Customer Reviews

The Battle of the Atlantic

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This BBC production is part of the excellent series of historical programs that british television has produced on the second world war. The material is written and produced by Andrew Williams and I have read the book which he published on the same subject. In one hour and a half it is not possible to cover all aspects of the subject so that the focus is on the duel between U-Boat command and the Royal Navy. In addition there is a fascinating section on the role of the codebreakers at Bletchley park who broke the German Enigma-machine code and were able to anticipate the U-Boat movements. The human cost of this struggle was horrendous with great loss of of life on both sides and this DVD shows the tradegy of war with no punches pulled. There are interviews with seamen on both sides which add enormously to the impact of the program. I would recommend this DVD to anyone with an interest in history.

This is an excellent documentary that I strongly recommend. I have seen this on television with an American narrator, but this video has an English narrator who I think really adds a lot to the "feel" of the movie. Since the Battle of the Atlantic was about protecting the lifeline to Great Britain, it just seems more appropriate to me to have an English narrator. The movie is full of excellent footage from the period, as well as interviews with combatants on both sides.

I think that this dvd gives good insight into the hearts and minds of those who braved the frigid waters,and share with us their memories. I would recommend this to anyone interested in the war.

This reviewer's main complaint with this DVD set is that it is too rudimnetary of an introduction, esepcially considering the fact that it is three hours in length. The DVD offers a good overview of the human component of the war, from both the German and allied perspective, but unfortunately is too rudimentary in its coverage of just about everything else even though it does, at least, touch upon the major aspects of the war. These include, for example, German tactics and how they changed over the course of the war, various technologies such as radar and direction finding and their role in the conflict and the role of code breaking (from the perspective of both sides), among other things. Unfortunately, these topics were only touched upon. Graphics and animation of any kind would have also have been very useful in the DVD (i.e., illustrating German surface attacks, allied "creeping" counter submarine attacks or air attacks) but unfortunately these are sorely missing. Other topics, such as the race between the destruction and construction of merchant vessels, which was at the core of this battle, are barely even touched upon either. All and all a DVD, despite its considerable length of three hours, that is just too rudimentary. This is despite its relatively high production value.

For those interested in a more in-depth analysis (and more black and white footage from the time, something that again, this DVD does not have enough of in this reviewer's opinion), this reviewer recommends the War Archive Collection DVD set consisting of three DVDs, "Grey Wolves: U-boats 1939-1941", "Grey Wolves: U-boats 1942-1943" and"Grey Wolves: U-Boats 1943-1945". Although these DVDs have a much lower budget than the BBC series, they contain much more sophisticated narrative analysis albeit in the form of a dull monotone English accent. Plus there is considerably more contemporary B&W footage of these craft. This reviewer also highly recommends the book, by Gordon Williamson, "U-Boat Tactics in WW II". Although only a very short book (64 pages, about a third of which are illustration), it gives a very good introduction to the topic and one that is more in-depth than that presented in this DVD series.

This was incredible ...I had NEVER realised the Sacrifice the Merchant Navy(Marine)had paid in WW2 ...it blew me away how descriptive the HORROR of being Torpedoed was...That the Human Body and Mind can endure so much is mindboggling.....and a Testament to the DIVINITY of the SOUL.

Interesting review of the WW-II fight to keep supplies flowing across the Atlantic to Britian. Interviews with the actual sailors involved as well as filmed action help show the ebb and flow of which nation held the upper hand.

Probably as trueful picture as can be shown of German underseas warfare. Scenes were very authenic. It is just another historical insight to WWII.
Very well done.