Stephanie Barczewski

We have to remember that these aren't just random people in the water, right? In many cases, they are the husbands and sons and relatives and friends and whatever of people in the lifeboats.

We have to remember that these aren't just random people in the water, right? In many cases, they are the husbands and sons and relatives and friends and whatever of people in the lifeboats.

There are stories that said that Molly Brown and, in fact, other women in the lightboats were saying, we need to go back.

There are stories that said that Molly Brown and, in fact, other women in the lightboats were saying, we need to go back.

Fifth Officer Lowe does go back, but even he carefully calculates, and this sounds horrible, so I apologize for having to say it, but he carefully calculates the right moment when the screams have died down, right? And he sits there and he says, okay, now there won't be so many people who will swamp us, so I can go back and at least rescue some few people.

Fifth Officer Lowe does go back, but even he carefully calculates, and this sounds horrible, so I apologize for having to say it, but he carefully calculates the right moment when the screams have died down, right? And he sits there and he says, okay, now there won't be so many people who will swamp us, so I can go back and at least rescue some few people.

You know, and this makes him sound quite callous, but in fact, again, he is the only officer who goes back, right? The others don't go back at all. So Lowe goes back, but he only manages to pull, I think, three people out of the water. I think one of them dies later anyway. So he's miscalculated, right? He's left the people in the water for too long in that freezing water.

You know, and this makes him sound quite callous, but in fact, again, he is the only officer who goes back, right? The others don't go back at all. So Lowe goes back, but he only manages to pull, I think, three people out of the water. I think one of them dies later anyway. So he's miscalculated, right? He's left the people in the water for too long in that freezing water.

The compartments didn't have a watertight top was the issue. And so what happened when that many compartments were opened is that as the ones in the front filled up and that pulled the bow of the ship down, then the water would spill over into the next compartment and the next compartment.

The compartments didn't have a watertight top was the issue. And so what happened when that many compartments were opened is that as the ones in the front filled up and that pulled the bow of the ship down, then the water would spill over into the next compartment and the next compartment.

You know, you can tell how much they were thinking they were never going to have to use them because they put them in this position that you basically couldn't get them down in any way.

You know, you can tell how much they were thinking they were never going to have to use them because they put them in this position that you basically couldn't get them down in any way.

One side, the lifeboats are hanging way far out on the side of the ship, and it's very hard to even get in them, right? You're having to literally jump from the side of the ship into a lifeboat with a very steep fall if you happen to miss, and some people do miss, right? Or they kind of end up grabbing the side of the lifeboat and have to be hauled in, so it's a very, very terrifying thing.

One side, the lifeboats are hanging way far out on the side of the ship, and it's very hard to even get in them, right? You're having to literally jump from the side of the ship into a lifeboat with a very steep fall if you happen to miss, and some people do miss, right? Or they kind of end up grabbing the side of the lifeboat and have to be hauled in, so it's a very, very terrifying thing.

On the other side, the problem is that the lifeboats are now hitting the side of the ship as they're being lowered, and so they're kind of bouncing down the side of the ship. So it's a very, very scary process.

On the other side, the problem is that the lifeboats are now hitting the side of the ship as they're being lowered, and so they're kind of bouncing down the side of the ship. So it's a very, very scary process.

There were certainly stories about Murdoch. You know, I would say those stories were probably, you know, post-sinking inventions that were sort of, you know, blaming Murdoch because he was in charge of the ship at the time. And so this assumption that he felt guilt. There were certainly reports of passengers seeing officers shoot themselves.

There were certainly stories about Murdoch. You know, I would say those stories were probably, you know, post-sinking inventions that were sort of, you know, blaming Murdoch because he was in charge of the ship at the time. And so this assumption that he felt guilt. There were certainly reports of passengers seeing officers shoot themselves.

You know, as a historian, I can say that, you know, eyewitness accounts, much as we like to rely on them, are often not very accurate, right? So I would, you know, be a little bit skeptical.

You know, as a historian, I can say that, you know, eyewitness accounts, much as we like to rely on them, are often not very accurate, right? So I would, you know, be a little bit skeptical.