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. Each chapter includes a compact history of the featured flotilla, as well as unit markings, orders of battle, and famous boats and commanders. Every type of German submarine is featured, including Types II, VII, IX, XII, XIV, XVII, XXI, and XXIII, as well as many variants of the basic types. Packed with more than 150 artworks and photographs of every major type of German U-boat, The Essential Submarine Identification Guide: Kriegsmarine U-Boats 1939-45 is a key reference for military historians and naval warfare enthusiasts.

Author Biography

General editor Chris Bishop was the editor of the Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, and author of German Campaigns of World War II, The Rise of Hitler's Third Reich, SS: Hitler's Foreign Divisions and The Military Atlas of World War II, among many other military history titles.