I'M IN THE US NAVY!!

Sniper297 · 08-04-15, 03:04 AM

Gotta disagree with some parts of Rockin Robbins' theory - Doenitz wanted 300 U-Boats to start the war, so he could have had 100 on station at any time when hostilities began. That number would have closed the Atlantic completely and forced Britain to surrender in 1940. He had the same trouble the US Navy had with all the old geezers insisting on battleships, so when the war started he had only 26 U-Boats ready to go. That meant about 8 to 10 U-Boats at sea at any given time, not nearly enough for a decent blockade. By the time he actually had 100 boats (Aug 1942) the Americans were in the war, the Brits had time to develop ASW tactics and weapons, and it was too little too late. If the Germans had those 300 U-Boats in 1939 it would have been decisive in my opinion.

08-04-15, 03:04 AM	#18
Sniper297 The Old Man Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Philadelphia Shipyard Brig Posts: 1,386 Downloads: 160 Uploads: 19	Gotta disagree with some parts of Rockin Robbins' theory - Doenitz wanted 300 U-Boats to start the war, so he could have had 100 on station at any time when hostilities began. That number would have closed the Atlantic completely and forced Britain to surrender in 1940. He had the same trouble the US Navy had with all the old geezers insisting on battleships, so when the war started he had only 26 U-Boats ready to go. That meant about 8 to 10 U-Boats at sea at any given time, not nearly enough for a decent blockade. By the time he actually had 100 boats (Aug 1942) the Americans were in the war, the Brits had time to develop ASW tactics and weapons, and it was too little too late. If the Germans had those 300 U-Boats in 1939 it would have been decisive in my opinion.