If the channel dash never got past planning, would it be considered asb?

The channel dash saw Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Prinz Eugene and some small ships go through Brest harbor, through the english channel and home to Germany in 1942.

Admiral Raeder thought the idea of putting ships through the channel (in daylight no less) was complete folly and said so; with Hitler patently overuling him.

If the operation never got past the planning stage and the ships suffered other fates (sunk at anchor, sunk on sorties, interned whatever) and the details of the planning of operation cerebus came to light; would the operation being as successful as it was be considered asb
 
The channel dash saw Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Prinz Eugene and some small ships go through Brest harbor, through the english channel and home to Germany in 1942.

Admiral Raeder thought the idea of putting ships through the channel (in daylight no less) was complete folly and said so; with Hitler patently overuling him.

If the operation never got past the planning stage and the ships suffered other fates (sunk at anchor, sunk on sorties, interned whatever) and the details of the planning of operation cerebus came to light; would the operation being as successful as it was be considered asb

The sad truth of the matter is - yes! Mind you, it was thought to be so insane that it was regarded as being highly unlikely.
Two points - neither battlecruiser survived the operation unscathed. Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were damaged by mines. The other point is that at least one British radar operator had a strong suspicion that something was going on due to the increasing strength of the German radar jamming. If he had been listened to, then things would possibly have been very different.
 
The sad truth of the matter is - yes! Mind you, it was thought to be so insane that it was regarded as being highly unlikely.
Two points - neither battlecruiser survived the operation unscathed. Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were damaged by mines. The other point is that at least one British radar operator had a strong suspicion that something was going on due to the increasing strength of the German radar jamming. If he had been listened to, then things would possibly have been very different.

The luck in the effectiveness of the jamming of coastal command's radar net was only part of the luck the ships enjoyed

The Germans closed off Brest harbor which prevented a French resistance operator who had gone home for something from getting to his radio set to report on the ships departing the harbor

The submarine (HMS sealion... ahh the irony) watching brest harbor had to leave just before they sortied to recharge her batteries

An aircraft observing the area at dusk turned back when only 6 miles from visual range of the ships


Unbelievably lucky... ballsy too but lucky
 
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