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RMS Lusitania sank by Submarine U-20
On 7 May, 1915, Walther Schwieger, the commander of submarine U-20, was on war patrol off the cost of Ireland when he spotted a large liner. Liners at the time where not the neutral targets the press made them out to be - they were often pressed into service as troop transports, and most had extensive cargo holds which were often used illegally to carry war materials. In addition, many liners had been converted into Armed Merchant Cruisers and had the capacity to carry deck mounted weapons, even including space in their designs for protected magazines. The copy of Janes carried by U-20 said as much, with Lusitania and her sisters considered armed merchant cruisers. In any case the ship was also not carrying any flags at all, which made Schwieger confident that his target was a legitimate prize of war.
Despite British policy that major liners be protected as they entered the busy shipping waters, Lusitania was unescorted. A small force of ships had been assigned to escort her, but the admiralty was refused the codes to contact her captain by the ship's owners. Although often the subject of conspiracy theories, and certianly not the innocent liner she appeared to be, the main issues that resulted in the loss of the Lusitania were incompetence and the brutality of unrestricted submarine warfare.
The sinking killed 1,200 civilians, including 128 Americans, and caused a world wide outrage. The loss was easily reason for the U.S. to enter the war, but British propaganda manipulation had an effect on Woodrow Wilson. He refused to outright declare war and instead used diplomatic means to pressure Germany to cease its submarine campaign.
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