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Digital Audiobook
Otto Kretschmer by Lawrence Paterson

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Otto Kretschmer

Narrator
Bruce Mann
Publisher
Tantor Media, Inc
Publish Date
14 March 2023
Run Time
10 hours 43 minutes
Format
Audiobook
$13.95

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What to expect

Otto Kretschmer was only in combat from September 1939 until March 1941 but was Germany's highest-scoring U-boat commander, sinking forty-seven ships. This definitive work details his personal story and the political backdrop from his earliest days.



After completing his officer training and time on the training ship Niobe, he served aboard the light cruiser Emden. In December 1934, he was transferred to the light cruiser Köln, then in January 1936 made the move to the fledgling U-boat service. During the Spanish Civil War, Kretschmer was involved in several patrols as part of the international non-intervention force.



He demonstrated a cool approach to combat: his mantra "one torpedo for one ship" proved that the best way for his boat to succeed against a convoy was to remain surfaced as much as possible, penetrating the convoy and using the boat's high speed and small silhouette to avoid retaliation.



His nickname "Silent Otto" referred to his ability to remain undetected and his reluctance to provide the regular radio reports required by Dönitz. Alongside his military skill was a character that remained rooted in the traditions of the Prussian military.

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Details

Author
Lawrence Paterson
Narrator
Bruce Mann
Duration
10 hours 43 minutes
Release Date
14 March 2023
ISBN
9798350812206
Format
Audiobook
Publisher
Tantor Media, Inc
Genre
Second World War, Biography: historical, political and military, True war and combat stories, Naval forces and warfare, Military history, European history

Synopsis

Otto Kretschmer was only in combat from September 1939 until March 1941 but was Germany's highest-scoring U-boat commander, sinking forty-seven ships. This definitive work details his personal story and the political backdrop from his earliest days.After completing his officer training and time on the training ship Niobe, he served aboard the light cruiser Emden. In December 1934, he was transferred to the light cruiser Köln, then in January 1936 made the move to the fledgling U-boat service. During the Spanish Civil War, Kretschmer was involved in several patrols as part of the international non-intervention force.He demonstrated a cool approach to combat: his mantra "one torpedo for one ship" proved that the best way for his boat to succeed against a convoy was to remain surfaced as much as possible, penetrating the convoy and using the boat's high speed and small silhouette to avoid retaliation.His nickname "Silent Otto" referred to his ability to remain undetected and his reluctance to provide the regular radio reports required by Dönitz. Alongside his military skill was a character that remained rooted in the traditions of the Prussian military.

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