Inside the Titanic's FATAL Mistake | History's Greatest Mysteries (Season 1) | History

Summary

On April 14, 1912, the Titanic, under Captain Edward J. Smith, was halfway through its journey to New York, traveling at nearly full speed despite numerous ice warnings from nearby ships. Captain Smith and influential passenger Bruce Ismay, chairman of the White Star Line, may have ignored these warnings, prioritizing the ship's timely arrival. That evening, calm seas made spotting icebergs difficult, and despite a lookout’s warning, the Titanic collided with a massive iceberg. The crash tore open the ship's hull, flooding multiple compartments, ultimately sealing the fate of the 'unsinkable' vessel.

Takeaways

• 🚢 Titanic, commanded by Captain Edward J. Smith, was traveling near full speed on its way to New York, set to arrive on time.
• ⚠️ Numerous ships crossing the North Atlantic sent wireless messages warning of ice fields and icebergs, which Titanic received and acknowledged.
• 🧊 Ice warnings described large icebergs and smaller ice formations like growlers, which could still pose significant threats to ships.
• 📝 Lord Mersey, who investigated the disaster, emphasized the failure to reduce speed despite receiving several ice warnings.
• 📜 Two specific ice warnings were noted in Lord Mersey’s journal, including one from the Baltic, another White Star Line ship, which alerted Titanic to nearby icebergs.
• ❓ Captain Smith handed a crucial ice warning to J. Bruce Ismay, the White Star Line chairman, raising questions about whether Ismay delayed sharing it with the crew.
• 🛑 Historians question whether Ismay's desire for Titanic to arrive on time contributed to the decision not to reduce speed, despite the danger.
• 🌊 Calm seas made spotting icebergs harder as there were no waves breaking at the edges of the icebergs to make them visible to lookouts.
• 👀 At 11:39 PM, lookout Frederick Fleet spotted the iceberg, but Titanic was traveling too fast to avoid a collision in time.
• 💥 The iceberg struck Titanic’s starboard side, tearing open the hull and causing catastrophic flooding in multiple compartments, sealing the ship’s fate.

Q & A

What was the Titanic's speed and schedule on the night of April 14, 1912?

The Titanic was steaming at nearly full speed and was scheduled to arrive on time at White Star's Pier 59 in Manhattan on Wednesday morning, April 17, 1912.

What were the ships in the North Atlantic doing to alert each other about icebergs?

Ships traveling the North Atlantic were using wireless messages to alert each other about potential ice hazards, sharing information about the size and location of icebergs and ice fields.

What types of icebergs were being reported by ships, according to Kristin Serumgard?

Kristin Serumgard mentioned different types of icebergs, including flows formed from frozen seawater, growlers (about the size of a piano), and very large icebergs over 200 meters in size.

What crucial decision did Lord Mersey note in his journal regarding the Titanic's speed?

Lord Mersey noted and underlined in his journal that there was 'no reduction of speed,' a crucial factor he considered in assessing why the Titanic did not slow down despite ice warnings.

Why do historians debate Captain Smith's decision not to slow down?

Historians believe that Captain Smith may have been influenced by J. Bruce Ismay, the chairman of White Star Line, who might have prioritized the Titanic arriving on time over slowing down for safety.

What role did J. Bruce Ismay play in relation to the Titanic and its ice warnings?

J. Bruce Ismay was the chairman of White Star Line and had access to ice warnings, including one from the Baltic. He kept the message in his pocket, leading to speculation that he may not have wanted the ship to slow down.

How did weather conditions on the night of the collision affect visibility of icebergs?

The North Atlantic was extremely calm that night, which made it difficult to spot icebergs because there were no waves breaking on their edges, making them harder to see.

What did lookout Frederick Fleet do upon spotting the iceberg?

Lookout Frederick Fleet struck the lookout bell three times and immediately contacted the bridge by telephone to warn them of the approaching iceberg.

Why was it too late to avoid the iceberg after it was spotted?

The Titanic was traveling at around 21-22 knots, and by the time the iceberg was spotted, there wasn’t enough time to turn the ship. Despite efforts by First Officer Murdoch to maneuver the ship, it was already too late.

What kind of damage did the iceberg cause to the Titanic?

The iceberg scraped along the starboard side of the Titanic for eight seconds, gouging the steel hull and opening five compartments, including three cargo holds and two engine rooms, allowing seawater to flood in.