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So Fucking Banned
Industry Role:
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 3,405
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Operation Drumbeat was a prime example of us knowing better than countries with experience, when we refused to black out coastal areas, allowing U-Boats free reign to attack whatever they liked. Seems absolutely staggering and ubelievable, but this was the decision of Admiral Ernest King, perhaps motivated by an intense hatred of Britain.
The British warned us about Operation Drumbeat (after cracking Enigma, something Hollyweird thinks we did before we were even in the war), but were ignored. End result:
Quote:
A few German U-boats were responsible for the sinking of a total of 397 ships in the first six months of 1942. There were 171 ships sunk off the Atlantic Coast from Maine to Florida, 62 sunk in the Gulf of Mexico, and 141 in the Caribbean. A total of 2,403 persons were killed and 1,178 were wounded.
Explosions could be heard and burning wrecks could be seen from the shoreline at night. Dead bodies, debris and oil washed ashore on east coast beaches. Despite all of this, blackouts were never implemented as they were along the coasts of England and Germany.
This gave the German submarine crews a tremendous advantage in being able to spot cargo ships running along the coast at night with their lights extinguished. A "dim-out" was eventually mandated, but even with the lights dimmed out, patrol boats were able see the glow of New York from a distance of 25 miles off shore.
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Not sure where that text is originally from, but it's not Wikipedia. Wikipedia though says the Brits eventually had to build ships and supply them to us because we wouldn't just turn out the lights; as it describes, a kind of "reverse Lend Lease".
Speaking of which, since people have been talking about Lend Lease, you can read about "reverse Lend Lease" here:
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=16340
Quote:
Under reverse lend-lease, the British have provided our bomber and fighter commands with many necessary items.
Specially heated winter flying clothing to protect bomber crews from the intense cold suffered at high altitudes was supplied by the British to our Air Forces.
When certain United States fighter gun sights proved less effective than the sights employed by British fighters, the Royal Air Force provided a substantial number of British-type sights for immediate installation.
American bombers have been equipped by the British with photographic equipment effective in obtaining photographs of the target during the bomb run.
The British have also provided facilities for the development and production of a new type of protective body armor designed by our medical authorities.
A variety of other aid has also been provided for our Air Forces by the United Kingdom.
Mobile repair shops located throughout the United Kingdom recondition American bombers forced to make crash landings.
A one-man dinghy, developed by the British for parachute landings at sea, provides pilots of American planes with a one-man floating raft.
Specialized British radio equipment has been installed in American planes which has given greater safety to our bomber crews, and has improved the effectiveness of our bombing missions.
For purposes of recognition training, the Royal Air Force has delivered to the United States Air Forces more than 60,000 items of aircraft, warship, and armed vehicle recognition devices.
These are but a few instances of the aid which has been provided to our Air Forces under reverse lend-lease and without payment by us.
Although Great Britain depends upon imports for a large portion of her curtailed food supply, she is providing American forces with substantial amounts of foodstuffs as reverse lend-lease aid. These range from fresh vegetables, flour, and potatoes to corn-on-the-cob and soft drinks.
Australia, New Zealand, and India have also provided United States forces in those areas with substantial reverse lend-lease aid, including most of their food.
[...]
Recreational needs of American soldiers have been met by an Australian program which calls for every type of game and accessory from boxing gloves to medicine balls- in all, more than 420,000 items of such equipment.
Numerous hospitals, including the newest and most modern in the country, have been made available to the United States Army for its exclusive use.
Official air, rail, and water passenger costs and freight, and cable and telegraph expenses of our troops are paid by the Commonwealth Government as reverse lend-lease aid.
A large number of small ships of various types has been turned over to American authorities, and Australian shipyards are now turning out landing barges and small vessels for the combat use of our forces.
On September 29, 1943, the Australian Minister of Finance introduced the Commonwealth Budget for the current fiscal year in the Australian Parliament. He estimated that Australia will spend approximately $323,000,000 for reverse lend-lease during the year July 1, 1943, to June 30, 1944.
New Zealand, no less than Australia and the United Kingdom, has supplied its share of reverse lend-lease aid. For the period ending June 30, 1943, the New Zealand Government has officially reported having expended $51,000,000 for reverse lend-lease aid to the United States
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American requirements under reverse lend-lease have also occasioned shortages in many other phases of New Zealand's civilian life. Nevertheless, the Dominion continues greatly to expand the scope and volume of her reverse lend-lease to the United States
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While no official report has yet been received from the Government of India, our Army reports total expenditures by India for reverse lend-lease aid of approximately $56,900,000
Canada has received no lend-lease aid from the United States. She has paid cash for the supplies obtained in this country. It may be noted, however, that Canada has already made a billion dollars' worth of aid available without payment to the United Kingdom and is now engaged in making available another billion dollars' worth of aid to the United Kingdom, Russia, China, and the other United Nations on a mutual-aid program similar to our lend-lease program.
This statement of the expenditures made by the British Commonwealth of Nations for reverse lend-lease aid furnished to the United States, and of the expansion of this program so as to include exports of materials and foodstuffs for the account of United States agencies from the United Kingdom and the British colonies, emphasizes the contribution which the British Commonwealth has made "to the defense of the United States" while taking its place on the battle fronts.
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