The Battle of the Atlantic: September, 1939-May, 1943 (History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Vol. 1) [Hardcover]

Samuel Eliot Morison (Author), Dudley Wright Knox (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2001

This spectacular fifteen-volume series that charts the U.S. Naval operations during World War II with an insider's perspective. Morison, a Harvard professor, was given a special rank and writing post by FDR. He had active duty aboard eleven different ships, allowing him to witness many crucial battles in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Volume One explores all United States naval operations in the Atlantic, from pole to pole, including the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, Barents Sea and Atlantic territorial waters. Filled with many maps and file photographs.

Editorial Reviews

Review

" [Here] it all is: the story of a largely unknown war that was absolutely vital to the waging of the better publicized wars which were fought beyond the seas which these men and these little ships kept open." --New York Herald Tribune " Morison's history is our best account of anti-submarine warfare waged for the protection of shipping, supply, and troop transport." --Library Journal " [A] brilliant, detailed, factual and sometimes picturesque story of the great war at sea." --Commonweal " [This volume] is proof of [Morrison's] skill in recreating the sea campaigns of World War II. Convinced that too many of his colleagues wrote history from 'the outside looking in,' Morrison or one of his assistants visited or actually took part in Atlantic submarine and surface warfare from pole to pole, from the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico to the Barents See. Seeing things at first hand helped Morison keep his perspective." --Lt. Col. Richard Seamon, Proceedings --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Samuel Eliot Morison taught history at Harvard from 1915 to 1955, except for active duty service in the Navy on board eleven different ships in all theaters of the war. In addition to this series, Rear Admiral Morison wrote many other popular and award-winning books on maritime history, including Two Ocean War. Morison, who died in 1976, was the recipient of two Pulitzer Prizes, two Bancroft Prizes, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Robert W. Love is the author of History of the U.S. Navy --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 440 pages
• Publisher: Castle Books (May 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785813020
• ISBN-13: 978-0785813026
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,141,835 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Forgotten Chapter of WW II, May 29, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Battle of the Atlantic: September, 1939-May, 1943 (History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Vol. 1) (Hardcover)

I bought this book more on the author's reputation than a burning interest in content. Morison was a fine historian, and this book tells a vital chapter of the history of WW II that is almost forgotten today, midst accounts of more dramatic sea battles like Midway, Leyte Gulf, and of course, Pearl Harbor. This theater of the war is also eclipsed by dramatic land and air battles in Europe, especially D-Day, and The Battle of the Bulge with the seige of Bastogne. Yet the war in Europe could not have been won without this vital piece of the war effort---no troops, no supplies, no victory!

I gave this book five stars because I have been completely absorbed by it. Morison has woven this complex, and potentially boring chapter of WW II history into a tremendously interesting narrative. I am especially impressed because this book really hooks me each time I begin a new chapter, and recently my WW II history diet has consisted of oral history material like the fine works of Steven Ambrose and Cornelius Ryan. Morison holds his own, and I can't wait to start the next book in the series. Well worth the modest price, I have purchased the entire series. Highly recommended if you are interested in the big picture of World War II.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A slow start to a great series., October 16, 2001

By 

R. H OAKLEY "roboakley" (Vienna, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Battle of the Atlantic: September, 1939-May, 1943 (History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Vol. 1) (Hardcover)

This is the first volume in Morison's monumental history of the U.S. Navy in World War II, but it is hardly the most interesting. It covers submarine warfare in the Atlantic for the first years of the war. American losses were terrible during much of this period. As we now know, most of the damage was done by a few German U Boats that were successful because of inept tactics by the Americans. While Morison is an honest historian, and this book was not edited by the Navy, he still (in my judgment) fails to criticize sufficiently the Navy for its failings during this period. After all, the Navy knew that the major danger posed by the German Navy was the latter's submarine fleet; most of its small surface fleet having been sunk by the British Navy in 1940. Moreover, the American Navy had the advantage of access to British experience in fighting U Boats. However, despite having identified the threat years before facing it, and being able to learn from the British successes and failures, the opening of the submarine war in the Atlantic was a disaster for the U.S. Navy. It seems to me that Morison goes too easy on the Chief of Naval Operations at the time, Ernest King, who was well know for his loathing of the British.

Another necessary aspect of this book that makes it less interesting than others in the series is that antisubmarine operations are necessarily small unit actions, unlike the great battles fought in the Pacific. It was a war of attrition, and was eventually won by improved tactics and equipment that caused the Germans to take unacceptable losses.

Having made these criticisms, Morison's series is essential for anyone interested in the details of the U.S. Navy's role in World War II. While later historians have questioned some of his judgments, no one will ever assemble so much so source material on the subject again.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book but not complete, November 12, 2011

By 

Karl C. Nelson "Fortune's Road" (San Antonio, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Battle of the Atlantic, September 1939 - May 1943 (History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Volume 1) (History of the United States Naval Operations in World War II) (Paperback)

Having read this volume some years ago, THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC is as thorough as could be expected save from the critical contribution by ULTRA. The compromise of the German ENIGMA cypher by British intelligence was instrumental in ultimately identifying U-Boat locations and movements. As the release of ULTRA was not till the 1970's, so Morison's work would not include this information upon publication.