At the start of the war, German U-boat technology vastly out performed that possessed by the Allies, and under the pressure of the war continual development helped keep pace with wartime needs and improvements in anti-submarine weaponry. But it was not just the technology that had to change. German U-boat tactics evolved over time. Used in a variety of roles, from coastal patrolling through to the combined actions of convey-hunting 'wolf packs', the tactics used by U-Boats were diverse. This book analyses how the U-boats dominated the seas thanks to their innovative and daring tactical deployment, and how the cracking of the Enigma code effectively hamstrung them, greatly reducing their impact, a problem that even their advanced tactics failed to solve.
Autorentext
Gordon Williamson is a retired civil servant who spent several years working for the Royal Military Police (TA). He has written over 60 military books, including a number of titles for Osprey: ELI 183 U-boat Tactics in World War II, MAA 434 World War II German Police Units etc. Amongst his primary interests are the German Navy in World War II, U-Boats, and the Military Police forces of the Allied and Axis armies. He lives near Edinburgh in Scotland.
Zusammenfassung
From the lone, stealth attack to the fearsome potential of the legendary 'wolf packs', this book provides crucial insight into how U-boats operated in the war. At the start of the war, German U-boat technology vastly out performed that possessed by the Allies, and under the pressure of the war continual development helped keep pace with wartime needs and improvements in anti-submarine weaponry. But it was not just the technology that had to change. German U-boat tactics evolved over time. Used in a variety of roles, from coastal patrolling through to the combined actions of convey-hunting 'wolf packs', the tactics used by U-Boats were diverse.Gordon Williamson analyses how the U-boats dominated the seas thanks to their innovative and daring tactical deployment, and how the cracking of the Enigma code effectively hamstrung them, greatly reducing their impact, a problem that even their advanced tactics failed to solve.