“The sinking of the Lusitania was an inexcusable war crime committed by the Germans.” Do you agree with this statement?

The Evening Mail, which was an American newspaper, wrote, "Lusitania Dead 1502: 60 Americans perish. Only 658 known survivors; Report 51 Americans saved." This source tells us the figures of people that died on the Lusitania and the survivors. Although this source may not be reliable because in the report from the Cunard Company says that 764 lives were saved it also calls the Germans Hunnish Pirates and Murderers it might be bias and is trying to make the Germans sound as possible. There is one thing that both sources agree on and that is innocent civilians were killed.

The Americans were not expecting an attack because source 4 from an American historian says that, "There were no patrols on the scene. As precaution two lookouts on the forecastle head, and an extra man in the crow's nest and a man at either end of the bridge; they scanned the seas but saw nothing." This shows that there wasn't anything on the ship worth protecting and there shouldn't have been any danger of a German attack.

I disagree with this statement because...

I think that the sinking of the Lusitania was not a war crime because source 1 from American newspapers shows that the Germans had warned of any ships sailing through British waters would be sunk. " Vessels flying the flag of Great Britain or of any of her allies, are liable to destruction in those waters travellers sailing in the war-zone on ships of Great Britain or her allies do so at their own risk." This is warning from the German government and it shows that the Americans were warned about sailing in British waters so justifies the sinking of the Lusitania. The Lusitania was a British ship flying the British flag in the war-zone and that is the reason it was sunk.

Conclusion

Overall I think that the sinking of the Lusitania was not a war crime. The Lusitania had been warned in advance about sailing in the war-zone. it tells us this in source 1 "Vessels flying the flag of Great Britain or of any of her allies, are liable to destruction in those waters travellers sailing in the war-zone on ships of Great Britain or her allies do so at their own risk." This source is reliable because it came from the German Government and was printed in the American newspapers. Whichever way you look at it the Lusitania took a big risk by sailing through the war-zone without an escort.

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Anthony Musto 10J

Lusitania Essay.

01/05/07