Total war ment they could sink ships of any nation at war with them without warning. They did not have to render assistance or broadcast the location of survivors. The could sink neutral ships if they were in convoy with enemy ships of under the protection of that nations warships.
They couldn't sink hospital ships that displayed signage and were lit in accordance to the regulations laid down by the Geneva convention.
The skipper of a Japanese sub that sank an Australian Hospital ship was hung at the end of WWII.
|