Dead Wake: The Last Crossing Of The Lusitania

“The ship was built to be fast. It was conceived out of hubris and anxiety, at a time—1903—when Britain feared it was losing the race for dominance of the passenger-ship industry.” 

Larson describes the origin of the Lusitania as part of a larger climate of competition between Britain and other European countries, particularly Germany. The Lusitania is manufactured to outpace Germany’s own record-holding ocean liners. This climate of competition only grows, however, and it eventually develops into WWI.

“Everything had to be done in such a manner that none of the passengers, whether in first class or third, would be aware of the nature and extent of the week’s travail. The needs of passengers were paramount, as the Cunard manual made clear.” 

On board the Cunard Steamship Company’s ships, protocol stipulates that the crew’s priority is to ensure that passengers have a smooth sailing experience. This means that all of the ship’s operations, as well as any potentially dangerous incidents that occur during the ship’s journey, are kept hidden from passengers.

“Surface ships usually traveled in groups and, given the height of their masts, could stay in contact with their bases; U-boats traveled solo and lost contact sooner, typically after sailing only a couple of hundred miles. Once at sea, a U-boat captain was free to conduct his patrol in whatever manner suited him, without supervision from above.” 

U-boats vastly differ from traditional naval ships, particularly because they operate in isolation rather than in groups. As a result, U-boats transform the nature of naval combat, especially since decisions like whether a U-boat should attack a ship are completely decided by the U-boat’s captain