A descriptive and illustrated look at the U-boat campaign towards the end of the war and how the Germans lost their edge in the water.
In May 1943, Admiral Dönitz's U-boat force suffered a decisive defeat in the North Atlantic. Forced to abandon attacks there, Dönitz switched the focus of U-boat operations to the central Atlantic, but US Navy escort carrier groups met and defeated them there. In September 1943, Dönitz attempted to resume North Atlantic operations. However, after some initial success, the plan to resume large-scale U-boat operations in the open Atlantic was defeated. Dönitz pivoted to preserving the U-boat strength in order to repel an expected invasion by the Allies. When the invasion occurred in June 1944, the Germans made an all-out effort to disrupt the landings with submarines, but it was another disastrous failure. After this, the main focus was Britain's waters.
Naval historian Mark Stille concludes his Battle of the Atlantic trilogy by digging into why the U-boat offensive failed against the Allied convoys. This book covers the new technologies and tactics utilized by the Germans, why the escorts proved so effective, and how the U-boats kept up the fight until the very end. With stunning artwork, period images and detailed maps, this book delves into the German strategy during this hopeless phase of the war and shows how Allied intelligence and overwhelming numbers contributed to the overall victory.