This work relates the story of the sinking of the Lusitania on May 7th, 1915. On board were some world-famous figures, including multimillionare Alfred Vanderbilt. But this wasn't the Titanic and there was no iceberg; the Lusitania was torpedoed by a German U-boat. Here, Preston looks at the events in their full historical context, placing the human dimension at the heart of her exploration. Using first-hand accounts of the tragedy she brings characters to life, recreating the splendour of the liner as it set sail and the horror of its final moments. Using British, American and German research material Preston answers many of the unanswered and controversial questions surrounding the Lusitania: Why didn't Cunard listen to warnings that the ship would be a target of the Germans? Was the Lusitania sacrificed to bring the Americans into the War? What was really in the Lusitania's hold? Was she armed? Had Cunard's offices been infiltrated by German agents? And did the Kaiser's decision to cease unrestricted U-boat warfare in response to international outrage expressed after the sinking effectively change the outcome of World War I? This book casts light on these questions surrounding one of the world's most famous maritime disasters.