National Press Club-"Lusitania-Sinking" Centennial Panel

Date: May 7, 2015

This panel, held on the eve of the event's centennial, examines the public relations and press impact of this historic event.

Moderator: Gill Klein

Panelists:

• RADM Samuel COX, USN, Ret.)
• Richard Striner
• John Maxwell Hmailton

Background:
On May 7, 1915, less than a year after World War 1 erupted, (1914-1918) a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the RMS Lusitania, a British ocean liner en route from New York to Liverpool England.
Of the more than 1,900 passenger and crew on board, 1,198 perished.
The sinking of the Lusitania played a significant role in turning American public opinion against neutrality.
Two years later, America entered the war...