Why did germany use "prize regulations"?

[avers]

Originally Posted by BigWalleye

Clay Blair: Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted: 1942-1945, Prologue and Chapter One, tells the complete story of what the Prize Regulations were, where they came from, how the KM struggled to live within them, and eventually abandoned them. It would be difficult to do the story justice in a SubSim post.

Thanx, I got the book, but I can't seem to find the page that says when Germany stopped using prize regulations. if u could please tell me the chapter where it says that? thank u in advanced for your help.

[BigWalleye]

Originally Posted by avers

Thanx, I got the book, but I can't seem to find the page that says when Germany stopped using prize regulations. if u could please tell me the chapter where it says that? thank u in advanced for your help.

That's just the point. There isn't a page, because it was all done incrementally. Prize regulations were relaxed in certain areas only, then in further areas, and for certain natiional flag ships, and so on. The first two chapters cover most of the transition. But there was never a single order that read: "Stop following the Prize Regulations under all circumstances." As late as June, 1940, US flag vessels were to be left alone except under certain circumstances, as (of course) were French and Spanish vessels. The abandonment of the Prize Regulations, as I have said several times in this thread, was a long, complex process, with various steps back being taken for various reasons.

In the JFO! mod, there is a file named target attack restrictions.txt, which contains summaries of all the subject orders issued by BdU. These are not the authentic translated text of the orders, but they are a fairly careful paraphrasing. You might find that file easier to absorb than the detailed account threaded through several chapters of Blair. But, while the file gives an idea of what and when, it does not tell the story of why.