Sinking of the Lusitania

On 7 May 1915, the Lusitania was torpedoed by a German submarine, sinking off the coast of Ireland. More than 1000 people lost their lives, including more than 100 American civilians. America had declared neutrality in the First World War, and although it took another two years for America to enter the war, this event is considered a factor in the American Government’s decision to join on the side of Britain and France.