Tag: Nazi Germany

Four-Masted Sailing to Tragedy

Pamir, a four-masted barque, was one of the famous Flying P-Liner sailing ships of the German shipping company F. Laeisz. She was the last commercial sailing ship to brave the notorious rounding of Cape Horn, in 1949. By 1957, the barque had been out-dated by modern bulk carriers and was by then unable to operate at a profit.

France’s Pearl Harbour

The French surrendered to the Germans on June 22, 1940. The terms of the capitulation were unusual. The Germans permitted the new French administration, under Marshall Petain, to establish itself in the city of Vichy in the south and central France. From there, unoccupied independent Vichy France governed over half of the French landmass in the south of France whilst retaining their overseas colonies and their navy.

Allied Arctic Convoys Of World War II

During World War II, between 1941 and 1945, 78 Allied Arctic convoys brought more than 4 million tons of provisions and munitions to the U.S.S.R. These deliveries played a crucial role in the Soviet war effort. More than 1,400 merchant ships and naval vessels participated in the convoys to the ports of Arkhangelsk and Murmansk in Arctic Russia, which Winston Churchill once described as “the worst journey in the world.”

Day of National Mourning in Germany

The date of this event is unique for each year. It was usually celebrated on the penultimate Sunday of November. In 2020, this date is on November 15th. Volkstrauertag (Day of National Mourning) is a national day of memory in Germany. It is celebrated in mid-November and is now a reminder of the need for reconciliation, understanding and peace. The history of this day is complex and ambiguous.

The Infamous Laconia Order

How did a squadron of U.S. bombers change the rules of the sea which was to cost the lives of tens of thousands of Allied seamen? Few things illustrate the half-lie better than Allied propaganda relating to the Laconia Order. This was Hitler’s instruction that forbade German shipping from picking up distressed survivors at sea.