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Given the disparity in strength between the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) and the Royal Navy, German strategy at sea during World War II was to avoid a traditional naval battle and attack Allied merchant shipping with surface raiders and submarines (U-boats). These attacks on maritime trade served multiple purposes. The threat alone forced Britain and France to put merchant ships into inefficient convoys, while the difficulties of spotting and tracking U-boats required the dispersal of large numbers of planes and escorts for trade defense. In addition, the cumulative total of cargo ship losses would reduce overall transport capacity and reduce the amount of cargo shipped overseas. The role of surface raiders in this campaign was to evade enemy patrols in European waters and then sink as many merchant ships as possible in a sudden descent on the Atlantic trade routes. A side benefit of these operations would be the disruption of the merchant ship convoy cycle, which had secondary and tertiary effects on Allied resource mobilization, war production, and troop deployments.

Given the disparity in strength between the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) and the Royal Navy, German strategy at sea during World War II was to avoid a traditional naval battle and attack Allied merchant shipping with surface raiders and submarines (U-boats). These attacks on maritime trade served multiple purposes. The threat alone forced Britain and France to put merchant ships into inefficient convoys, while the difficulties of spotting and tracking U-boats required the dispersal of large numbers of planes and escorts for trade defense. In addition, the cumulative total of cargo ship losses would reduce overall transport capacity and reduce the amount of cargo shipped overseas. The role of surface raiders in this campaign was to evade enemy patrols in European waters and then sink as many merchant ships as possible in a sudden descent on the Atlantic trade routes. A side benefit of these operations would be the disruption of the merchant ship convoy cycle, which had secondary and tertiary effects on Allied resource mobilization, war production, and troop deployments.

The main tools used by the Kriegsmarine in this campaign were the three ''Panzerschiffe'' (pocket, or small battleships) ''Lutzow'', ''Admiral Graf Spee'', ''Admiral Scheer'', two heavy cruisers (''Admiral Hipper'' and ''Prinz Eugen''), two battle cruisers, (''Scharnhorst'' and ''Gneisenau''), and a fast battleship (''Bismarck''). All of these warships were relatively new, the oldest being ''Lutzow'', launched in 1931. They had good range, were faster than most Allied battleships, and were well-armed compared to most British and French anti-commerce raiding forces. The Germans also equipped armed merchant ship auxiliaries as raiders, which had the advantage of "camouflage" when sailing in far off waters such as the Indian Ocean and the Pacific.

The main tools used by the Kriegsmarine in this campaign were the three ''[[Pocket Battleship|Panzerschiffe]]'' (pocket, or small battleships) ''Lutzow'', ''[[Admiral Graf Spee (heavy cruiser)|Admiral Graf Spee]]'', ''Admiral Scheer'', two heavy cruisers (''Admiral Hipper'' and ''Prinz Eugen''), two [[battlecruiser]]s, (''Scharnhorst'' and ''Gneisenau''), and a fast battleship (''Bismarck''). All of these warships were relatively new, the oldest being ''Lutzow'', launched in 1931. They had good range, were faster than most Allied battleships, and were well-armed compared to most British and French anti-commerce raiding forces. The Germans also equipped armed merchant ship auxiliaries as raiders, which had the advantage of "camouflage" when sailing in far off waters such as the Indian Ocean and the Pacific.

Unfortunately for Germany, the surface raiders had little success early in the war. ''Lutzow'' made a long but unsuccessful cruise in October 1939, while ''Admiral Graf Spee'' was hunted down and forced to scuttle in the Rio de la Plata, [[Uruguay]] two months later. The pair only sank eleven merchant ships between them. These poor results were caused in part by the restricted geography of the North Sea, with German Navy bases being concentrated in the southeastern corner. In the summer of 1940, however, the collapse of [[Norway]], the [[Netherlands]], and [[France]] dramatically improved Germany's strategic position. No longer could the Royal Navy easily "bottle up" Axis forces in restricted waters. To make matters worse for Britain, attacks from newly-established bases in France outflanked British defenses and stretched British patrol aircraft and escorts to the breaking point.

Unfortunately for Germany, the surface raiders had little success early in the war. ''Lutzow'' made a long but unsuccessful cruise in October 1939, while ''Admiral Graf Spee'' was hunted down and forced to scuttle in the Rio de la Plata, [[Uruguay]] two months later. The pair only sank eleven merchant ships between them. These poor results were caused in part by the restricted geography of the North Sea, with German Navy bases being concentrated in the southeastern corner. In the summer of 1940, however, the collapse of [[Norway]], the [[Netherlands]], and [[France]] dramatically improved Germany's strategic position. No longer could the Royal Navy easily "bottle up" Axis forces in restricted waters. To make matters worse for Britain, attacks from newly-established bases in France outflanked British defenses and stretched British patrol aircraft and escorts to the breaking point.

In an attempt to continue their successes from earlier in the year, the Kriegsmarine sent battleship ''Bismarck'' and heavy cruiser ''Prinz Eugen'' on a raid into the Atlantic on 20 May 1941. Spotted by observers in the Kattegat (near [[Sweden]]) who quickly alerted the British, Royal Navy patrols were increased. The two warships subsequently were sighted by cruisers ''Suffolk'' and ''Norfolk'' in the Denmark Strait. Through skillful seamanship, the cruisers managed to shadow the German raiders and send in repeated spotting reports, allowing the Royal Navy's Battle Cruiser Squadron to close on the area.

In an attempt to continue their successes from earlier in the year, the Kriegsmarine sent battleship ''Bismarck'' and heavy cruiser ''Prinz Eugen'' on a raid into the Atlantic on 20 May 1941. Spotted by observers in the Kattegat (near [[Sweden]]) who quickly alerted the British, Royal Navy patrols were increased. The two warships subsequently were sighted by cruisers ''Suffolk'' and ''Norfolk'' in the Denmark Strait. Through skillful seamanship, the cruisers managed to shadow the German raiders and send in repeated spotting reports, allowing the Royal Navy's Battle Cruiser Squadron to close on the area.

On the morning of 24 May, the German warships were engaged by battleship ''Prince of Wales'' and battlecruiser ''Hood''. As the British squadron closed the range, ''Bismarck'' and ''Prinz Eugen'' concentrated their fire on ''Hood''. After a German salvo straddled the battlecruiser at a range of about 18,000 yards, ''Hood'' blew up in a huge explosion that erupted between her after funnel and the mainmast. Only three survivors from her company of 95 officers and 1,324 men were rescued. Outgunned and damaged by German shell hits that followed almost immediately, ''Prince of Wales'' broke off the action and retired under a smoke screen.

On the morning of 24 May, the German warships were engaged by battleship ''[[Prince of Wales]]'' and battlecruiser ''Hood''. As the British squadron closed the range, ''Bismarck'' and ''Prinz Eugen'' concentrated their fire on ''Hood''. After a German salvo straddled the battlecruiser at a range of about 18,000 yards, ''Hood'' blew up in a huge explosion that erupted between her after funnel and the mainmast. Only three survivors from her company of 95 officers and 1,324 men were rescued. Outgunned and damaged by German shell hits that followed almost immediately, ''Prince of Wales'' broke off the action and retired under a smoke screen.

The German battleship, however, had not escaped unharmed. Two 14-inch shells from ''Prince of Wales'' had hit ''Bismarck'', one of which caused a fuel leak and contaminated several oil bunkers with salt water. Unable to contemplate continuing her mission, ''Bismarck'' turned southeast and headed for Brest, in German-occupied France. Just after dusk, in order that the German cruiser might attack Allied shipping in the mid-Atlantic, ''Prinz Eugen'' broke away to the southwest and escaped. British naval forces continued to converge on the area and, just after midnight on 25 May, a strike by nine Swordfish aircraft launched from aircraft carrier ''Victorious'' managed to hit ''Bismarck'' with one torpedo. The damage proved minor, however, and the British prepared to launch another attack in the morning. Unfortunately, about an hour later both ''Suffolk'' and ''Norfolk'' lost contact with the German battleship, and she too slipped away in the darkness, this time by performing a classic manuever of turning about to cross her own wake.

The German battleship, however, had not escaped unharmed. Two 14-inch shells from ''Prince of Wales'' had hit ''Bismarck'', one of which caused a fuel leak and contaminated several oil bunkers with salt water. Unable to contemplate continuing her mission, ''Bismarck'' turned southeast and headed for Brest, in German-occupied France. Just after dusk, in order that the German cruiser might attack Allied shipping in the mid-Atlantic, ''Prinz Eugen'' broke away to the southwest and escaped. British naval forces continued to converge on the area and, just after midnight on 25 May, a strike by nine Swordfish aircraft launched from aircraft carrier ''Victorious'' managed to hit ''Bismarck'' with one torpedo. The damage proved minor, however, and the British prepared to launch another attack in the morning. Unfortunately, about an hour later both ''Suffolk'' and ''Norfolk'' lost contact with the German battleship, and she too slipped away in the darkness, this time by performing a classic manuever of turning about to cross her own wake.