Final answer:
The Titanic sank over several hours after striking an iceberg, allowing for some evacuation despite insufficient lifeboats. The Lusitania sank rapidly in 18 minutes after being hit by a torpedo, severely limiting evacuation. Military cargo on the Lusitania and policies of submarine warfare affected survival chances.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main differences between the survival profiles of the passengers on the Titanic and the Lusitania involve the speed of sinking, passenger demographics, and the nature of the emergencies. The Titanic, known for its significant size and the notion of being 'unsinkable,' struck an iceberg, leading to its sinking over a span of a few hours, which allowed for some form of evacuation even though there were insufficient lifeboats. Conversely, the Lusitania was torpedoed by a German U-boat and sank rapidly in about 18 minutes due to a probable secondary explosion, limiting evacuation efforts.
Factors that influenced the chances of survival included lifeboat availability and the policy towards the use of submarines in warfare at the time. The Lusitania carried military weapons, which made it a valid target for German submarines, with the German government having prewarned that such ships would be subject to being sunk. Following the Lusitania disaster, Germany promised to alter its submarine warfare policy, but it was only after the sinking that the new policy to surface and visually identify ships before firing and ensure civilian safety was promised.