Quote:
Originally Posted by Faamecanic
Actual in Doenitz book...he took pride in the the fact that MOST of his Uboat commanders and sailors did NOT belong to or were forced to subscribe to the traditions of the Nazi party.
In fact after Hitlers attempted assassination at the Wolfs Lair, Hitler made the decree that ALL military must salute him with the Nazi salute or be considered for treason. Adm. Doenitz got into a rather heated discussion with Hitler and demanded that HIS KM be allowed to maintain the traditional salute (which looks like our American Military salute) because they earned it with their lives everytime they went out on a U-boat.
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Dont underestimate Nazi influence in the Wehrmacht, Prien was an ardent nazi. Many officers got promoted because they were ardent Nazis.
One U-Boat captain, Oskar Kusch, was denounced by his first officer for anti-Nazi sentiments, sentenced to death and shot in 1944. Donitz did not lift a finger to help him which outraged many U-Boat captains.
http://www.uboat.net/men/kusch.htm
Stalin carried out a purge of his armed forces in 1937-39 because he was worried about the loyalty of his men. Hitler never had to since he knew the majority of the officers agreed with the right-wing agenda of the nazi party.
It is very easy for Donitz after the war to say that he was never really a nazi, but actions speak louder than words.