What's the biggest failure of the uboat service?

11-03-08, 06:44 AM

Fail to introduce electric Boats earlier (XXI/XXIII).

U-46 Commander · 11-03-08, 12:11 PM

Not producing more U-boats. They(Hitler) Wanted Battleships, not subs.

Hawk U-375 · 11-03-08, 12:22 PM

I say Enigma/ Failure to produce more U-Boats before the War.

Puster Bill · 11-03-08, 02:51 PM

I voted for Fail to discover/suspect a breach of the enigma code, but they actually *DID* suspect this.

Doenitz actually had the security of it investigated several times, and logged his suspicions in the BdU KTB, most notably after the Tarafal Bay incident:

"It is more likely that our cypher material is compromised or that there has been a breach of security. It appears improbable that an English submarine would be in such an isolated area by accident. The Naval War Staff is therefore taking the necessary steps to safeguard cypher material."
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB30297.htm

I've often wanted the 'game' what would happen if you take the ability to know what the u-boats were doing away from the Allies. My sense is that it would have made life tougher for the carrier based Hunter/Killer groups, and would have prevented a number of losses (U-505, for example), but the submarine is an offensive weapon, and the only way to use them effectively is to close with the enemy, ie., attack convoys, and centimetric radar and advanced sonar and weapons like FIDO and Hedgehog would have still resulted in high losses (just not *AS* high).

gutted · 11-03-08, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by U-46 Commander

Not producing more U-boats. They(Hitler) Wanted Battleships, not subs.

yup. they spent too much effort building things they were too scared to use for fear of losing them.

Murr44 · 11-03-08, 02:42 PM

It was Raeder & the other admirals (apart from Doenitz) who were wedded to the big ship (battleship) navy idea. They were still thinking in terms of the WWI era navy where control of the oceans would be decided in massive fleet engagements like Jutland. Hitler actually hated the sea (one of his many weird phobias) & had very little interest in the KM. Doenitz erred in his insistance on regular radio contact & his refusal to believe that Enigma had been compromised. There were some on his staff who suspected that the code had been broken but they were ignored.

View Poll Results: What's the biggest mistake?
Fail to test the torpedoes thoroughly before the war.	6	6.74%
Fail to institute un-restricted warfare from the get go.	3	3.37%
Fail to introduce electric Boats earlier (XXI/XXIII)	17	19.10%
Fail to co-operate better with the surface fleet and Luftwaffe	13	14.61%
Fail to discover/suspect a breach of the enigma code	27	30.34%
Fail to institute radio silence	5	5.62%
Continual insistance that uboat should fight aircraft.	0	0%
Fail to copy the "longlance" from Japan (longer, faster, no bubble)	3	3.37%
Continue sending more boats after 1944 when prospects were dim.	3	3.37%
Other	12	13.48%
Voters: 89. You may not vote on this poll

11-03-08, 12:11 PM	#2
U-46 Commander Lieutenant Join Date: May 2008 Location: The absolutely most exciting state!! Iowa! Posts: 251 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 0	Not producing more U-boats. They(Hitler) Wanted Battleships, not subs. __________________ "Loved By Few, Hated By Many, Respected By All."-The U-boats.

11-03-08, 02:51 PM	#4
Puster Bill Grey Wolf Join Date: May 2006 Location: BA8758, or FN33eh for my fellow hams. Posts: 833 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I voted for Fail to discover/suspect a breach of the enigma code, but they actually DID suspect this. Doenitz actually had the security of it investigated several times, and logged his suspicions in the BdU KTB, most notably after the Tarafal Bay incident: "It is more likely that our cypher material is compromised or that there has been a breach of security. It appears improbable that an English submarine would be in such an isolated area by accident. The Naval War Staff is therefore taking the necessary steps to safeguard cypher material." http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB30297.htm I've often wanted the 'game' what would happen if you take the ability to know what the u-boats were doing away from the Allies. My sense is that it would have made life tougher for the carrier based Hunter/Killer groups, and would have prevented a number of losses (U-505, for example), but the submarine is an offensive weapon, and the only way to use them effectively is to close with the enemy, ie., attack convoys, and centimetric radar and advanced sonar and weapons like FIDO and Hedgehog would have still resulted in high losses (just not AS high). __________________ The U-Boat Commander of Love

11-03-08, 02:42 PM	#6
Murr44 Grey Wolf Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 913 Downloads: 16 Uploads: 0	It was Raeder & the other admirals (apart from Doenitz) who were wedded to the big ship (battleship) navy idea. They were still thinking in terms of the WWI era navy where control of the oceans would be decided in massive fleet engagements like Jutland. Hitler actually hated the sea (one of his many weird phobias) & had very little interest in the KM. Doenitz erred in his insistance on regular radio contact & his refusal to believe that Enigma had been compromised. There were some on his staff who suspected that the code had been broken but they were ignored. Last edited by Murr44; 11-03-08 at 02:43 PM.

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11-03-08, 06:44 AM	#1
Contact Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Fail to introduce electric Boats earlier (XXI/XXIII).

11-03-08, 12:22 PM	#3
Hawk U-375 Engineer Join Date: May 2003 Location: Bottom of New York Harbor Posts: 203 Downloads: 518 Uploads: 0	I say Enigma/ Failure to produce more U-Boats before the War.