José M. Rico wrote:There is already a thread about how would you improve the Royal Navy, now, I was wondering how would you guys improve the Kriegsmarine? Do you cancel battleship construction in favor of smaller cruisers and submarines? Do you go forward with aircraft carriers and naval aviation? Feel free to discuss these and many other questions.
The year is 1933 and the Panzerschiff Graf Spee has just recently been laid down.
I have reposted the wording of this thread, and the starting point of 1933, because the first question I would ask is this - what is the intended purpose of the KM - as an aggresive instrument to achieve world domination, or a service to defend the country?
My answer would be the use of the KM for the latter purpose, really the most sensible use of the KM. that would mean a small sized, economical force as envisaged by Bismarck. A fleet of Panzerschiff would be quite sufficient, without the Hipper class cruisers.
However I suspect that isn't really what Jose was posing in his question. What is required I suspect is how we would design the KM as a force for the Fuhrer. Well, the best way to improve the KM from that standpoint would be to make the Fuhrer savvy about naval affairs and strategy, for Hitler to understand sea power.
I suspect that wasn't the sort of answer Jose was inviting us to make, but it is the most essential point. Don't start a war unless you can finish it. And you can only finish Britain and the US with naval power and naval supremacy.
So - to what Jose was inviting us to answer, the composition of the fleet of the KM.
Firstly - U-boats are the most obvious and potent weapon. But concentrating all efforts on that by mass production would be noticed abroad, seen as a hostile act, so countermeasures are taken before the war can start. That U-boats only strategy won't work. Instead it would be better to concentrate resources on developing a true submersible, a sub that can move fast underwater and stay submerged for at least twice as long as the then conventional submarines, all done in utmost secrecy.
Secondly, in 1934 the British agreed to Germany building to 35% of the strength of the RN and 45% in submarines. This must be the Fuhrer's trump card, the agreement Nazi Germany sticks too.
Starting in 1935 - the year Hitler reintroduced military conscription - the Fuhrer instructs Raeder to submit a detailed plan for KM construction right up to the treaty limit, with a six year time scale. Raeder is also told the the British must be consulted about German construction so that they approve the plans - to prevent British countermeasures.
Raeder's plan should be, for naval construction completion date of October 1941:
Three Bismarck class battleships, namely Bismarck, Tirpitz and Hindenburg. These will be as in reality except that secondary armament is eighteen 5 inch guns in triple turret arrangement to the actual 5.9 inch. No 4.1 inch guns.
Two Graf Zeppelin class carriers, together with a separate naval air force. Goering is shot as part of the Night of the Long Knives and Milch is Luftwaffe C in C, with orders to closely liase with Raeder on aircraft development and crew training.
Six pocket battleships. Hipper, Blucher and Prinz Eugen are the additional three, the resources for them are from the abandoned plan for 8 inch gun cruisers in favour of an improved design on the first three panzerschiffe.
The light cruisers are to be modified to improve their Atlantic seaworthiness. Three Spahrkreuzer are also to be built, along with twelve Narvik class destroyers with much longer ranges. These ships must be able to conduct Atlantic operations in conjunction with the big ships above.
And - one bit to be concealed from the British - a force of nine hilfskreuzer. But these hilfskreuzer are built from scratch expressly as combat ships using a merchant ship profile. Requirements are for six 5.9 inch guns main armament, with modern guns and fire control. These 5.9 inch guns must be power loaded and capable of rapid fire - say every four seconds. Diesel engined ships, capable of speeds up to 20 knots. These will operate as true Q-ships, but are expendible. They are there not only to sink merchant ships, but also to lure patrolling enemy cruisers to destruction Sydney style. As such an improved torpedo armament is required.
Submarines - build up to treaty levels, but the trump card is the early development of the electroboot, in absolute secrecy.
A fleet of Schnellboot, with emphasis on longer range.
Along with the Luftwaffe Field Division, the introduction of a combat force of naval landing troops. This force is to be prepared for raiding enemy coastlines and naval targets, also to operate through the use of the Schnellboote and hilfsreuzer. Imagine the impact of a German version of the Royal Marines or SBS making raids on Simonstown, New York, Baltimore, Sydney, India etc.....
With such a force, the Fuhrer can start his war at the end of 1941 instead of 1939. And the extra two years waiting will allow the Luftwaffe to develop strategic heavy bombers and the Heer beefed up Panzer divisions.