This day in History: 1915 Lusitania sinks

On the afternoon of May 7, 1915, the British ocean liner Lusitania is torpedoed without warning by a German submarine off the south coast of Ireland. Within 20 minutes, the vessel sank into the Celtic Sea. Of 1,959 passengers and crew, 1,198 people were drowned, including 128 Americans. The attack aroused considerable indignation in the United States, but Germany defended the action, noting that it had issued warnings of its intent to attack all ships, neutral or otherwise, that entered the war zone around Britain.

When World War I erupted in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson pledged neutrality for the United States, a position that the vast majority of Americans favored. Britain, however, was one of America’s closest trading partners, and tension soon arose between the United States and Germany over the latter’s attempted quarantine of the British isles. Several U.S. ships traveling to Britain were damaged or sunk by German mines, and in February 1915 Germany announced unrestricted submarine warfare in the waters around Britain.

Frontpage news, 1915

In early May 1915, several New York newspapers published a warning by the German embassy in Washington that Americans traveling on British or Allied ships in war zones did so at their own risk. The announcement was placed on the same page as an advertisement of the imminent sailing of the Lusitania liner from New York back to Liverpool. The sinkings of merchant ships off the south coast of Ireland prompted the British Admiralty to warn the Lusitania to avoid the area or take simple evasive action, such as zigzagging to confuse U-boats plotting the vessel’s course. The captain of the Lusitania ignored these recommendations, and at 2:12 p.m. on May 7 the 32,000-ton ship was hit by an exploding torpedo on its starboard side. The torpedo blast was followed by a larger explosion, probably of the ship’s boilers, and the ship sunk in 20 minutes.

It was revealed that the Lusitania was carrying about 173 tons of war munitions for Britain, which the Germans cited as further justification for the attack. The United States eventually sent three notes to Berlin protesting the action, and Germany apologized and pledged to end unrestricted submarine warfare. In November, however, a U-boat sunk an Italian liner without warning, killing 272 people, including 27 Americans. Public opinion in the United States began to turn irrevocably against Germany.

On January 31, 1917, Germany, determined to win its war of attrition against the Allies, announced that it would resume unrestricted warfare in war-zone waters. Three days later, the United States broke diplomatic relations with Germany, and just hours after that the American liner Housatonic was sunk by a German U-boat. On February 22, Congress passed a $250 million arms appropriations bill intended to make the United States ready for war. In late March, Germany sunk four more U.S. merchant ships, and on April 2 President Wilson appeared before Congress and called for a declaration of war against Germany. On April 4, the Senate voted to declare war against Germany, and two days later the House of Representatives endorsed the declaration. With that, America entered World War I.

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Escaping the Noose

This is an amazing photograph of German vehicles attempting to escape from the closing noose of the Allied armies. They are attempting to cross one of the remaining bridges outside of Aachen in 1945. This photo was taken by an American recon plane.

What it was like in the bunker Hitler died in 70 years ago today

While hiding in a fortified two level 3,000-square-foot underground bunker, one of history’s most brutal tyrants promised the world that his empire would reign for 1,000 years.

Why Did World War I Just End? –TIME

Adolf Hitler in World War I (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

World War I ended over the weekend. Germany made its final reparations-related payment for the Great War on Oct. 3, nearly 92 years after the country’s defeat by the Allies. That’s not to say that Germany has been paying its dues consistently over the decades; the country defaulted on its loans many times and the current payouts have only been happening since the 1990s. What took Germany so long to pay for the war? Didn’t World War I end long ago? Does this mean we’re all survivors of the Great War?

Germans invade Poland: 1939

At 4:45 a.m., some 1.5 million German troops invade Poland all along its 1,750-mile border with German-controlled territory. Simultaneously, the German Luftwaffe bombed Polish airfields, and German warships and U-boats attacked Polish naval forces in the Baltic Sea. Nazi leader Adolf Hitler claimed the massive invasion was a defensive action, but Britain and France were not convinced. On September 3, they declared war on Germany, initiating World War II.

Zimmermann Telegram: A futile attempt to gain allies or an well orchestrated plot?

The Zimmermann Telegram (as it was sent from Washington to Mexico) encrypted as ciphertext. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Charles F. Horne, commentary published in Volume 5 of Source Records of the Great War<, 1921.

Time clears our perspective upon many matters.

The Zimmermann note was an official letter sent secretly by Zimmermann, Germany’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs, to her Minister in Mexico, directing him to attempt to unite Mexico and Japan with Germany in war against the United States.

The Six Most Epic One Man Armies in the History of War: #6. James H. Howard

Here’s a handful of men (6) who absolutely refused to go gently, instead opting to erupt violence like a volcano onto everything around them. I’ll post their stories individually. 

Zeppelin Terror Attacks: WWI

This post came about after doing a search on the image above. I “pinned” it a couple of days ago on pinterest.com and decided to investigate a little further this evening. I knew that Germany launched one the fiercest Zeppelin attacks on London during WWI and since we are commemorating the wars Centennial, I thought it was fitting below is the summary of the documentary by NOVA on the attacks, a YouTube clip of the trailer and a link to NOVA for viewing it in its entirety.   Enjoy!

Germany & Russia: Rare WWII Battle Images

One of my passions is searching for and collecting  historical images. Anyone who knows me just a little has probably come to that conclusion about me. This is a good thing for all of you. Not only do I like to collect the images I love to share them with people who can appreciate them for what they are; treasures from our past that paint a story. A story we must all listen to and learn from. These stories are collectively called, “Our History.” 

I’ve found another treasure  from the Second World War–a handful I’ve had for about a week–So, what’s so rare about WWII photos? We’ve seen the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the atrocities of Hitler’s death camps, the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, yes.  But Germany and Russia,  were fighting/befriending each other long before we came into the picture. Pardon the pun but,  “have a history together”, and I’ve found some of the images from the intimate relationship they shared  moons ago.

So, without further ado, I share with you rarely seen (by American’s), Germany and Russia during the Second World War. I’ve captioned the images, either hover or click the images to read them in full. Enjoy! 

Warning! To who it may concern:There’sONE photo that shows a wounded German Soldier whose dismembered arm can be seen clearly in the image.  

 

 

I’ve got more and I’ll share as often as I can. I hope you enjoyed these few today.

 

 

Legends of the World Wars: Hitler

Last, and most definitely least, Hitler.

Hitler’s World War I Service

When World War I was touched off by the assassination by a Serb of the heir to the Austrian Empire, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Hitler’s passions against foreigners, particularly Slavs, were inflamed.  He was caught up in the patriotism of the time, and submitted a petition to enlist in the Bavarian army.

Lusitania sinks: 1915

LUSITANIA (LOC) (Photo credit: The Library of Congress)

On the afternoon of May 7, 1915, the British ocean liner Lusitania is torpedoed without warning by a German submarine off the south coast of Ireland. Within 20 minutes, the vessel sank into the Celtic Sea. Of 1,959 passengers and crew, 1,198 people were drowned, including 128 Americans. The attack aroused considerable indignation in the United States, but Germany defended the action, noting that it had issued warnings of its intent to attack all ships, neutral or otherwise, that entered the war zone around Britain.

Portrait photograph of United States President Woodrow Wilson (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When World War I erupted in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson pledged neutrality for the United States, a position that the vast majority of Americans favored. Britain, however, was one of America’s closest trading partners, and tension soon arose between the United States and Germany over the latter’s attempted quarantine of the British isles. Several U.S. ships traveling to Britain were damaged or sunk by German mines, and in February 1915 Germany announced unrestricted submarine warfare in the waters around Britain.

In early May 1915, several New York newspapers published a warning by the German embassy in Washington that Americans traveling on British or Allied ships in war zones did so at their own risk. The announcement was placed on the same page as an advertisement of the imminent sailing of the Lusitania liner from New York back to Liverpool. The sinkings of merchant ships off the south coast of Ireland prompted the British Admiralty to warn the Lusitania to avoid the area or take simple evasive action, such as zigzagging to confuse U-boats plotting the vessel’s course. The captain of the Lusitania ignored these recommendations, and at 2:12 p.m. on May 7 the 32,000-ton ship was hit by an exploding torpedo on its starboard side. The torpedo blast was followed by a larger explosion, probably of the ship’s boilers, and the ship sunk in 20 minutes.

It was revealed that the Lusitania was carrying about 173 tons of war munitions for Britain, which the Germans cited as further justification for the attack. The United States eventually sent three notes to Berlin protesting the action, and Germany apologized and pledged to end unrestricted submarine warfare. In November, however, a U-boat sunk an Italian liner without warning, killing 272 people, including 27 Americans. Public opinion in the United States began to turn irrevocably against Germany.

On January 31, 1917, Germany, determined to win its war of attrition against the Allies, announced that it would resume unrestricted warfare in war-zone waters. Three days later, the United States broke diplomatic relations with Germany, and just hours after that the American liner Housatonic was sunk by a German U-boat. On February 22, Congress passed a $250 million arms appropriations bill intended to make the United States ready for war. In late March, Germany sunk four more U.S. merchant ships, and on April 2 President Wilson appeared before Congress and called for a declaration of war against Germany. On April 4, the Senate voted to declare war against Germany, and two days later the House of Representatives endorsed the declaration. With that, America entered World War I.

Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn’t look right, contact us!

 

via Lusitania sinks — History.com This Day in History — 5/7/1915.

 

Hindenburg explodes in New Jersey: 1937

The Zeppelin LZ 129 Hindenburg catching fire on May 6, 1937 at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This happened on my Grandmother’s birthday. She was living in New York at the time.

On this day in 1937, the German airship Hindenburg, the largest dirigible ever built, explodes as it arrives in Lakehurst, New Jersey. Thirty-six people died in the fiery accident that has since become iconic, in part because of the live radio broadcast of the disaster.

The dirigible was built to be the fastest, largest and most luxurious flying vessel of its time. It was more than 800 feet long, had a range of 8,000 miles, could carry 97 passengers and had a state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz engine. It was filled with 7 million cubic feet of hydrogen, even though helium was known to be far safer, because it made the flying ship more maneuverable.

The Hindenburg under construction. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Hindenburg had made 10 successful ocean crossings the year before and was held up by Germany’s Nazi government as a symbol of national pride. Flying at a speed of 85 miles per hour, the Hindenburg was scheduled to arrive in New Jersey at 5 a.m. on May 6. However, weather conditions pushed the arrival back to the late afternoon and then rain further delayed the docking at Lakehurst. When the dirigible was finally cleared to dock, Captain Max Pruss brought the ship in too fast and had to order a reverse engine thrust. At 7:20 p.m., a gas leak was noticed. Within minutes, the tail blew up, sending flames hundreds of feet in the air and as far down as the ground below.

A chain reaction caused the entire vessel to burn instantly. The nearly 1,000 spectators awaiting the Hindenburg’s arrival felt the heat from a mile away. Some on the blimp attempted to jump for the landing cables at the docking station but most died when they missed. Others waited to jump until the blimp was closer to the ground as it fell. Those who were not critically injured from burns often suffered broken bones from the jump. Fifty-six people managed to survive.

Deutsch: Postkarte vom Zeppelin LZ I29 Hindenburg. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On WLS radio, announcer Herbert Morrison gave an unforgettably harrowing live account of the disaster:

“Oh, oh, oh. It’s burst into flames. Get out of the way, please . . . this is terrible . . . it’s burning, bursting into flames, and is falling . . . Oh! This is one of the worst . . . it’s a terrific sight . . .oh, the humanity.”

 

Herbert Morrison (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

 

 

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Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn’t look right, contact us!

via Hindenburg explodes in New Jersey — History.com This Day in History — 5/6/1937.

America enters World War I:1917

Two days after the U.S. Senate voted 82 to 6 to declare war against Germany, the U.S. House of Representatives endorses the declaration by a vote of 373 to 50, and America formally enters World War I.

This Day In History 12/11/13

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Dec 11, 1941:

Germany declares war on the United States

 

On this day, Adolf Hitler declares war on the United States, bringing America, which had been neutral, into the European conflict.

The bombing of Pearl Harbor surprised even Germany. Although Hitler had made an oral agreement with his Axis partner Japan that Germany would join a war against the United States, he was uncertain as to how the war would be engaged. Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor answered that question. On December 8, Japanese Ambassador Oshima went to German Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop to nail the Germans down on a formal declaration of war against America. Von Ribbentrop stalled for time; he knew that Germany was under no obligation to do this under the terms of the Tripartite Pact, which promised help if Japan was attacked, but not if Japan was the aggressor. Von Ribbentrop feared that the addition of another antagonist, the United States, would overwhelm the German war effort.