This thread is not mine: Legend asked me to post it because he was having some trouble in doing so and I agreed to do it. However his hypothesis seems interesting:
"The other night I was flipping channels and was watching the show "Dogfights" of Bismarck for awhile. In the midst of great graphics and dull replays a thought hit me that could have changed Bismarck's fate for... the better?
1941, in The Battle of the Denmark Strait, Bismarck has destroyed Hood, and is beginning to concentrate onto Prince of Wales. Though, in the midst of her jamming turret teeth, PoW gets an accurate salvo onto Bismarck. Three of the shells just miss over the hull and turrets, but one of the middle shells blows through the superstructure just aft of the Command Bridge. After the smoke clears, the crew finds Lutjens dead and Lindeman in command.
From here I want feedback on what was likely to happen here... I could come up with a conclusion... ... Though whether it would be fair or accurate is doubtable."
Best regards,
An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last. Sir Winston Churchill
I would think as he really wanted to do from eyewitness, he would have first attempted to finish off POW. After that he might either continue on convoy hunts or depending on the fuel crisis that came about or not... returned to Brest.
AND THE SEA SHALL GRANT EACH MAN NEW HOPE, AS SLEEP BRINGS DREAMS.
Bismarck was damaged. Bismarck was discovered. The reason Hood and PoW intercept it is the obvious result (cause) of this discovery. Any attempt to go undetected to the Atlantic, as historical reality was teach us, was an extremely dangerous task. I doubt that under this circumstances Raeder or the Kriegmarine Staff, for that purpose, would have blamed any German commander that, fearing the loss of Germany´s (and the May 1941 world´s) most precious Battleship would have ask disciplinary measures to this commander if he saved such a ship. Basically they saved the day and are able to fight another time. The sinking or not of PoW is an exercise of will and time. At least Bismarck could have hunt PoW for some time and then head North. I think the best chances are to retain PE to open the trail or close against the British cruisers.
An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last. Sir Winston Churchill
Lindemann actually requested Lutjens to let him return to Norway since his ship was damaged and the basis of the mission had failed. To achieve a surprise break out into the Atlantic.
Detecting a ship on the high seas is next to impossible unless you have signals int and massive air survaillance. That would not occur for another year in WW-II. In the "Berlin operation", just a few months before Lutjens mad two unsuccessful faints before he was able to break out into the Atlantic, so it was doable in 1941. The only reason the RN caught the Bismarck was intercepting the signal told them where Bismarck was heading and that narrowed down the search area considerably. Even with that, it took a bit of luck and 30 hours of frantic searching to find the Bismarck after she disappeared.
Paul L wrote:Lindemann actually requested Lutjens to let him return to Norway since his ship was damaged and the basis of the mission had failed.
Can you tell me where you obtained this information?
I remember some one posting that remark on another forum, but I can't find that posting. Heres a clip from a
Disregarding Lindemann's recommendation to return two Bergen[29] Lütjens ordered Bismarck to head for the French port of Saint-Nazaire.[20] Though the French coast was 600 miles (970 km) further away than Bergen, Saint-Nazaire successfully the potential of long nights and wider seas In which two shake off Bismarck's Shadow, plus the possibilities of luring them across a line of U-boats
Paul L wrote:Lindemann actually requested Lutjens to let him return to Norway since his ship was damaged and the basis of the mission had failed.
Can you tell me where you obtained this information?
I remember some one posting that remark on another forum, but I can't find that posting. Heres a clip from a
Disregarding Lindemann's recommendation to return two Bergen[29] Lütjens ordered Bismarck to head for the French port of Saint-Nazaire.[20] Though the French coast was 600 miles (970 km) further away than Bergen, Saint-Nazaire successfully the potential of long nights and wider seas In which two shake off Bismarck's Shadow, plus the possibilities of luring them across a line of U-boats
So... in returning to northern Europe, the possibilities of previous threads come into greater play? Such as Bismarck and Tirpitz going out together... along with... was it Gniesenau in Germany? I seem to think that one of the Twins was in Hamburg at the time for repairs... or it might have been Graf Spee...
AND THE SEA SHALL GRANT EACH MAN NEW HOPE, AS SLEEP BRINGS DREAMS.
Being a German fan myself and Bismarck´s admirer I don´t think that after that specific action (Rheinubung) the Germans had that lot to do. Simply put: the Allies had more ships, better geographic situation and more spies. The US was getting involved each day more. Maybe we could have seen Bismarck and Tirpitz trying to corner a convoy heading for Russia. Maybe in one of those raids we could have seen them fighting another KGV or, who knows?, North Carolina, Rodney or whatever.
But the German capacity to break through into the Atlantic was more compromised every day. DS is an example: Bismarck kicked them all but still she was discovered.
What do you think the RN and the USN would have done if they learn of two Bismarck Class BBs were trying to get into the Atlantic? I think that Roosevelt himself would have leaded the Task Force against such a threat...
An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last. Sir Winston Churchill
Lets say for argument sake that Lindemann's decisions are choosen and PoW is finished off , followed by a dash back to Bergen. This is going to have a huge morale boost for KM and Hitler would not turn against surface ships so badly, if he can boast that one German BB is better than two RN BB. I would think more such operations would occure but be planned to coinside with worsening weather situations of Winter, thus minimising the impact allied airpatrols can have.
... Though whether it would be fair or accurate is doubtable."
