Lusitania

[MikB]

I think Godwin's Rule is irrelevant here, and has been invoked mischievously. To compare one magazine publication of bits of a questionable book with that of another doesn't impute the views of the alleged author of the second instance on anyone questioning the first - rather the opposite, if anything.

Regards,

MikB

[Simon Mills]

I think it is too late, according to rule you loose.

"Often, an example of Godwin's Rule accompanies hyperbole. The idea is to invalidate the opposition by comparing it to the Nazi Party. However, this can backfire, and usually does. Unless the comparison is valid, the person who brought up Nazis or Hitler is considered to be the loser. In a rational discussion or debate on or off the Internet, resorting to a Nazi comparison is generally a strong indicator that you have run out of material to discuss or support your claims.

Well, I'm not so sure about that. I've just re-read my post but I can't see any inference to Colin Simpson's work being compared in any way to the Nazi Party. All it says is that just because you read something in Life Magazine doesn't necessarily mean that it's true, using the Stern Magazine/Hitler Diaries example to reinforce the point. There has also been no comparison to the Nazi Party because the documents in question were not of Nazi origin (they are actually known to be forgeries), in which case you could argue that Godwin's Law has not actually been invoked at all. Perhaps it would have been easier if I just referred to Jack the Ripper's diary instead (which I haven't read).

The essential point remains; Colin Simpson's book is an entertaining read even if controversial in places, but some of the crucial arguments that it contains are open to serious question and need to be scrutinised in far more detail than a supporting article in Life Magazine. There must be close to three hundred files at the National Archives which reference the Lusitania and I am not yet close to having been through even half that number, but based on some of the evidence in the book, which without source documentation would probably be dismissed as hearsay in a court, I'm afraid that his case remains "unproven." I think that's a verdict unique to Scottish Law rather than English, but it seems apt.

Even so the reference to Godwin's Law has been an education. I'd never heard of it before but it's definitely something worth keeping up my sleeve for the future...

[andalucia]

Lusitania will always cause debate. She is still talked of fondly in Liverpool, where she remains ' Our Lucy ' Her sinking caused outrage in the city as so many of the crew were from the area, it led to the Anti German riots starting in Liverpool before spreading elsewhere. Her sinking could easily have passed by with time, yet she remains a huge topic.Lusitania was perfect forthe propaganda machine, she raised anger and this in turn raised troops, I doubt not, that many men joined up for service as a result of her sinking.

What is the truth of her sinking? I doubt we will ever know, but she will continue to bring debate. I have no doubt that all sides did a number of things during WW1 that broke rules, nobody was perfect. Was any wrong doing connected to Lusitania, I do not know? She did sink fast though, but a number of factors could of caused this.

So I remain unsure, but willing to learn about Lusitania, and this is her intrique. She has become so well known, and so much has been written and assumed.

Firstly every time are those who died with her sinking, they are often overlooked in the grand story, but they are the real story here. I have two friends who have relatives who died on Lusitania, my own relative served aboard her ( not at time of sinking )

All in all she remains an amazing, interesting subject. We have much still to learn about her;

[TeeCeeCee]

I think Godwin's Rule is irrelevant here, and has been invoked mischievously.

Regards,

MikB

My bad. I think I met 'Murphys Law' there!

Colin, the 'Hitler Diaries' eh? I see they're still causing trouble. :-)