FIFTEEN DAYS IN THE USA

An account of the Battlecruiser Moltke’s 1912 deployment to the USA

By: Andy South

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

For fifteen days during 1912, Imperial Germanys newest battlecruiser, SMS Moltke was to pay an official visit to the East Coast of the United States. It was to be the only time a capital ship of either Kaiser Wilhelm II's or Adolf Hitler’s navies were to visit America during a time of peace.

During those fifteen days, the cream of Washington DC and New York were to wine, dine and entertain the German Kontreadmiral and his officers. The crew were to be offered the freedom of Coney Island and to also savour the sights of the two cities. They were even to rescue mother and the baby in her arms from a burning house!

In 1912 the USA was allied to no European power, and the US-British ‘special relationship’ was a thing as yet unforeseen. In those final years before the Great War was to tear Europe apart, a closer US-German friendship was not beyond the imagination of many. For those fifteen days it seemed that anything was possible between the Kaiser and the US.
But once the huge warship had departed for home, never again would a German capital ship drop her anchor off an American port and her crew be so royally treated.

Fifteen Days In The US is I believe, a unique account of what was to be a unique visit. I have drawn from the files held within the congressional library and included a number of ‘press’ photos taken by the 1912 ‘paparazzi’, who hounded the crews both on-board their battlecruiser and when they stepped ashore. The account follows the crews American adventure in a new depth and brings the deployment from the archives of ‘forgotten history’ and for the first time in a century, back out into the light of day.For fifteen days during 1912, Imperial Germanys newest battlecruiser, SMS Moltke was to pay an official visit to the East Coast of the United States. It was to be the only time a capital ship of either Kaiser Wilhelm II’s or Adolf Hitler’s navies were to visit America during a time of peace.

During those fifteen days, the cream of Washington DC and New York were to wine, dine and entertain the German Kontreadmiral and his officers. The crew were to be offered the freedom of Coney Island and to also savour the sights of the two cities. They were even to rescue mother and the baby in her arms from a burning house!

In 1912 the USA was allied to no European power, and the US-British ‘special relationship’ was a thing as yet unforeseen. In those final years before the Great War was to tear Europe apart, a closer US-German friendship was not beyond the imagination of many. For those fifteen days it seemed that anything was possible between the Kaiser and the US.
But once the huge warship had departed for home, never again would a German capital ship drop her anchor off an American port and her crew be so royally treated.

Fifteen Days In The US is I believe, a unique account of what was to be a unique visit. I have drawn from the files held within the congressional library and included a number of ‘press’ photos taken by the 1912 ‘paparazzi’, who hounded the crews both on-board their battlecruiser and when they stepped ashore. The account follows the crews American adventure in a new depth and brings the deployment from the archives of ‘forgotten history’ and for the first time in a century, back out into the light of day.

“I highly recommend this book. I'm in my 2nd reading and as usual, I pick up on new or better grasp some things.”
Ted Buehring (Facebook 12.2023)