A question about the end (both real-life and in-game)

[Incubus]

One thing that surprised me about the message Doenitz gave to his U-boat fleets was how all of them obeyed. It would have been interesting if some die-hard Kaleun went rogue after Germany's surrender, catching ships by surprise or possibly escaping to Japan. If fanatical enough, it seems plausible they might want to go down in a blaze of glory (considering 75% of them didn't survive in the first place :down: ).

As far as I'm aware, this didn't happen. But is this possible if you are on patrol in game when Germany surrenders? It would be pretty fun to have one last patrol to wreck total havoc on the allies:arrgh!:

[kylania]

U-boot commanders were dedicated naval officers. They sunk ships because it was their duty, not because they enjoyed it. That's also why they obeyed the order, because it was an order.

I believe only 8 captains surrenderd right away? The rest took a few days?

[Steeltrap]

Worth noting that Doenitz was held in remarkably high esteem by the men of the U-boat service. Disobeying his order probably never even occurred to commanders as it might well have been regarded as dishonourable, disloyal and disrespectful.

I remember reading that the Brits stated that Doenitz was spoken of very highly by captured crews, that he showed and received a very high level of personal loyalty. Even Churchill, I think, commented that it was remarkable that the U-boat men never lost their spirits despite the terrible casualties they took.

I imagine more than one military academy in the world has looked into the aspects of the U-boat command that was able to maintain effectiveness and morale despite things being so heavily stacked against it (and if they haven't they should!).

Cremer in U-333 points out that he told his crew to scuttle the XXI boat technically under his command at war's end, as did many other commanders. When Doenitz heard of the defiance he looked a bit shocked then a ghost of a smile passed his lips - Cremer was there in person as commander of Doenitz's guard. I guess that sort of "we're in this together" attitude is one thing which kept the U-boat community so tight, from Doenitz all the way down.

[Finnbat]

Think you are in a small boat and the last days you only received news of sunken comrades. When the news about surrender comes arent you relieved and happy you still live ?
I would surrender to first allied ship I see.

[Captain Nemo]

Think you are in a small boat and the last days you only received news of sunken comrades. When the news about surrender comes arent you relieved and happy you still live ?
I would surrender to first allied ship I see.

In the book Iron Coffins by Herbert Werner, he was quite apprehensive about Germany's surrender rather than jubilant. He was worried about the treatment he would receive by the Allied forces, which turned out in his case not to be too good. During his captivity he was coerced into joining the French Foreign Legion but escaped from a POW camp before being sent away. Prior to capture, he planned to take his U-boat and crew to Argentina but his plans were scuppered.

Nemo

[soma]

I can vagualy remember reading about Kaleuns who went to Argentinia when the war ended, because they we're 'in the neighborhood'... is this true?

[Sailor Steve]

Heinz Schaeffer, in U-977, was off the Azores when he got the order. He took his boat all the way across the Atlantic to Argentina, where he was later accused of smuggling out everything from 'nazi gold' to Hitler himself.

You can read all about it in his book, U-boat 977.
http://www.amazon.com/U-Boat-977-Escaped-Argentina-Fortunes/dp/1841450278/sr=1-1/qid=1160667717/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-9638452-8644749?ie=UTF8&s=books

[Steeltrap]

Heinz Schaeffer, in U-977, was off the Azores when he got the order. He took his boat all the way across the Atlantic to Argentina, where he was later accused of smuggling out everything from 'nazi gold' to Hitler himself.

You can read all about it in his book, U-boat 977.
http://www.amazon.com/U-Boat-977-Escaped-Argentina-Fortunes/dp/1841450278/sr=1-1/qid=1160667717/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-9638452-8644749?ie=UTF8&s=books

Imagine smuggling Hitler....

1. Extreme flatulence....
"I think we've got battery acid leak - is that chlorine?"
"Er, no....."

2. Silent running.....
"Ah, mein Fuhrer, could you perhaps tone down you ranting while that DD is looking for us?"

:rotfl: :rotfl:

[spork542]

Heinz Schaeffer, in U-977, was off the Azores when he got the order. He took his boat all the way across the Atlantic to Argentina, where he was later accused of smuggling out everything from 'nazi gold' to Hitler himself.

You can read all about it in his book, U-boat 977.
http://www.amazon.com/U-Boat-977-Escaped-Argentina-Fortunes/dp/1841450278/sr=1-1/qid=1160667717/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-9638452-8644749?ie=UTF8&s=books
Imagine smuggling Hitler....

1. Extreme flatulence....
"I think we've got battery acid leak - is that chlorine?"
"Er, no....."

2. Silent running.....
"Ah, mein Fuhrer, could you perhaps tone down you ranting while that DD is looking for us?"

:rotfl: :rotfl:

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

[Hartmann]

They problably know that the war was lost and they can´t change nothing if they continues fighting, they are a real commanders

How is the end in the game ?? :hmm: i never finished a career at 1945...:dead:

all traffic in the map turs green like neutral countries ?? or they continues chasing you ?:roll:

[P_Funk]

I think I remember a story in a book I read that one Captain of a XXI was shadowing a convoy when he received the surrender order. It was the first patrol for that XXI and rather than going home he decided to show what the XXI could do by infiltrating the convoy undetected and lining up a point blank firing solution on a tanker. At that pointy he disarmed and went home satisfied that he had proved the ship's worth and the skill of his crew.

Anyone else know of that? Or am I retelling a myth?

[Captain Nemo]

I think I remember a story in a book I read that one Captain of a XXI was shadowing a convoy when he received the surrender order. It was the first patrol for that XXI and rather than going home he decided to show what the XXI could do by infiltrating the convoy undetected and lining up a point blank firing solution on a tanker. At that pointy he disarmed and went home satisfied that he had proved the ship's worth and the skill of his crew.

Anyone else know of that? Or am I retelling a myth?

I got this from uboat.net:

"U-2511 with a crack crew, sailed from Kiel on 16th March 1945 for the Norwegian base Horten in Norway. The war patrol was supposed to start on 26th March, but during deep dive test she sustained a periscope damage and was delayed. She sailed from Horten on the 18th April she was forced to put to Bergen on 21st April, due to diesel troubles. At last she sailed on 30th April 1945 with the orders to go to the Caribbean.

The first contact with the enemy was made on 1st May. On the following day U-2511 was detected by an escort group north of Scotland but easily got away with the increased underwater speed. She evaded other ships, too, as her objective was to get to the operation area first. Depth-charges were dropped but were helplessly wide. Soon after receiving the surrender message on 4th May, U-2511 detected a Suffolk class cruiser, HMS Norfolk, with destroyer escort at a long range. She made a text-book approach, closing at high-speed first, then diving deep and passing the destroyer screen at silent-speed. Finally, Schnee had the cruiser in sights 500 meters away with a perfect attacking position inside the destroyer screen and undetected- impossible not to miss. U-2511 did not fire but dived deep again, and still undetected returned to base, arriving at Bergen on 5th May 1945."

Nemo

[andy_311]

They problably know that the war was lost and they can´t change nothing if they continues fighting, they are a real commanders

How is the end in the game ?? :hmm: i never finished a career at 1945...:dead:

all traffic in the map turs green like neutral countries ?? or they continues chasing you ?:roll:

Message pops up on May 9th 1945 saying the wars over,your still a potential target until the 10th May 45 when Germany turns Neutral.

[HunterICX]

:hmm: I red about the first world war that when the Uboats where forced to return to base things got messy by the kaleuns that they did things they shouldnt do.

[Sailor Steve]

:hmm: I red about the first world war that when the Uboats where forced to return to base things got messy by the kaleuns that they did things they shouldnt do.
You have to remember that WWI ended because the High Seas Fleet was ordered to go out and face the British one more time, and the result was a massive mutiny which included most of the German navy. This led to the abdication of the Kaiser and the new government negotiating for surrender.

The U-boats were not part of the mutiny. That could explain a lot of strange behaviour.

[HunterICX]

:hmm: I red about the first world war that when the Uboats where forced to return to base things got messy by the kaleuns that they did things they shouldnt do.
You have to remember that WWI ended because the High Seas Fleet was ordered to go out and face the British one more time, and the result was a massive mutiny which included most of the German navy. This led to the abdication of the Kaiser and the new government negotiating for surrender.

The U-boats were not part of the mutiny. That could explain a lot of strange behaviour.

:yep: Well red the article again and a lot of strange behaviour of the german navy

source http://www.uboat.net/history/wwi/part6.htm