Kriegsmarine U-Boats 1939-45

The Kriegsmarine's submarines, the U-boats, proved to be the most effective and deadly arm of the German navy in World War II. Built to harass Allied shipping, the U-boat "wolfpacks" almost succeeded in bringing Britain to her knees in their campaign to restrict supplies from crossing the Atlantic. By 1942, their most successful year, U-boats had sunk 1,664 vessels - a massive 7.26 million tons of shipping. However, by mid-1943, with the development of improved radar and antisubmarine aircraft in both Britain and the United States, the tide had started to turn.

Illustrated with detailed artworks, The Essential Submarine Identification Guide: Kriegsmarine U-Boats 1939-45 is a comprehensive guide to the submarine arm of the German navy in World War II. Uniquely divided by flotilla, this book offers a complete organisational breakdown of U-boat units, from the beginning of the war in the North Atlantic through to last days of the Reich.