RMS Lusitania was a British luxury ocean liner owned by the Cunard Steamship Company and built by John Brown and Company of Clydebank, Scotland. Christened and launched on Thursday, May 7, 1906. Lusitania met a disastrous end as a casualty of the First World War when she was torpedoed by the German submarine, U-20, on May 7, 1915. While carrying many American passengers, the great ship sank in just 18 minutes, eight miles (15 km) off the Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland, killing 1,198 of the 1,959 people aboard. The sinking turned public opinion in many countries against Germany. It is often considered by historians to be the second most famous civilian passenger liner disaster after the sinking of the Titanic.
Created by rromanchuk on Apr 24, 2008
Last updated: 10/17/10 at 08:11 PM
3 American frieghters - City Of Memphis, Vigilancia, and Illinois - are torpedoed with the loss of 24 American lives.
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Dr. Robert D. Ballard mounts an expedition to the Lusitania wreck. His team discovers that the magazine is undamaged and rules out ammunition as a source of the second explosion. Ballard suggests that the alleged second explosion was caused by a coal dust explosion.
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Oceaneering International plans to return to the wreck to document the cargo hold, but expedition falls through.
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Oceaneering International conducts salvage expeditions to the wreck of the Lusitania. Ireland attempts ot claim artefacts as national treasures. Court rules in favour of Oceaneering International.
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Greg Bemis and partners buy salvage rights from Light.
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Light buys the wreck of the Lusitania from the British War Risks Association.
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U.S. Navy diver John Light makes 42 dives on the Lusitania wreck and reports that the bow had been severed by an internal explosion, a claim refuted by later divers.
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Divers discover that the wreck is actually lying on her starboard side, concealing the point of torpedo impact.
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A Glasgow-based consortium locates the wreck of the Lusitania with early echo-sounding equipment. Jim Jarrat, in a heavy diving suit, becomes the first man to dive to the wreck. He claims that the wreck is lying on her port side, exposing the point of torpedo impact. The Royal Navy uses the area around the Lusitania's location for depthcharge practice - it is alleged that this is part of a plan to remove any evidence of munitions in the ship's cargo.
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U-20 breaks radio silence and takes credit for sinking Lusitania.
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Germany is compelled to make reparations - a viciously unfair and systematic series of siezures deprives the nation of most of her passenger vessels - including the Imperator, which is given to Cunard as a replacement for the Lusitania. After a few voyages under the British line's ownership, that vessel is named the Berengaria.
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The Armistice - Great War (World War I) ends.
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23th August - Judge Julius Mayer publishes report on hearings conducted for civil lawsuits in New York City. The findings absolve Captain Turner and the Cunard Company from blame.
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United States declares war against Germany.
Cunarder Laconia torpedoed by U-50 with a loss of 12 lives, including 2 Americans.
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Zimmerman Telegram forwarded to U.S. President Wilson.
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Germany announces that she will resume unrestricted submarine warfare
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Zimmerman Telegram sent by Germany to Mexico and decoded by Britain.
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Lord Mersey conducts an official Inquiry into the sinking. Report published (17th July) places blame solely on Germany.
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Lansing dispatches second American note to Germany, requesting Germany to respect the rights of Americans to travel on belligerent ships of their choice.
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U.S. Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan resigns in protest, claiming that the United States is taking a pro-Allied stance in handling the Lusitania affair while claiming neutrality. Robert Lansing installed as acting Secretary of State.
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British Prime Minister Asquith announces internment of enemy aliens. U-20 ordered to report to Wilhelmshaven instead of the home base of Emden. First American diplomatic note sent to Germany.
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Mass funeral held for Lusitania victims outside of Queenstown.
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Cork County coroner John J. Horgan opens first inquest into the Lusitania disaster. Admiralty attempts to thwart the inquiry arrive too late to be of any effect.
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Anti-German riots break out all over the world over the sinking and last for days.
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U-20 torpedoes and sinks Lusitania off the Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland. Lusitania founders in 18 minutes with horrific loss of life. Fishing boats, tramp steamers, and Admiralty ships take survivors to Kinsale and Queenstown.
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Lusitania sails into the war zone. Seamen's Charities fund concert takes place in the Saloon Class lounge that night. U-20 sinks 16,000-ton steamer Candidate.
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U-20 sinks Earl of Lathom (132 ton schooner) off the coast of Ireland.
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Lusitania sails out of New York for the last time. Sailing delayed by a transfer of passengers from the Cameronia. Anonymous telegrams are sent to a number of prominent passengers warning them not to sail. These messages are not delivered - later Cunard will glibly state to the Mersey enquiry that no passengers received any kind of warning prior to sailing.
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U-20 leaves Emden, Germany, commanded by Kapitanleutnant Walther Schwieger.
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Germany issues warning to its embassy in the United States, telling Americans not to sail on British ships or risk being attacked. Warning is not published in newspapers until 1 May.
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Captain Dow claims sickness (after stating that he would not willingly take his ship through the U-Boat patrol zones without access to full speed and power). Lusitania is reassigned to Captain Turner.
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HMS Laverlock and Louis attempt to escort Lusitania to Liverpool. Cunard and Captain Dow, fearing a trap, do not divulge positions. Dow steams Lusitania into Liverpool without incident.
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In response to the British blockade around Germany, Germany continued unrestricted U-Boat activity. March 28, 1915 the Lusitania was sunk. 128 Americans were killed.
Lusitania launched by Lady Inverclyde.
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Lusitania's keel laid at John Brown & Co. (Clydebank). Yard no. 367.
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lobbying led by Cunard chairman Lord Inverclyde, induces the British Government (under Prime Minister Balfour) to provide a loan of £2.6 million for the construction of Lusitania and Mauretania. The agreement cites that the vessels must meet Admiralty specifications and be available as armed merchantment in time of war. Cunard cleverly uses the suggestion that the company might have to sell out to American financier J. P. Morgan (who is attempting to gain a monoply over the shipping lines in the North Atlantic and has already bought out Cunard's British rival, the White Star Line) and references to the German lines' faster ships to gain financial support from the State. The British Government agrees, in addition, to pay Cunard an annual subsidy of £150,000 for maintaining both ships in a state of war readiness, plus an additional £68,000 to carry the mail.
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First designs submitted for the Lusitania and Mauretania, showing each ship with only three funnels.
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