บท 118: Chapter 196 Medals
"Your Highness, U-47 has sent a telegram; they are on their way back." Amidst the chaos in the office of the British First Sea Lord, Admiral Dönitz approached to report to Grand Admiral Raeder. "They have installed a total of 12 warheads."
"That's excellent." Twelve warheads meant significant achievements, even if only half of them managed to sink warships. Raeder immediately dialed the phone for the Propaganda Ministry. "Dr. Goebbels, come over right away."
After hanging up the phone, Raeder casually asked, "General Dönitz, what kind of medal do you think is suitable for Prien?"
Dönitz looked troubled. "He has only received the Second Class Iron Cross, and according to regulations, only those awarded the First Class Iron Cross are eligible for the Knight's Cross. However, it doesn't seem appropriate to award only the First Class Iron Cross. I defer to your decision, Grand Admiral."
The Second Class Iron Cross was the most widely issued and lowest-ranking Iron Cross during World War II. Typically, soldiers who performed a single act of valor could receive it. Throughout the Second World War, Germany issued nearly 4 million Second Class Iron Crosses, even to 12-year-old children. This ubiquity highlighted the overuse of the Iron Cross in the later stages of the war.
The criteria for awarding the First Class Iron Cross included a soldier displaying courage in battle three to five times. Recipients also received a certificate that detailed the medal's rank, the awardee's name, position, unit, award date, and the signature of the commanding officer.
It was estimated that around 300,000 First Class Iron Crosses were awarded during World War II, with recipients risking their lives and demonstrating outstanding combat performance. Importantly, recipients of the First Class Iron Cross became eligible for other significant medals, such as the Knight's Cross.
The Knight's Cross was personally created by Hitler, possibly due to his dissatisfaction with only being a soldier during World War I and being unable to obtain a higher-ranking Pour le Mérite (Verdienstorden). Officers and soldiers were both eligible to receive the Knight's Cross.
Receiving the Knight's Cross was a tremendous honor, with only slightly more than 7,000 awarded throughout World War II. Once awarded, it signified that the recipient had entered the elite ranks of the Empire. Moreover, it garnered societal respect. According to German military regulations during World War II, only those who had been awarded the First Class Iron Cross and continued to show extraordinary courage in combat, accomplishing missions, were eligible for the Knight's Cross. In addition to the medal, recipients of the Knight's Iron Cross also received a certificate printed on gold leaf.
Raeder smiled and said, "General Dönitz, you forgot that the Knight's Cross has an additional condition." Besides the previously mentioned conditions, submariners must sink 100,000 tons, and the air force must achieve 20 victory points (shooting down a single-engine enemy plane earns 1 point, a twin-engine earns 2 points, and a four-engine earns 3 points. Points are doubled for nighttime missions) to be eligible for the Knight's Iron Cross.
"Here's the plan: if the sunk tonnage is less than 100,000, we'll award the Knight's Cross. If it exceeds 100,000, then we'll reward the Oak Leaves Knight's Cross. After all, this victory is a significant one, and we need to set a great example."
Originally, Little Moustache thought the war would end quickly, and the Knight's Cross would be sufficient. However, with the war continuing, the German military achieved success on all fronts, necessitating the introduction of higher-level medals to reward an increasing number of war heroes. Therefore, an oak leaf emblem in silver was added to the original Knight's Iron Cross, representing a higher rank. Apart from this addition, all other designs remained the same. During the Second World War, only 890 of these medals were awarded, attesting to their rarity.
"Great Admiral, you are wise."
Before long, Goebbels hurriedly arrived, and Wilhelm informed him of the news.
Goebbels was dumbfounded after hearing it. "Are you saying... our submarines quietly sneaked into Scapa Flow naval base and installed warheads on 12 enemy warships?"
Wilhelm waved his hand. "Not sank, but installed 12 warheads. As for how many they can sink, it depends on luck. By noon, our intelligence personnel should be able to provide accurate information."
Goebbels, excited and somewhat at a loss, exclaimed, "Even if one-third are sunk, it would still be a miracle." Everyone knew that the German army and air force were formidable, and now they could publicize a victory belonging to the German navy, injecting a dose of excitement into the morale of the entire nation. In the famous Battle of the North Sea in the last war, the German navy sank three British battleships, three cruisers, and eight destroyers at the cost of two battlecruisers, four cruisers, and four destroyers.
Today, a single submarine managed to sink at least three large warships without any damage, which could only be described as a miracle!
"I'll go back now and prepare all the newspapers and radio stations. With just one command, we can sing praises for this great naval battle."
Wilhelm nodded. "But don't mention our secret weapon; it should only be attributed to the submarines. As for how it was accomplished, feel free to let your imagination run wild."
"Understood, Your Highness."
After Goebbels left, Wilhelm couldn't help but sigh. "I wonder when the surface fleet will achieve such a victory."
Dönitz straightened up and exclaimed, "Your Highness, my submarine fleet is capable of expanding your territory at sea. I believe we should vigorously develop submarines. The presence of a fleet alone is enough to deter the enemy."
Wilhelm solemnly said, "General Dönitz, confidence is good, but overconfidence leads to arrogance. Relying solely on submarines is like having a crippled and deformed navy. Without the coordination of large surface vessels and aviation forces, submarines will ultimately stand alone."
During World War II, the German navy was a lame duck. Throughout the war, there were no aircraft carriers, battleships, or heavy cruisers, and the strength was far from that of the British navy. They could only focus on developing U-boats and engage in unrestricted submarine warfare in the Atlantic.
During World War II, Germany produced over a thousand U-boats, disrupting the Allies' sea transport lines and causing significant material and financial losses to the Allies. Germany's asymmetric naval tactics were very successful in the early stages.
In the later stages, with the entry of the U.S. Navy into the Atlantic anti-submarine warfare, especially the successful development of anti-submarine torpedoes, the German Navy suffered heavy losses in U-boats. Additionally, the Allies deciphered the communication codes of the German submarines, leading to the bankruptcy of Admiral Dönitz's "wolf pack tactics." In the end, the German submarine warfare was dismantled by the aircraft and large surface vessels of the U.S. and British forces.
According to post-war military statistics, Germany deployed 1,113 submarines during the war, and a total of 704 submarines were sunk during operations, not counting those scuttled, surrendered after the war, or detained by the Allies.
A typical example is the former Soviet Navy, which, like Germany, placed too much emphasis on submarines and neglected large surface vessels represented by aircraft carriers. As a result, it could not compete with the U.S. Navy until its disintegration.
So, Wilhelm still needed to develop a surface fleet. "I hope the achievements of U-47 this time will boost their morale." He muttered, recalling another matter. "How is the 'Tiger Shark' project progressing?"
The so-called "Tiger Shark" was the codename for the latest German submarine, a crystallization of contemporary technology. This "Tiger Shark" was a genuine "submersible" designed with the sole purpose of patrolling and conducting operations underwater, unlike the current submarines designed with the aim of submerging into combat or evading attacks while on the surface.
At the mention of "Tiger Shark", Dönitz became excited. "Your Highness, in about half a year, 'Tiger Shark' will be completed and ready for sea trials."
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