May 31st: Jutland´s 90th anniversary!!!

Karl Heidenreich · Post by **Karl Heidenreich** » Tue May 30, 2006 11:27 pm

Tomorrow is the 90th anniversary of one (if not the one) greatest naval battles in history: Jutland!
And still the debate is hot!

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Tue May 30, 2006 11:33 pm

It was also the only ever fleet engagement between dreadnoughts.

Karl Heidenreich · Post by **Karl Heidenreich** » Wed May 31, 2006 3:32 pm

And Leyte Gulf? There were dreadnoughts present and fighting in classic battleline.

marcelo_malara · Post by **marcelo_malara** » Wed May 31, 2006 4:42 pm

And Leyte Gulf? There were dreadnoughts present and fighting in classic battleline.

Karl, what phase of the battle are you referring to? In the battle of Surigao, Fuso and Yamashiro couldn´t fire back because in the night they couldn´t see their radar-equipped oponents. In the Samar battle there were no US battleships present to protect the escort carriers.

Karl Heidenreich · Post by **Karl Heidenreich** » Wed May 31, 2006 5:52 pm

Marcelo wrote:

Karl, what phase of the battle are you referring to? In the battle of Surigao, Fuso and Yamashiro couldn´t fire back because in the night they couldn´t see their radar-equipped oponents. In the Samar battle there were no US battleships present to protect the escort carriers.

Well, I must admit that I rushed a bit

but Leyte is, also, one of the greatest naval battles of all time. As a matter of fact being divided in phases gives us an idea of the scope and vastness of the operation: the preliminary phase in which the US subs detected the first Japanses formation approaching from the West; the second when this formation was attacked by Halsey´s aircraft; the third the famous Surigao Straits; the fourth in Cape Engaño and; fifth when Kurita´s force almost smashed the USN forces.
But returning to Marcelo´s comment: you´re right with Surigao because the shooting came from the USN side (nevertheless a naval battle) and not from the IJN; and at Samar the Japanese had heavy units present but no so the USN whose light units put a ferocious resistance.
But many historians regard this action as the greatest naval battle of all time because the number of units (many dreadnoughts included) involved and the great casualty list. And there was a "crossing of the T" , and that´s something the world will never see again.
We can say that there was a battleship against battleship engagement in Surigao even if the Japanese weren´t able to answer the USN fire and we can say that in the rest of the Battle dreadnoughts were present conducting naval operations.
A shame that after Jutland no dreadnought fleet clash was ever seen in that same context. Leyte and Okinawa (Operation Ten Go) offered some oportunities for that but aircraft resolved the issue.

Karl Heidenreich · Post by **Karl Heidenreich** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:26 pm

About Jutland, see this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5033582.stm

There is a veteran!

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:11 pm

And the UK government announced that wrecks of the 14 British ships that were sunk during the battle will be given new protection.

Not before time

Karl Heidenreich · Post by **Karl Heidenreich** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:23 pm

Gary:

It´s very good news. Last week I saw the astonishing news about the salvage of the Jutland wrecks and find this quick reaction from the British a very good answer to that abhorrent practice.

I hope that the political correct goverment of Germany do it´s part and protect the German ships sunk there.

Best regards.

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:53 pm

Hi Karl.

Wasnt the Lutzow scuttled by her own crew because the damage made the voyage home impossible?.
Lutzow technically isnt a war grave.
She might not get the same protection - I dont know.