In Great Waters : The Epic Story of the Battle of the Atlantic, 1939-45

by Dunmore, Spencer

• ISBN13: 9780771029295
• ISBN10: 0771029292
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-06-01
• Publisher: McClelland & Stewart

Summary

It was probably the most important battle of the Second World War. The German attempt to stem the vital trans-Atlantic flow of men and supplies to Britain would cost the Allies more than 2,600 merchant ships, 30,000 merchant seamen's lives, 5,000 aircrew, and about 2,500 aircraft. The battle ranged across the ocean: from the waters of the St. Lawrence, through the treacherous open sea of the North Atlantic, to the fjords of Norway and the Bat of Biscay. Spencer Dunmore traces the complete history of the Battle of the Atlantic, giving equal time to all aspects of the conflict: in the air, on the water, and below its surface. He follows the action from the earliest days, when surface raiders such as the infamousBismarck were seen by the Allies as the greatest danger at sea, through the heyday of Germany's U-boats and the catastrophic damage the dreaded Wolfpacks wrought on the heavily laden convoys steaming their way to Britain. His is also one of the few books to acknowledge the pivotal role of the air-force in determining the final outcome fo the battle. Dunmore tells the story from the perspective of both sides, and includes the first-hand accounts of individual participants, both Allied and German. For all involved whether on board merchant ships or their escort vessels, whether in submarines prowling below or aircraft patrolling above life was a combination of awful anticipation of attack and nerve-shattering tension when it came. Behind the scenes were the politicians and strategists, fully mindful of the stakes of this epic battle; the ingenious scientists and their race to improve radar technology, torpedoes, and depth charge; the brilliant code breakers of England's Bletchley Park; and, most remarkable of all, Admiral von Donitz, the extraordinary mastermind of Germany's U-boat campaign and eventual successor to Adolf Hitler himself.

Author Biography

<b>Spencer Dunmore</b>’s first foray into non-fiction writing, in 1991, resulted in the critically acclaimed bestseller <i>Reap the Whirlwind: The Untold Story of 6 Group, Canada</i>’<i>s Bomber Force of World War II,</i> which he co-wrote with William Carter, Ph.D. This was followed in 1994 by the equally successful <i>Wings for Victory: The Remarkable Story of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan in Canada</i>. Dunmore’s passionate love of flying and of a good story were evident long before, however, in his very popular fiction. His first novel, <i>Bomb Run</i>, was an instant hit, and a string of novels followed, including <i>Tower of Strength</i>, <i>Collision</i>, <i>Final Approach</i>, and <i>No Holds Barred</i>. <i>Squadron</i>, a story collection, is his most recent work of fiction. His works have been translated into many languages and published in more than fifteen countries.<br><br>Spencer Dunmore lives in Burlington, Ontario.

Table of Contents

Prologue	vii
Thrust and Parry	1	(40)
The Happy Time	41	(18)
Hostile Wings	59	(22)
Search and Kill	81	(25)
New Approaches	106	(15)
America Moves Closer to War	121	(17)
Operation Drumbeat	138	(35)
Winning and Losing	173	(21)
Turning Point	194	(19)
The Biggest Battle	213	(20)
Battle Is Joined	233	(20)
Climax of the Battle	253	(16)
Wings Over the Ocean	269	(34)
Appendix -- The Cost: Losses in the North Atlantic, 1939--45	303	(16)
Notes	319	(7)
Bibliography	326	(3)
Acknowledgements	329	(2)
Index	331