Militibus Memoria
Maritime trade routes passing along the South African coastline has historically always been considered of immense importance. During the Second World War, the strategic significance of these maritime trade routes was heightened due to a considerable increase in the volume of merchant and naval shipping rounding the Cape of Good Hope. As a result, large numbers of merchant and naval vessels called at South African harbours. The continued operation of the trade routes and harbours along the South African coastline was crucial to the overall Allied war effort, especially in terms of linking key operational theatres with one another and ensuring the continued throughput of vital supplies – such as oil from the Middle East. Moreover, the function of the South African war economy also depended on the trade routes as the country relied heavily on imports from and to British, American and Commonwealth markets. From the outbreak of the war, the threat of Axis maritime operations in South African waters remained constant. Naval operations further afield, however, also had a detrimental effect on the South African and Allied shipping programmes.
This chapter has four objectives, which form the basis for understanding the Axis and Allied maritime strategies off the southern African coast during the war. The first objective is to briefly discuss naval warfare theory and the foundation of maritime strategy. The second facet is an analysis of the British and German naval war plans and their influence on naval strategy and operations in the Southern Oceans. Thirdly, South African wartime shipping problems during the war, and how they influenced the South African war effort will be evaluated. The final objective is to discuss the strategic importance of the South African harbours during the war, with a particular focus on the control, victualling and repair of all merchant and naval vessels within its ports.