WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk Sink The Bismarck! Pursuit (Part 1)
Jan 27, 2026
A tense high-seas chase as the battleship tries to flee after sinking a British capital ship. Command clashes over refuelling and escape routes shape desperate decisions. Naval intelligence, plotting errors and a lucky sighting by a neutral cutter complicate the hunt. Daring torpedo strikes and skilful evasive loops slow the ship and tighten a transatlantic race toward safety in Brest.
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Big Ships Need Fleet Support
- The Kriegsmarine built powerful capital ships but lacked the fleet and support to use them strategically.
- James Holland argues ships don't make navies; fleets and logistics do.
Damage Turned Speed Into Liability
- Damage from the Denmark Straits battle reduced Bismarck's speed and endurance.
- Al Murray and James Holland note that reduced speed exponentially increased Royal Navy interception chances.
Mass Forces To Contain Big Threats
- Concentrate available naval assets to neutralize a major surface threat quickly.
- James Holland describes Pound's massing of ships as decisive concentration of force.