Figure 1.--Here we see a British boy enjoying his ice cream while siting on a naval mine during 1941. It had washed ashore at Deal in Kent--the front line in Europe for much of he War. The front line no dobt was decommiooned, but we doubt if mum wold have been too impressed. Both the Germans and the Britush had mine fiekds off Kent.

Another important World War II naval weapon was the mine. Mines were also extensively used in World War I, but World War I mines were much less technologically advanced and less widely used. There are three basic types of mines. First, drifting mines are deployed in the water and move with currents. Second, Moored mines are free to move, but are tethered within the limits permitted by some sort of rope/chain and anchor attached to the mine. Third, bottom mines are not designed to move at all. Mines are laid in different ways. Mines until World War II were mostly laid by surface vessels. Submarines began laying mines in World War I, but much larger numbers were laid by World War II submarines. Finally in World War II, aircraft began laying mines in substantial numbers. Mines also vary as to how they detonate. Contact mines are detonated when they physically contact a vessel. Influence mines are detonated without physical contact. Rather they are influenced by magnetic, acoustic, or pressure fields. Controlled mines are detonated from a shore station. They are designed as both offensive or defensive weapons. Mine were generally seen as a defensive weapon, but in the hand of the Americans and Germans became an offensive weapon. Many were laid as part of coastal defenses, but many thousands were also laid in enemy waters as an offensive weapon. This was primarily to cut Britain and Japan off from international commerce. These two island counties were particularly vulnerable. Not the case with the Soviets and Germans locked in the titanic struggle over the Bloodlands of the East, though there were minefields of some importance in he Baltic Sea. Naval mines played an important role in World War II although not as important as in World War I when the British could effectively bottled up the Germans in the North Sea. The German seizure of Norway and subsequently France (1940) meant that the British could not create an effective North Sea mine barrier to restrict German fleet operations and to an extent the U-boats as they did in World War I. Both the Germans and British used mines in the Battle of the Atlantic. The British laid mine fields, the Germans were more interested in sewing mines in the sea lanes. The Germans devised some novel mines, but they were quickly countered by the British. Mine were used in the Baltic and Mediterranean by different navies. The Germans laid mines in the English Channel to little effect. The Americans were the country that most effectively used mines, primarily in the Pacific. Mines could be laid by both surface ships and submarines in addition to aircraft. The German Luftwaffe laid some mines. It was, however, primarily the United States with its huge air force that had the ability to lay mines by aircraft in any numbers. It used mines to tighten the blockade around the Home Island at the end of the War. U.S. aircraft laid more than 12,000 mines in Japanese shipping routes and harbor approaches, sinking roughly 650 Japanese ships and disrupting all of their maritime shipping. Derelict mines proved to be a major problem after the War.

World War I

Another important World War II naval weapon was the mine. Mines were also extensively used in World War I, but World War I mines were much less technologically advanced and less widely used. Naval mines played an important role in World War II although not as important as in World War I when the British effectively bottled up the Germans in the North Sea and effectively strangled the country from needed food and raw materials. The blockade of Germany effectively undermined the German war effort, but this took time. The North Sea Barage became known as the Devil's Rose Garden. This was primrily created by the British, but the Americns partixciped when they entered the War (1917).

Types

There are two basic types of mines. The first vdeals with deployment. The first deployment yoe is drifting mines deployed in the water and move with currents. Second, Moored mines are free to move, but are tethered within the limits permitted by some sort of rope/chain and anchor attached to the mine. Third, bottom mines are not designed to move at all. Mines also vary as to how they detonate. Contact mines are detonated when they physically contact a vessel. Influence mines are detonated without physical contact. Rather they are influenced by magnetic, acoustic, or pressure fields. The Germans devised some novel mines, but they were quickly countered by the British. The Germans at the onset of the War thought they had a war-winning weapon--the magntic mine which at first midstified he British. But the Germans basically ignored the fact that they were taking on modern, sophsicated countries with sophisticated scientific establishments. Controlled mines are detonated from a shore station.

Laying

Mines are laid in different ways. Mines until World War II were mostly laid by surface vessels. Submarines began laying mines in World War I, but much larger numbers were laid by World War II submarines. Finally in World War II, aircraft began laying mines in substantial numbers.

Purpose

They are designed as both offensive or defensive weapons. Mine were generally seen as a defensive weapon, but in the hand of the Americans and Germans became an offensive weapon. Many were laid as part of coastal defenses, but many thousands were also laid in enemy waters as an offensive weapon.

Ocean Areas

The most critiucal ocean areain which mines were used was the Atlanic. The Battle of the Atlantic was a campign more hn a battle. But much f the lld war effort flowed from success in the Atlnic. Mine were used in the Baltic and Mediterranean by different navies. The Germans laid mines in the English Channel to little effect, other than denying the use of the Channel to the German U-boats. .Mines were used in the Pacific, but were not a major issue.

Counry Trends

The two most vulnerable countries were Briain and Japan. Mines cpoul be used to cut hese twoindustrial nation off from international commerce, especvially food and raw materials. Not the case with the Soviets and Germans locked in the titanic struggle over the Bloodlands of the East, though there were minefields of some importance in he Baltic Sea. The German seizure of Norway and subsequently France (1940) meant that the British could not create an effective North Sea mine barrier to restrict German fleet operations and to an extent the U-boats as they did in World War I. Both the Germans and British used mines in the Battle of the Atlantic. The British laid mine fields, the Germans were more interested in sewing mines in the sea lanes. The Americans were the country that most effectively used mines, primarily in the Pacific. Mines could be laid by both surface ships and submarines in addition to aircraft. The German Luftwaffe laid some mines. It was, however, primarily the United States with its huge air force that had the ability to lay mines by aircraft in any numbers and over wide areas. America used mines to tighten the blockade around the Home Island at the end of the War. U.S. aircraft laid more than 12,000 mines in Japanese shipping routes and harbor approaches, sinking roughly 650 Japanese ships and disrupting all of their maritime shipping. Derelict mines proved to be a major problem after the War.

Created: 3:54 AM 7/10/2012
Last updated: 6:33 PM 12/31/2024