Page "Erich Raeder" Paragraph 64

One of the more serious charges facing Raeder was that he ordered unrestricted submarine warfare in 1939.

Maxwell Fyfe brought up Raeder's order of 15 October 1939, which read: " Measures which are considered necessary from a military point of view will have to be carried out, even if they are not covered by existing international law ... Every protest from neutral powers will have to be turned down ... The more ruthlessly economic warfare is waged ... the sooner the war will come to an end ".

When questioned about his order on 15 October 1939 for unrestricted submarine warfare including orders to fire on neutral ships, which Raeder had admitted even as he issued his order violated international law, Raeder stated in his defence: " Neutrals are acting for their own egotistical reasons and they must pay the bills if they die ".