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It's one of history's biggest ironies that the US charged the Nazis with "crimes against the peace" There has never been a country as war-loving as the US. Napoleon was a pacifist in comparison. The US literally drops bombs on weddings, funerals and failed states like Somalia. The US was literally dropping bombs on Somalia the day the Russians crossed the border into Ukraine. Right at this moment, the us is breaking all international law bombing Gaza and now is using nerve agents against the civilians therein. Even the Nazis absolutely and steadfastly refused to bring back the scourge of the first world war and its widespread use of chemical weapons. NOT THE US. NOT IN 2023. The US is the only country to have ever dropped a nuclear weapon on civilians or anyone for that matter.
BS: his single issue was German bigotry. His strategic stupidity required the construction of battleships instead of aircraft and submarines. Raeder wanted a right wing Nazi government like most Germans. They were stupid enough to think psuedo-scientific bigotry, cruelty and war would make Germany great, like the White West to this very day. There was never any chance of large scale fleet actions by the Kriegsmarine. The strategy was to maintain a "Fleet in Being" to keep Britain's Navy remained in Scapa Flow. Hitler, Raeder, and OKW were too stupid to learn from WWI where German submarines nearly strangled Britain. They were too stupid to continuously improve their combat aircraft until it was too late. Geerman bigotry cost them the war, just as Zelenskiy's government Nazi bigotry is dooming them.
Raeder translates to „wheels“. So a common pun among critics was „ mit Raedern soll man nicht übers Wasser fahren“ which translated to „ you should not drive over the water with wheels“
Until my early 20s I thought doenitz was head of the kriegsmarine. Lol. A great book 'the arms of Krupp' corrected that aspect of my history Channel education.
An interesting theory I've read and listened to was had Germany built more u-boats with the steel used for KMS Bismarck and KMS Tirpitz and the Graf Spree there was a good chance that they would've been able to strangle Britain out of the war before the US got involved. However, I do believe that Dontiz was right about Raeder clinging to old naval beliefs. And I believe Raeder was a bit delusional thinking he could take on the Royal Navy, let alone the US Navy. Even Yamamoto knew the Japanese Navy would never defeat the US Navy. If I remember correctly, during the planning for the raid on Pearl Harbor he said something to the effect of "if we do this then I can guarantee to put up a tough fight for the first 6 months but I absolutely have no confidence as to what will happen if it went on for two or three years" and just before the raid he said "for a while we'll have everything our own way stretching out like an octopus spreading its tentacles, but that'll last for a year, a year-and-a-half at most".
Short of the UK suing for peace in 1940 after Dunkirk. The U-Boats were the only realistic way to defeat the British. But that required a much larger U-Boat fleet than Donitz had in 1940-41. After Hitler declared war on America the Battle of the Atlantic was going to be lost by Germany
Had Germany had the facilities to build more U-Boats, and had they done so; it is unlikely that Britain would not have reacted with building more convoy escorts. The enemy gets a vote in war, and the Royal Navy was not known for just sitting around waiting passively for the enemy to beat them.
@@PalleRasmussen this would've been early in the war. Germany nearly succeeded in choking off Britain of supplies. Britain was so desperate for ships that when the Lend/Lease program was enacted they were taking the US's mothballed destroyers from WWI and fueling them up and pressing them right into service. If Germany had another 50-100 u-boats, which is the estimate from the steel that Bismarck and Tirpitz used, before either Lend/Lease or mid-1942 (when the US gets fully mobilized) Germany probably forces Britain's surrender.
@@joshuasill1141 The mothballed destroyers pre-dated Lend Lease, and were seen by the Admiralty as a stop gap measure until new construction emerged. They were not, 'pressed right into service, ' but were refitted in Canadian & British yards first. Hasn't it occurred to you that, if Germany had begun a major U-boat building programme before the French Campaign, firstly the boats would have been required to access the Atlantic round the north of Scotland, thus seriously hindering their effectiveness, and secondly, such a programme could only have been aimed at Britain, and the Britisn response was likely to have been an accelerated building programme of anti-submarine sloops, frigates, and corvettes above and beyond the one the British & Canadians actually pursued?
It doesn't matter what the Germans would have done, you see. No matter how many ships they would have sunk (as if they wouldn't have sunk proportionally more if they'd built more U-boats, for example), it never would have mattered. That is what these British are trying to tell you. When they say Bismarck and Prince Eugen defeating Hood and Prince of Wales was "luck." It's easy to see that with real luck, German naval prowess could have decimated the RN and stretch British resources beyond politically acceptable limits.
Very informative and well presented- good job to all that had a hand in producing it. IMHO- Reader was a good Admiral by putting the Navy first and foremost in everything he did, wearing that Swastika and his devotion in Hitler can't be over looked... he was one of THEM- those that knew about the Holocaust atrocities but either did nothing or were directly involved, period.
Yes, yet another top ranking Nazi who claimed to have known nothing about the Holocaust. On Raeder's professional role I believe Doenitz was correct that Germany should focus on Uboats and not large surface ships.
Raeder wanted to invade Norway. Raeder followed Hitler's orders pertaining to Commandos. Raeder knew the Germans sank the SS ATHENIA even while blaming the UK. Raeder claims to have known nothing about Hitler's plans for the Jews. Other top brass stated otherwise. Raeder never said anything about removing all Jews serving in the Navy. He knew but only cared about one thing: building up his Navy regardless of other plans.
TY - very interesting. One point though - the figures given for the battle of Narvik, reflected only the 1st battle - During the 2nd battle - 3 days later - the Germans lost heavily - 8 destroyers sunk or scuttled and 1 U-boat sunk, and the RN lost just 3 damaged destroyers
Good vid. But as noted by several commentators here, there were multiple small errors. One thing I would have liked to see more detail on was the rift between Donita and Raeder.
He was not a nazi. In fact he asked his subordinates and the navy should stay out of politics. In fact the allies committed war crimes bombing civilians and they also sunk axis merchant marines, civilians. The same as the Kriegsmarine .
He committed no war crimes. His persecution at Nuremberg was proof that the trials were not based on law. Many of the verdicts were just but the judges were often pretending to base them on law. Raeder was a career naval officer who did his duty without committing was crimes. That is different from officers who committed war crimes and used the excuse that they were just following orders.
Re: "the trials were not based on law." You let the Hitler-hugging mask slip too easily. Your glorious Führer put a bullet in his brain in a Berlin bunker. It’s been 78 years. Get over it.
Like so many decent Germans,stood aside while a bunch of criminals and cruel incompetants brought one of Europes great countries to its knees and destroyed the lives of millions !
That's just great Reader, a proponent of war and leader of the Navy , , , sends countless young men to their deaths , , , then when things are not going well , , , Reader resigns , , , and quits saying " I don't want to play this game anymore " , , , then lives into his 80's , , , never having missed a dinner , , ,
Raeder wasn’t fully positioned to make the role of the Navy important to Hitler’s goals which were set in motion long before the German navy would have been fully operational. He tried to remain relevant but the invasion of the Soviet Union rendered his role being a secondary one. Their failures were devastating and Raeder could not possess the necessary tools to be relevant in the war. Doenitz’s U-Boats were able to interfere with supplies en route to Britain on a consistent basis Raeder’s surface ships couldn’t.
I was unaware of his support for a Mediterranean strategy. That is - indeed - what the Axis Powers should have done - instead of attacking Russia. Naval Power is inherently Strategic - so - I'm not surprised to see that Raeder saw the strategic advantage of this. I just didn't know that he had. At the beginning of 1941 the Germans were at war only with Britain and they were winning. At the end of 1941 the Germans were at war with Britain, the USA and the USSR - and they were doomed. Concentrating on attacking the British Empire - getting the Suez Canal and the oil of the middle east - they also would have then had land access to the the Rare Minerals of Africa. Not having access to those minerals - meant that German machinery (such as jet engines and final drives) broke down sooner than that of Allied Machinery - which did have access to those minerals. Saying that the Med was part of the Italian's Sphere of Influence - meant nothing. If the Germans had *_wanted_* to put a greater effort in that area the Italians certainly would not have tried to stop them. There is a difference between the Germans leaving the Med to the Italians because Hitler wanted to attack Russia - and them being excluded from the Med by the Italians - as if the Italians didn't want them there. In any case - the Germans were going to attack the Russians because that is what Hitler wanted to do. Hitler didn't want to fight the British. He would have preferred to have them come to terms - but- they were largely unable to do anything on the continent anyway so that was good enough for Hitler. Good enough for him to attack the Russians - which is what he wanted to do. .
Hitler was strategical diletant.He did had great land army and oficer core, and he had a lot of luck in the opening stages of the war,but ultimately his strategy thinking and moves were absolute catastrofic for Germany.He did have after the fall of France and before Barbarossa a window of oportunity to acctualy win the war but after the start of the invasion of Soviet union chance for the win was not there.
This is an exceptionally well told story, deftly negotiating the personal vicissitudes of a single individual and the daunting currents of his time. I'm rather convinced from hearing this that his judgment at Nuremberg may have been too harsh. He cannot be fairly accused of war crimes, despite his inextricable involvement in the dictator's aggressive plans. But how much of a defense is of planning to wage aggressive war that you sought this in 1943 or 1949 instead of 1939?
Reader was certainly blighted by being surrounded by shiftless thugs. But overall I believe he was an honorable officer who helped make the German navy better. Probably should have gotten 10 years, like Doenitz.
Raeder's earlier influence with Hitler assisted the Allies. Doenitz was denied the vast fleet of u boats to destroy the vital supply line between the USA and Britain. The effectiveness of the u boat campaign is detailed in the excellent Battle for the Atlantic by Jonathan Dimbleby
Hasn't it occurred to you that, if Germany had begun a major U-boat building programme before the French Campaign, firstly the boats would have been required to access the Atlantic round the north of Scotland, thus seriously hindering their effectiveness, and secondly, such a programme could only have been aimed at Britain, and the Britisn response was likely to have been an accelerated building programme of anti-submarine sloops, frigates, and corvettes above and beyond the one the British & Canadians actually pursued?
Brilliant presentation and narration. IMO neither Raeder nor Dönitz were war criminals and the allies had no business bringing them to trial. Victors "justice".
I disagree totally. You forgot that both Navy men where stuck in the situation where they couldn't have a naval career that was not tied to the Nazi party. They had to follow the order from Hitler only. Both men was part of the government and were part of the war machine. Reader, to a less of a degree that Donitz, he was only out of the picture by 1943 but he had give the orders for total submarine warfare.
a great strategist, kriegsmarine should be proud it had him. particularly his insistence of the importance of suez canal in deterring britain's war effort was genius, suez canal's importance is showing up to this very day.. Donitz was right tho when he called him or his surface fleet ambitions a dinosaur, as submarines and aircraft carriers are the masters of the sea today and not the big surface ships
This men like him and Donitz lived in a graysone so to speak and you have to dig deep into them to get some kind of understanding,when you look at things in general the german navy and sailors did not get as bad wrap or punishment in general as the milletery
Hitler declaring War on the US was an own goal. Had they not declared on the US, American isolationism was still strong. Almost all the US anger was aimed at Japan. Germany had no idea of the true production capacity of US industry. There would have been a strong tendency in Congress to stay out of Europe and concentrate on Japan. Raeder shared this blind spot with Hitler.
In the first five minutes twqo mistakes. Schleswig Holstein was not "seized" by Prussia. The german federation prevented the integration by Schelswig into Denmark. The school playground is not what you see in germany, it is an american school playground
I have no proof, and what I have been told is probably incorrect. However, on my father's side of the family, which is Dutch and German, one of my relatives last names in the US was Reeder. I was always told that through the Reeders, I was distantly related to Admiral Raeder. But, who the hail knows.
President von Hindenburg wanted to restore the Hohenzollern monarchy to power in the 1930s. If he had, all would have been well for Admiral Raeder, and the world in general. It's "funny" how overthrowing the Habsburgs, Hohenzollerns and Romanovs only resulted in millions of people dying for no apparent reason. So much for self determination.
He was a man of his time. He was first a Navy man who served his country. It could have been anybody besides Hitler, and he would have still be loyal to the Navy and his country.
I dont know why the Germans didn’t just build merchant vessels that had a design and hull easily converted to warships so they could get past the tonnage limits
I discard the idea of army being apolitical. They are the major force and instrument of any regime, they are the most obliged to be political and questioning government's actions before anybody else.
@@peterrobbins2862 Invasion of Iraq was implemented flawlessly, with minimum blood. They also has no intention of conquering Iraqi land. All the problems were from the subsequent civil war among Iraqis themselves.
Great video and commentary. However, some of the comments in the comment section do not reflect the oath of loyalty to the fatherland, which obliges to obey the government. He took that seriously and for that he should be respected.
This obscene contrivance relies on naivety. It is the get out clause for every conscience laden skeptic. it seeks to excuse immorality on the basis of blind conformity.
Raeder was a conventional thinker, largely devoid of imagination and forethought. If he had been proactive he would have organised that the U-Boats were positioned at the Northern and Southern end of the English channel with Goebbels providing protection from the air so that no evacuation of troops from Dunkirk could have been undertaken without huge losses to British sea and water craft. In that narrow channel was the place to contest the numerically superior British Navy just as the Spartans met the Persians at the pass of Thermopylae. Because all the German Services, for reasons of jealously, tradition, pride and envy, did not co-operate with each other, the war was lost at that moment when Hitler did not press home his sudden defeat of France and destroy the British Expeditionary Force in its entirety.
When the Germans sent U-boats into the Channel in late 1939, all three were promptly sunk. I didn't know that Goebbels was even a pilot! The troops evacuated from Dunkirk were not done so through the Channel. The Luftwaffe tried very hard to prevent the evacuation, but failed badly. Leonidas lost at Thermopylae. The crucial victory was that of Thermistocles at Salamis. A Naval victory, of course.
His Majesty Wilhelm II did not die in 1940, but 1941 at the age of 82 years, in Doorn, NL. Nowe his body rests in Germany, as far, as I know. ♍ The 'Bluecher' was NOT a battlecruiser, but only the LAST 'PANZERKREUZER' ever built for the German Navy, named after the actual winner of the battle at Waterloo in June 1815, whose cavalry had at least played a vital part in the finał Victory of the Alliance over Napoleon, thus bringing his finał downfall. Admiral Scheer was offered a title after the battle of Jutland, but refused to accept it, so calling him VON SCHEER is a mistake.
To offer an answer to your question at the end Raeder might simply be regarded as a patriot who at one level failed to make the correct personal choices, but who did what so many of us would likely do. We can judge the architects of Nazism and the key figures, but Raeder was not one of them. Ask the same question in 50 years!
I would say he was loyal, to a fault. I think the 10 years in prison was fine in his situation, but he requested death by firing squad, I think that would have been fine and fitting as he didn't do anything other than be a naval officer trying to do what naval officers do...
Interesting but rhe the Jutland contraversy waa always a red herring. The German fleet waa never in a position to challenge the Royal Navy, and had no desire to fight a major fleet action it knew it could not win. It waa brought to action against its will, sevearly mauled and skillfully ran away leaving victory to Britain.
Good presentation, with one criticism. If you are going to use German words, learn the pronunciation. If not, just use the English translation. The same applies to any language, not just German.
nice pictures but they are often nt related to the topic showing neu-schwanstein castle is just one of many examples. I think you all can do a better job
If only he had remained Danish and not beee drummed into following orders. Prussia, the pox at the centre of Europe that invaded France 3 times, Russia twice and tried to starve Britain twice, with submarines.
this is a joke that the invasion of Belgium tipped the scales for Britain to join the war. they wanted to join to get rid of their only rival that could challenge their navy they would have joined sooner or later anyway, even if Germany would have not invaded Belgium this is only the victors side of the story, the truth is, both sides have been doing arms race spending in years prior to the war
While it may be argued his cause was the Navy and the pride of Germany, his stature as a preminent figure within the country only served to support the eventual outcomes and as such required he answer to the moral degradation of Germany!
Erich Raeder was a great Grand Admiral of Kriegsmarine whose carried Germany 🇩🇪 ambitious faithfully for becoming the owners of global dominate naval fleets.
I must admit I was very surprised by the fact that he was tried and convicted of war crimes,especially since he resigned his post. Also along with Donitz I don't think the two of them would have anything to do with the holocaust. However everyone especially high ranking officials had to have known how most of the military equipment was built by slave labor. I don't really agree with Reader and Donitz serving time for war crimes. I agree with the Allies assertion that these individuals shouldn't be prosecuted as war criminals.
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Wonderfully narrated, knew very little about his life and dedication to his career.
It's one of history's biggest ironies that the US charged the Nazis with "crimes against the peace"
There has never been a country as war-loving as the US. Napoleon was a pacifist in comparison. The US literally drops bombs on weddings, funerals and failed states like Somalia. The US was literally dropping bombs on Somalia the day the Russians crossed the border into Ukraine. Right at this moment, the us is breaking all international law bombing Gaza and now is using nerve agents against the civilians therein. Even the Nazis absolutely and steadfastly refused to bring back the scourge of the first world war and its widespread use of chemical weapons. NOT THE US. NOT IN 2023. The US is the only country to have ever dropped a nuclear weapon on civilians or anyone for that matter.
Best narrator yet.
Ooh I enjoyed this narration too. So many great voices and great information. Thanks again for the time and effort. Best to you all. ❤😊
"Stern encouragement!" Only an Englishman can say that! LOL! As an American, I never heard that expression, but it makes absolute sense!
Very interesting and well presented...formidable characters....
I love this series...very.. personal 💯
Raedar was a single issue voter and that single issue was “BOATS”
Nice analogy. You're so right 😆
😂😂
😂😂😂
BS: his single issue was German bigotry. His strategic stupidity required the construction of battleships instead of aircraft and submarines. Raeder wanted a right wing Nazi government like most Germans. They were stupid enough to think psuedo-scientific bigotry, cruelty and war would make Germany great, like the White West to this very day.
There was never any chance of large scale fleet actions by the Kriegsmarine. The strategy was to maintain a "Fleet in Being" to keep Britain's Navy remained in Scapa Flow. Hitler, Raeder, and OKW were too stupid to learn from WWI where German submarines nearly strangled Britain. They were too stupid to continuously improve their combat aircraft until it was too late.
Geerman bigotry cost them the war, just as Zelenskiy's government Nazi bigotry is dooming them.
Germany lost the war? Look at the world now! They all lost!
Raeder translates to „wheels“. So a common pun among critics was „ mit Raedern soll man nicht übers Wasser fahren“ which translated to „ you should not drive over the water with wheels“
A lot, of interesting back story and context surrounding the naval build up to the battle of Jutland.
Great video as always!
Love your videos guys! Keep up the good work! Best documentaries our there!🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤
Until my early 20s I thought doenitz was head of the kriegsmarine. Lol.
A great book 'the arms of Krupp' corrected that aspect of my history Channel education.
An interesting theory I've read and listened to was had Germany built more u-boats with the steel used for KMS Bismarck and KMS Tirpitz and the Graf Spree there was a good chance that they would've been able to strangle Britain out of the war before the US got involved. However, I do believe that Dontiz was right about Raeder clinging to old naval beliefs. And I believe Raeder was a bit delusional thinking he could take on the Royal Navy, let alone the US Navy. Even Yamamoto knew the Japanese Navy would never defeat the US Navy. If I remember correctly, during the planning for the raid on Pearl Harbor he said something to the effect of "if we do this then I can guarantee to put up a tough fight for the first 6 months but I absolutely have no confidence as to what will happen if it went on for two or three years" and just before the raid he said "for a while we'll have everything our own way stretching out like an octopus spreading its tentacles, but that'll last for a year, a year-and-a-half at most".
Short of the UK suing for peace in 1940 after Dunkirk. The U-Boats were the only realistic way to defeat the British. But that required a much larger U-Boat fleet than Donitz had in 1940-41. After Hitler declared war on America the Battle of the Atlantic was going to be lost by Germany
Had Germany had the facilities to build more U-Boats, and had they done so; it is unlikely that Britain would not have reacted with building more convoy escorts. The enemy gets a vote in war, and the Royal Navy was not known for just sitting around waiting passively for the enemy to beat them.
@@PalleRasmussen this would've been early in the war. Germany nearly succeeded in choking off Britain of supplies. Britain was so desperate for ships that when the Lend/Lease program was enacted they were taking the US's mothballed destroyers from WWI and fueling them up and pressing them right into service. If Germany had another 50-100 u-boats, which is the estimate from the steel that Bismarck and Tirpitz used, before either Lend/Lease or mid-1942 (when the US gets fully mobilized) Germany probably forces Britain's surrender.
@@joshuasill1141 The mothballed destroyers pre-dated Lend Lease, and were seen by the Admiralty as a stop gap measure until new construction emerged. They were not, 'pressed right into service, ' but were refitted in Canadian & British yards first.
Hasn't it occurred to you that, if Germany had begun a major U-boat building programme before the French Campaign, firstly the boats would have been required to access the Atlantic round the north of Scotland, thus seriously hindering their effectiveness, and secondly, such a programme could only have been aimed at Britain, and the Britisn response was likely to have been an accelerated building programme of anti-submarine sloops, frigates, and corvettes above and beyond the one the British & Canadians actually pursued?
It doesn't matter what the Germans would have done, you see. No matter how many ships they would have sunk (as if they wouldn't have sunk proportionally more if they'd built more U-boats, for example), it never would have mattered. That is what these British are trying to tell you. When they say Bismarck and Prince Eugen defeating Hood and Prince of Wales was "luck." It's easy to see that with real luck, German naval prowess could have decimated the RN and stretch British resources beyond politically acceptable limits.
Very informative and well presented- good job to all that had a hand in producing it. IMHO- Reader was a good Admiral by putting the Navy first and foremost in everything he did, wearing that Swastika and his devotion in Hitler can't be over looked... he was one of THEM- those that knew about the Holocaust atrocities but either did nothing or were directly involved, period.
Yes, yet another top ranking Nazi who claimed to have known nothing about the Holocaust. On Raeder's professional role I believe Doenitz was correct that Germany should focus on Uboats and not large surface ships.
Raeder wanted to invade Norway.
Raeder followed Hitler's orders pertaining to Commandos.
Raeder knew the Germans sank the SS ATHENIA even while blaming the UK.
Raeder claims to have known nothing about Hitler's plans for the Jews. Other top brass stated otherwise. Raeder never said anything about removing all Jews serving in the Navy.
He knew but only cared about one thing: building up his Navy regardless of other plans.
agree guy was a 'kin nazi prik
Excellent Film very well done and seller written on. Man who did what his job had him too do.. very Good thank you
TY - very interesting. One point though - the figures given for the battle of Narvik, reflected only the 1st battle - During the 2nd battle - 3 days later - the Germans lost heavily - 8 destroyers sunk or scuttled and 1 U-boat sunk, and the RN lost just 3 damaged destroyers
Good vid. But as noted by several commentators here, there were multiple small errors.
One thing I would have liked to see more detail on was the rift between Donita and Raeder.
Very good episode
.Thanks!
Does someone here now what the last song is called? I really like it.
Great Work!
Great job.
He was not a nazi. In fact he asked his subordinates and the navy should stay out of politics. In fact the allies committed war crimes bombing civilians and they also sunk axis merchant marines, civilians. The same as the Kriegsmarine .
Why does this have to happen at 1pm for me, don't they know we like our bed time stories to be as suprise?
Hahahahaha 😂
Time zones.
Anyone who makes war or supports those who make war when that war is a war of aggression is guilty of something.
He committed no war crimes. His persecution at Nuremberg was proof that the trials were not based on law. Many of the verdicts were just but the judges were often pretending to base them on law. Raeder was a career naval officer who did his duty without committing was crimes. That is different from officers who committed war crimes and used the excuse that they were just following orders.
Re: "the trials were not based on law." You let the Hitler-hugging mask slip too easily. Your glorious Führer put a bullet in his brain in a Berlin bunker. It’s been 78 years. Get over it.
Technically ordering commercial shipping to be sunk is a war crime 💁
😂
Very interesting doku. Thanks.
I personally think his own personal ambitions and ideals is what drove him to stupidly go along with the Nazis.
Like so many decent Germans,stood aside while a bunch of criminals and cruel incompetants brought one of Europes great countries to its knees and destroyed the lives of millions !
Excellent work and good history
That's just great Reader, a proponent of war and leader of the Navy , , , sends countless young men to their deaths , , , then when things are not going well , , , Reader resigns , , , and quits saying " I don't want to play this game anymore " , , , then lives into his 80's , , , never having missed a dinner , , ,
Nice summation.
Raeder wasn’t fully positioned to make the role of the Navy important to Hitler’s goals which were set in motion long before the German navy would have been fully operational. He tried to remain relevant but the invasion of the Soviet Union rendered his role being a secondary one. Their failures were devastating and Raeder could not possess the necessary tools to be relevant in the war. Doenitz’s U-Boats were able to interfere with supplies en route to Britain on a consistent basis Raeder’s surface ships couldn’t.
Thanks, still hoping for Rundstedt or Guderian.
Start 5:50
I was unaware of his support for a Mediterranean strategy. That is - indeed - what the Axis Powers should have done - instead of attacking Russia. Naval Power is inherently Strategic - so - I'm not surprised to see that Raeder saw the strategic advantage of this. I just didn't know that he had.
At the beginning of 1941 the Germans were at war only with Britain and they were winning.
At the end of 1941 the Germans were at war with Britain, the USA and the USSR - and they were doomed.
Concentrating on attacking the British Empire - getting the Suez Canal and the oil of the middle east - they also would have then had land access to the the Rare Minerals of Africa. Not having access to those minerals - meant that German machinery (such as jet engines and final drives) broke down sooner than that of Allied Machinery - which did have access to those minerals.
Saying that the Med was part of the Italian's Sphere of Influence - meant nothing. If the Germans had *_wanted_* to put a greater effort in that area the Italians certainly would not have tried to stop them. There is a difference between the Germans leaving the Med to the Italians because Hitler wanted to attack Russia - and them being excluded from the Med by the Italians - as if the Italians didn't want them there.
In any case - the Germans were going to attack the Russians because that is what Hitler wanted to do. Hitler didn't want to fight the British. He would have preferred to have them come to terms - but- they were largely unable to do anything on the continent anyway so that was good enough for Hitler. Good enough for him to attack the Russians - which is what he wanted to do.
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Hitler was strategical diletant.He did had great land army and oficer core, and he had a lot of luck in the opening stages of the war,but ultimately his strategy thinking and moves were absolute catastrofic for Germany.He did have after the fall of France and before Barbarossa a window of oportunity to acctualy win the war but after the start of the invasion of Soviet union chance for the win was not there.
Well done and interesting. I would have preferred more detail but that would add more time and possibly risk losing the viewer.
This is an exceptionally well told story, deftly negotiating the personal vicissitudes of a single individual and the daunting currents of his time. I'm rather convinced from hearing this that his judgment at Nuremberg may have been too harsh. He cannot be fairly accused of war crimes, despite his inextricable involvement in the dictator's aggressive plans. But how much of a defense is of planning to wage aggressive war that you sought this in 1943 or 1949 instead of 1939?
Reader was certainly blighted by being surrounded by shiftless thugs. But overall I believe he was an honorable officer who helped make the German navy better. Probably should have gotten 10 years, like Doenitz.
BRILLIANT...but is this a new narrator?
The carrier was on its way back home.
The dive bombers in Norway were biplanes.
Raeder's earlier influence with Hitler assisted the Allies. Doenitz was denied the vast fleet of u boats to destroy the vital supply line between the USA and Britain. The effectiveness of the u boat campaign is detailed in the excellent Battle for the Atlantic by Jonathan Dimbleby
Hasn't it occurred to you that, if Germany had begun a major U-boat building programme before the French Campaign, firstly the boats would have been required to access the Atlantic round the north of Scotland, thus seriously hindering their effectiveness, and secondly, such a programme could only have been aimed at Britain, and the Britisn response was likely to have been an accelerated building programme of anti-submarine sloops, frigates, and corvettes above and beyond the one the British & Canadians actually pursued?
Surprised to learn we possessed the ship building ability. We relied on elderly American stock to counter the Atlantic menace.@@dovetonsturdee7033
BRAVO!!!! AWESOME!!!
As a U.S. Navy Vet;
He was a simple sailor loyal in truth only to his Navy. One has to be a sailor to truly understand this.
would u go along with hitler evil?
When one gives his loyalty to his government. It's dangerous to have doubts about it,
Brilliant presentation and narration. IMO neither Raeder nor Dönitz were war criminals and the allies had no business bringing them to trial. Victors "justice".
Agree entirely
Yeah , but they were ' kin pissed off and the Nuremberg trials were just a continuation of the war .
I disagree totally. You forgot that both Navy men where stuck in the situation where they couldn't have a naval career that was not tied to the Nazi party. They had to follow the order from Hitler only. Both men was part of the government and were part of the war machine. Reader, to a less of a degree that Donitz, he was only out of the picture by 1943 but he had give the orders for total submarine warfare.
a great strategist, kriegsmarine should be proud it had him. particularly his insistence of the importance of suez canal in deterring britain's war effort was genius, suez canal's importance is showing up to this very day.. Donitz was right tho when he called him or his surface fleet ambitions a dinosaur, as submarines and aircraft carriers are the masters of the sea today and not the big surface ships
This men like him and Donitz lived in a graysone so to speak and you have to dig deep into them to get some kind of understanding,when you look at things in general the german navy and sailors did not get as bad wrap or punishment in general as the milletery
The Kriegsmarine kept the traditional naval salute until the July bomb plot of 1944, they had an apolitical tradition
@@jamesgornall5731 Tru they also had a code of conduct as well even the submariners and I think this was very well known by the allies after some time
Great documentary is their.plans to do one on kaiser wilhelm ii
Hitler declaring War on the US was an own goal. Had they not declared on the US, American isolationism was still strong. Almost all the US anger was aimed at Japan. Germany had no idea of the true production capacity of US industry. There would have been a strong tendency in Congress to stay out of Europe and concentrate on Japan. Raeder shared this blind spot with Hitler.
Please make a documentary on Kurt Student, the founder of Luftwaffe Fallschirmjager
Please share the sources used for the making of this video.
Perfect name for an audacious leader.
Yes it is.⚓🚢😄
maybe the bosses at world of warships a game with ships, will watch this documentary and include this commander into the game
Eric Raeder: Loyal To His Navy
That's not Raeder on the title page.
In the first five minutes twqo mistakes. Schleswig Holstein was not "seized" by Prussia. The german federation prevented the integration by Schelswig into Denmark. The school playground is not what you see in germany, it is an american school playground
I have no proof, and what I have been told is probably incorrect. However, on my father's side of the family, which is Dutch and German, one of my relatives last names in the US was Reeder. I was always told that through the Reeders, I was distantly related to Admiral Raeder. But, who the hail knows.
President von Hindenburg wanted to restore the Hohenzollern monarchy to power in the 1930s. If he had, all would have been well for Admiral Raeder, and the world in general. It's "funny" how overthrowing the Habsburgs, Hohenzollerns and Romanovs only resulted in millions of people dying for no apparent reason. So much for self determination.
Was radar named after him?
He was a man of his time. He was first a Navy man who served his country. It could have been anybody besides Hitler, and he would have still be loyal to the Navy and his country.
but it was hitler. Can't go past that mate
I dont know why the Germans didn’t just build merchant vessels that had a design and hull easily converted to warships so they could get past the tonnage limits
I discard the idea of army being apolitical. They are the major force and instrument of any regime, they are the most obliged to be political and questioning government's actions before anybody else.
Indeed. People always pretend the branches don't belong to the same tree. Kind of like politics itself. Two wings one ugly ass bird.
That’s how it should be but not how it is.
No they aren't they do the governments wishes if what you wish was true American general staff wouldn't have allowed the invasion of Iraq
@@peterrobbins2862 Invasion of Iraq was implemented flawlessly, with minimum blood. They also has no intention of conquering Iraqi land. All the problems were from the subsequent civil war among Iraqis themselves.
Second Slesvig war was in 1864 not 1867
THOU SHALT NOT KILL
The bluecher is NOT a battle cruiser
Cant Wait For Gamal Abdel Nasser , Anwar Sadat , HOsni Mubarak , Saddam Hussein And Gaddafi
Great video and commentary. However, some of the comments in the comment section do not reflect the oath of loyalty to the fatherland, which obliges to obey the government. He took that seriously and for that he should be respected.
Really? Government are pirates. I don't respect people who steal and kill for a living.
This obscene contrivance relies on naivety. It is the get out clause for every conscience laden skeptic.
it seeks to excuse immorality on the basis of blind conformity.
Raeder was a conventional thinker, largely devoid of imagination and forethought. If he had been proactive he would have organised that the U-Boats were positioned at the Northern and Southern end of the English channel with Goebbels providing protection from the air so that no evacuation of troops from Dunkirk could have been undertaken without huge losses to British sea and water craft. In that narrow channel was the place to contest the numerically superior British Navy just as the Spartans met the Persians at the pass of Thermopylae.
Because all the German Services, for reasons of jealously, tradition, pride and envy, did not co-operate with each other, the war was lost at that moment when Hitler did not press home his sudden defeat of France and destroy the British Expeditionary Force in its entirety.
When the Germans sent U-boats into the Channel in late 1939, all three were promptly sunk.
I didn't know that Goebbels was even a pilot!
The troops evacuated from Dunkirk were not done so through the Channel.
The Luftwaffe tried very hard to prevent the evacuation, but failed badly.
Leonidas lost at Thermopylae. The crucial victory was that of Thermistocles at Salamis. A Naval victory, of course.
His Majesty Wilhelm II did not die in 1940, but 1941 at the age of 82 years, in Doorn, NL. Nowe his body rests in Germany, as far, as I know. ♍ The 'Bluecher' was NOT a battlecruiser, but only the LAST 'PANZERKREUZER' ever built for the German Navy, named after the actual winner of the battle at Waterloo in June 1815, whose cavalry had at least played a vital part in the finał Victory of the Alliance over Napoleon, thus bringing his finał downfall. Admiral Scheer was offered a title after the battle of Jutland, but refused to accept it, so calling him VON SCHEER is a mistake.
To offer an answer to your question at the end Raeder might simply be regarded as a patriot who at one level failed to make the correct personal choices, but who did what so many of us would likely do. We can judge the architects of Nazism and the key figures, but Raeder was not one of them. Ask the same question in 50 years!
50 years? Since when does morality have a time limit? Nazi Germany was evil 78 years ago and it will still be deemed evil 780 years from now.
I would say he was loyal, to a fault. I think the 10 years in prison was fine in his situation, but he requested death by firing squad, I think that would have been fine and fitting as he didn't do anything other than be a naval officer trying to do what naval officers do...
Reader should have been given a whole life sentence, the same as Rudolf Hess.
It wasn't a Danish province. It was a part of Germany under the King of Denmark, not part of Denmark.
Interesting but rhe the Jutland contraversy waa always a red herring. The German fleet waa never in a position to challenge the Royal Navy, and had no desire to fight a major fleet action it knew it could not win. It waa brought to action against its will, sevearly mauled and skillfully ran away leaving victory to Britain.
My potential distant relative, my mothers maiden name was Rader
The war against the Danes ended in 1864 - and not 1867
Good presentation, with one criticism. If you are going to use German words, learn the pronunciation. If not, just use the English translation. The same applies to any language, not just German.
An I was born just over one hundred years after him in the 18 May 1976 and not that far away in Bremerhaven... Lol
nice pictures but they are often nt related to the topic showing neu-schwanstein castle is just one of many examples. I think you all can do a better job
Whoever knows him from the World Congueror series,hit below💙
Save time listen easily at 1.5x
Omg! Meu sobrenome é Raeder 😳
If only he had remained Danish and not beee drummed into following orders. Prussia, the pox at the centre of Europe that invaded France 3 times, Russia twice and tried to starve Britain twice, with submarines.
this is a joke that the invasion of Belgium tipped the scales for Britain to join the war.
they wanted to join to get rid of their only rival that could challenge their navy
they would have joined sooner or later anyway, even if Germany would have not invaded Belgium
this is only the victors side of the story, the truth is, both sides have been doing arms race spending in years prior to the war
Raeder should have looked at a map 🗺️ as the Canary Islands and Azores aren't in the Mediterranean therefore couldn't be Mediterranean bases!
Darth Raeder
How many German sailors got to write their biography's , , , not many , , , just the leaders ( royality ) have that privilege , , , , ,
While it may be argued his cause was the Navy and the pride of Germany, his stature as a preminent figure within the country only served to support the eventual outcomes and as such required he answer to the moral degradation of Germany!
The Kaiser died in 1941, not 1940
Erich Raeder was a great Grand Admiral of Kriegsmarine whose carried Germany 🇩🇪 ambitious faithfully for becoming the owners of global dominate naval fleets.
nazi fk
Wilhelm II German Kaiser died in 1941 not 1940.
Great great grandpa
Von Rochow is Stolz auf ihn
Inconnu dans les annales de la Kriegsmarine.
We spent trillions of dollars , spent 20 years in Afghanistan and never could control more than 50% of the land at our best point.
I must admit I was very surprised by the fact that he was tried and convicted of war crimes,especially since he resigned his post. Also along with Donitz I don't think the two of them would have anything to do with the holocaust. However everyone especially high ranking officials had to have known how most of the military equipment was built by slave labor. I don't really agree with Reader and Donitz serving time for war crimes. I agree with the Allies assertion that these individuals shouldn't be prosecuted as war criminals.
Guilty as the rest WITHOUT QUESTION.
@anniechrisbendy6000 They all were.
Not guilty
)
“The man known to history as…”
STOP! This guy was alive very recently considering the span of history.