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Old 09-06-10, 07:14 AM   #5
K-61
Grey Wolf
 
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The one that got Doenitz in trouble at the Nuremburg trials was the "Laconia order." For those unfamiliar with it, the Laconia was a British liner carrying British families and Italian P.O.W.'s from the Middle East. Hartenstein sunk it, then attempted to rescue the survivors. He tied up lifeboats to his sub, brought women and children onto the deck and sent an S.O.S. in the clear, asking for assistance and pledging not to attack any Allied units assisting. For his troubles, he was attacked by a B-24 and had to break off the rescue. After that, Doenitz ordered the U-boats not to make any further attempts at assisting survivors. He was acquitted of this charge after it was pointed out that Allied subs operated under essentially the same orders. One American commander, Dudley "Mush" Morton was particularly fond of machinegunning Japanese survivors in the water, for which he would not have been tried had he survived the war.
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