Question

What was the name of the ocean liner sunk by a German U-boat in 1915, leading to the loss of American lives and influencing the U.S. decision to enter the World War I ?

• A. SS Kaiser Wilhelm II
• B. RMS Lusitania
• C. RMS Titanic
• D. SS Great Eastern

Answer 1

Answer:

B. RMS Lusitania

RMS Lusitania

• The sinking of the RMS Lusitania was a critical event during World War I, as the British ocean liner was torpedoed by a German U-boat on May 7, 1915, leading to the deaths of 1,198 passengers and crew members, including 128 Americans.
• The incident stirred international outrage, especially in the United States, heightening anti-German sentiment and influencing America's eventual entry into the war in April 1917.
• Despite German justifications that the Lusitania carried munitions, the attack was widely condemned as a violation of international laws on naval warfare.
• This tragedy emphasized the challenges of maintaining neutrality during a global conflict and the vulnerability of civilian ships, underscoring the complexities of modern warfare during that era.