Thank Hitler, Not the Royal Navy, for Sinking His Own Battleship Fleet
The fog of war—and snow squalls and smoke!—spoiled what otherwise was a well-conceived ambush by the German cruisers.
Here's What You Need to Remember: Admiral Raeder, who had been building up the Kriegsmarine for more than a
decade, tendered his resignation rather than follow the order. Appointed in his place was Adm. Karl Dönitz, a submariner who had long criticized the resources expended on the surface fleet. However, even Dönitz insisted that it would be foolish to scrap vessels for minimal economic benefit.
At first glance, the Battle of the Barents Sea seems insignificant, a minor World War II naval battle in which a couple of destroyers were sunk. Yet the New Year’s Eve skirmish in frozen Arctic waters convinced Hitler that he should scrap