Raeder planned for war with Britain around 1948. By comparison, the British government worked from a 1945 horizon while the Royal Navy planned for 1942. Germany therefore entered the Second World War with arguably the least ready major navy. Its later achievements look more striking against that poor preparation and raise questions about how much was accomplished despite Raeder's management habits and officer selections. Nearly every senior German admiral serving after 1928 advanced under Raeder, so personnel quality belongs to his legacy alongside procurement and strategy. The closing assessment judges his record through the navy he had spent a decade building.
Notable Point · 25:13-26:38
Why the Kriegsmarine entered war least ready
The closing assessment calls the German Navy the least ready major navy at the outbreak of the Second World War, despite its later achievements.