The battleship Bismarck, flagship of the German Fleet Commander and one of the most powerful warships in the world, was sunk by the British on her maiden voyage, 27 May 1941. It was an irretrievable disaster for German naval strategy. This book seeks the answer to the question: who was to blame? By closely examining the role of high command in German strategic and operational decisions, and drawing on all known sources, the author shows how the disaster is the likely result of military strategy that refuses to move with the times.