The Sinking of the Lusitania (1918) - Winsor McCay

(This is actually a mute picture, so these "English subtitles" just transcribe the written texts in it, for easier discussion based on the resulting transcript)

From the original video in http://archive.org/details/Sinking_of_the_Lusitania :

The Sinking of the Lusitania, released in 1918, is an animated short film by American artist Winsor McCay. It features a short 12 minute explanation of the sinking of RMS Lusitania after it was struck by two torpedoes fired from a German U-boat. The film was one of many animated silent films published to create anti-German sentiment during World War I. McCay illustrated some 25,000 drawings for the production. The film is stylized as a documentary, informing viewers on details from the actual event, including a moment by moment recap, casualty list, and a list of prominent figures who were killed.

This movie is part of the collection: The Video Cellar Collection

Director: Winsor McCay
Producer: Winsor McCay
Production Company: Universal Film Manufacturing Co
Audio/Visual: Silent, Black and White
Language: English
Keywords: Lusitantia; Winsor McCay; Animation; History; World War I; Propaganda
Contact Information: TheVideoCellar.com - http://www.thevideocellar.com/

Creative Commons license: Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0

(The sinking of the "Lusitania."
An amazing pen picture by Winsor McCay
Universal Films
John D. Tippett Managing Director)

(Winsor McCay, originator and inventor of Animated Cartoons, decides to draw a historical record of the crime that shocked Humanity.)

(Mr. Beach giving Winsor McCay the details of the sinking -- necessary for the work to follow.)

(Twenty-five thousand drawings had to be made and photographed one at a time.)

(The first work done was the moving sea.)

(From here on you are looking at the first record of the sinking of the Lusitania.)

(The Lusitania carrying more than 2000 passengers of whom 200 were Americans, sailed for Liverpool, England, May 1st, 1915.)

(Warnings had been published in the New York newspapers by the German embassy, but they were regarded lightly, and all on board felt safe.)

(Germany, which had already benumbed the world with its wholesale killing, then sent its instrument of crime to perform a more treacherous and cowardly offense.)

(At noon, May 7th, the Lusitania sighted the coast of Ireland, nearing the end of her journey.)

(Two hours later, while steaming at 18 Knots, the Lusitania was strucK almost directly under the Captain's bridge by the first of two torpedoes fired by the German Submarine U-39.)

(After the first torpedo struck there were scenes of pitiful partings. 1150 persons perished -- 114 being Americans. Among there were men of world wide prominence, including --)

(Elbert Hubbard.
Modern philosopher and author.)

(Charles Klein.
The distinguished American Plawright.)

(Alfred G. Vanderbilt
The multi-millionaire American Sportsman)

(Charles Frohman.
The world's foremost theatrical manager, who faced death smiling and uttered to those about him just before the end came his immortal observation that *Death is but a beautiful adventure of life.*)

(Germany, once a great and powerful nation, had done a dastardly deed in a dastardly way.)

(While the life boats were being lowered a second torpedo crashed into the engine rooms. This was the death blow.)

(The vessel righted herself after the shock and began to sink by the bow.)

(No warning was given -- no mercy was shown.)

(The babe that clung to his mother's breast cried out to the world --TO AVENGE the most violent cruelty that was ever perpetrated upon unsuspecting and innocent people.)

(Fifteen minutes after the first torpedo struck, the Lusitania had disappeared beneath the waves.)

(The man who fired the shot was decorated for it by the Kaiser! --
AND YET THEY TELL US NOT TO HATE THE HUN.)