What are some reasons Germany was blamed for the sinking of the Lusitania in the early 1900's?

Answer 1

Well, back in 1916, they tried to hide it as first, saying that the ship must have hit a British mine. But then they changed their tune. Not only did they admit it publicly, but they boasted about it and created a special medal for the sub captain who did it.

This was in keeping with the terror campaign that the Germans had been waging in Belgium and elsewhere since 1914. Called (in loose translation) "frightfulness," the idea was to project such a fearful image (like that of the ancient Huns or Tartars) that people would be afraid to oppose them .

Answer 2

The British were actually using passenger ships to bring in war materials (I don't know if this was actually the case with the Lusitania). The Germans had initially declared a policy of not sinking passenger ships, but the British were exploiting that by using passenger ships for military support purposes. Germany I believe had issued a warning to the Americans (we still had diplomatic relations with them in 1916). The Lusitania was torpedoed off the southern Irish coast and many of the passengers were rescued. The British failed to escort the Lusitania or to bring it across the Atlantic as part of a convoy (a large collection of civilian ships escorted by naval vessels). The Germans positioned their U Boats at the approaches to the Irish Sea where shipping headed to Scotland and England would have to pass.

Answer 3

Because they did sink it with one of their submarines or as they Called them U Boats