General Discussions
This is the place to discuss general issues related to the U-boat war or the war at sea in WWII.
RE: Doenitz, and an outcome tangent
Posted by:
Fin Bonset
()
Date: November 28, 2000 03:22PM
<HTML>Hi Arthur,
Don\'t forget that England\'s technology was not the same either at the beginning of the war. The wolf-pack tactics decimated English shipping in the beginning of the war. There was no defence for it at the time. If there were 300 u-boats, whether they be old or not, they still would have been able to use their wolf-pack tactics and would have decimated English and allied shipping completely. I\'m stressing the point that the beginning of the u-boot war was the most important part for the war with England. There simply weren\'t enough u-boats to take care of all the shipping and there was too much time given for the British to develop counter technology. Just imagine if there were 200 or so operational u-boats at one time in the Atlantic, say 60 or more in one area and perhaps 80 u-boots attacking one convoy! It would be all over, and I remain that England would have fallen. Later in the war, if the Z-plan was further incorporated (and perhaps started earlier), the u-boots would have had air-cover at sea. Air cover proved to be everything for the allies in the battle for the Atlantic. If the Battle of Brittain had not occurred due to virtually no supplies (u-boat work) then the Luftwaffe would have had air cover to protect the \"older\" u-boats and England would be open for invasion and bombing. The Battle of Brittain was the essential turning point of the whole war in my opinion. Just because it affected everything in the Atlantic and on land after the invasion of Normandy. In my opinion, the u-boots could have prevented the Battle of Brittain altogether, if they had the time for build-up and the resources.
I firmly believe air cover is essential to naval operations as my great great uncle, Karel Doorman, stressed this to Admiral Hilfrich when he was asked to lead the Batlle of the Java Sea. Doorman didn\'t get his air cover and was completely decimated. he knew he was going lose, but orders are orders.
All in all, my point is that the supply routes to England were that country\'s blood and veins. With enough u-boots, excellent tactics (like Doenitz and Rommel), and total surprise, the cutting of the veins was completely possible.
Best regards to all,
Fin Bonset
</HTML>
Don\'t forget that England\'s technology was not the same either at the beginning of the war. The wolf-pack tactics decimated English shipping in the beginning of the war. There was no defence for it at the time. If there were 300 u-boats, whether they be old or not, they still would have been able to use their wolf-pack tactics and would have decimated English and allied shipping completely. I\'m stressing the point that the beginning of the u-boot war was the most important part for the war with England. There simply weren\'t enough u-boats to take care of all the shipping and there was too much time given for the British to develop counter technology. Just imagine if there were 200 or so operational u-boats at one time in the Atlantic, say 60 or more in one area and perhaps 80 u-boots attacking one convoy! It would be all over, and I remain that England would have fallen. Later in the war, if the Z-plan was further incorporated (and perhaps started earlier), the u-boots would have had air-cover at sea. Air cover proved to be everything for the allies in the battle for the Atlantic. If the Battle of Brittain had not occurred due to virtually no supplies (u-boat work) then the Luftwaffe would have had air cover to protect the \"older\" u-boats and England would be open for invasion and bombing. The Battle of Brittain was the essential turning point of the whole war in my opinion. Just because it affected everything in the Atlantic and on land after the invasion of Normandy. In my opinion, the u-boots could have prevented the Battle of Brittain altogether, if they had the time for build-up and the resources.
I firmly believe air cover is essential to naval operations as my great great uncle, Karel Doorman, stressed this to Admiral Hilfrich when he was asked to lead the Batlle of the Java Sea. Doorman didn\'t get his air cover and was completely decimated. he knew he was going lose, but orders are orders.
All in all, my point is that the supply routes to England were that country\'s blood and veins. With enough u-boots, excellent tactics (like Doenitz and Rommel), and total surprise, the cutting of the veins was completely possible.
Best regards to all,
Fin Bonset
</HTML>
