Soon after contact the USS Greer searched for the U-boat, located it, and relayed information to the British aircraft overhead. The orders from the captain of the destroyer, as well as what were the common orders for US ships at the time was to not engage and to only record and relay information. The US was still not at war at the time, but those such as Roosevelt attempted to help the British and her allies as much as he could. The British aircraft who wanted to attack decided that before it had to leave for refueling, would drop four depth charges onto the U-boat, knowing the destroyer wouldn't attack it. What resulted was the German assumption of it being a British vessel, American made but given to the British in the Destroyers-For-Bases deal. A battle between the vessels then occurred, none of the two naval vessels being damaged.
Back home, Roosevelt used the attack as a propaganda piece to rally American support for war. He claimed how the destroyer was a victim of an attack, a deliberate attack by the Germans. He declared it an act of piracy. He claimed how it was an unmistakably American ship and that by no means could the Germans have mistaken it for a British ship. While the the incident didn't directly lead to total US involvement in war, it certainly was used by Roosevelt to help increase aggression, one such result of the incident being the Shoot-on-Sight policy. The new policy would allow American vessels to fire on German and Italian ships in American waters and near US convoys.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/1941/10/16/archives/the-greer-incident-and-hitlers-iceland-policy.html
http://destroyerhistory.org/flushdeck/ussgreer/
Your explanation of the Greer incident was very helpful! On his fireside chat about the Shoot-on-Sight policy Roosevelt used the analogy, "when you see a rattlesnake poised to strike, you do not wait until he has struck before you crush him." I think this an important quote that shows how he used propaganda to sway public opinion.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.cfr.org/blog/twe-remembers-fdrs-shoot-sight-fireside-chat
I like how you describe that FDR was able to use this incident as a way to increase American aggression towards raising a war with Germany. A similar incident to this was the Gulf of Tonkin incident during the Vietnam War which was an alleged attack on two US ships. Just like the shoot-on-sight policy, President Lyndon Johnson was able to issue the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which allowed Johnson to take all necessary measures to stop any armed attack against the US. He also used this as a way to increase America's involvement in the war.
ReplyDeleteSource:
https://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/gulf-of-tonkin-resolution-1
I really liked how you described the decision making process of all parties involved because it gives a much clearer explanation as to how the incident occurred. I also found it so interesting how Roosevelt attempted to remain neutral with his Neutrality Patrol while still helping Britain and the allies. It explains why the Greer was given orders not to engage.
ReplyDeletehttps://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=336