Anyone actually read any u-boat/battle of the Atlantic books
 

I do...I am presently reading 3 books.

Main book is Hitlers U-Boat War....in depth information on all U-Boat activities. Almost finished the first half of it called "The hunters" which is no mean feat as it is almost 700 pages long.

Second book is "under the red duster"..about the Merchant navy in WW2. Describes actions of certain ships and convoys under atatck by u-boats from the Merchant seamens perspective. the attacks on Pedestal, SC7 and PQ18 are particurlaly informative and fascinating.

Third book which I have just completed is named "the winning edge" about naval technology on all sides in World War2. The chapters about the pacific war and weapons used there are surprisingly engrossing as I thought the Pacific war was really only carrier actions but infact had many cruiser and destroyer battles.

Which books do you read?

I have read Hitlers Uboat War Vol. I and bout to read the Vol. II. I just finished reading Iron Coffins. Great reads so far. I just started "Night of the U-boats" and after that im gonna go back to Hitlers uboat war Vol II.

Currently reading "Ten years and Twenty days" Admiral Doenitz Memoirs......

I, too, am reading Hitler's U-Boat War. I am still in the prologue, actually. I checked out the second book at the same time.

I thought the preface which pointed out the defects of the Type XX1 was pretty eye opening.

Yes i thought that too. Most compelling of all is the fact that 98% of all ships sailed harmlessly across the oceans. Only 2% were ever sunk and there where thousands of ships.
So maybe there is a bit of a myth about Britain being strangled by the U-boats. The probable truth was that Churchill etc didn't want a second front and used the u-boat menace as an excuse for not re-invading France to help the Bolshies.
Churchill was a great politician but hopeless as First Lord of the Admiralty and Strategic thinking.

Tons :yep:

Every time I'm at my library, I don't stray too far from the section that has all those WWII/Naval books :)

I've read Clay Blair's book(s), too.
I've heard a criticism of him being rather anti-German, and on some points I do agree with it. That or he's VERY keen on pointing out all possible German weaknesses, inaccuracies, mis-reports and failures. I haven't gotten to his book on the American subs in the pacific, but if the intro to Hitler's Uboat War is any indication - it should be the reverse. One wouldn't be surprised, of course, given his background. (Of course, I'm not saying that anyone should glorify the German war effort OR that the U-boat war was anything but a failure - but I wish he were a little less biting.)

That said, for being "stupidly detailed" as someone called it - this one's not one to miss. Definitely a damn well-researched book, you can't beat it for the sheer amount of information!

Hi, yes, I have always had a fascination for U-boats, there commanders, & the lives of the men who vertually lived in these iron coffins, & most, died in them! :cry:
Have read:
The battle for the atlantic.
Battle beneath the waves.
U-Boat ace - The story of Wolfgang Luth.
Currently reading: The U-Boats (Time Life)
Have Hitlers U-Boat war (42-45) but am waiting to purchase Part 1.
Also the story of Martin Neimoller U-Boat commander in ww1.
Movies & Documentaries: Das Boot, Iron coffins, Attack America, Clash of wings (has good U-Boat footage of Erich Topp), Got but not seen yet, Victory at sea (vol 1-26). :up:

I have read Iron Coffins which was a great read I can reccomend to everybody.

Im thinking about getting the book of which this article is an excerpt. the article is a recollection of an U-boot officer serving on a boot when their Captain commited suicide. Read the article send chills down my back :yep:

http://www.feldgrau.com/articles.php?ID=34

I don't know about Blair being anti-german, seems to me more like anti-british. As you say, he allows his background to slant his writing, which is a shame because it demonstrates poor skills as a historian and detracts from some excellent research.

He is forever keen to defend Ernest King and criticise british naval leaders (and seamen, and airmen etc, etc) without apparently appreciating the 'under siege' mindset of the british in the early years of the war. He completely fails to understand how important imports were in the minds of the british leaders, and thus criticises them from hindsight - again, poor skills as a historian (take a look at his stance on enigma/ultra, for a good example of this).

Still worth reading , though, as it is a good narrative account - it's the analysis and interpretation that lets him down.

Donitz and the Wolf Packs

Iron Coffins

Memoirs by Donitz

Type VII U-Boat

The U-Boat War 1914-1945

Donitz the Last Fuhrer
(Note Donitz was given the title President of the Reich not Fuher)

German U-Boat type XXI

The last year of the Kriegsmarine May44-May45

The German Fleet at War 1939-1945
(This is about the surface fleet)

German S-boote at War, 1939-1945
(This is about the S-Boats)


Just a few of many I have read.

"Uboat Commander" by Peter Ali Cremer
"Uboat Commander" by Erich Topp
"Uboat Comnander" by Gunter Prien
"Eleven Years and Twenty Days" by Karl Doenitz[/list]

I'm afraid you all have me beaten here. :oops:

I've read Iron Coffins, The Destruction of PQ-17, and the Time-Life Volume "Battle of the Atlantic." (Definitely recommend the latter.)

Iron Coffins is absolutely one of the best. I read it many, many years ago.

Also good:

U-boats Destroyed (Paul Kemp - stats and descriptions of each sinking in WW1 and WW2)

The U-boat Offensive 1914-1945 (VE Tarrant)

U-boat Commanders and Crews 1935-45 (Jak Showell - includes appendixes listing who commanded which boats when, and the 'service life' of every boat)

Type VII U-boats (Robert Stern)

Sharks and Little Fish (novel by Wolfgang Ott, I think his name was)

Peter Cremer's memoir

and of course The Boat (Bucheim)


I have other books, but these are the ones that come immediately to mind.

I've been studying the U-boat service for about 35 years. :D

Iron Coffins
 

iron Coffins seems to be the most read book so far...think I will need to get onto Amazon and buy it.

Black May, by Michael Gannon (1998), is also pretty good - not as well known as Blair's work, but it's solid.

Clay Blairs - "Hitler's u-Boat War"


I actually found it refreshing to know that the U-Boat captains were over estimating the tonnage sunk by so much and claming more kills than actually were. I actually giggled when Clay Blair was describing the term "Shepke Tonnage" in the u-boat waffe.

As for defending Admiral King I have to praise Clay Blair as he states the facts and figures in Black and White that prove Admiral King was a very able fleet commander and was not incompetent in the slightest regarding paukenshlag. Infact the british were demanding US Destroyers to be sent to Scapa Fow incase the so called mighty Tirpitz happened to sail , when the shipping on the east coast of the US was being attacked by U-boats.
As I guessed Churchill and the British Admiral Pound were the incompetents even before the War started. They had both been liable to underestimating the threat from U-boats and over estamating ASDIC as a Submarine finder. A few test attacks on escorted convoys in the North Atlantic before the war even started would have shown the limitations of Asdic. But as usual the british Class appointed politicians and Admirals were not forward thinking enough to find out.
Why on earth was Churchill made First Lord of the Admiralty before the second world war when he had ballsed up that position in 1914. Although Churchill was at least forward thinking enough when he asked for "Cheap and Nasty" escort vessels to be built to free up Destroyers. Pity the Hunt and Corvette Class designers were enept and produced such attrociously designed vessels. A bit more thought could have had frigates designed years before the war started.
Dont knwo how the sailors on the Corvettes managed to keep their sanity on such a rolling ship for weeks on end.

Have read: These are my favorites: :up:

U-boat commander: Peter Cremer
Iron Coffins: Herbert Werner
U-boat War: Westwood

These I thought were OK:
U-boat Ace: Luth
Convoy: Middlebrook

Although not specifically about U-boats, but excellent Naval history of the Reich: Hitler's Naval War: Cajus Becker. This title gives information on the whole Kreigsmarine, not just the U-boats. :up:

And about 5 more I can't remember and that are now out of print: One was the story of U-124, Joichim Mohr. Can't find it now :nope:

I am in the process of getting a book on the U-505, Hunt and Kill.

I read a U-505 history about 15 years ago...can't remember the author.

And I forgot "Operation Drumbeat," which I think was by Gannon.

My U-Boat collection thus far:
* Hitler's U-Boat fortresses;
* U-Boat killer;
* U-Boat 977 (The U-Boat that escaped to Argentina);
* Donitz and the Wolf Packs;
* Iron coffins and;
*Enemy submarine (The exploits of the U-Boat captain who penetratd Scapa Flow) this book is my pride and joy because it's a first addition, very old and the smell of such an old book is unreal.

That would be
Grey Wolf, Grey Sea by E.B. Gasaway

Great book, probably my favorite of the bunch - it's just a really enjoyable read. Highly recommended to anyone :up: