Why were Americans upset when the RMS Lusitania was sunk?

A. 

Americans were aboard the British passenger ship when it went down.

B. 

It was a British ship that was sunk in American waters.

C. 

It was the first American ship to be sunk in World War I.

D. 

It was sunk after Germany signed a pledge promising not to sink American

ships.

1 answer

Americans were upset when the RMS Lusitania was sunk primarily for the reason stated in option A: Americans were aboard the British passenger ship when it went down. The sinking resulted in the loss of 128 American lives, which contributed to rising anti-German sentiment in the United States and played a role in the eventual decision to enter World War I.