Battle of the Atlantic (3): The Final Collapse of the U-boats, 1943–45 (Campaign Book 439)

The dramatic conclusion to the Battle of the Atlantic series, highlighting how the Germans lost their edge in the water at the end of the war.In May 1943, Admiral Dönitz's U-boat force suffered a decisive loss in the North Atlantic. Forced to abandon the attacks, he switched the focus of U-boat operations to the central Atlantic, but was met and defeated by US Navy escort carrier groups. In September 1943, Dönitz attempted to resume North Atlantic operations. However, despite some initial success, the plan to resume large-scale U-boat operations in the open Atlantic came to an end. 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. He covers the new technologies and tactics utilized by the Germans, shows 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. Read more