Titanic in 366 Days: A Calendar of Events

Description

The sinking of the White Star liner Titanic on 14-15 April 1912 is undoubtedly history’s most documented maritime disaster.

Hundreds of books and thousands of articles have chronicled virtually every aspect of the tragedy and the ship’s all-too-brief career.

Titanic’s story before and after the events of April 1912 has also been meticulously recorded, including accounts of those who conceived and built her, the passengers and crew who sailed on the maiden voyage, and those whose lives were forever affected by the disaster and its aftermath.

Decades after the sinking a new wave of interest in the ship was fostered by motion pictures and the discovery and exploration of the wreck. Tales of heroism and controversy abound, with enthusiasts, historians and authors endlessly researching and debating the dramatic story of the ‘unsinkable’ ship.

Dates play an important part in any historical event and the story of Titanic is no exception. Her launch on 31 May 1911, the maiden voyage on 10 April 1912, and the discovery of her wreck on 1 September 1985 are indelibly etched in Titanic lore. The date of 14 April 1912 almost always features in reference books of historical events. The disaster is also among the most recognised events of the twentieth century, alongside the first powered flight at Kitty Hawk by the Wright brothers (17 December 1903), the Normandy landings during World War II (6 June 1944), the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy (22 November 1963), the Apollo 11 Moon landing (20 July 1969), and the death of Diana, Princess of Wales (31 August 1997).

Titanic in 366 Days: A Calendar of Events attempts to encompass Titanic’s complete story from the perspective of specific events and the dates on which they occurred. It is not a chronological timeline, nor does it profess to be a definitive record of events associated with the great liner.