Search found 2472 matches

by wadinga
Wed Apr 05, 2023 2:30 pm
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Why built useless battleships?
Replies: 61
Views: 16647

Re: Why built useless battleships?

Hello All, There are sources I have addressed above which not only fail to prove their own accusations eg Owen and McMeekin, and offered others which uncover Germany's longstanding plans for aggressive war like Fritz Fischer and Barbara Tuchman. German railways were built to Aachen specifically to s...
by wadinga
Wed Apr 05, 2023 9:23 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Prince of Wales in front
Replies: 32
Views: 9899

Re: Prince of Wales in front

Hello All, For smaller formations the practicality of follow-my-leader means the elimination of much unnecessary signalling. Hipper and Beatty, for instance, led with their flagships, although as when HMS Lion circled involuntarily, this could create some confusion. At Jutland, in the main action, w...
by wadinga
Wed Mar 08, 2023 3:55 pm
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Why built useless battleships?
Replies: 61
Views: 16647

Re: Why built useless battleships?

Hello wmh829386, As OpanaPointer suggests Wilhelm II was crazy enough to do almost anything. People have obsessed about the High Seas Fleet being a challenger to Britain, but with his quest for "Martial Glory" meant he had other potential foes in mind as well. This site warfarehistorynetwo...
by wadinga
Wed Mar 01, 2023 9:38 am
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Why built useless battleships?
Replies: 61
Views: 16647

Re: Why built useless battleships?

Hi OpanaPointer,

Germane.

All the best

wadinga
by wadinga
Sun Feb 26, 2023 6:41 pm
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Why built useless battleships?
Replies: 61
Views: 16647

Re: Why built useless battleships?

Hello wmh829386, Before the war Tirpitz' fleet was fit for purpose, strong enough to gain RN respect The deterrent effect of the German naval strength stopped Britain taking unilateral action against Germany, but it would not be enough to stop her acting in concert if Germany initiated war, which it...
by wadinga
Thu Feb 23, 2023 7:26 pm
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Why built useless battleships?
Replies: 61
Views: 16647

Re: Why built useless battleships?

Hi All, An excellent free to download pdf is at https://ia600204.us.archive.org/31/items/FischerFritzGermanysAimsInTheFirstWorldWar/Fischer%2C%20Fritz%20-%20Germany%E2%80%99s%20Aims%20in%20the%20First%20World%20War.pdf Germany's Aims in the First World War by Fritz Fischer. This erudite work by an e...
by wadinga
Wed Feb 22, 2023 11:29 am
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Why built useless battleships?
Replies: 61
Views: 16647

Re: Why built useless battleships?

Hello wmh829386, The inconsistency between the naval acts and strategic focus on fighting France and Russia is glaring Well I suppose it is, but since we are not cheering for our favoured sports team, there is no need to experience frustration, one must accept what happened and the inherent flaws in...
by wadinga
Fri Feb 17, 2023 10:44 am
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Why built useless battleships?
Replies: 61
Views: 16647

Re: Why built useless battleships?

Hi wmh829386 and all, To save space and for brevity you can just highlight cut and paste the relevant phrase eg German war planners never considered the British would become involved. into your new post, if you like. I have been reading Byron's interesting discovery The Russian Imperial Conspiracy 1...
by wadinga
Sat Feb 11, 2023 2:11 pm
Forum: Naval History (1922-1945)
Topic: Midway question!
Replies: 7
Views: 2415

Re: Midway question!

Hi All, If anything the Japanese were too decisive , with all four carriers committed to the same tactic, and willing to instantly change that tactic based on any new information (even if unreliable/incomplete) with no contingency plan for the unexpected. After decimating Midway's offensive and defe...
by wadinga
Mon Feb 06, 2023 5:14 pm
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Why built useless battleships?
Replies: 61
Views: 16647

Re: Why built useless battleships?

Hello Thorsten, Yes he warned against a new war in Europe at his Reichstag speech at the grand old age of 90. Unfortunately it was not heeded. For a successful soldier he also had the additional ability to realise Germany could dominate Europe through economics and diplomacy without the trauma of wa...
by wadinga
Sun Feb 05, 2023 4:05 pm
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Why built useless battleships?
Replies: 61
Views: 16647

Re: Why built useless battleships?

Hello Byron and all, The manoeuvrings and finagling of various diplomats and their opinions, based on their own constrained perceptions of reality, are as nothing compared with the actual arrival of boots on somebody's else's ground. Contingency plans are just files left in a cabinet, which may neve...
by wadinga
Fri Feb 03, 2023 6:27 pm
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Why built useless battleships?
Replies: 61
Views: 16647

Re: Why built useless battleships?

Hi All, It is attributed to Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, but I expect George Custer probably said much the same, and Publius Quinctilius Varus may have said something similar (in Latin) when ambushed in the Teutoburg Forest. Germany had been preparing for another war with France for years, and migh...
by wadinga
Wed Jan 25, 2023 12:13 pm
Forum: Naval Technology
Topic: Best battlecruiser
Replies: 26
Views: 4092

Re: Best battlecruiser

Hi Byron and all, Reading the Conway volume "Navies and the American Revolution" Robert Gardiner describes USS Constitution and her sisters as "pocket-battleships". Given their length and speed, the latter being technologically-enhanced by being copper-bottomed against weed and b...
by wadinga
Tue Jan 17, 2023 2:11 pm
Forum: Naval Technology
Topic: Best battlecruiser
Replies: 26
Views: 4092

Re: Best battlecruiser

Hi OpanaPointer and all, The French warship Acheron in the movie, which has the characteristics of USS Constitution , is alleged to have been built in Boston for the French navy which seemed highly unlikely. Interestingly, however, I see the USS America a 44 gun "ship of the line" was supp...
by wadinga
Mon Jan 16, 2023 12:52 pm
Forum: Naval Technology
Topic: Best battlecruiser
Replies: 26
Views: 4092

Re: Best battlecruiser

Hi All, That is indeed a beautiful piece of modelling (Brit spelling), although it does look a teeny-weeny bit like the pointy finial on a Great Western Railway signal. Back at the Acheron of Master and Commander, her construction is covered thus: You see, Will here, he seen her being built. (Will) ...