Forgotten American War Crime: The Laconia Incident

Editorial Summary

The creator examines the Laconia incident of September 1942, a controversial event during the Second World War involving the sinking of the RMS Laconia and a subsequent humanitarian rescue attempt. After the German submarine U-156 torpedoed the troopship, its commander, Werner Hartenstein, attempted to save survivors by deploying a Red Cross flag and towing lifeboats. Despite broadcasting distress signals in English to request assistance, the rescue mission was interrupted by an American B-24 Liberator bomber. The aircraft, acting under orders to engage submarines and lacking clear communication regarding the rescue, attacked the U-boat and dropped bombs that struck the lifeboats, killing many survivors. The creator details the harrowing conditions faced by those left drifting in the ocean and explains how the incident led to the Laconia Order, which prohibited German U-boat commanders from attempting rescues. The summary concludes by noting the historical debate surrounding the event, including the legal assessments of the American actions as a war crime and the eventual fate of the German commander who attempted the rescue.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.