It was a target.
It was torpedoed by a German U-boat.
The sinking of the British Lusitania during World War I by a German sub. 128 of the dead were American. That incident has been considered one of the major factors in the US entering the war.
Germany's Unrestricted Submarine Warfare happened to Bomb an American Passenger ship called the Lustania, causing the Americans to feel enraged, thus joining the Allied Powers against Germany.
The USA tried to stay out of the war and maintain the policy of "isolation". However German U-boat sunk the American ship Lusatania. That caused an uproar within the US and they entered the war in 1917. Custermen
The RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German U-boat on May 7, 1915, during World War I. The attack was part of Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare campaign aimed at cutting off supplies to Britain. The sinking resulted in the loss of 1,198 lives and stirred public outrage, contributing to shifting American sentiment against Germany and influencing the United States' eventual entry into the war. Additionally, the Lusitania was rumored to be carrying munitions, which the Germans cited as justification for the attack.
The u.s entered the war because of unrestricted submarine warfare . Germany sunk the u.s ship, lusitania killing 1,198 people.another reason the u.s entered the war was because of the Zimmerman note that Germany sent Mexico,saying that if Mexico invaded the u.s they would gain all the land they lost when they fought the Mexico American war. The u.s entered the war because of unrestricted submarine warfare . Germany sunk the u.s ship, lusitania killing 1,198 people.another reason the u.s entered the war was because of the Zimmerman note that Germany sent Mexico,saying that if Mexico invaded the u.s they would gain all the land they lost when they fought the Mexico American war.