history · 31 December 1942 · 82 years ago
A furious Hitler ordered the scrapping of the German Navy's battle fleet after Royal Navy destroyers drove off the mighty Lützow and Admiral Hipper from attacking a convoy in the Barents Sea. Hitler said his battleships were useless "like so much old iron". Admiral Raeder, commander of the Kreigsmarine, resigned and was replaced by Admiral Donitz, commander of the submarine force.
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