Fellow Board Members: Remember in school when we studying History and we read about the various events of WW1 including the sinking of the British Passenger Liner THE LUSITANIA by a German U-Boat ?

We were told it was an unspeakable act of treachery and helped lead to the USA's entry in the "The War To End All Wars"

Yet according to Colin Simpson in his Book The Lusitania.....

- The Lusitania was listed as an Auxilary Cruiser with the Royal Navy and not as a passenger liner thus making her a Legitmate Target....

- Survivors of the sinking reported hearing a second explosion afterwards indicating that the cargo consisted of gun cotton and high caliber ammunition...

- The U Boat Commander found it strange that only One Torpedo could send the ship down in less than 20 minutes. The Mauretania, her sister ship took Eight Torpedo hits and still managed to limp into Liverpool...

- Deep Sea diving expeditions that explored the wreck found evidence of an internal explosion and damage that would be impossible for One Torpedo to inflict...

- Canadian Army Reservists were aboard as well in Civilian Clothes thus making that a major violation of the Rules of Passenger Liners...

- Royal Navy Crusiers on station in the Irish Sea who provided escorts in the War Zone were ordered off several hours before....

In Simpson's Book, he also states that platforms for Gun Emplacements were placed upon certain portions of the Deck thus making her an armed vessel....

Many of the bodies that washed up on the Irish Coast were also hastily buried or cremated so as to hide they manner of their death showing injury from shrapnel and maiming from flying metal indicating an explosion from a hazardous cargo....

So was it a case of German Treachery of British Complicty to drag the US Into another needless war ?