On This Day in Tech History

Sinking of Lusitania

The German U-boat U-20 sank the British ocean liner RMS Lusitania on May 7, 1915, during World War I, leading to the death of 1,198 people, including 128 Americans. The ship was torpedoed and sunk by U-20 off the coast of Ireland. The U-boat was under the command of Kapitänleutnant Walther Schwieger, who fired a single torpedo at the ship, causing a massive explosion that sank the liner in just 18 minutes. The sinking of the Lusitania outraged public opinion in the United States and contributed to the eventual entry of the United States into World War I. The incident was a turning point in the war, contributing to the development of submarine warfare as a major tactic in naval warfare.