A long long time ago .............. - Page 2

Red Devil · 10-22-13, 08:01 AM

The main problem with WW2 in the beginning was that many senior officers, in all services, still had a WW1 mentality, everything was static warfare still, cavalry and artillery. War had moved on, the world had moved on, but these stuck in the muds cost the Forces in the USA, the UK and most of Europe as well as Aust and NZ many casualties that were needless, due to their inability to wage war. Add to this the refusal of the US Submarine Fleet commanders to listen to their submarine captains when they reported faulty torps and you can see how the war could easily have been lost in the Pacific. Several excellent sub capts were removed from their posts.

Admiral King was the C in C of the Eastern Seaboard of the USA. GB had cracked the enigma code and read Hitlers plans for the USA this was passed on without revealing the source and GB warned him that several long range subs were on their way from France to wreak havoc in the Gulf and off NY and Carolina. Admital King was not particularly a fan of the English, and he ignored the warnings. As a result the USA lost over 500 ships and most crews in what became known as the U Boat 'Happy Time'. Roosevelt called his inaction later as 'criminal'. By comparison, General Guderian (Germany) studied a british tank manual written by Liddell Hart a british army major, and formed his blitzkreig tactics accordingly. We British, did not!

We have a saying in the British army that the worst thing known to mankind is an officer with a map. The next is an officer with no brains.

Dread Knot · 10-22-13, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Devil

Admiral King was the C in C of the Eastern Seaboard of the USA. GB had cracked the enigma code and read Hitlers plans for the USA this was passed on without revealing the source and GB warned him that several long range subs were on their way from France to wreak havoc in the Gulf and off NY and Carolina. Admital King was not particularly a fan of the English, and he ignored the warnings. As a result the USA lost over 500 ships and most crews in what became known as the U Boat 'Happy Time'. Roosevelt called his inaction later as 'criminal'. By comparison, General Guderian (Germany) studied a british tank manual written by Liddell Hart a british army major, and formed his blitzkreig tactics accordingly. We British, did not!

Part of the problem with King is that his real interest lay in the Pacific, the prime focus of the US Navy’s planning for two decades. His attention in the first months of the war was bent in rushing reinforcements there. Those reinforcements included a lot of destroyers which were then unavailable for Atlantic seaboard escort duty.

Through Anglophobia or arrogance, King failed to understand at first what advantage there could be to convoying in the absence of adequate escort, in spite of the British experience showing that even unescorted convoys were better than no convoys at all.

Red Devil · 10-22-13, 06:50 PM

If you are appointed C in C of EASTERN seaboard, then your interest in the Pacific ends right there. Ones job is EAST, then do EAST, many many Allied civilians died thanks to that man. He should have been hung!

10-22-13, 08:01 AM	#16
Red Devil The Old Man Join Date: May 2004 Location: Sutton Coldfield England Posts: 1,517 Downloads: 258 Uploads: 0	The main problem with WW2 in the beginning was that many senior officers, in all services, still had a WW1 mentality, everything was static warfare still, cavalry and artillery. War had moved on, the world had moved on, but these stuck in the muds cost the Forces in the USA, the UK and most of Europe as well as Aust and NZ many casualties that were needless, due to their inability to wage war. Add to this the refusal of the US Submarine Fleet commanders to listen to their submarine captains when they reported faulty torps and you can see how the war could easily have been lost in the Pacific. Several excellent sub capts were removed from their posts. Admiral King was the C in C of the Eastern Seaboard of the USA. GB had cracked the enigma code and read Hitlers plans for the USA this was passed on without revealing the source and GB warned him that several long range subs were on their way from France to wreak havoc in the Gulf and off NY and Carolina. Admital King was not particularly a fan of the English, and he ignored the warnings. As a result the USA lost over 500 ships and most crews in what became known as the U Boat 'Happy Time'. Roosevelt called his inaction later as 'criminal'. By comparison, General Guderian (Germany) studied a british tank manual written by Liddell Hart a british army major, and formed his blitzkreig tactics accordingly. We British, did not! We have a saying in the British army that the worst thing known to mankind is an officer with a map. The next is an officer with no brains. __________________ > > Captain!, there's a destroyer on the por........ periscope is flooded Sir! > Darkness is only the absence of Light; Ignorance is only the absence of knowledge © www.worldwartwo.uk www.captainwalker.uk Last edited by Red Devil; 10-22-13 at 11:12 AM.

10-22-13, 06:50 PM	#18
Red Devil The Old Man Join Date: May 2004 Location: Sutton Coldfield England Posts: 1,517 Downloads: 258 Uploads: 0	If you are appointed C in C of EASTERN seaboard, then your interest in the Pacific ends right there. Ones job is EAST, then do EAST, many many Allied civilians died thanks to that man. He should have been hung! __________________ > > Captain!, there's a destroyer on the por........ periscope is flooded Sir! > Darkness is only the absence of Light; Ignorance is only the absence of knowledge © www.worldwartwo.uk www.captainwalker.uk