Plan Z

Book excerpt: “A well-written yet concise history” of Hitler’s plan to build a massive naval fleet, why it failed, and how it may have affected the outcome of WWII (Nautical Research Journal). Except for the strength of the U-boat fleet at the height of the Battle of the Atlantic, the German Navy, or Kriegsmarine, was never a match for the Royal Navy, even though the latter was overstretched and fighting in the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Mediterranean, and the Arctic. It was not supposed to be that way. Hitler and his naval staff had a vision for a large and well-balanced fleet, including aircraft carriers. Plan Z was the name given for the massive fleet that Germany intended to build. However, the Plan relied on the outbreak of the war not occurring until at least 1942. This book examines the way in which such a fleet could have influenced the major battles between the Royal Navy and the Germans. Plan Z starts by looking at Germany’s history and ambitions as a maritime power. The relationships among the three armed forces, and between them and the Fuhrer, are also examined, along with the country’s economic and industrial position. Thanks to the author’s detailed research, Plan Z considers whether the Nazis’ ambitions could ever have been realized even if the war had been delayed due to the resource and manpower limitations—and also considers what the Royal Navy’s response could have been. Includes photographs