by Germany to Mexico in 1917, were the two primary reasons the United States entered the First World War on the side of the Allied powers, including Britain and France. Germany offered Mexico Texas and the American Southwest if she were to go to war against the United States. The Mexican government ignored the German offer.
![]() |
This event was a huge news story in the United States. The headline of the national publication of record, the New York Times shown above, shows how important this story was in the press, and the level of outrage that resulted.
To find out more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Lusitania
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please Note- We never publish negative comments, or publish inappropriate information, about any Second Life or other Virtual World Resident. Thank you for keeping things positive! Ryce & Eddi
Addendum- September 2018 - We no longer anonymous comments advertising links to other blogs.