Battle of the Atlantic (1)

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 a delusion, as neither the scale of forces available nor their tactics were sufficient. The Germans were even less prepared, having only a small number of U-boats and fewer still that were large enough for operations in the Atlantic. The Germans attempted to win a tonnage war against Allied shipping, with well-trained and bold U-boat commanders enjoying some brilliant successes. However, torpedo problems and the shortage of U-boats prevented the Germans from inflicting crippling losses, even though the British found it impossible to protect all shipping, primarily because of a lack of convoy escorts and inadequate air cover.

Respected naval historian Mark Stille examines the struggle between Allied naval and air forces and German U-boats in the first 15 months of World War II. Featuring maps, diagrams, photographs and stunning battlescene artworks, this book vividly brings to life the weapons, personalities and tactics of the opposing sides.

About the Author

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.

Illustrator

Jim Laurier, a native of New England, is a professional artist with a focus on military subjects. He has been commissioned to paint for the US Air Force and has aviation paintings on permanent display at the Pentagon.