soc.history.war.world-war-ii

On Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:18:40 -0400, "Scott M. Kozel"
wrote:

>thornley@visi.com (David Thornley) wrote:
>>
>> Lots of things are credible in this situation. We don't have much
>> in the way of facts. All we have to go on, right now, is the
>> reports of the Kormoran survivors, which may not be accurate for
>> lots of reasons.
>>
>> It is, however, entirely plausible that a sudden, violent attack
>> from the really close range of 1500m (as reported) could cause
>> enough damage to sink a cruiser. Lots of odd things happen in
>> naval warfare, mostly because the numbers engaged are so small
>> that extreme outcomes are still reasonably probable.
>
>The facts revealed in the last few days seems to provide major support
>for the reports of the Kormoran survivors and captain. The facts that
>the ships were found about 12 miles apart, would overrule the conspiracy
>theories that the Sydney crew was massacred by the Kormoran crew, or
>that Sydney was captured by the Japanese and its crew massacred.

But not that the Kormoran had, allegedly, a Dutch flag (or, worse
still, a *white* flag, as has been alleged by some) for still raised
when she fired her torpedoes ... making Detmers and his crew pirates
and subject to being hung as such.

Which would explain why those of the deck officers and crew who may
have actually known what actually happened kept their mouths shut
and/or agreed to a falsified version of events.

>What is hard to understand is how all 645 crewmen of Sydney could be
>killed in the action, apart from a massive magazine explosion, and if
>the reports of the Kormoran survivors are to be believed, there was no
>massive explosion, and the ships were close enough together that a
>nighttime explosion would have been noticed.

Which might be a clew as to the possibility that they weren't telling
the truth or that, simply, strange things happen and on-the-ground
"eyewitness" observers can (ask any cop or trial lawyer) *notoriously*
unreliable.

>Many of the Kormoran crew did survive.

Indeed.

So the only story we have is theirs, which makes it immediately
suspect all other things being equal.

Phil

Author, Space Opera (FGU); RBB #1 (FASA); Road to Armageddon;
Farm, Forge and Steam; Orbis Mundi; Displaced (PGD)
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Email: aspqrz@pacific.net.au