The Sinking of the Lusitania

May 7th, 1915: RMS Lusitania was hit by a torpedo from SM U-20 of the Imperial German Navy. The Lusitania sank in 18 minutes. Of the 1,962 passengers and crew aboard Lusitania at the time of the sinking, 1,198 lost their lives. The loss of 128 Americans on board was one of reasons of the United States declaring war on Germany in 1917.