Koerver reports another example of delusional thinking within the German navy. Adm. Edouard von Capelle said, on Feb. 1, 1917, From a military point of view I rate the effect of America coming on the side of our enemies as nil. Tuchman, Zimmermann Telegram, 139; Koerver, German Submarine Warfare, xxxiii.
In "Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania," Erik Larson highlights a significant example of misguided beliefs evident within the German navy during World War I. Admiral Edouard von Capelle expressed a dismissive attitude toward the potential impact of the United States joining the war against Germany, stating that he believed it would have no military significance. This underestimation reflects a broader pattern of delusional thinking among German leaders at the time.
The quote reinforces the notion that the German military command was out of touch with the evolving dynamics of the war. By failing to recognize the seriousness of American involvement, they demonstrated a critical miscalculation that would ultimately affect their strategies. Larson's work delves into these historical misconceptions, illustrating how such fallacies can have profound consequences in wartime decision-making.
