General Discussions
This is the place to discuss general issues related to the U-boat war or the war at sea in WWII.
Re: Grand Admiral Doenitz
Posted by:
Jack
()
Date: October 17, 2001 02:56PM
<HTML>Chris,
A wonderful choice for leadership attributes. You effort is made harder by 2 complicating factors: Donitz was cut from the 'Prussian warrior' stock, and times are much different now, and 'who knew what when' they wrote books involving Doneitz is highly variable with time. For example, any book written until the 90s did not know the Allies were reading the German naval messages regularily.
I suggest you review 'Hirschfeld', Peter Cremer's book, or another Uboat capt book (there are many), and another one by one of Doneitz staff who was held prisioner in N Africa for awhile, I cannot recall his name at the moment. Review this site's book pages and you'll find it. Oh, Padfield wote an 'anit-Donitz' book in the early 90s. Read it too.
What I have derived 2nd hand about Doneitz leadership are: 1. he cared for his men even tho he was a big guy himself. His WWI Uboat experience gave him a first hand experience of their sacrifices to achieve results.He met returning Uboats at the pier until the Brits forced him to move BDu to Paris. He knew enlisted sailors by name. 2. His ability to function from the working man's level up to head of state. That is a broad span of communication capability. 3. His prescence of what was coming and what was needed to be successful. He respected his enemy as he planned resolutely to defeat them. He knew when Hitler started the war with Brittian too early that the Uboats were behind the curve, but used them resourcefully and skillfully anyway. 4. He reacted well to changing circumstances. If Allied defences stiffened in a zone of Uboat success, he moved the attack elsewhere. Those who worked for and with Donitz honored his leadership and judgment in general, and that is the true hallmark of leadership.
Attirbutes of his leadership subject to valid criticism include:1. when did he know what about Jewish persecution? He was found guilty at Nurenburg trials, but on scant evidence in my judgment. He maintained he never knew, but that is hard to conceive of. 2. The Prussian mindset is generally perceived to be 'harsh', but Uboat men sailed even tho they knew they were unlikely to return after May 43. 3. Donitz relationship with Hitler, one of history's truely evil characters, pollutes any capability to judge Donitz. He was conspiring with or serving the devil incarnate, altho D felt he was serving the German people as a warrior. 3. He sacrificed his family for his country. I believe Donitz lost both a son and a son in law in Uboat service during the war. I truely wonder if Mrs. Donitz loved him after the war. He was so strong in his convictions and self discipline that he sacrificed all.
You decide.
I'd be interested in reading your paper when you are done. Would you email it to me, or tell me when you've posted it on the net? You have selected an excellent person for character study.
Jack</HTML>
A wonderful choice for leadership attributes. You effort is made harder by 2 complicating factors: Donitz was cut from the 'Prussian warrior' stock, and times are much different now, and 'who knew what when' they wrote books involving Doneitz is highly variable with time. For example, any book written until the 90s did not know the Allies were reading the German naval messages regularily.
I suggest you review 'Hirschfeld', Peter Cremer's book, or another Uboat capt book (there are many), and another one by one of Doneitz staff who was held prisioner in N Africa for awhile, I cannot recall his name at the moment. Review this site's book pages and you'll find it. Oh, Padfield wote an 'anit-Donitz' book in the early 90s. Read it too.
What I have derived 2nd hand about Doneitz leadership are: 1. he cared for his men even tho he was a big guy himself. His WWI Uboat experience gave him a first hand experience of their sacrifices to achieve results.He met returning Uboats at the pier until the Brits forced him to move BDu to Paris. He knew enlisted sailors by name. 2. His ability to function from the working man's level up to head of state. That is a broad span of communication capability. 3. His prescence of what was coming and what was needed to be successful. He respected his enemy as he planned resolutely to defeat them. He knew when Hitler started the war with Brittian too early that the Uboats were behind the curve, but used them resourcefully and skillfully anyway. 4. He reacted well to changing circumstances. If Allied defences stiffened in a zone of Uboat success, he moved the attack elsewhere. Those who worked for and with Donitz honored his leadership and judgment in general, and that is the true hallmark of leadership.
Attirbutes of his leadership subject to valid criticism include:1. when did he know what about Jewish persecution? He was found guilty at Nurenburg trials, but on scant evidence in my judgment. He maintained he never knew, but that is hard to conceive of. 2. The Prussian mindset is generally perceived to be 'harsh', but Uboat men sailed even tho they knew they were unlikely to return after May 43. 3. Donitz relationship with Hitler, one of history's truely evil characters, pollutes any capability to judge Donitz. He was conspiring with or serving the devil incarnate, altho D felt he was serving the German people as a warrior. 3. He sacrificed his family for his country. I believe Donitz lost both a son and a son in law in Uboat service during the war. I truely wonder if Mrs. Donitz loved him after the war. He was so strong in his convictions and self discipline that he sacrificed all.
You decide.
I'd be interested in reading your paper when you are done. Would you email it to me, or tell me when you've posted it on the net? You have selected an excellent person for character study.
Jack</HTML>
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Grand Admiral Doenitz
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Re: Zehn Jahre, Zwanzig Tage / Ten Years and Twent
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Joe Brennan | 10/19/2001 07:55AM |
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Re: Zehn Jahre, Zwanzig Tage / Ten Years and Twent
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Chris Henderson | 10/18/2001 11:08PM |
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Re: Grand Admiral Doenitz
|
Jack | 10/17/2001 02:56PM |
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Re: Grand Admiral Doenitz
|
Benoit Douville | 10/17/2001 03:48PM |
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Re: Grand Admiral Doenitz
|
Jack | 10/19/2001 10:40AM |
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Re: Grand Admiral Doenitz
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Yuri IL'IN | 10/20/2001 09:10PM |
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Re: Grand Admiral Doenitz
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Jack | 10/22/2001 02:14PM |
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Re: Grand Admiral Doenitz
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Yuri IL\'IN | 10/22/2001 09:01PM |