Sinking of the Bismarck
The most important operation of the German Navy in May, 1941 was operation ‘Rheinuebung’ (Rhine Exercise). This operation was the climax of the series of naval attacks against merchant shipping in the Atlantic. For it the newly completed battleship Bismarck and the new heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen were to make a three months sortie in the Atlantic. Great results were expected and everything possible was done to make the operation a success. Tankers and reconnaissance merchant ships were placed in strategic positions, and an elaborate wireless intelligence organization was set up to track down convoys and independent merchant ships.
On May 21 the ships sailed, and on the following day Raeder reported to Hitler. There was, however, little discussion on the forthcoming operation.
Conference of the Commander-in-Chief, Navy with the Führer at the Berghof on 22 May 1941.
Also present:
Chief of Staff, Armed Forces High Command
General Jodl
Captain von Puttkamer
The Foreign Minister
1. Situation.
a. Submarine warfare: Since the beginning of May there has been a further increase in the number of ships sunk by our submarines. Eleven boats are at present in the northern operational area and seven are in the southern area. In the course of the last few days about 85,000 tons were sunk from a convoy. The enemy had adopted a very flexible convoy system, combined with a far-reaching and excellent direction-finding and locator network; the sighting and location reports are evaluated very rapidly for the purpose of convoy control» Enemy defence for convoys has been considerably strengthened; a close watch of the sea area west of Britain is being kept by air reconnaissance, anti-submarine groups, surface forces, and single steamers. The losses incurred by us in March and April made it necessary to move the submarines further out into the Atlantic. Some of the waiting positions are outside the declared blockade area. Successful submarine operations have been carried out in the area off the West African coast near Freetown. One boat has set out on a mine-laying mission in the Takoradi-Lagos area.
b. Cruiser, warfare in foreign waters: Four auxiliary cruisers are still on operations, one in the South Atlantic and three in the Indian Ocean. Ship “10”, commanded by Captain Kaehler; returned to Hamburg after nearly eleven months of operations. The ship sank 96,000 tons. Engagements were fought with three superior enemy auxiliary cruisers, one of which was sunk and the other two badly damaged.
Ship “33”, commanded by Captain Krueder, sank at noon on 8 May in the Indian Ocean west of Somaliland during an engagement with the heavy British cruiser Cornwall, which has eight 20.3 cm, guns. Only fifty three survivors were taken prisoner. The enemy himself reported damage to the Cornwall during the engagement.
The Commanding Officer’s character is a sufficient guarantee that the auxiliary cruiser fought a gallant battle after vainly attenuating to escape from the enemy cruiser through use of deception. Ship “33” was the most successful German auxiliary cruiser, which carried out extremely well all the tactical and operational demands made of her.
Her successes amounted to 120,000 tons, including several prizes brought to home waters amounting to over 50,000 tons. Three large whale ships from the Antarctic, carrying 22,000 tons of whale oil, were among the prizes; also eight smaller whalers, a valuable tanker, and a steamer carrying wheat. At least two further ships, the names of which are unknown, were captured before the engagement with the Cornwall. Mine-laying missions in Australian waters were brilliantly executed. Apart from sinkings directly caused by the mines (three to four steamers and one mine sweeper have been sunk as far as is known at present), these mine operations have great operational effect with extremely far-reaching consequences for enemy shipping. The total success achieved by ship “33” exceeds that of cruiser Emden or auxiliary cruiser Wolf in the World War.
Proposal: These facts, together with the name of this outstanding commanding officer, should be mentioned and given recognition in one of the next reports of the Armed Forces High Command.
The Führer agrees. He also agrees to announcing the loss of Lt. Comdr. Prien at a time when substantial submarine successes are reported.
The prize Speybank put into Bordeaux on 11 May with a very valuable cargo of 1,500 tons of manganese, 300 tons of rubber, jute, and tea.
The supply ship Dresden put into a harbour in southern France with 140 Americans, some of them women and children, who were taken aboard auxiliary cruisers during the capture of an Egyptian steamer. It is inexcusable of the U.S. Government to allow American citizens, including women and children, to travel on ships belonging to belligerents.
The captain of the Dresden treated the American passengers with great consideration, so that no protests are likely.
c. Warfare by surface forces against merchant shipping: The Bismarck-Prinz Eugen task force is en route to its mission in the Atlantic; the ships loft Norwegian waters near Bergen on 21 May. The purpose of the operation is war against merchant shipping in the North and Middle Atlantic. Fleet Commander Admiral Luetjens is in command of the operation.
d. German merchant shipping overseas: Of the four blockade-runners sent to South America, the first is on the return voyage and will arrive at the end of May; the remaining three are discharging and taking on cargo in Brazil. Up to now goods valued at 19,000,000 reichsmark have been exported.
Two German merchant ships, carrying 7,000 tons of rubber in all, are at present en route from Mairen. In a few days a third one will follow with an additional 4,000 tons. The first vessel is to arrive about the end of June; she will proceed by way of Cape Horn.
Five vessels put out from Chile for Japan.
2. The enemy’s air forces are very active in attacking German convoy and coastal traffic on the Norwegian and German coasts and the occupied Channel coast. Up to now the enemy has achieved no great success, and our defence forces have had good results in shooting down aircraft.
3. Extension of inland waterways in Holland.
The Navy is very much interested in developing the inland waterways from the Ems River and the city of Delfzijl to Amsterdam, Rotterdam and the Rhine River in order to reduce traffic on the sea route, which is exposed to great danger from air attacks, motor-boats, and mines, and in order to economize in the use of our limited escort forces. The Navy has ascertained that it is altogether possible to increase the number of barges on the canals and to utilize them better. Even partial expansion would mean a substantial increase in the amounts transported and would be of advantage to the over-all conduct of the war, not to mention its great importance for peacetime purposes. Up to now the Ministry of Transport has opposed this project. The Naval Staff cannot judge the reasons for this. It is proposed that the Führer should recommend this expansion.
The Chief of Staff. Armed Forces High Command will attend to the matter.
4. Continuing use of aerial mines.
In view of the importance of our new mine fuse and the necessity for exploiting it to the fullest possible extent before the enemy counter-measures become effective, the Naval Staff has recommended mine-laying operations on a large scale to the Commander-in-Chief, Air. (A copy of the suggestion was sent to the Armed Forces High Command.)
As far as is known the Operations Staff of the Commander-in-Chief, Air agrees in principle with the views of the Naval Staff, but considers that the number of aircraft available would not be sufficient for large-scale operations because of the withdrawal of large forces for the Eastern Campaign.
General Jodl states that the Air Force has agreed to undertake a large-scale mine-laying operation with all available aircraft.
5. Discussion of the present problem of naval warfare in the Atlantic due to the attitude of the U.S.A.
6. Possible exploitation of French bases in West Africa.
The Chief of Staff, Armed Forces High Command states that there are prospects that the French will agree to all our demands. The French have made far-reaching preparations for defending Northwest Africa against British and American attacks.
7. Canary Islands. Spanish Navy;
a. The Comnander-in-Chief, Navy recommends speedy measures for reinforcing the defences of the Canaries so that the islands can be held at any time against the British and Americans. Such measures would include exporting and installing 15 cm. guns and building up supplies of food and ammunition. Enemy occupation of the Canary Islands would endanger our position in West Africa.
The Führer agrees that the Armed Forces High Command should make preparations for these measures and that they should be carried out.
b. During negotiations between the German and Spanish Navies regarding equipment for Spain, agreement was reached on most points; e.g., German mines are to be delivered. This could be done at once and would be in the interest of the German Navy. Delivery is being delayed, however, by trivial bickering on the part of the Ministry of Economics. The Commander-in-Chief, Navy requests that the Foreign Office clarify the matter.
The Foreign Minister will attend to the matter.
8. Occupation of the Azores.
This subject was brought up by the Führer. Judging from an earlier summary of the situation, which has not undergone any changes since, it would be possible to carry out the initial occupation of the Azores, using combat forces. It is extremely unlikely, however, that the islands could be held and supplies brought up in the face of British, possibly also American attacks. Moreover, all our combat forces, including submarines, would be necessary to achieve this, and they would therefore have to be withdrawn from all offensive activities in the Battle of the Atlantic; this is intolerable. The Navy oust therefore reject the idea of occupying the Azores.
The Führer is still is favour of occupying the Azores, in order to be able to operate long-range bombers from there against the U.S.A. The occasion for this may arise by autumn. In reply to the Commander-in-Chief, Navy, the Führer confirms that the Navy’s main task in summer 1941 must be the disruption of British supply lines.
9. Plans for operation ‘Barbarossa’:
It is essential that contact and conferences with the Finnish Admiralty be approved soon, at least as regards negotiations on fundamental operational matters, the settlement of which must be considered an essential factor for any operations. Such conferences require lengthy preparation; questions to be discussed include fuel supplies, anti-aircraft defence of bases and anchorages, supplies of foodstuffs, prompt transfer of vessels from the shipyards, etc.
The Chief of Staff. Armed Forces High Command states that following the return of Minister Schnurre within the next few days, negotiations will take place between the Armed Forces High Command and the Finns. Subsequently, discussions on the part of the Navy will be possible.
Transports to Finland will, as ordered, be carried out in ten instead of twenty one days. Twenty five steamers will be withdrawn from merchant shipping for this purpose.
10. Organization in the southeastern area:
According to Führer Directive No. 29, it is intended that the Army shall hand over the defence of the whole Greek area, up to Salonika, to the Italian Armed Forces after completion of operation ‘Merkur’. The directive leaves open for later settlement the question of who is ultimately to provide the occupational forces for Crete. Attention is called to the decisive importance of defending the main strategic points such as Salonika, Lemnos, Piraeus, Melos, and Crete. These points are of decisive importance as strategic bases for any further operations in the Eastern Mediterranean. It is essential that they be adequately protected against all eventualities and be ready to offer determined resistance to any enemy action. This is a necessary condition for successful operations by the X Air Corps. Such protection, however, can be guaranteed only if coastal defence and occupation of the hinterland is in the hands of German forces. The Naval Staff is therefore of the opinion that the bases in question should be firmly held by German forces until the Mediterranean operation as a whole has been concluded, more specifically, until British operations in the Eastern Mediterranean, including Alexandria and the Suez, have been eliminated. This applies especially to Crete, which is essential to the X Air Corps.
The Führer agrees, and gives the Chief of Staff, Armed Forces High Command appropriate instructions.
11. Italian submarines:
The Commander-in-Chief. Navy once again requests withdrawal of Italian submarines from the Atlantic. The time is propitious, since they are urgently needed in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The Foreign Minister proposes that he raise this point with Count Ciano or that the Führer discuss it at his next meeting with the Duce, which is to take place soon.
The Führer agrees.
12. The Commander-in-Chief, Navy asks the Führer for his opinion on Japan’s attitude, as he is under the impression that the Japanese are rather cool. (Nomura is negotiating in Washington!)
At the present time the Führer has no clear picture of the situation but obviously there are internal political difficulties in Japan. The good friendship policy is to be continued.
The Commander-in-Chief, Navy reports on information received from Admiral Nomura regarding new ships built by the Japanese.
The Führer emphasizes the necessity for complete secrecy.
13. The Commander-in-Chief, Navy stresses the need for deepening navigational channels to accommodate very heavy new vessels after the war. The depth of the Kiel Canal, the Belts, and Jade Bay should be increased to fifteen metres. This work is to be carried out by the Navy, while the Elbe and Weser Rivers should be deepened as a large-scale project of other governmental agencies.
The Führer agrees entirely, but points out also the urgency of expanding Trondheim.
14. The Commander-in-Chief, Navy states that very careful and detailed preparations have been made for holding back the important materials to be delivered to Russia. The Russian Navy will be informed in the near future that the German Navy is having to draw on some of the things in view of the state of emergency, so that slight delays will occur, but that deliveries as a whole are not jeopardized.
The Führer agrees. The Foreign Minister has been informed.
15. The Commander-in-Chief, Navy reports that it will take eight months to complete constructing the aircraft carrier, including installations of anti-aircraft guns, if the work is resumed at the conclusion of operation ‘Barbarossa’. An additional year will be needed for trials. As soon as it has definitely been decided to continue work on the carrier, the Führer should order the Commander-in-Chief, Air to make the necessary planes available in time.
(Signed) Raeder
