Lusitania centenary - Recall, reflect

TODAY, May 7, marks another significant World War I centenary, especially for the communities dotted along the south coast of Ireland.

One hundred years ago today a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the Cunard liner RMS Lusitania 18km off the Cork coast. Over 1,000 people — 1,198 — lost their lives and, crucially, 200 of those were Americans.

This meant America entered the war and the defeat of Germany was just a matter of time. It may be overstating the case to suggest that this event made a significant contribution to shaping world history in the last century as the terms imposed on a defeated Germany made World War II almost inevitable.