Dead Wake is a nonfictional book that describes the events following the Lusitania’s final journey in the year 1915. The Lusitania was the fastest ship liner at that time after setting a record for the fastest journey across the Atlantic Ocean in the year 1907.
In the months prior to the Lusitania departure, German submarines had successfully maneuvered the sea destroying many ships including ones that carried neutral merchants. On the day of the departure, Germany issued a warning in the newspapers warning any ships, including merchant ships, not to use the waters surrounding Britain. Any ship that made its way to the German waters would be prone to attack.
William Turner, the captain of the Lusitania, was confident in his skills to maneuver the sea without detection. He also had the fastest ship in the world. At the time of the departure, a German submarine, commanded by Walther Schwieger, was ordered to track down the American liner as it makes its way across German waters. Walther had a reputation for ruthlessly killing thousands of innocent civilians who crossed German territories.
As the Lusitania made its way through German waters, Turner gets word from British Intelligence warning him of a German submarine patrolling the waters. Turner panics, he then orders his crew to perform a military routine that would help them determine their exact location. Oblivious of the German submarine following them, their location maneuvers helped the Germans pinpoint the Lusitania's exact location. The Germans fired at the Lusitania destroying it and killing thousands of innocent civilians.
A lot of passengers drowned while others froze to death waiting for the rescue ships to arrive. The ships came in three hours after the attack saving those who had accessed lifeboats at the time of the attack. After the attack, the US president Woodrow Wilson eventually entered the war between Germany and Britain.
