Real History:' The Sinking of The Lusitania

The latest addition of "Real History" tells the story of The Lusitania. In 1915 a German U-boat sank a British passenger ship off the coast of Ireland in what many people see as one of the triggers for America’s entry into World War I, as well as a turning point in modern warfare.

The Germans had spies at the cruise line – they knew that the people on the ship were not military combatants, but families; men, women and children. They sank the ship to send a deliberate message that civilians could not be used as a shield (the Lusitania was shipping munitions in its cargo hold).  Hundreds died. The message behind the attack brings to mind the news out of Syria where Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the UN have all declared the regime to be guilty of the systematic torture and execution of civilians. Watch a clip from the documentary on "Real News" below: