A Measureless Peril: America in the Fight for the Atlantic, the Longest Battle of World War II

by Richard Snow

An exciting history told with a novelist's eye and filled with intimate details of the longest and largest battle of WWII—the fight for the Atlantic Ocean.Of all the threats that faced his country in World War II, Winston Churchill said, just one really scared him—what he called the "measureless peril" of the German U-boat campaign. In that global conflagration, only one battle—the struggle for the Atlantic—lasted from the very first hours of the conflict to its final day. Hitler knew that victory depended on controlling the sea-lanes where American food and fuel and weapons flowed to the Allies. At the start, U-boats patrolled a few miles off the eastern seaboard, savagely attacking scores of defenseless passenger ships and merchant vessels while hastily converted American cabin cruisers and fishing boats vainly tried to stop them. Before long, though, the United States was ramping up what would be the greatest production of naval vessels the world had ever known. Then the battle became a thrilling cat-and-mouse game between the quickly built U.S. warships and the ever-more cunning and lethal U-boats. The historian Richard Snow captures all the drama of the merciless contest at every level, from the doomed sailors on an American freighter defying a German cruiser, to the amazing Allied attempts to break the German naval codes, to Winston Churchill pressing Franklin Roosevelt to join the war months before Pearl Harbor (and FDR’s shrewd attempts to fight the battle alongside Britain while still appearing to keep out of it). Inspired by the collection of letters that his father sent his mother from the destroyer escort he served aboard, Snow brings to life the longest continuous battle in modern times. With its vibrant prose and fast-paced action, A Measureless Peril is an immensely satisfying account that belongs on the small shelf of the finest histories ever written about World War II.

Genres: History, World War II, Nonfiction, Military History, Naval History, War, Military Fiction

370 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Eric_W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Snow’s father served as a lieutenant aboard a destroyer escort in the Atlantic during WW II. Using letters and other papers of his father, he has recreated the battles against German subs. About two-thirds of the book consists of a collection of short, but interesting, chapters, essays, almost, that provide an introduction to naval development between the wars before we meet his dad.

Snow begins with a brief summary of the development of the German submarine force. One interesting detail is that most of the military construction was done by “Organisation Todt” named after its creator Fritz Todt who built the Autobahn and the submarine pens in France, pens that still stand. They used 14 million tons of concrete in their construction (the Hoover dam used 4.4 million) and the allies were never able to penetrate the twenty-five-foot thick walls and roof. There were barracks for over one-thousand men and several U-Boats in addition to full repair facilities. Refits could be done in total safety. He begins by setting the stage very sympathetically, noting how many subs Doenitz was lacking at the beginning (he wanted 300 but began with barely a tenth of that), Hitler being in such a rush to get things started.

Lots of interesting detail related to the functioning of a German sub. I had no idea of the maintenance required to keep the torpedoes in good working order. Every few days they had to be checked (and they were very heavy and required much moving about by hand not to mention at the beginning of a cruise they were stored in companionways with only a plywood floor over them leaving very little space for the crew to move about.) And each required handling as if it was a raw egg.

In the meantime, FDR was building a team of extremely competent subordinates including Henry Stimson as Secretary of War (he had also been Secretary of War until 1911 under Taft, not to mention Secretary of State under Hoover.) Stimson was a vigorous hawk, a position FDR wanted in order to build up the military in preparation for the certain conflict with Germany. Harold Stark, Chief of Naval Operations, had written a detailed examinations of the options for distributing forces should war arrive. The fourth option, Item D, which he recommended, was to maintain a holding operation in the Pacific (even thought eh Navy preferred to carry on the fight there, and concentrate on beating Germany first, the idea being that if Britain fell all bets were off. This option became known as Plan Dog.

Unfortunately, there was a lot of amateurism initially. Yacht owners were anxious to join the anti-submarine effort but usually just provided inconsequential target practice for the subs. Known as the Picket Patrol, they produced more false sightings than real contacts. In one infamous incident, the crew of a cabin cruiser watched in astonishment as the sea boiled up around them. A German sub surfaced rigfht next to them. The German captain yelled at them in “excellent Americanese, “Get the hell out of here. Do you want to get hurt? Now scram.” Captain Peter Cremer loved the Picket Patrol the value of which “was precisely nil” by creating “complete chaos by seeing U-boats everywhere and sending the few destroyers chasing hither and thither and find nothing.”

Project LQ, an attempt to disguise old freighters and turn them into mini-warships that would pretend to be in mechanical distress to sucker German subs into attacking from the surface where they could be picked off, was likewise a dismal failure, resulting in a loss of 25% of the American sailors and one German crewman. A British historian called it the most “self-destructive operation undertaken by the U.S. Navy during the war. On the other hand, Doenitz had had years to build a well-trained Navy; Admiral King had just a few months.

Cities along the east coast didn’t help either. The mayor of Miami, worried about the loss of tourism, refused to black out the city thus silhouetting American shipping and making them perfect targets for marauding U-boats. Despite pleas from Admiral Andrews it turned out no one had the authority to order them to do anything. It was only the ridicule of a local journalist that finally persuaded him to engage in a blackout. Doenitz had had years to build a well-trained Navy; Admiral King had just a few months. He settled on the time-tested method of convoying, a task that was of little fun.

“"In a way, the people protecting the convoys lived the life of the very, very old. The simplest tasks were daunting in prospect, dangerous in performance. Everything was exhausting: going from the wardroom to the bridge was to navigate a hellish fun house where the floor might drop forty feet, and steel door frames swivel sixty degrees in a deft, prankish attempt to break your spine. The seasick made themselves choke down food since vomiting on an empty stomach was so much more painful.”

While King did an admirable job at organizing what he had, he was quite resistant to new forms of technology. Secretary of War Stimson had forced General Marshall and Hap Arnold to look into the new 10 centimeter radar which used the British invented magnetron that increased transmitting power one thousand fold making it very practical for airplanes. King remained a staunch advocate of the convoy system. “Admiral King has a terrible blind spot for new things, about as rugged a case of stubbornness as has been cultivated by a human being,” said Vannevar Bush who was instrumental in getting FDR on board (pun intended.) The adoption of this radar was to be instrumental in U-boat destruction. No longer could they anticipate the approach of aircraft since they had no way of receiving 10-centimeter radar.

Several reviewers have complained that Snow should have focused more on his father’s personal experiences as portrayed in the letters to his mother and less on the larger view of the war in the Atlantic. I suspect for many of us who have read a great deal about the Battle for the Atlantic, that criticism might be valid. I thought his examination of the German U-Boat side, coupled with examples of their devastation and linked to his father’s experiences provided an excellent introduction for those who many be less familiar with events.

I enjoyed the detail specific to Snow's father's experience. For example,

One rnidwinter day lookouts aboard the destroyer escort Sims spotted a dozen life rafts with four or five men on each, some waving to the ship. The captain, Lewis M. Andrews J r., wrote, “I instinctively gave the order to bear down on them and, at the same time, heard the commodore telling us not to waste too much time.” Andrews was surprised by this callous order, but the commodore had been at sea longer than he had, and “when we came alongside, I could see the gray of death in the faces of men frozen from life, still lashed together in sitting positions, some of the lifeless frozen arms still waving. It was the same with the rest of the rafts. The animation was caused by the rolling rafts in the sea. Our commodore knew this from prior experience but let us learn for ourselves lest we fret that we had abandoned castaways.” The Sims left them to their long voyage.

Or the recounting of their escort of six Italian subs to the Bahamas after Italy changed sides; the professionalism of the Italian sub commanders from whom they learned several evasive tactics the Germans were using they would not have know of otherwise, and the poor condition of the subs. In one case his DE manufactured a part for an engine from brass shell casings because the Italians had no brass nor a workshop on board. It's those kinds of personal details that make a narration fascinating.

Highly recommended.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I love about Snow, both here and in Iron Dawn, is that he writes not like an historian but like an ordinary person who's fascinated by history and wants others to catch his vision. That he also writes of his father, who served aboard an Atlantic escort carrier during the War, only adds to the personal feel that Snow's account of the years-long battle, replete with personality and anecdote, has already.

[Dan Rosenblum · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent depiction of WWII in the North Atlantic covering the complex interactions between the warring countries and the men who fought and led the operations, the ships and submarines, and the evolving technology. My second time through is even better than my first.

Dan Rosenblum

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the early years of World War II, the shipping of goods and materiel to England was devastated by the German submarines. Often traveling in "wolf packs", they preyed relentlessly and with impunity on the merchant vessels transporting supplies to that desparate nation. Millions of tons of ships and cargo were sent to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. The United States entered the war in December, 1941, but was initally ill-equiped to deal with the German U Boat. "A Measureless Peril" details German naval strategy under Karl Doentiz who commanded the U Boat arm of the navy and of the Allied response. The book discusses the development of the "convoy", the mass production of merchant "Liberty ships", creation of the US Tenth Fleet, development of and use by the US of the "Destroyer Escort" (DE) vessel, use of radar in US aircraft to spot and destroy German submarines, and the cracking of the German code (which the Germans were never aware of during the war). Many accounts of the heroic dedication and bravery of US merchant seamen and naval personnel are captivating. Their lives, tactics and experiences on the "high seas" are set forth in great detail. The book is well researched and superbly written. It was a fascinating book. I highly recommend it as a great read for all who have any interest in the history of World War II, especially as it was actually lived and fought on the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a difficult book to categorize. Is it the author's tribute to his father's WWII service, a remembrance of a unheralded part of America's entry into that war or is it a history of that little known and seldom lauded USN Destroyer Escort? It is all those things, plus some good reporting on German submarines, and the author does a credible job of it all. It begins slow but I found it was easy to look for excuses to grab a few minutes to get back to this book. There is plenty of interesting material presented clearly in a straight forward way. It is a very good story.

[Mary Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, I knew nothing of the war in the Atlantic and the significance of the submarine, nor of the battleships either. I got caught up in the personal story of the author’s father and also of the determination and dedication of those who chose to go to war, however I more so became fascinated with the tactics and the timeline of the war events. Knowing that we did come out on the good end helped, but this book exposes just how much more of a chess war battle we were in. Excellent descriptive scenes that even an amateur of wartime action can grasp and learn from. Glad I read it!

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not the type that I usually read, but I did learn a lot about the war in the Atlantic Ocean during WWII. The author's father was a lieutenant on a destroyer escort in the Atlantic. The book is based on his father's letters and research of other sources. The battles against German subs are recreated. The relationship between Churchill and FDR is covered as Churchill works to gain support from the US in Britain's battle against Hitler. Published in 2010, the book has been on my reading list for a long time.

[Darrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Measureless Peril: America in the Fight for the Atlantic, the Longest Battle of World War II by Richard Snow is an engaging and well-crafted look at the Atlantic theater in WWII. Snow's skillful, accessible writing style brings this crucial aspect of the war to life, making complex historical events easy to follow and deeply compelling. It’s a well-done and interesting history, showcasing Snow’s knack for storytelling. I enjoyed it very much and highly recommend it to anyone interested in WWII history.

[Donna Herrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable and readable series of vignettes that tell the story of the World War II battle in the Atlantic to maintain the flow of goods to support the British and later the Allied forces in their fight against Germany. The Germans had perfected the use of submarines and saw commerce as the lifeblood of England's survival. They specifically had orders to sink freighter and tankers rather than warships.

[Victor Vilchiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always nice to read and learn not only about the History of the US but also History of events that affected our global village and events that should they have gone differently our current world would likely be very different.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for my book club. Too much technical information about all those weapons. Interesting that a few members of my book club were young children at this time. Did not know how close all this was to our shores!

[Jonathan Bechtel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting learning about naval warfare in the Atlantic.

[Jim Sanderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The man has excellent narrative skills. Well worth reading if you have ant interest in military tales.

[Tomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a good book! Snow writes as if he’s just telling you a story and makes you feel as if you’re right there in the action. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Jim Benton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging, readable history with a personal connection for the writer

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just okay.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prior to starting my “read” of this book, I noted a review that found fault with the authors attempt to cover too many historical aspects while also presenting personal events based on his (the author’s) father’s service in the Navy and Battle of the Atlantic. Having completed the book, and comparing it to other immense books I’ve read, which attempted similar great coverage (the French & Indian War) in detail which only succeeded in putting the reader to sleep, I must say this author did a fine job!
The author succeeded in creating a great mosaic of the Atlantic ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) Campaign by presenting short, pointed chapters that dealt with everything from pre-war world politics, the key players; who attempted to use whom, the build-up of the German U Fleet and leadership, the weapons platforms themselves, as well as the introduction of new ones (DE’s, CVE’s), the progression of events/tools that turned the tide of battle and of course, the events and history related. My feelings are he did a great job of tying it all together in an informative, easily read book, using brief but exemplary narratives.
Well done, great Book and highly recommended for a summary level orientation to the battle that nearly determined the war! Thank GOD, for the CVE, airborne radar and Mr. Kaisers’ logic and shipyards.
(DE, Destroyer Escort and CVE, Escort Carrier)

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every now and again I like to balance out my reading with a non fiction book, I read about this book in the NYT Sunday Book Review and was intregued. The author's father served in WWII on a distroyer escort ship which gives a rather unique angle to this new novel on an older war. Much of what is revealed in this book was, until recently, classified - thus making it a story not before told. How the DE's came to be, breaking of the German code (much earlier than previously told - pre Polish invasion), how and when radar made it's appearance, how Germany launched their submarine fleet when they had been outlawed are all parts of the story told here by Richard Snow. All in all a very good read.

[Cie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting and well-written book. I love that the author stayed on subject and as enticing as it would have been for him to elaborate on other aspects of the war, he really stayed on task and kept to his story. I have read countless books on WWII and there were so many facets of the war, sometimes books go off into too many directions and the reader only get little bits of information about too many things. I felt like this was a complete telling of this particular part of the war. I was impressed by his research, the fact that he weaved his own father's personal story into it really made it endearing, and it was just fascinating. I highly recommend it for those who enjoy history and non-fiction.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

We've all read about the Battles of Coral Sea and Midway, even the Phillapine Sea. We've read about land battles, Iwo Jima, Tarawa, Battle of the Bulge, but not many have gotten into the Battle of the Atlantic. Snow's book is great in discussing the many trials and tribulations of what went on, in the Atlantic, that saved England's hide (even the Soviets). First there was an undeclared war and then, after Hitler made is historic blunder on December 11, 1941, the declared war in the Atlantic. Snow discusses the different vessels, their purposes, the strategy that ultimately won, for the allies, and, of course, the personalities involved (FDR, King, Churchill), etc. Good and interesting read.

[Matt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I did. The book seemed confused in focus was it a history of the Atlantic campaign, a history of the destroyer escort type of vessel or a personal history of Snow's father. If Snow picked one of the three as a focus the book would have profited greatly but Snow's focus is diffused between the three which weakens his work. I would have preferred a personal history of his father using the letters he sent to his mother. Instead Snow wrote a volume trying to achieve too much in a relatively small volume.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been reading this book for several months. Even tho it's an interesting part of history, I'm finding it difficult to stay engaged with the book. The writing style is rather dry and uncompelling. I'm dtermined to finish it though.

I finally finished the book. Not an easy read, but a lot of good information. A bit too detailed for me regarding how the ships were outfitted, etc. parts of it were very readable when the author didn't get bogged down with all the details. A Navy man or someone intensely interested in ships would probably find much of the info very interesting, but not me.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know what to say. This was a book filled with interesting material and I learned a lot about the war being fought on the Atlantic, yet it couldn't hold my attention. After nearly a month of trying to read it, I finally put it down at about page 250 (it's 330 pages). It's interesting to note how strong the German army was in the Atlantic and quite amazing, actually, that the Allies really won the war.

[Anne Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Measureless Peril tells a history that isn't in most history books. It tells a story of the chess match that took place in the Atlantic during WWII. The book is packed full of history and stories that are worth the read, but the author is too indulgent in telling his Dad's story at the end for the book to be taken seriously as a historical resource.

Three stars: This book was two-thirds amazing and one-third tangent. The tangent brings it down to three stars.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

My purpose in reading this book is part of my quest to find out as much as I can about my father 19s experiences in WWII aboard a Fletcher class destroyer, the USS Terry (DD-513). This book deals a great bit with destroyer escorts, particularly the one that the author 19s father was on during the war. I 19m glad I read it and it did add to my knowledge of what it must have been like for my father in the Pacific.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look back at the U.S. Navy's sturggle to deal with the German U-boat threat in the North Atlantic before and during WWII. The book includes insight into the opposing naval commanders who constantly tried to outfox each other and carry out their missions. Great read for anyone who likes WWII history.

[Lynnette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an entertaining and interesting look at the war in the Atlantic
during WWII for all my Goodreads history buffs out there. OK--that
would be ME. The book had detailed info on both the German U-boats as
well as the British and American fleets (or lack thereof...)including
personal accounts of the author's father. L

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and detailed account of the personalities, strategies and policies that shaped the WWII battle against the German U-boats. Our concerns about terrorism pale to insignificance when compared to the hellish destruction, loss of life and brutality of the U-boat campaigns. I hope Richard Snow has a few more books in him.

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book! Contains personal stories of individuals caught in the deadly submarine/anti- submarine warfare in the Atlantic. His father (an architect by profession but naval officer during the war) served on one of the hundreds of destroyer escorts put into service to halt the devastating rate of sinking of Allied merchant shipping. Inclusion of his experiences brings the stories to life.

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author did an excellent job of detailing the Atlantic conflict from the view aboard a US Navy vessel and also from the captains of the German U boats. Very informative and enlightening regarding how close the conflict came to the shores of North America and how the navy was built ship by ship in a short period of time to meet the needs of the Allies.