rms olympic dazzle camouflage during world war i
rms majestic (formerly bismarck of 1914)
the first world war hard time liners. of them, mauretania, aquitania, , britannic transformed hospital ships during conflict. others became troop transports, while some, such kaiser wilhelm der grosse, participated in war warships. troop transportation popular due liners large size. liners converted troop ships painted in dazzle camouflage reduce risk of being torpedoed enemy submarines.
the war, however, marked loss of many liners. britannic, while serving hospital ship, sank in aegean sea in 1916 after struck mine. numerous incidents of torpedoing took place , large numbers of ships sank. kaiser wilhelm der grosse defeated , scuttled after fierce battle hms higflyer off coast of west africa, while sister ship kronprinz wilhelm served commerce raider. torpedoing , sinking of rms lusitania on 7 may 1915 caused loss of 128 american lives @ time when united states still neutral. although other factors came play, loss of american lives in sinking pushed united states favour allied powers , facilitated country s entry war.
the losses of liners owned allied powers compensated treaty of versailles in 1919. led awarding of many german liners victorious allies. hamburg america line s trio (imperator, vaterland, , bismarck) divided between cunard line, white star line, , united states lines, while 3 surviving ships of kaiser-class requisitioned navy in context of conflict , retained. of german superliners, deutschland, because of poor state, avoided fate.
interwar period: second golden age , crisis
ss paris of 1921
ss bremen of 1928
after period of reconstruction, shipping companies recovered damage caused first world war. ships, construction started before war, such ss paris of french line, completed , put service. prominent british liners, such olympic , mauretania, put service , had successful career in 1920s. more modern liners built, such ss Île de france (completed in 1927). united states lines, having received vaterland, renamed leviathan , made flagship of company s fleet. however, because u.s. registered ships counted extension of u.s. territory, national prohibition act made american liners alcohol-free, causing alcohol-seeking passengers choose other liners travel , remarkably reducing profits united states lines.
in 1929, germany returned scene 2 ships of norddeutscher lloyd, ss bremen , ss europa. bremen won blue riband britain s mauretania after latter had held twenty years. soon, italy entered scene. italian line completed ss rex , ss conte di savoia in 1932, breaking records of both luxury , speed (the rex won westbound blue riband in 1933). france marked second golden age of ocean liners ss normandie of french line. ship largest ship afloat @ time of completion in 1932. fastest, winning blue riband in 1935.
however, crisis arrived. united states drastically reduced immigrant quotas, causing shipping companies lose large part of income , have adapt circumstance. great depression played important role, causing drastic decrease in number of people crossing atlantic , @ same time reducing number of profitable transatlantic voyages. in response, shipping companies redirected many of liners more profitable cruise service. in 1934, in united kingdom, cunard line , white star line in bad shape financially. chancellor of exchequer arthur neville chamberlain proposed merge 2 companies in order solve financial problems. merger took place in 1934 , launched construction of queen mary while progressively sending older ships scrapyard. construction of second ship, queen elizabeth, interrupted outbreak of world war ii.
Comments
Post a Comment