It didnt because Hitler screwed up, not because it was imposible to do, Germany had much to gain from a properly conceived KM which is why the RN was willing to reach a compromise in 1935.HistoryGeek2019 wrote: ↑14 Dec 2019, 03:41I know the KM did well, given its small size relative to the Allied navy. I'm just saying it didn't accomplish anything that actually helped Germany win the war. The war for Germany took place on land. The sinking of Allied ships only helped the land war to the extent it made it more difficult for the Allies to land their troops on continental Europe. I've debated this with TheMarcksPlan, but basically zero WW2 historians claim that the KM's efforts delayed the Allied invasion of Europe.JAG13 wrote: ↑14 Dec 2019, 01:40The KM dis well considering:HistoryGeek2019 wrote: ↑14 Dec 2019, 01:25I agree that the Luftewaffe was effective against enemy ships at sea. I just think investing in the Heer would have generated better returns. For Germany, WW2 was in essence a ground war. Its fate depended on victory on land - not in North Africa, but on mainland Europe.
Naval warfare was a useless side show that Germany could never win. For all the ships sunk by the LW and KM, Germany never came close to contesting any sea zone other than the Baltic, which was the only one strategically necessary. Maybe if bombers were needed to keep the Soviet Baltic fleet at bay I can see a case, but I don't think bombers were necessary for that purpose in the OTL.
I agree that it was about politics. Politics led to a horribly inefficient economy and Werhmacht that tried to do everything and ended up doing nothing well enough. Germany had extremely limited resources and needed to focus them on mass producing the most important equipment for the war: rifles, machine guns, artillery, mortars, ammunition, trucks, and trains.
1. It had no aerial recce for its ships and subs.
2. Its torps didnt work at first.
3. Had too few subs to really make an impact.
4. Used its new magnetic mines way before having a stock to make their introduction worthwhile.
5. Had no air arm.
6. Had no plan, intelligence on, or ships designed to fight the UK due to Hitler's meddling.
Change that and then tell me if they could have never won, you already know what a dozen improvised and flimsy Condors reluctantly did.
Regarding delays, just think about the expense caused by convoying and the Uboat campaign and what the allies could have done with those massive resources absent the KM.