Join in on the discussion of the ill-fated voyage of the Lusitania and discover its relationship between another ill-fated ocean liner, the Titanic. Drawing on inspiration from Erik Larson's recent best-seller Dead Wake, Mr. Fortune will take us on a voyage through history to the final day of the Lusitania and explore the lasting repercussions of its tragic loss.
The war in Europe was in its tenth month in May of 1915. The ocean liner was booked to capacity of nearly 2000 when it departed for Europe from New York on May 1st. At the time, the Lusitania was the fastest civilian vessel afloat with a top speed of over 25 knots or 30 mph. On the date of its departure, an ominous warning appeared in the newspapers from the German Embassy: "Travelers sailing in the war zone, the waters adjacent to the British Isles, on ships of Great Britain or its Allies, do so at their own risk." In addition, Alfred Vanderbilt received the following telegram that morning: "Have it on good authority Lusitania is to be torpedoed. You had better cancel passage immediately." It was signed, "Morte." While the news troubled many passengers, they were assured that there was no risk and the Lusitania set sail as scheduled.
Ultimately, 1198 people lost their lives when the Lusitania sank, including 128 Americans. What happened in the ship's final hours? Could the tragedy have been prevented? Did the history of the Titanic disaster portend the fate of the Lusitania? Explore these questions and more at this commemorative event on Thursday, May 7th at 6:30. For more details, please call the library at 570-888-7117.