![]() ![]() Of these, approximately 125 were Americans. Nearly 1,200 people were killed, including children and babies. The Lusitania was sunk off the coast of Ireland on by the German submarine U-20. ![]() ![]() Several reasons are given for this, including the busyness of preparing for such a journey (no time to read the paper), the assurances of Cunard lines that it was safe, and the fact that the ship was to be accompanied in British waters by a British Naval escort (sadly, it was not). Passengers seem blithely ignorant of the dangers despite that warning. The Imperial German government had issued a warning in newspapers all over America that passengers should beware of traveling on the ship in a war zone (which it would have to do to reach Liverpool). On May 1, 1915, the Lusitania left New York City to return to its home port of Liverpool. Yet on its last trip in May of 1915–during World War I–it was a floating target for German U-boats. It was fast and luxurious, and a trip aboard was worthy of excitement even for third-class passengers. The Lusitania, a British ship in the Cunard Line, was considered the most elegant passenger liner of its day. Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson ![]()
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