Svipdag
04-10-2012, 12:22 AM
Karl Doenitz was a close associate of Adolf Hitler's. After Hitler's suicide, it was found in his will that , believing that only the Navy had remained loyal to him, Hitler had designated Grand Admiral Doenitz to head the German government with the title of President.
Accordingly, Grand Admiral Doenitz set up a government at Flensburg which the Allies refused to recognise. He then issued orders to General Jodl to surrender unconditionally to the Allies. Grand Admiral Doenitz was arrested at Flensburg and charged with war crimes.
Specifically, with waging unrestricted submarine warfare and violating the law of the seas. [US] Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz testified by deposition at Doenitz's trial that Grand Admiral Doenitz had conducted submarine warfare in the only way that it could be conducted at that point in history and that, if he [Nimitz] had been in the same situation, he would have employed the same tactics.
Furthermore, Fleet Admiral Nimitz pointed out that the "Law of the Seas"
dated from the age of tall ships and had no bearing on modern naval warfare.
Despite Fleet Admiral Nimitz's testimony, Grand Admiral Doenitz was convicted
and sentenced to ten years imprisonment at Spandau.
Upon his release in 1956, the climate of opinion had changed, and it was widely thought, especially by naval, officers, that Grand Admiral Doenitz's conviction and imprisonment were unjustified. What do you think ?
Accordingly, Grand Admiral Doenitz set up a government at Flensburg which the Allies refused to recognise. He then issued orders to General Jodl to surrender unconditionally to the Allies. Grand Admiral Doenitz was arrested at Flensburg and charged with war crimes.
Specifically, with waging unrestricted submarine warfare and violating the law of the seas. [US] Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz testified by deposition at Doenitz's trial that Grand Admiral Doenitz had conducted submarine warfare in the only way that it could be conducted at that point in history and that, if he [Nimitz] had been in the same situation, he would have employed the same tactics.
Furthermore, Fleet Admiral Nimitz pointed out that the "Law of the Seas"
dated from the age of tall ships and had no bearing on modern naval warfare.
Despite Fleet Admiral Nimitz's testimony, Grand Admiral Doenitz was convicted
and sentenced to ten years imprisonment at Spandau.
Upon his release in 1956, the climate of opinion had changed, and it was widely thought, especially by naval, officers, that Grand Admiral Doenitz's conviction and imprisonment were unjustified. What do you think ?