Sweden and the Great War

[grumbler]

I have seen nothing whatever that would support your assertion.  Essen (not von Essen, btw)

Was he the guy the US carrier class in WW2 was named after???

No, that was the von Essex class.

[Habbaku]

I hope we get a von Eisenhower class ship in the future.

[Berkut]

I have seen nothing whatever that would support your assertion.  Essen (not von Essen, btw)

Was he the guy the US carrier class in WW2 was named after???

No, that was the von Essex class.

Damnit!



Every time I think I am starting to become knowledgeable about this stuff, it turns out I get a critical detail wrong!

[Darth Wagtaros]

That's the Essex.

I have seen nothing whatever that would support your assertion.  Essen (not von Essen, btw)

Was he the guy the US carrier class in WW2 was named after???

[Caliga]

I've been thinking about changing my middle name to 'von' for quite some time now. 

[PDH]

What if Tim were not a complete fucking moron?  Ok, I know there has to be SOME plausibility to alt-hist...but it is interesting to contemplate.

[jimmy olsen]

I have seen nothing whatever that would support your assertion.  Essen (not von Essen, btw) was focused on supporting mine laying operations in the Gulf of Riga, and counter-patrolling (he would capture the wreck of the Magdeburg in August), not chasing phantom fleets.  He certainly wasn't "looking for trouble" given his inferior position.

The fact that your source doesn't even get his name right doesn't give me much confidence this non-event even occurred.  The wiki entry based on it is no more persuasive.

Von Essen seems to have been the accepted English translation of the time. When the New York Times reported his death that's what they called him.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9401E2D91E3EE033A25751C2A9639C946496D6CF

The Encyclopedia of World War I also calls him Von Essen
http://books.google.com/books?id=2YqjfHLyyj8C&pg=PA400&lpg=PA400&dq=Admiral+Nikolai+von+Essen+Sweden&source=bl&ots=BQi2WgZGYH&sig=lcDRCKoidvJKPUWei_pDU6-i120&hl=en&ei=klS9S-eRG8yOkQXk3P3VCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CAkQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Admiral%20Nikolai%20von%20Essen%20Sweden&f=false

It also calls him reckless and refers to Esssen's

surreptitious attempt to force the neutral Swedish fleet into internment was only prevented by a last minute wireless instruction from Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich

[jimmy olsen]

What if Tim were not a complete fucking moron?  Ok, I know there has to be SOME plausibility to alt-hist...but it is interesting to contemplate.

And how about if you weren't such a fucking prick where I was concerned? Oh, wait you said something plausible huh, guess that's not gonna happen.

[Josquius]

I've been thinking about changing my middle name to 'von' for quite some time now. 

I've considered it too, though i lean more towards Van.

That or Þ.

[Caliga]

One of my great great great grandfathers was named 'Van Wert'. 

[grumbler]

Von Essen seems to have been the accepted English translation of the time. When the New York Times reported his death that's what they called him. (snip)

The fact that several sources get the name wrong (presumably confusing this family with its more illustrious offshoot) doesn't increase the credibility of any of them.  It is interesting that the author of the Encyclopedia... article gets the name wrong, when both of his sources get it right!

The book A Naval History of World War 1 makes it clear that Essen was operating against a fleet supposedly at Gotland.  He couldn't have gone looking for the Swedish fleet, because his station was in the Gulf of Finland and only the pressing threat allowed him to justify leaving station (to which he was recalled by the Russian naval staff).  It does, however, confirm your assertion that Essen was a bold, and even over-bold, admiral.

Based on that description, I withdraw my assertion that your scenario is essentially impossible.  It remains unlikely, but that is the fate of 99% of hypotheses anyway.

[HisMajestyBOB]

One of my great great great grandfathers was named 'Van Wert'. 

"of the Wart"?? It's a good thing he changed it to Caliga when he came to America.

[Caliga]

"of the Wart"?? It's a good thing he changed it to Caliga when he came to America.

Au contraire... he was born in Tarrytown, New York.  I don't know the exact year of his birth but he was married in NYC in 1818, which I know because we have his marriage license.  His grandfather fought in the Revolution, and in fact is rather well known for his contribution: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Van_Wart  My ancestor's achievement of course makes me a better and more awesome person somehow.

[jimmy olsen]

Von Essen seems to have been the accepted English translation of the time. When the New York Times reported his death that's what they called him. (snip)

The fact that several sources get the name wrong (presumably confusing this family with its more illustrious offshoot) doesn't increase the credibility of any of them.  It is interesting that the author of the Encyclopedia... article gets the name wrong, when both of his sources get it right!

The book A Naval History of World War 1 makes it clear that Essen was operating against a fleet supposedly at Gotland.  He couldn't have gone looking for the Swedish fleet, because his station was in the Gulf of Finland and only the pressing threat allowed him to justify leaving station (to which he was recalled by the Russian naval staff).  It does, however, confirm your assertion that Essen was a bold, and even over-bold, admiral.

Based on that description, I withdraw my assertion that your scenario is essentially impossible.  It remains unlikely, but that is the fate of 99% of hypotheses anyway.

I made Grumbler change his mind (slightly) on something!
In your face DGuller!

[Neil]

Anyway russia being aggressive in the Baltic....happy days for the HSF?

Not really.  Russia can afford to be a little aggressive, as the HSF takes time to move from Wilhelmshaven, through the Kiel Canal.  Besides, if I were Prince Henry, I'd be very careful about deploying the HSF too much in the Baltic.  It's a small body of water that doesn't give you much room to maneuver and is full of subs and mines.  The Russian Baltic fleet is a luxury, but the Germans feel that the HSF is essential.