Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania
Everyone has been taught that the sinking of the merchant liner R.M.S. Lusitania drove the United States of America to enter the Great War, haven’t they? Dead Wake is a compelling account of the last voyage of the Lusitania, including its history and the lead-up to the shocking attack. It sees the whole incident from three points of view – that of the ship and its crew; from the governments of America, Britain and Germany; and from the captain of the submarine. This book isn’t a fiction or a representation of a pet theory. It draws from documents in public record, such as letters found from the lost War Log of U-20 and government records.
There are still questions to be asked, and Larson asks them. Why were there two explosions from one torpedo? Why didn’t the Royal Navy send escorts? He offers possible answers but favours none. What does emerge from this well-researched book is that a combination of mendacity, hubris and pure bad luck led to the sinking.
