Operation Berlin was celebrated as a success, and Raeder described Lütjens's conduct as accurate and beyond reproach. Some naval staff officers nevertheless wanted more freedom and aggression against HX 106. Their preferred plan assumed Scharnhorst could entice Ramillies away while Gneisenau attacked the merchants. That argument ignored the British captain's mission and speed disadvantage. Ramillies was there to protect the convoy, not chase a much faster ship she could never catch. The disagreement illustrates the difference between evaluating a plan from a shore staff room and understanding an opponent's incentives at sea.
Notable Point · 3:02:12-3:03:40
Operation Berlin's success produced a revealing staff-room critique
Raeder praised Lütjens's judgment, while shore staff argued that he should have used Scharnhorst to lure Ramillies away from HX 106.