World War I Naval War: RMS Lusitania (May 1915)


Figure 1.-RMS Lusitania may be the most significant ship in history, but no one at the time could begin to imagine the impact she would have. Lusitania was built for the burgonning North Atlantic trade. She was a noted luxury liner which also carried huge numbers of European immigrants to America. Construction began (1903). She was designed to be the fastest liner afloat. The massive engines generated 68,000-horse power and could drive the behemouth through the North Atlantic waters at an average speed of over 25 knots meaning her top speed was even highter. She immediately became know as the 'Greyhound of the Seas' and quickly won the much coveted Blue Ribbon for the fastest Atlantic crossing. After the Germans declared unrestricted submarimne warfare, a U-boar commander sank 'Lusitania' (May 1915). Americans were shocked at the loss of life. For no real war gain, U-boat commander Schwieger confirmed in the American mind the lawlessmess and barbarity of the German nation. Fair or not, this was the impact of sinking 'Lusitania'. And America's entry into the War was delayed, but not prevented. Thus one single ship would ultimately lead to Germany's defeat in World War I and the demise of the German Empire. Germany would be reduced from the dominant European power to just one of the important European countries -- which would be a major factor in World War II. This image by American political catoonist W.A. Rogers captured the image that the Germans were building in the American mind.

RMS Lusitania may be the most significant ship in history, but no one at the time could begin to imagine the impact she would have. Lusitania was built for the burgonning North Atlantic trade. She was a noted luxury liner which also carried huge numbers of European immigrants to America. Construction began (1903). She was designed to be the fastest liner afloat. The massive engines generated 68,000-horse power and could drive the behemouth through the North Atlantic waters at an average speed of over 25 knots meaning her top speed was even highter. She immediately became know as the 'Greyhound of the Seas' and quickly won the much coveted Blue Ribbon for the fastest Atlantic crossing. Lusitania made her maiden voyage from Liverpool to New York (September 1907). She would be eclipsed by RMS Titanic 5 years later (1912), but trgically only for a very brief time. Thus Lusitnia was the height of luxury travel and elegance at the time World War I broke out. There was another dimension to Lusitania that was unknown to the public at tghe time. The British Admiralty secretly subsidized her construction which was one reason she was so fast. Lusitania was built to Admiralty specifications. And the owners agreed that that at the outbreak of any, the massive ship would be consigned to naval service. The primary function in mind was service as a troop ship which is why speed was so important. Speed was needed not so much to increase the speed of troop movement, but for safety. As a result of increasing German beligerance and expanding naval construction, Lusitania was ordered into the Liverpool drydocks and secretly fitted for war service. The modifications included the installation of ammunition magazines and placement of gun mounts on her decks. Even the deck mounts were hidden from the public, covered by the teak deck. They meant that guns could be quickly installed as required. When the Germans launched World war I by invading neutral Belgium (August 1914), the Admiralty did not immediately transfer Lusiania to naval service. The massive ocean liner was not needed to move men across the Channel. Lusitania's sistership, Mauritania, however, was converted to a troop ship. Lusitania continued to operate as an oceanliner in the North Atlantic routes despite the German U-boats and even after German declared unresrricted submarine warfare. Lusitania departed New York City bound for Liverpool (May 1, 1915). The passengers and the public at large were unaware of a secret cargo of munitions and other war supplies for the British war effort. It is unclear just how much the the Germans knew about these secret cargoes, but they surely suspected that such shipments were taking place. As the acknowledged fastest ship afloat, Lusitania's captain felt secure that German U-boats could not intercept him. The press reports of U-boat sinkings, however, meant that many potential travelers thought better of the trip. The passengerd were only half of the ship's capacity. Lusitania after crossing the Atlantic was nearing the coast of Ireland (May 7). While close to hime, this was actually the most dangerou part of the voyage. Give the limitations of World war I U-boats, it was in British waters where they were primarily deployed. And unlike World War II, there was no protective air cover. And by an unfortunate turn of history, Lusiantia crossed the bow of German submarine U 20. Cpt. Walter Schwieger was not stalking Lusitania. His U-boat was not capable of this, but he took advantage of the opportunity. He fired a torpedo into the side of the liner (2:10 pm). And an unexplained second explosion ripped Lusitania apart. [Hickey and Smith] Had Germany not been using unrestricted submarine warfare tactics, Cpt. Schwieger would not have been able to fire his torpedo. Chaos erupted aboard the ship. Many of the terrified pasangers were unable to get to the life boats. Than the ship listed so badly and so quickly that many lifeboats actually crashed into fesperate passengers crowded on the deck. Other lifeboats not yet fully lowerd, dumped passengers into the frigid water. Most of the passengers never had a real chance of survival. In just 18 minutes the famed liner slipped beneath the eaves. Of the 1,924 souls aboard, more than half or 1,119 perished. [Simpson] Given the speed with which Lusitania sunk--it was a miracle that so many were saved. The death toll included 114 Americans. The Kaiser awarded the captain a medal. Despite the carnage on land, the world was shocked at the incident. Americans were aghast--both by the death toll and the demise of such an iconic ship. Many imprtant Americans had traveled on the ship. And if the American newspaper coverage was not enough, the Cpt. Schwieger had given British propaganda a whole new ubject that could be used to blacken their image. President Wilson's foreign affairs adviser Col. Edward House was in London and cabled Wilson that now was the time to declare war. Wilson replied that 'America was to proud to fight.' He insisted that some values went beyond war. Former President Theodore Roosevelt called him a 'coward'. Public opion might have forced America into the War. President Wilson while hanging back from war, protested so strongly to the Germans that Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan, a pacifist, resigned in his own protest. The Germans finally announced that passenger ships would be sunk only with prior warning and appropriate safeguards for passengers -- stepping back fro unrestricted submarine warfare (September 1915). War with America was thus prevented at the time. The damage for Germany, however, was done. For no real war gain, Cpt. Schwieger had confirmed in the American mind the lawlessmess and barbarity of the German nation. Fair or not, this was the impact of sinking Lusitania. And America's entry into the War was delayed, but not prevented. Thus one single ship would ultimately lead to Germany's defeat in World War I and the demise of the German Empire. Germany would be reduced from the dominant European power to just one of the important European countries -- which would be a major factor in World war II.

Construction and Charactristics

RMS Lusitania may be the most significant ship in history, but no one at the time could begin to imagine the impact she would have. Lusitania was built for the burgonning North Atlantic trade. She was a noted luxury liner which also carried huge numbers of European immigrants to America. Construction began (1903). She was designed to be the fastest liner afloat. The massive engines generated 68,000-horse power and could drive the behemouth through the North Atlantic waters at an average speed of over 25 knots meaning her top speed was even highter. She immediately became know as the 'Greyhound of the Seas' and quickly won the much coveted Blue Ribbon for the fastest Atlantic crossing. Lusitania made her maiden voyage from Liverpool to New York (September 1907). She would be eclipsed by RMS Titanic 5 years later (1912), but trgically only for a very brief time. Thus Lusitnia was the height of luxury travel and elegance at the time World War I broke out.

The British Admiralty

There was another dimension to Lusitania that was unknown to the public at the time. The British Admiralty secretly subsidized her construction which was one reason she was so fast. Lusitania was built to Admiralty specifications. And the owners agreed that that at the outbreak of any, the massive ship would be consigned to naval service. The primary function in mind was service as a troop ship which is why speed was so important. Speed was needed not so much to increase the speed of troop movement, but for safety. As a result of increasing German beligerance and expanding naval construction, Lusitania was ordered into the Liverpool drydocks and secretly fitted for war service. The modifications included the installation of ammunition magazines and placement of gun mounts on her decks. Even the deck mounts were hidden from the public, covered by the teak deck. They meant that guns could be quickly installed as required. A British reader writes, "Many of the major British liners built for luxury travel were built to admiralty naval specifications and money grants to build them. Some of the White Star lines had been built to Admiralty specifications. The Britannic was one I know about. P and O had many liners built partly with admiralty money. The P and O liner Canberra was also used as a troop ship in the 1980 during the Falklands campaign.

World War I

When the Germans launched World war I by invading neutral Belgium (August 1914), the Admiralty did not immediately transfer Lusitania to naval service. The massive ocean liner was not needed to move men across the Channel. Lusitania's sistership, Mauritania, however, was converted to a troop ship. Lusitania continued to operate as an oceanliner in the North Atlantic routes despite the German U-boats and even after German declared unresrricted submarine warfare. A U-boat was a very vulnerable ship. It was effective only if it operated under 'unrestructed' orders. There were, however, at the time well established comnventions for commerce warfare. And unrestricted submarine warfare violated those conventions. The British armed merchantmen, meaning they were capable of fighting it out with U-boats if the Uboats surfaced and gave warnings. None other than Winstin Churchill as First Lord of the Admiralty had ordered merchntmen to ram U-boats if possible. Goven that most merchantmen were larger and more rou=bustly built, this was a real threat.

Cruiser Rules

Britain and Germany were both breaching the International Shipping agreement known as The Cruiser Rules. The cruiser or prize rules governed the taking of prizes, meaning vessels captured on the high seas during time of war war. Prize refers to the vesselo seized. Cruiser refers to the vessel doing the seizing. As these ships were very valuable, they developed out if the idea of how to seize enemy ships. No on wanted just to sink them because then thetrre were no valuable prizes to be won. The conventions to be seized or intertwined with the blockade rules. Customary rules began to emnerge as European countries began developing log-range sailing ships at the time tht maritime routes were opened with the east and the conquest of the Americas began (15th century). At first we had essentially state-sanctioned piracy-- letter of marque. Eventually custim began to be codfied by international conventions (19th century). Iportant steps were the Declaration of Paris (1856), the Hague Conventions (1899 and 1907), and other naval agreements during the 20th century. Cruiser rules provided that passenger ships may not be sunk and crews of merchant ships must be placed in safety before their ships may be sunk (life boats are not considered a place of safety unless close to land). In addition, only warships and merchant ships that are a threat to the attacker may be sunk without warning. These rules are still part of the laws of war, changes in technology like the wiureless and the submarine made them outdatefd by the time of World War I, but still held as law at the time. Even the Nuremberg IMT Tribunal found that these rules were still applicable to neutral merchant shipping.

German Warnings

The German Consulate in New York published a large newspaper disclaimer warning of the dangers of travelling on British registered ships. An ad appeared just before Lusitania sailed. “Travellers intending to embark on the Atlantic voyage are reminded that a state of war exists between Germany . . . and Great Britain . . . and that travellers sailing in the war zone on ships of Great Britain or her allies do so at their own risk.”

Sinking

Lusitania departed New York City bound for Liverpool (May 1, 1915). The passengers and the public at large were unaware of a secret cargo of munitions and other war supplies for the British war effort. It is unclear just how much the the Germans knew about these secret cargoes, but they surely suspected that such shipments were taking place. As the acknowledged fastest ship afloat, Lusitania's captain felt secure that German U-boats could not intercept him. The press reports of U-boat sinkings, however, meant that many potential travelers thought better of the trip. The passengerd were only half of the ship's capacity. Lusitania after crossing the Atlantic was nearing the coast of Ireland (May 7). While close to hime, this was actually the most dangerou part of the voyage. Give the limitations of World War I U-boats, it was in British waters where they were primarily deployed. And unlike World War II, there was no protective air cover. And by an unfortunate turn of history, Lusiantia crossed the bow of German submarine U 20. Cpt. Walter Schwieger was not stalking Lusitania. His U-boat was not capable of this, but he took advantage of the opportunity. He fired a torpedo into the side of the liner (2:10 pm). And an unexplained second explosion ripped Lusitania apart. [Hickey and Smith] Had Germany not been using unrestricted submarine warfare tactics, Cpt. Schwieger would not have been able to fire his torpedo. Chaos erupted aboard the ship. Many of the terrified pasangers were unable to get to the life boats. Than the ship listed so badly and so quickly that many lifeboats actually crashed into fesperate passengers crowded on the deck. Other lifeboats not yet fully lowerd, dumped passengers into the frigid water. Most of the passengers never had a real chance of survival. Schwieger wrote in his log, “Clear bow shot at 700 [meters] . . . Shot struck starboard side close behind the bridge. An extraordinarily heavy detonation followed, with a very large cloud of smoke (far above the front funnel). A second explosion must have followed that of the torpedo (boiler or coal or powder?). . . . The ship stopped immediately and quickly listed sharply to starboard, sinking deeper by the head at the same time. It appeared as if it would capsize in a short time. Great confusion arose on the ship; some of the boats were swung clear and lowered into the water.” In just 18 minutes the famed liner slipped beneath the eaves. Of the 1,924 souls aboard, more than half or 1,119 perished. [Simpson] Given the speed with which Lusitania sunk--it was a miracle that so many were saved. The death toll included 114 Americans.

International Reaction

Despite the carnage on land, the world was shocked at the incident. Americans were aghast--both by the death toll and the demise of such an iconic ship. Many imprtant Americans had traveled on the ship. And if the American newspaper coverage was not enough, the Cpt. Schwieger had given British propaganda a whole new ubject that could be used to blacken their image.

German Reaction

The Germans initially saw the sinking as an important major naval success, clu;ess as usual about international opinion. Soon after the sinking of Lusitania, commemorative medallion appeared in Germany. It seems to have been struck in Munich the medal was cast in iron and was 2.25 inches in diameter and weighed 1.5 ounces. The designer was Karl Goetz who created many World war I German medallions. The initials K.G. are clearly visible on the obverse. The medalion's obverse, under the inscription “No contraband” (Keine Bannware) depicts the Lusitania sinking. The outline of the liner has been made to look like a naval warship. The designer has also added aeroplanes, which obviously and as certified by United States Government officials after inspection, the Lusitania did not carry. And Goetz did not show the women and children who were on board. On the reverse, under the inscription “Business above all” (Geschaft uber alles), a smiling skeleton at the New York booking office of the Cunard Line is depicted. A line of waiting potential passengers and victims refuse to attend to the warning against submarines, given by a German figure in the background. The figure, presumably the German Ambassador, gazes reprovingly on the whole proceedings. As for Schwieger, he had tried to sink the British hospital ship Asturies (February 1 1915 . Fortunately for the wounded soldiers onboard, the torpedo did not hit. After sinkining Lusitania, when U-20 returned to Germany, Schwieger received the iron cross, first class. German authorities tried to keep his name secret. As the international outcry became obvious, the Germans suddenly became aware of the public relations disaster. They decided to wash their hands off Schwieger and tried to portray his actions as that of a runaway brigand. He was given a command in auiet area. Only asfter the United States entered the War, and Schwieger was killed in combat did he regain his hero status.

American Reaction

President Wilson's foreign affairs adviser Col. Edward House was in London and cabled Wilson that now was the time to declare war. Wilson replied that 'America was to proud to fight.' He insisted that some values went beyond war. Former President Theodore Roosevelt called him a 'coward'. Public opion might have forced America into the War. President Wilson while hanging back from war, protested so strongly to the Germans that Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan, a pacifist, resigned in his own protest. The Germans finally announced that passenger ships would be sunk only with prior warning and appropriate safeguards for passengers -- stepping back fro unrestricted submarine warfare (September 1915).

Impact

War with America was thus prevented at the time. The damage for Germany, however, was done. For no real war gain, Cpt. Schwieger had confirmed in the American mind the lawlessmess and barbarity of the German nation. Fair or not, this was the impact of sinking Lusitania. And America's entry into the War was delayed, but not prevented. Thus one single ship would ultimately lead to Germany's defeat in World War I and the demise of the German Empire. Germany would be reduced from the dominant European power to just one of the important European countries -- which would be a major factor in World War II.

Recent Findings

Recent diving expeditions to the Lusitania have concluded that the second explosion was a result of the dust in the coal bunkers igniting.

Sources

Hickey, Des and Gus Smith. Seven Days to Disaster (1982).

Simpson, Colin. The Lusitania (1972).








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Created: 11:02 PM 9/23/2015
Last updated: 5:44 AM 9/24/2015