RMS Lusitania Torpedoed

German submarine U-20 torpedoed and sank the British ocean liner RMS Lusitania off the southern coast of Ireland in 18 minutes. Of the 1,962 passengers and crew, 1,198 died, including 128 Americans. Germany argued the ship was carrying munitions (later confirmed to be partially true), but the sinking provoked outrage in neutral countries, especially the United States. Public pressure forced Germany to restrict its submarine warfare, a policy reversal that temporarily defused the crisis.