RE: U-boat War??Craig and Ralph
Posted by:
John Griffiths
()
Date: April 26, 2001 08:47AM
<HTML>Hi Craig and Ralph - and anyone else!
I agree with Craig\'s original message - but also am pleased by Ralph\'s too!
The purpose of the argument does have an impact on war at sea - though it might not look like it!
Yuri\'s history is atypical of the lessons taught in the SU over the years - still heavily canted in patriotic rhetoric and propoganda. Ours -in the west at least - is an \'open book\'. What I am trying to say is that you cannot study warfare without looking at the whole picture! For example, the Russian Navy depended, after the war, on its technology via captured German machinery - U-boats and the like. Ergo sum, during the war Russia depended on the West for its armaments during its darkest hours. The Russians then \'copied\' that and improved it to suit local conditions.
We have strayed, I admit - but the point I am trying to make to Yuri is two fold. One, I am not denigrating what was achieved by Russia, rather stating that his history may be canted inwards.
Two, I am trying to make clear that the war fought - by the Germans at least - was with machinery very much advanced over what we had in the west at the time. The war was a learning curve for all - not just the west!
For example, how many US readers know that the Flower Class of corvette perfected in the UK and Canada from whaling ships served in the US Navy? USS Saucy being one! The US simply did not have that sort of vessel for that job at the time - so we all \'pooled\' our resources to one end - defeating Germany.
Or that Russia was loaned some Liberty ships which they refused to hand back!
We recognise this in the west. The SU has largely forgotten - or ignored - it.
My thanks, gentlemen!
Aye,
John</HTML>
I agree with Craig\'s original message - but also am pleased by Ralph\'s too!
The purpose of the argument does have an impact on war at sea - though it might not look like it!
Yuri\'s history is atypical of the lessons taught in the SU over the years - still heavily canted in patriotic rhetoric and propoganda. Ours -in the west at least - is an \'open book\'. What I am trying to say is that you cannot study warfare without looking at the whole picture! For example, the Russian Navy depended, after the war, on its technology via captured German machinery - U-boats and the like. Ergo sum, during the war Russia depended on the West for its armaments during its darkest hours. The Russians then \'copied\' that and improved it to suit local conditions.
We have strayed, I admit - but the point I am trying to make to Yuri is two fold. One, I am not denigrating what was achieved by Russia, rather stating that his history may be canted inwards.
Two, I am trying to make clear that the war fought - by the Germans at least - was with machinery very much advanced over what we had in the west at the time. The war was a learning curve for all - not just the west!
For example, how many US readers know that the Flower Class of corvette perfected in the UK and Canada from whaling ships served in the US Navy? USS Saucy being one! The US simply did not have that sort of vessel for that job at the time - so we all \'pooled\' our resources to one end - defeating Germany.
Or that Russia was loaned some Liberty ships which they refused to hand back!
We recognise this in the west. The SU has largely forgotten - or ignored - it.
My thanks, gentlemen!
Aye,
John</HTML>
