Customer Reviews

Donitz and the Wolf Packs: The U-Boats at War (Cassell Military Class)

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This book provides a good tactical lelel history of U-Boat action but has a large number of problems. They are:

1) It basically covers only through mid-1943. Littel of the post period is covered by book (of the book's 225 pages of text about 190 are cover the period through 1943 and the balance the remaining period). Hence there is very little coverage of the u-boat war in that period (i.e., introduction of type 21 boats, mini-sub and coastal campaigns, etc., introduction of snorkel, etc.).

2) The book's coverage is primarily on tactical level. Hence many very important higher level strategic and political issues are not discussed at all. The relationship of Donitz and Raeder is not discussed (this is of importance due to Raeder's preference of surface actions a la submarines), German Kriegsmarine strategy during the post-war period (stressing surface fleet vs. submarine power which insured that Donitz's fleet was not sufficient for its assignment), industrial production of ships by allies and german submarine capacity, amongst other many important issues on the strategic and industrial/economic length are not discussed to any significant degree.

3) No discussion, at length, of the relevant technologies. For example there is practically no discussion of u-boat radar and radar detection strategies, passive sonar, different types of torpedoes (i.e., homing torpedoes), snorkels, anti-sonar coatings, etc. Little discussion of allied technologies as well. More importantly there is practically no discussion of the tug-og-war between the Germans and allies and this, to a very large degree, determined who won.

4) Related to 3, there is no discussion of allied and german production capabilities regarding anti-sub vessels, aircraft related to submarine war and submarines and crews. This is critical, as it combined with item (3) above, determined the victor.

On the positive side the book provides some idea of how, tactically, battles played out during the 1939-mid-1943 period. If a reader is only interested in this aspect of the war, the book fulfills its purpose. If more is desired, however, it is seriously lacking.