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Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted, 1942-1945
"As always with Blair, the work is meticulously reported and smoothly written." --- Los Angeles Times
In The Hunters, 1939-1942 , the first volume of Hitler's U-boat War , Clay Blair described the Battle of the Atlantic, waged first against the British Empire and then against the Americas. Now he brings his magisterial, highly praised narrative history to a conclusion by looking at the period when the fortunes of the German Navy were almost completely reversed, and when it suffered perhaps the most devastating defeat of any of the German forces.
In unprecedented detail and drawing on sources never before used, Clay Blair continues the dramatic tale of the failures and fortunes of the German U-boat campaign against the United States and Great Britain. All of the major patrols and sorties made by the Germans are described meticulously and with considerable human the Peleus and Laconia affairs; the capture at sea of U-505; the crisis of German command; the futile operations against the Americas; and the mounting and devastating losses that, in effect, entirely destroyed the German submarine service.
Hitler's U-boat The Hunted, 1942-1945 is the brilliant finale to Blair's comprehensive treatment of the rise and fall of German U-boat warfare in World War II.
In The Hunters, 1939-1942 , the first volume of Hitler's U-boat War , Clay Blair described the Battle of the Atlantic, waged first against the British Empire and then against the Americas. Now he brings his magisterial, highly praised narrative history to a conclusion by looking at the period when the fortunes of the German Navy were almost completely reversed, and when it suffered perhaps the most devastating defeat of any of the German forces.
In unprecedented detail and drawing on sources never before used, Clay Blair continues the dramatic tale of the failures and fortunes of the German U-boat campaign against the United States and Great Britain. All of the major patrols and sorties made by the Germans are described meticulously and with considerable human the Peleus and Laconia affairs; the capture at sea of U-505; the crisis of German command; the futile operations against the Americas; and the mounting and devastating losses that, in effect, entirely destroyed the German submarine service.
Hitler's U-boat The Hunted, 1942-1945 is the brilliant finale to Blair's comprehensive treatment of the rise and fall of German U-boat warfare in World War II.
944 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1998
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About the author
Clay Blair Jr.
37 books18 followersClay Blair, Jr. was an American historian, best known for his books on military history. Born in Lexington, Virginia, he served on the fleet submarine Guardfish (SS-217) in World War II and later wrote for Time and Life magazines before becoming editor-in-chief of The Saturday Evening Post. He assisted General Omar Bradley in the writing of his autobiography, A General's Life (1983), published after the general's death. Blair wrote two dozen history books and hundreds of magazine articles that reached a popular audience. His last book was Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted, 1942–1945 (1998), which followed Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters, 1939–1942 (1996).
Blair's history of the Korean War The Forgotten War: America in Korea, 1950–1953 (1987) is considered one of the definitive historical works on the war. His work was notable for his criticism of senior American political and military leaders. Blair criticizes President Harry S. Truman and his Secretary of Defense, Louis A. Johnson, for failing to maintain the military's readiness in the years immediately following World War II. His history, while comprehensive, primarily employs a top-down perspective, with less emphasis on individual soldiers than on larger operational issues and the perspectives of general and field-grade officers. He has also been criticized by some historians for not making sufficient use of Communist sources.
Blair also wrote extensively on the submarine war of World War II, notably in the bestselling Silent Victory: The U.S. Submarine War Against Japan (1975), considered the definitive work on the Pacific submarine war.
Blair was married for many years to Joan Blair, who co-wrote some of his books. Prior to that marriage he was married to Agnes Kemp Devereux Blair, with whom he had seven children: Marie Louise, Clay III, Sibyl, Joseph (deceased), Kemp, Robert and Christopher.
- Wikipedia
Blair's history of the Korean War The Forgotten War: America in Korea, 1950–1953 (1987) is considered one of the definitive historical works on the war. His work was notable for his criticism of senior American political and military leaders. Blair criticizes President Harry S. Truman and his Secretary of Defense, Louis A. Johnson, for failing to maintain the military's readiness in the years immediately following World War II. His history, while comprehensive, primarily employs a top-down perspective, with less emphasis on individual soldiers than on larger operational issues and the perspectives of general and field-grade officers. He has also been criticized by some historians for not making sufficient use of Communist sources.
Blair also wrote extensively on the submarine war of World War II, notably in the bestselling Silent Victory: The U.S. Submarine War Against Japan (1975), considered the definitive work on the Pacific submarine war.
Blair was married for many years to Joan Blair, who co-wrote some of his books. Prior to that marriage he was married to Agnes Kemp Devereux Blair, with whom he had seven children: Marie Louise, Clay III, Sibyl, Joseph (deceased), Kemp, Robert and Christopher.
- Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 30, 2024
I have also read and reviewed the first volume of this excellent and very full study. That volume made clear that the U Boat war was never going to give the Germans any kind of strategic victory. This second volume is the record of how they were comprehensively defeated, whilst still causing death and destruction to allied ships and crews right up to the last days of the war.
In general, the author’s view of how Donitz and his U Boats waged war is that it was hard but fair. On the whole, this seems true, but there are plenty of examples of German callousness. Some U Boat captains shot up tiny wooden sailboats which cannot have been of any conceivable value as military targets, in the full knowledge that the unarmed civilian crews had little chance of surviving as their flimsy vessels were shot to pieces at close range. Conversely, it was Royal Navy policy to open up a murderous fire on the conning tower of surfaced U Boats, to “discourage” the crews from abandoning ship in the hope that the U Boat could be captured before it sank. Technically, neither of these things were war crimes – just as the U Boat captain who had a “whites only” policy when it came to assisting shipwrecked survivors was not technically committing a war crime either. But this is not in any sense waging war like a gentleman.
By 1944 it was obvious that the U Boats had been defeated and that the kind of attacks that Donitz insistently ordered were pointless and doomed. Why then did he insist? What was he hoping to achieve? What kind of leadership is this? It is hard to avoid the conclusion that Donitz was motivated by fanaticism and was losing his grip on reality.
In my review of the first volume I noted that the author is a great fan of US Admiral King, whereas I am not. It is only fair to record that here we find King was strongly of the opinion that the US strategic bombing fleet would have been better employed on convoy escort and anti sub duty rather than reducing German cities to rubble. Morally and strategically, he was surely right.
In general, the author’s view of how Donitz and his U Boats waged war is that it was hard but fair. On the whole, this seems true, but there are plenty of examples of German callousness. Some U Boat captains shot up tiny wooden sailboats which cannot have been of any conceivable value as military targets, in the full knowledge that the unarmed civilian crews had little chance of surviving as their flimsy vessels were shot to pieces at close range. Conversely, it was Royal Navy policy to open up a murderous fire on the conning tower of surfaced U Boats, to “discourage” the crews from abandoning ship in the hope that the U Boat could be captured before it sank. Technically, neither of these things were war crimes – just as the U Boat captain who had a “whites only” policy when it came to assisting shipwrecked survivors was not technically committing a war crime either. But this is not in any sense waging war like a gentleman.
By 1944 it was obvious that the U Boats had been defeated and that the kind of attacks that Donitz insistently ordered were pointless and doomed. Why then did he insist? What was he hoping to achieve? What kind of leadership is this? It is hard to avoid the conclusion that Donitz was motivated by fanaticism and was losing his grip on reality.
In my review of the first volume I noted that the author is a great fan of US Admiral King, whereas I am not. It is only fair to record that here we find King was strongly of the opinion that the US strategic bombing fleet would have been better employed on convoy escort and anti sub duty rather than reducing German cities to rubble. Morally and strategically, he was surely right.
March 20, 2015
Unfortunately, I didn't do a review immediately after reading this book as I had just joined Goodreads at that time. So now after almost a year, I don't remember the tiny but interesting details that I would have liked to share here otherwise.
But I do remember that this is an amazing book. This and its predecessor are the best books ever written about the U-boats.
But I do remember that this is an amazing book. This and its predecessor are the best books ever written about the U-boats.
December 9, 2024
More submarines. This is really volume 2 of a book too long to be a single book. It began in Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters, 1939-1942, and continues here. In fact, the book calls itself volume 3 with volume 1 and 2 in the first book.
Before saying anything else, I will say that the author, a retired US Navy Officer, has done a thorough job combing through archives to figure out the destiny of every German submarine in the Atlantic and elsewhere. It must have been a mammoth task.
Back to the book, 1942 is the turning point of World War 2, where Nazi Germany stops expanding, where they start going on the defense. 1942 is also a turning point for their submarine warfare. With improved radars, massive production of escorts, decryption on an industrial scale, it becomes increasingly hard for the submarines to make an impact.
Clay's main point in these books is that the submarines were never as dangerous as people claimed, and here I must say that I somewhat disagree. I think he downplays the damage the submarines still did in the early parts of the war. He also probably overstates the value of the American effort, judging from his defensiveness whenever the US Navy is criticized.
What the books, and in particular this book, do show is how useless the submarines were at the end. The Type VII and Type IX were all but obsolete and the Allied overwhelming response to the threat made every patrol a coin flip between death and a useless patrol. Decrypts made all convoys avoid submarines, while airplanes and hunter-killer groups crisscrossed the oceans.
The book is organized one month and one patrol area at a time, and paragraph by paragraph the author lists major actions and events for each submarine. And by major it's basically sinkings, either of the submarine or by the submarine. It's quite a tedious read which is why it took me months to get through it.
All in all, the book is more of a reference work than anything else. I miss the human angle, apart from a bit about Dönitz. I miss the technical side. How did Huff-Duff work, how did radar detectors work, why not more about snorkels/snorts when they played such a big role? I basically miss all details. It would have made the book longer, but I think there are things to summarize. Instead of a page with 5 paragraphs listing 5 different sinkings, it can be U-123, U-456, U-789, … were all sunk by airplanes crossing the Bay of Biscay.
Much has been said about u-boat captain fanaticism but there are only a few occasional glimpses here, like when one captain is executed for showing defeatism. There could have been much more about the personalities and training of the submarine cadre.
Before saying anything else, I will say that the author, a retired US Navy Officer, has done a thorough job combing through archives to figure out the destiny of every German submarine in the Atlantic and elsewhere. It must have been a mammoth task.
Back to the book, 1942 is the turning point of World War 2, where Nazi Germany stops expanding, where they start going on the defense. 1942 is also a turning point for their submarine warfare. With improved radars, massive production of escorts, decryption on an industrial scale, it becomes increasingly hard for the submarines to make an impact.
Clay's main point in these books is that the submarines were never as dangerous as people claimed, and here I must say that I somewhat disagree. I think he downplays the damage the submarines still did in the early parts of the war. He also probably overstates the value of the American effort, judging from his defensiveness whenever the US Navy is criticized.
What the books, and in particular this book, do show is how useless the submarines were at the end. The Type VII and Type IX were all but obsolete and the Allied overwhelming response to the threat made every patrol a coin flip between death and a useless patrol. Decrypts made all convoys avoid submarines, while airplanes and hunter-killer groups crisscrossed the oceans.
The book is organized one month and one patrol area at a time, and paragraph by paragraph the author lists major actions and events for each submarine. And by major it's basically sinkings, either of the submarine or by the submarine. It's quite a tedious read which is why it took me months to get through it.
All in all, the book is more of a reference work than anything else. I miss the human angle, apart from a bit about Dönitz. I miss the technical side. How did Huff-Duff work, how did radar detectors work, why not more about snorkels/snorts when they played such a big role? I basically miss all details. It would have made the book longer, but I think there are things to summarize. Instead of a page with 5 paragraphs listing 5 different sinkings, it can be U-123, U-456, U-789, … were all sunk by airplanes crossing the Bay of Biscay.
Much has been said about u-boat captain fanaticism but there are only a few occasional glimpses here, like when one captain is executed for showing defeatism. There could have been much more about the personalities and training of the submarine cadre.
May 17, 2024
This is the best book I’ve read in probably a decade. The title is very misleading, although still appropriate. This book makes the war truly world-encompassing, like very few other books have done for me. It makes me want to read a lot more on the arctic war, Latin America, and the naval bases in bay of biscay. The main theme of this book seems to be germanys unwillingness to adapt to a growing problem-they were on their own against Britain and America and couldn’t outproduce them. I used to think the uboat was over early 43, but it seems to be closer to late 43/normandy. Once the Germans were on a defensive front (especially after Kursk which the author reaffirms as the shift in German strategy)uboats were used as deterrents for invasion (granted unsuccessfully). I also was semi surprised how much British naval dominance still dictated the war, even after americas entry. This book really fed into my belief that, as in the pacific, America is still learning how to fight a war, and learning from Britain a great deal. This books makes the decision to overlook Montgomery for Eisenhower as the post-Italy decision maker that much more brilliant-the Americans used the uboat wars, Africa, and Italy as training grounds for taking control of the war from the British in early 44. As in the midway pacific example, the battle of the Atlantic and non-European operations made the British and Americans prepared to slow down the German war machine, while continually building their own. The author continually provides importance for the Arctic theatre as a reason to keep Russia in the war (making the meetings at Casablanca, Tehran, and yalta pivotal agreements). You can also see Churchill slowly being weeded out of decision making (his Balkan invasion being denied after Sicily) for Eisenhower. I always had the feeling that Churchill kept the world in the war, and Eisenhower ended it. This books title, like I said, is misleading. Although it is mostly about the uboat war, that explanation, although detailed and a little dry at times, shows why the uboat war was the single training ground for all sides involved. It showed the British navy’s importance even after America entered, and proves that hitler after Sicily was fighting a losing uboat effort. The tide turned very very sharply after 43, even if the book shows the German tech slowed that somewhat, if at all.
December 13, 2020
This concluding volume in the author's exhaustive history of the German U-Boat war has as its thesis the fact that the U-Boat war never came close to its goal of cutting the vital Atlantic supply line from the US to Europe.
Through examining nearly every patrol of the war, the author makes his case, which can be summed up by the fact that 99.4% of ships sailing in convoy made it safely to their destinations.
In between the numerous patrol reports, the author continues to cover Allied code breaking activities and German strategic decisions as they related to submarine warfare. A great deal of attention is paid to the development and deployment of the diesel engine snorkel, and the development of the type XXI and XXIII "electro" boat submarines. The author showing that they were not the "wonder" weapons that many thought they were, and would have had little impact had they been introduced earlier in the war.
The author does not fail to discuss the trial and conviction of Admiral Donitz at Nuremberg. In doing so he takes the opportunity, largely through statements from Allied naval officers, to compare the German U-Boat war in the Atlantic to the US submarine war in the Pacific. A comparison that largely favors the Germans in terms of how "clean" a war they conducted. A conclusion that I'd already made having previously read the author's history of the US submarine war against Japan, but one worth emphasizing.
When taken together with the first volume, this is an excellent history. I should point out that it's taken me over a decade from the time I picked up the first volume, to the point that I have finished this one. I do not use the world "exhaustive" lightly when I describe this work.
Through examining nearly every patrol of the war, the author makes his case, which can be summed up by the fact that 99.4% of ships sailing in convoy made it safely to their destinations.
In between the numerous patrol reports, the author continues to cover Allied code breaking activities and German strategic decisions as they related to submarine warfare. A great deal of attention is paid to the development and deployment of the diesel engine snorkel, and the development of the type XXI and XXIII "electro" boat submarines. The author showing that they were not the "wonder" weapons that many thought they were, and would have had little impact had they been introduced earlier in the war.
The author does not fail to discuss the trial and conviction of Admiral Donitz at Nuremberg. In doing so he takes the opportunity, largely through statements from Allied naval officers, to compare the German U-Boat war in the Atlantic to the US submarine war in the Pacific. A comparison that largely favors the Germans in terms of how "clean" a war they conducted. A conclusion that I'd already made having previously read the author's history of the US submarine war against Japan, but one worth emphasizing.
When taken together with the first volume, this is an excellent history. I should point out that it's taken me over a decade from the time I picked up the first volume, to the point that I have finished this one. I do not use the world "exhaustive" lightly when I describe this work.
April 25, 2020
Most of what I said about the first volume applies to this one as well. Unfortunately, a couple of my gripes about number one have magnified a bit here. In particular, Blair sometimes goes for long stretches in which he merely catalogs events in the most general of terms. While I’m sure this is invaluable to researchers and historians, there’s not much for the reader in page after endless page of “U-Whatever left Wherever on Date and made it to Location before being spotted by Airplane and/or Convoy Escort and sunk with all hands.” The cold, dry nature of the accounts may do a good job of recounting the basic facts and giving at least some sense of the overall futility of the effort (especially after D-Day), but it doesn’t make for especially compelling reading. I could also have done with a bit more summary at the end. What little I got left me somewhat at loose ends as to why I’d just given up a year of my life (off and on) to make it through both volumes. However, I’m not sorry I read them. They’re reasonably complete, invaluable as history and occasionally even fun to read. Scholars of the subject should make sure the set rests on their shelves somewhere.
September 15, 2022
Aurreko liburuaren jarraipena, liburu honetan adierazten da itsaspeko alemanek Bigarren Mundu Gerran pairatutako sarraskia. Zehaztasun eta detaile guztiekin, liburu luze honek adierazten ditu eginiko patruila guztiak, hondoratzeak, teknologia aurrerapenak... Lehen liburuaren modura, egilearen tesia da itsaspeko alemanek ez zutela izan benetako aukerarik Atlantikoko gudua irabazteko. Datu esanguratsua liburu amaieran ematen du: 1942-45 tartean, konboietako itsasontzien %99,4 iritsi ziren helmugara (272 itsasontzi hondoratuta). Kontrara, 713 itsaspeko alemaniar galdu ziren epe berdinean.
Oso liburu mardula da, eta daukan informazio kopuruagatik batzuetan zaila da haria jarraitzen, baina gaian interesa duenarentzat, liburu gomendagarria da.
Oso liburu mardula da, eta daukan informazio kopuruagatik batzuetan zaila da haria jarraitzen, baina gaian interesa duenarentzat, liburu gomendagarria da.
December 14, 2025
A very dry, but comprehensive look at the U-boat war around the world when the tides turned against the Kriegsmarine. The sheer volume of information in this book lets the reader draw their own conclusions alongside the writer's views.
Both books are fantastic, and a must-read for those looking to answer the questions of:
1. Did the U-Boat War have a chance at winning the war in the Atlantic
2. Did they wage a harsh but fair war
3. Was it material or science that brought about their destruction
Both books are fantastic, and a must-read for those looking to answer the questions of:
1. Did the U-Boat War have a chance at winning the war in the Atlantic
2. Did they wage a harsh but fair war
3. Was it material or science that brought about their destruction
November 30, 2017
If you like historical material about WWII era U-boats, and I do, this is a terrific book. I'll also mention the companion volume Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters 1939-1942. It's comprehensive and compiles the available documentation on the subject into a cohesive narrative that draws the reader along through the conflict in the Atlantic. It's one of the most educational things I've read.
January 10, 2018
An excellent detailed account of how the U-boats were utterly crushed by American, British, and Canadian forces in the 2nd half of WW2.
September 29, 2021
Magisterial. Bring on Volume II
June 29, 2024
A good reference book
February 19, 2016
Picking up where he left off in Volume 1, Clay Blair continues with his masterful history of the war v. the German U-boats in World War II. Beginning in mid-1942, the U-boat campaign has reached its zenith and is now beginning to tilt in favor of the Allies. Increased protection via aircraft and escorts, as well as improvements in radar technology, have begun to take the sting out of the U-boats and they now are the hunted rather than the hunters.
Once again Blair gives details on virtually every U-boat mission and sinking, from time of departure to time of return (or destruction), along with details on U-boat victims and killers. It truly is staggering the amount of detail he put into this book (and Volume 1). Some missions are covered in more detail than others, such as the sinking of the Laconia and the capture of U-505, but that's to be expected--it's simply impossible to give every U-boat the same amount of ink.
The book finishes with information about the Nuremburg Trials and an assessment of the overall war efforts of the Allies and the Germans in the U-boat war. There are plenty of charts with lots of figures for U-boat scores, patrol results, Allied production, convoys sailed and convoy losses so you won't be able to say any stone has been left unturned.
Along with Volume 1, this is truly one of the greatest histories of submarine warfare you will ever read. I will be very surprised if I ever find something to surpass it.
Once again Blair gives details on virtually every U-boat mission and sinking, from time of departure to time of return (or destruction), along with details on U-boat victims and killers. It truly is staggering the amount of detail he put into this book (and Volume 1). Some missions are covered in more detail than others, such as the sinking of the Laconia and the capture of U-505, but that's to be expected--it's simply impossible to give every U-boat the same amount of ink.
The book finishes with information about the Nuremburg Trials and an assessment of the overall war efforts of the Allies and the Germans in the U-boat war. There are plenty of charts with lots of figures for U-boat scores, patrol results, Allied production, convoys sailed and convoy losses so you won't be able to say any stone has been left unturned.
Along with Volume 1, this is truly one of the greatest histories of submarine warfare you will ever read. I will be very surprised if I ever find something to surpass it.
November 12, 2008
Book II, When the hunters become the hunted we are witness to the ghastly death statistics of the German U-Boat personnel, something above 80% death rate. Fact is stranger than fiction, there are stories of death and survival in this book that no Hollywood movie could portray and have you believe it. You get a cold chill reading this as the complete picture of life and death aboard a U-Boat, as did almost everyone who set foot in one. Nasty business, U-Boat war.
May 9, 2013
Incredibly detailed book recounting the last three years of the U-Boat war during World War II. The author clearly did his research with multiple interesting footnotes per page. Very riveting story with individual stories from both sides. Mind-boggling how the German U-boat sailors kept going out under near suicidal conditions near the end of the war.
July 17, 2013
During the second half of World War II the Americans and British navies learned out to counter the German submarine warfare and sharply reduced losses of shipping. The Americans even captured a German u-boat.
September 21, 2016
This book is thoroughly detailed and exhaustive, It is not for the faint of heart. The author's writing is actually quite good but because of the detail and the repetitive nature of describing each U-boat's patrol, at times the reading is tedious.
December 22, 2012
Must read!
July 25, 2014
This book was recommended in either of the "Bookmarks" magazine's issues of: (Nov/ Dec 2007) or (Jan/ Feb 2008).
November 5, 2014
Volume 2 covers the period when it was increasingly unlikely that a U-Boat would return from patrol. A fascinating read and very comprehensive. The courage of combatants of all nations is obvious.
October 12, 2016
Part two of the best history of the Atlantic U-Boat campaign.
June 1, 2016
Great detail on every patrol in the war in this and the previous volume. Not for the casual reader.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews