The Basket
Senior Master Sergeant
- 3,712
- Jun 27, 2007
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As I read it (it was covered in a newspaper years ago) Fryatt was shot because his behaviour undermined the ethos behind restricted submarine warfare, both sides have to play the game or it will end in unrestricted warfare.Fryatt story is fascinating.up my alley as far as naval history is concerned.
Cant believe the Germans shot him! Although more shockingly Churchill was said to have said that captured u boat crew can be killed. I will have to research that!
I find the American entry into the war baffling as many of the criteria was already in place. So why not enter earlier? The strong anti-war sentiment was strong and wasn't Wilson voted in on an anti war ticket?
The resumption of unrestricted U-Boat attacks was a calculated risk by the Germans, they relied on the assumption the Americans would not risk war over the issue, or if they did, the U-Boats would force the allies to the peace table before the US forces would have any real effect. they were very nearly right
The agreements made were ok for the suits in conference chambers, telling a captain to voluntarily halt his ship and abandon it was a bit of an imposition. There was no guarantee at the time that passengers would survive getting into boats or the the ship wouldnt be sunk straight away.Fryatt shooting is a very sticky wicket. Legally or morally difficult.
A merchant ship isn't a merchant ship if it is trying to ram U-boats. I agree that loss of one's vessel is never good. But war is war and if a sub deliberately attacks the Lusitania and it's found the Lusitania was carrying war material then the sinking can be justified..
The rules as they were made sense to those who made them, it is like playing an international rugby game with no referee.The British used Q ships and advised merchant crews to ram surfaced U-Boats so the Germans could argue with some justification that the Prize rules would be suicidal and that merchant ships are acting as belligerent so can be treated as such. Takes two to tango.1917