Product Description

During World War II, German U-boats played a central role in offensive operations across the world's oceans. In the Battle of the Atlantic, U-boats were pitched against Allied merchant ships to prevent vital supplies being brought to Britain - Hitler's undersea fleet brought Britain to the brink of capitulation. This is a comprehensive guide to the bases that lay behind this deadly operation. Hitler ordered these bases to be constructed at strategically crucial sites, where the U-boats were berthed and repaired, and from where they sailed forth on their war patrols. Many of these monolithic structures still exist today in all their menacing glory, despite suffering repeated attempts by Allied bombers to destroy them. This title provides a concise historical background to the rise of the Nazi U-boat fleet, and the part it played in World War II. The author examines in detail how and why each of the bases in France, Germany and Norway were designed and built, and how they were defended against attack, while listing which boats were based where and when. A comprehensive gazetteer reveals what is left to see today of these massive structures at each of the sites.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #762302 in Books
• Published on: 2002-02-24
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

About the Author
Jak P. Malmann Showell is the son of a Kriegsmarine U-boat man who was killed in the Battle of the Atlantic in 1944. Jak has written many books on the Kriegsmarine and the U-boat war in particular, including U-boats in Camera and the German Navy Handbook: 1939-1945, for Sutton Publishing.

Customer Reviews

Hitler's U-Boat Bases
For anybody that's interested in the history of U-Boats, or the U-Boat war in general, then this is a must have book. The book covers a subject that is rarely found in books, that being the planning, construction and use of the massive U-Boat bunkers that were found not only in Germany, but also in the country's that were occupied by the German war machine. The book goes on to document their use, individual history and what is left to be seen today. The comprehensive narrative is backed up by a very interesting collection of photograph's taken not only from the U-Boat archive, but also includes some interesting photo's showing their present day use. This book will take it's place in my bookcase with my other U-Boat books, and will be a worthy addition.

Then and now
A book that started off well with an interesting section on the construction of the bases. However, I was disappointed in that there was too much about the remnants as they are now and insufficient about their use on a day to day basis. Good if you want to go and visit them, less worthwhile if you are interested in their original use. However, there are interesting comments about allied bombing and its effects.