When did Adolf Hitler approve Plan Z?
Adolf Hitler approved Plan Z on the 27th of January 1939. The fleet was meant to challenge the naval power of the United Kingdom and scheduled for completion by 1948.
Questions about Plan Z
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What ships were included in Plan Z before cancellation?
Plan Z called for ten battleships, four aircraft carriers, twelve P-class panzerschiffe, five heavy cruisers, and M class light cruisers. Six H-class battleships and three O-class battlecruisers were also ordered before cancellation in July 1939.
Why did Germany abandon Plan Z during World War II?
World War II broke out in September 1939 before construction could begin on new ships under Plan Z. Almost no work had been done on vessels ordered under Plan Z so the Kriegsmarine abandoned the program immediately to shift manufacturing capacity.
How many U-boats did Admiral Karl Dönitz need to win against Britain?
Admiral Karl Dönitz's U-boat fleet did not reach 300 units until 1943 when he deemed that number necessary to win a commerce war against Britain. Only a few dozen U-boats had been completed by the outbreak of war due to Plan Z priorities favoring surface combatants.
Was fuel oil sufficient to operate the Plan Z fleet?
Securing fuel oil necessary to operate the fleet was an insurmountable problem because projected domestic production totaled less than 2 million tons of oil by 1948. Fuel consumption would have more than quadrupled between 1936 and completion in 1948 requiring 9.6 million tons worth of storage facilities for just one year of operations.