Battle of the Atlantic (1): The U-Boat Campaign against Britain, 193941

(Paperback)

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The first in a series of illustrated books exploring the longest and best-known naval campaign of World War II, focusing on the struggle between Allied naval and air forces and Hitler's U-boats. When fighting broke out in September 1939, neither the British Royal Navy nor the German Kriegsmarine were prepared for another war in the North Atlantic. Having defeated the U-boats in World War I, the Royal Navy was confident it would succeed again. This was quickly shown to be an illusion, as neither the scale of forces available nor their tactics were sufficient. The Germans were even less prepared, with only a small number of U-boats, most of which were left over from World War I. Respected naval historian Mark Stille examines the struggle between Allied naval and air forces and the German U-boats in the first 15 months of the war. The Germans attempted to win a tonnage war against Allied shipping, with well-trained and bold U-boat commanders enjoying some brilliant successes. However, the lack of U-boats and torpedo problems prevented the Germans from inflicting crippling losses, even though the British found it impossible to protect all shipping, primarily because of lack of convoy escorts. Featuring maps, diagrams, photographs and stunning battlescene artworks, this book vividly brings to life the weapons, personalities, and tactics of the opposing sides in a unique and engaging way.

Author Bio

Mark Stille is the author of numerous Osprey titles focusing on naval history in World War II. He recently concluded a nearly 40-year career in the intelligence community, including tours on the faculty of the Naval War College, on the Joint Staff and on US Navy ships. He received his BA in History from the University of Maryland and also holds an MA from the Naval War College.