Hitler's Navy: The Kriegsmarine in World War II

The German Navy underwent a program of rearmament in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles, building modern warships and developing submarines to become one of the Kriegsmarines most deadly weapons. It played a crucial role in the opening salvoes of World War II but suffered serious losses. U-boats stalked the Atlantic, and German naval operations expanded to the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 03 February 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

The German Kriegsmarine, a formidable force in World War II, faced initial challenges due to the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. Despite these restrictions, the German Navy embarked on a program of rearmament in the 1930s, constructing modern warships despite technological limitations. The treaty strictly prohibited submarines, but years of covert development led to their integration as one of the Kriegsmarines' most lethal weapons. The Kriegsmarine's surface ships played a significant role in the opening salvoes of World War II, notably during the invasions of Poland and Norway. However, significant losses in these campaigns hindered plans for an invasion of Britain. By the war's end, only a handful of surface vessels remained to be divided among the Allies.

From the outset of the war, the U-boats, the dreaded and highly successful submarines, relentlessly stalked the Atlantic, posing a significant threat to vital British shipping convoys and cutting off the supply of munitions and supplies from the United States. As Italy and Japan joined the war, German naval operations expanded to the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. This comprehensive volume, adorned with numerous illustrations, provides a detailed study of the German Navy's diverse fleet, encompassing pocket battleships, torpedo boats, and other vessels. It sheds light on the strategies, tactics, and technological advancements employed by the Kriegsmarine during the war, highlighting its significant contributions to the naval warfare of that era.

Weight: 1118g
Dimension: 198 x 250 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781472847928