ONLINE – “At Your Own Risk:” The Sinking of the R.M.S. Lusitania
The R.M.S. Lusitania sailed from New York City with 1,310 passengers on May 1, 1915. On the afternoon of May 7, a German U-boat torpedoed the ship off the southern coast of Ireland inside the declared war zone. An internal explosion caused her to sink in 18 minutes, killing 1,238 passengers and crew. Only 12 bodies were ever recovered.
Although warnings went out to the public about the dangers of sailing on the Lusitania, many passengers expressed the thought that “surely Germany would not sink a passenger liner.”
Join Virginia War Memorial Director of Education Jim Triesler as he explores the events surround the sinking of the R.M.S. Lusitania over one-hundred years later.
As always, our online programs are free and open to the public, but advanced registration is required.
