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The U-Boat War: A Global History 1939–45
A unique perspective of the global history of U-boats during the entirety of World War II by Lawrence Paterson, one of the world's leading U-boat experts.
The accepted historical narrative of the Second World War predominantly assigns U-boats to the so-called Battle of the Atlantic, almost as if the struggle over convoys between the new world and the old can be viewed in isolation from simultaneous events on land and in the air. This has become an almost accepted error. The U-boats war did not exist solely between 1940 and 1943, nor did the Atlantic battle occur in seclusion from other theatres of action. The story of Germany's second U-boat war began on the first day of hostilities with Britain and France and ended with the final torpedo sinking on May 7 1945. U-boats were active in nearly every theatre of operation in which the Wehrmacht served, and within all but the Southern Ocean. Moreover, these deployments were not undertaken in isolation from one another; instead they were frequently interconnected in what became an increasingly inefficient German naval strategy.
This fascinating new book places each theater of action in which U-boats were deployed into the broader context of the Second World War in its entirety while also studying the interdependence of the various geographic deployments. It illustrates the U-boats' often direct relationship with land, sea and aerial campaigns of both the Allied and Axis powers, dispels certain accepted mythologies, and reveals how the ultimate failure of the U-boats stemmed as much from chaotic German military and industrial mismanagement as it did from Allied advances in code-breaking and weaponry.
The accepted historical narrative of the Second World War predominantly assigns U-boats to the so-called Battle of the Atlantic, almost as if the struggle over convoys between the new world and the old can be viewed in isolation from simultaneous events on land and in the air. This has become an almost accepted error. The U-boats war did not exist solely between 1940 and 1943, nor did the Atlantic battle occur in seclusion from other theatres of action. The story of Germany's second U-boat war began on the first day of hostilities with Britain and France and ended with the final torpedo sinking on May 7 1945. U-boats were active in nearly every theatre of operation in which the Wehrmacht served, and within all but the Southern Ocean. Moreover, these deployments were not undertaken in isolation from one another; instead they were frequently interconnected in what became an increasingly inefficient German naval strategy.
This fascinating new book places each theater of action in which U-boats were deployed into the broader context of the Second World War in its entirety while also studying the interdependence of the various geographic deployments. It illustrates the U-boats' often direct relationship with land, sea and aerial campaigns of both the Allied and Axis powers, dispels certain accepted mythologies, and reveals how the ultimate failure of the U-boats stemmed as much from chaotic German military and industrial mismanagement as it did from Allied advances in code-breaking and weaponry.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published April 12, 2022
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95 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Paterson
32 books19 followersBorn and raised in New Zealand, but now living in southern Italy. I've been interested in history, particularly WW2 history, since I can remember.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 11, 2023
"Statistically, of 1394 wartime commanders of U-Boats commissioned into the Kriegsmarine - including those in training - 847 (60%) failed to sink a single ship."
This comment, a surprising one to me, comes near to the end of this very interesting book and expands to show that 749 U-Boats and 26,791 crewmen were lost in action in WWII. 82 wartime commanders (six per cent) accounted for ten or more vessels destroyed or declared as a constructive loss.
Lawrence Patterson, who has written a number of books on U-Boats, provides a good history of Germany's submarine war globally in WWII. This provides not just information on the main theatre of war with the long-running Battle of the Atlantic, but operations in the Arctic, Mediterranean, the North American/Canadian coastline and down into the Caribbean and the South Atlantic. Moreover, Mr Patterson also gives detail on the East African coast and wider operations in the the mid and South Atlantic. Expanding further, the U-Boat operations for South Africa and into the Indian Ocean are also written about as is the work and connections to the Japanese.
Using operational reports, some first-hand accounts, and an expansive biography from official histories to memoirs by Doenitz and others to secondary sources such as Clay Blair's two volume U-Boat Wars - the operations of the U-Boats is covered from the days prior to war with readiness and initial deployments prior to the attack on Poland to the final days of supporting evacuations of troops and civilians in East Prussia to scuttling and surrender.
This means the reader gains a comprehensive understanding of the construction, design, capability, communications, technology and manpower challenges throughout these years, whilst seeing the operational deployments, tactics and conditions the crew operated to and within. Coupled with the ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) operations and tactics and the use of convoys by the allied nations (including but not limited to the UK, Canada, US, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Brazil, NZ, Australia, South Africa) it is apparent that Germany's submariners were overstretched and losing a technology battle from the start.
Yet despite these challenges and threats they carried the war to the allies and created not just destruction and death on the seas but also concern and worry in the capitals and strategic planning operations of Germany's enemies.
There were some printing errors, including two dating mistakes in the footnotes, but this should not detract from a very readable and interesting account. Whilst there were some excellent black and white plates, there was not a single map, which for a publisher of Osprey's quality is very disappointing.
My copy was the hardback version printed in 2022.
This comment, a surprising one to me, comes near to the end of this very interesting book and expands to show that 749 U-Boats and 26,791 crewmen were lost in action in WWII. 82 wartime commanders (six per cent) accounted for ten or more vessels destroyed or declared as a constructive loss.
Lawrence Patterson, who has written a number of books on U-Boats, provides a good history of Germany's submarine war globally in WWII. This provides not just information on the main theatre of war with the long-running Battle of the Atlantic, but operations in the Arctic, Mediterranean, the North American/Canadian coastline and down into the Caribbean and the South Atlantic. Moreover, Mr Patterson also gives detail on the East African coast and wider operations in the the mid and South Atlantic. Expanding further, the U-Boat operations for South Africa and into the Indian Ocean are also written about as is the work and connections to the Japanese.
Using operational reports, some first-hand accounts, and an expansive biography from official histories to memoirs by Doenitz and others to secondary sources such as Clay Blair's two volume U-Boat Wars - the operations of the U-Boats is covered from the days prior to war with readiness and initial deployments prior to the attack on Poland to the final days of supporting evacuations of troops and civilians in East Prussia to scuttling and surrender.
This means the reader gains a comprehensive understanding of the construction, design, capability, communications, technology and manpower challenges throughout these years, whilst seeing the operational deployments, tactics and conditions the crew operated to and within. Coupled with the ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) operations and tactics and the use of convoys by the allied nations (including but not limited to the UK, Canada, US, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Brazil, NZ, Australia, South Africa) it is apparent that Germany's submariners were overstretched and losing a technology battle from the start.
Yet despite these challenges and threats they carried the war to the allies and created not just destruction and death on the seas but also concern and worry in the capitals and strategic planning operations of Germany's enemies.
There were some printing errors, including two dating mistakes in the footnotes, but this should not detract from a very readable and interesting account. Whilst there were some excellent black and white plates, there was not a single map, which for a publisher of Osprey's quality is very disappointing.
My copy was the hardback version printed in 2022.
April 16, 2022
I very much enjoyed this book. My wife at one point asked me what I was reading and I told her it was a book about submarines. She responded, "Who else reads books about submarines?" in the tone of the famous commercial. That alone was worth 5 stars.
I enjoyed that this book made technical topics accessible and not overwhelming as they often are in military history books. While I'm no subject matter expert who can comment on the accuracy of the material, I can say I thoroughly enjoyed the read.
Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed that this book made technical topics accessible and not overwhelming as they often are in military history books. While I'm no subject matter expert who can comment on the accuracy of the material, I can say I thoroughly enjoyed the read.
Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 21, 2022
The U-Boat War: A Global History 1939-45 by Lawrence Paterson is a fascinating and comprehensive history that goes beyond the usual pattern of limiting the narrative to either a specific theater or exclusively a military history (as in a battle history).
I'll state upfront that submarine history and technology is of particular interest to me. While it was never an area of study or research for me it was a big part of my life for a while. I was an electronics technician/reactor operator aboard subs for the US Navy in the late 70s and early 80s, and as a Navy brat growing up, I just have a strong personal interest.
What I found of great interest in this book was the blending of what in less competent hands would have been at least three different narratives. The larger narrative is about the U-boat fleet during the war. This means discussing both the actions but also the political and international (as in treaty guidelines) aspects. That larger all-encompassing story has to be told before, during, and after the second narrative, that of the U-boat's actual actions during the war. In many ways these two have to be told as much like a single narrative as possible, though I have seen many books that give a lot of information about military actions but offer little context for how and why any of the vessels were where they were. The part I was probably least expecting but very happy to see was the technical discussions about how the U-boat service expanded in scope and ability. From torpedoes and mines to technical information about the boats themselves, this information was worked into the story so that it all flowed together.
I guess what I am trying to get across is that this presents the U-boat story in its entirety from reasons and rationale through technological development and subsequent military operations. No matter which aspect is most appealing to you the other elements serve to enrich each other.
In addition to those interested in submarine history I would highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in World War II history on any level.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
I'll state upfront that submarine history and technology is of particular interest to me. While it was never an area of study or research for me it was a big part of my life for a while. I was an electronics technician/reactor operator aboard subs for the US Navy in the late 70s and early 80s, and as a Navy brat growing up, I just have a strong personal interest.
What I found of great interest in this book was the blending of what in less competent hands would have been at least three different narratives. The larger narrative is about the U-boat fleet during the war. This means discussing both the actions but also the political and international (as in treaty guidelines) aspects. That larger all-encompassing story has to be told before, during, and after the second narrative, that of the U-boat's actual actions during the war. In many ways these two have to be told as much like a single narrative as possible, though I have seen many books that give a lot of information about military actions but offer little context for how and why any of the vessels were where they were. The part I was probably least expecting but very happy to see was the technical discussions about how the U-boat service expanded in scope and ability. From torpedoes and mines to technical information about the boats themselves, this information was worked into the story so that it all flowed together.
I guess what I am trying to get across is that this presents the U-boat story in its entirety from reasons and rationale through technological development and subsequent military operations. No matter which aspect is most appealing to you the other elements serve to enrich each other.
In addition to those interested in submarine history I would highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in World War II history on any level.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
February 3, 2023
An unusual take on German U-Boats in World War II. For one thing, it casts a wide net covering U-boat operations far outside the North Atlantic, even into the Indian Ocean. The operations against the USA during the first six months after it entered the war are skimmed over. The book also takes a surprisingly pessimistic view of U-boat operations. Yes, there were some notable successes, but the Kriegsmarine was beset by extensive torpedo problems (which I'd never heard of before) and inadequate training. There is also an emphasis on the success of HF/DF and codebreaking.
Reading about U-boats is always tough because every sub is a number, and they're all kind of a blur and this book was no exception. I thought the writing was okay, but there are some oddly-worded sentences that I'm surprised slipped through the editing process.
3 1/2 stars, rounding up because of the interesting perspective.
Reading about U-boats is always tough because every sub is a number, and they're all kind of a blur and this book was no exception. I thought the writing was okay, but there are some oddly-worded sentences that I'm surprised slipped through the editing process.
3 1/2 stars, rounding up because of the interesting perspective.
April 1, 2022
I just finished my read of an ARC of "The U-Boat War: A Global History, 1939-1945," written by Lawrence Paterson and published by Osprey (to whom I am grateful for the ARC this review is based upon). Most readers who have an interest in U-Boat operations during World War II, are familiar with what is broadly described as "he Battle of the Atlantic." Lawrence's text is particularly useful to readers with this familiarity because his project is to contextualize the U-Boat war within the strategic boundaries of the larger struggle involving all of the war"s major combatants and weapons. In other words, while the Battle of the Atlantic is not ignored, it is viewed through a very different perspective from that which most of us are familiar with. I found it refreshing to shift from the tactical emphasis which has dominated studies of the U-Boats at war to a more macroscopic overview much like that we are beginning to see in discussions of the Allies' Combined Bomber offensive against the German homeland, again, one which has long been dominated by tactical rather than strategic discussions. In this sense, Lawrence has done us all a great service. The work includes fascinating detail on German management as well as objectives and shortcomings that tend to become obscured in works which focus much more closely on the tactical level of things. It is always refreshing to see a historian opening up a relatively underrepresented perspective to the popular consciousness, and this is just the sort to book to accomplish that for the U-Boat war.
I recommend it to anyone looking for a fresh perspective that works to extend our understanding of U-Boats at the operational level and their integration into broader national and international themes. Well done.
I recommend it to anyone looking for a fresh perspective that works to extend our understanding of U-Boats at the operational level and their integration into broader national and international themes. Well done.
June 9, 2022
In The U-Boat War: A Global History 1939-45 Lawrence Paterson, a noted Naval writer and SCUBA diver looks at the overall effort and effects of Kreigsmarine Admiral Doenitz' project. What he comes up with is basically a glorious failure- as Nazi submariners were only able to reach their 300,000 tons sunk/month rate once- and by the time they did- America's entry into the war and robust industrial base meant that the real target needed to be 600,000 tons. Paterson shows that the U-boats, far from being a real existential threat as they had been in WWI were more of a quixotic quest to stay relevant for the German Navy- one that was doomed to failure almost from the start. Perhaps if the Nazis had begun the war with their 300 boat "dream force" they might have stood a chance- but by the time they reached that size force- Allied ASW techniques and tactics were enough ahead to make each sortie a dicy proposition. When the weight of ULTRA intercepts, allied reading of the German's coded correspondence was added to the mix- by 1944, even crossing the Bay of Biscay to get to the Atlantic was a very risky passage. Paterson lays it all out , with quotes, anecdotes and statistics from every possible source - and it makes you feel much better about the Allied effort in the Battle of the Atlantic. A compelling tale well told.
The German effort was not only too small- but also never really robust enough to battle The British Empire and the United States (by the end of the war the Canadian Navy was the third largest in the world-most of it ASW oriented) on equal terms. Allied Aircraft, Sonar, Radar, and Depth Charges got better and better and longer and longer ranged- and the Nazis could never keep up. As I weas reading this book- and books on the USN's effort in the Pacific- a much more successful strangling of an economy- I wondered if philosophical differences between Nazism and American Democracy might be in play as well. The Germans- taught that Battle was the true test of Men- seemed to get excited and keyed up to fight-often making little but crippling mistakes in their excitement- sometimes fatal ones. The Americans seem to view their attacks as Work- time to get focused but calm- with better results. There's a lot more in this book- readers will find the Nazi/Japanese Imperial Navy cooperation of particular interest- and I think its well worth a look.
There are some adult themes (these are Sailors, remember?) and some graphic injury passages, so this is best read by the Junior Reader over 13/14 years with a nautical bent. For the Gamer/Modeler/Military Enthusiast- a mixed catch. The gamer gets a lot of interesting scenario ideas- and the knowledge that sub attacks in games are usually less accident fraught than the real thing. The modeler gets some cool build ideas and diorama concepts- there are some interesting photos in the book too. It is the Military Enthusiast who gets the most- a good reliable comprehensive history of Germany's Submarine war in the WWII- even if it does besmirch the idea of German efficiency and technical excellence we know today. Reading this book does give the reader a much better take on the Battle of the Atlantic and its secondary fronts. A strong recommendation.
The German effort was not only too small- but also never really robust enough to battle The British Empire and the United States (by the end of the war the Canadian Navy was the third largest in the world-most of it ASW oriented) on equal terms. Allied Aircraft, Sonar, Radar, and Depth Charges got better and better and longer and longer ranged- and the Nazis could never keep up. As I weas reading this book- and books on the USN's effort in the Pacific- a much more successful strangling of an economy- I wondered if philosophical differences between Nazism and American Democracy might be in play as well. The Germans- taught that Battle was the true test of Men- seemed to get excited and keyed up to fight-often making little but crippling mistakes in their excitement- sometimes fatal ones. The Americans seem to view their attacks as Work- time to get focused but calm- with better results. There's a lot more in this book- readers will find the Nazi/Japanese Imperial Navy cooperation of particular interest- and I think its well worth a look.
There are some adult themes (these are Sailors, remember?) and some graphic injury passages, so this is best read by the Junior Reader over 13/14 years with a nautical bent. For the Gamer/Modeler/Military Enthusiast- a mixed catch. The gamer gets a lot of interesting scenario ideas- and the knowledge that sub attacks in games are usually less accident fraught than the real thing. The modeler gets some cool build ideas and diorama concepts- there are some interesting photos in the book too. It is the Military Enthusiast who gets the most- a good reliable comprehensive history of Germany's Submarine war in the WWII- even if it does besmirch the idea of German efficiency and technical excellence we know today. Reading this book does give the reader a much better take on the Battle of the Atlantic and its secondary fronts. A strong recommendation.
February 18, 2023
I found this book interesting and engaging enough that I finished it.* Indeed, I finished it fairly quickly compared to most of my recent reading.
This book takes a very “big picture” look at the U-Boat war just as indicated by a word in what I would call the subtitle: global. Overall strategy and how it was or was not achieved is the focus. Tactics and details of engagements are light and given only in support of that focus.
Very little of the personalities of the many U-boat officers is gone over, although their tonnage totals, both claimed and actual, are discussed for many. For the goal of this book, those tonnage totals are far more important than the lives of the captains & crews, which are to a great extent available elsewhere. Indeed, there are times where U-Boat numbers deployed is covered sort of rapid fire.
I would have given this book 5 stars, except….
(1) The author makes mention of the numerous models of U-Boats. Quite truthfully, I found it hard to keep track of the many similar Roman numerals. He does make it clear the reason a good number of the “advances” in design were flops. An appendix with basic stats and line drawings of the types (in same scale for comparison!) would have been extremely useful. I found myself frequently refreshing my memory by using internet searches.
(2) Another thing missing would have been maps. If I’d read this book when I was in high school or college (1963 to 1971) or even into the 1990s, I would have needed a world atlas nearby. The mapping apps on my cell phone came in handy.
Not really a negative, but one thing I found surprising. The author discussed Admiral Karl Dönitz’s order with regards to not taking prisoners. This order was a result of Allied actions in attacking U-boats while they were rendering assistance to crews of vessels they had sunk. Nothing is mentioned of U-Boat commander Heinz-Wilhelm Eck, who after the was executed as a war criminal. He went beyond not rendering assistance going to attempting to eradicate signs of a sinking by destroying the lifeboats and machine gunning survivors (an American submariner, Mush Morton, is known to have done worse in the Pacific).
* The book was an impulse buy on a visit to Barnes & Noble in early January. At the same time I bought two other books, Hitler’s Girl and To the Uttermost Ends of the Earth. I usually either look up reviews before buying, but didn’t do so this time.
This book takes a very “big picture” look at the U-Boat war just as indicated by a word in what I would call the subtitle: global. Overall strategy and how it was or was not achieved is the focus. Tactics and details of engagements are light and given only in support of that focus.
Very little of the personalities of the many U-boat officers is gone over, although their tonnage totals, both claimed and actual, are discussed for many. For the goal of this book, those tonnage totals are far more important than the lives of the captains & crews, which are to a great extent available elsewhere. Indeed, there are times where U-Boat numbers deployed is covered sort of rapid fire.
I would have given this book 5 stars, except….
(1) The author makes mention of the numerous models of U-Boats. Quite truthfully, I found it hard to keep track of the many similar Roman numerals. He does make it clear the reason a good number of the “advances” in design were flops. An appendix with basic stats and line drawings of the types (in same scale for comparison!) would have been extremely useful. I found myself frequently refreshing my memory by using internet searches.
(2) Another thing missing would have been maps. If I’d read this book when I was in high school or college (1963 to 1971) or even into the 1990s, I would have needed a world atlas nearby. The mapping apps on my cell phone came in handy.
Not really a negative, but one thing I found surprising. The author discussed Admiral Karl Dönitz’s order with regards to not taking prisoners. This order was a result of Allied actions in attacking U-boats while they were rendering assistance to crews of vessels they had sunk. Nothing is mentioned of U-Boat commander Heinz-Wilhelm Eck, who after the was executed as a war criminal. He went beyond not rendering assistance going to attempting to eradicate signs of a sinking by destroying the lifeboats and machine gunning survivors (an American submariner, Mush Morton, is known to have done worse in the Pacific).
* The book was an impulse buy on a visit to Barnes & Noble in early January. At the same time I bought two other books, Hitler’s Girl and To the Uttermost Ends of the Earth. I usually either look up reviews before buying, but didn’t do so this time.
August 27, 2022
Turns out, like snipers and air aces, sub commander claims can be...optimistic. If I was in doubt about tonnage or kills, this is the book I would turn to. The pure research seeps onto every page.
That said, and, forgive me, but: this is a bit of a dry read. Purists will know better than I how Paterson logs the facts; as a novice sea buff, I enjoyed the few skimmed parts that were not like reading an Excel sheet. Torpedo data bases were ridiculously siloed; Hitler was his ever-self-defeatist persona; the Luftwaffe were dicks. Beyond that, this is about as 'Das Boot' as the phone book.
That said, and, forgive me, but: this is a bit of a dry read. Purists will know better than I how Paterson logs the facts; as a novice sea buff, I enjoyed the few skimmed parts that were not like reading an Excel sheet. Torpedo data bases were ridiculously siloed; Hitler was his ever-self-defeatist persona; the Luftwaffe were dicks. Beyond that, this is about as 'Das Boot' as the phone book.
July 18, 2023
To be honest I only read a few chapters. It was too comprehensive with details on which boat with which captain attacked with so many torpedo on such a such date. I was expecting a bit more broad telling of what went on during the U-boat campaign from the German perspective. The last two chapters were better for the big picture. The submarine campaign was not as good as some other books reported. The Germans did not have many ready at start of war and never got the right type of boat built. I did learn how bad their torpedo was during the war much like the US experienced in WWII. The commanders blamed the developers and the developers blamed the boat crews.
November 30, 2025
Fascinating read! Those U-Boat crews were definitely a different breed of men. This book shows the true scope of the U-Boat impact across all theatre’s during WWII and the challenges facing the crews. It also highlights the fear of both the ships crews who were torpedoed and the U-Boat crews that were depth charged or attacked from the air. It certainly increased my knowledge of this piece of the war where you generally just think of it taking place in the North Atlantic.
May 10, 2023
Mr. Paterson, has provided a fuller understanding of the German Kriegsmarine U-Boat campaign. Wide-ranging and inclusive of all theatres of war in which U-Boats operated as well as an analytical explanation of the failures of that naval strategy.
January 30, 2025
Pour l’afficianado
February 15, 2025
Lots of genuinely interesting context in here.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews