The RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German U-boat on May 7, 1915, causing the death of over a thousand people, including approximately 128 Americans. The ship carried military supplies, which Germany cited as a justification for the attack.
Step-by-step explanation:
The RMS Lusitania, a British ocean liner, was famously sunk on May 7, 1915. The ship was traveling from New York to Great Britain and was torpedoed by a German U-boat off the coast of Ireland. The attack resulted in the vessel sinking in just under 18 minutes, with over one thousand victims, including roughly 128 American citizens. This event had significant geopolitical consequences, enraging the American public and impacting World War I dynamics.
There was a mysterious secondary explosion on the Lusitania after the torpedo hit, which to this day, invites various theories about its cause. At the time of its sinking, the Lusitania was carrying military weapons and equipment, including millions of rounds of ammunition, which was among the justifications used by Germany for the attack. The sinking was seen by many Americans as an act of unprovoked aggression, while Germany saw it as a necessary act of self-defense, warning previously that such ships could be targeted.