Underwater Warriors: Midget Submarine Operations in War [Hardcover]

Paul Kemp (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1557508577 | ISBN-13: 978-1557508577 | Publication Date: July 1996 | Edition: First

A complete design and operational history of midget submarines.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Paul Kemp is a noted naval historian with many books to his credit. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: US Naval Institute Press; First edition (July 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557508577
• ISBN-13: 978-1557508577
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #648,802 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating history of a rarely covered subject, October 10, 2001

By 

S. Lawrenz "Lendorien" (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cassell Military Classics: Underwater Warriors: The Fighting History of Midget Submarines (Paperback)

Paul Kemp's "Underwater Warriors" is a unique book. It is the first book I've seen to cover this subject in the depth that it deserves. The midget sub, while perhaps not the most glamourous (or successful) of tools to be used in past wars, did make it's impact. It's story is filled with the stories of many heroic men, most of whom fought for the Axis in WWII.

Underwater Warriors begins with the inception of the Submarine, (and incidentally, the first 'One man' sub) in David Bushnell's "Turtle," a wooden clumbsy thing, experimented with by the revolutionary United States in 1776. Kemp follows the history and evolution of the mini-sub through to the modern day, and makes some conclusions about the military applications and future use of midget subs. His final conclusion is that midget subs are a good idea, but not if only one man is operating them.

The book itself is filled with many accounts of individuals, who worked with midget subs. It becomes clear that these pioneering men truly did exemplify what heroism really is. Since Midget subs have never been a major tool of war, I don't doubt that Kemp has included most of the accounts that were available to be written. What results is an entertaining read, filled with much human drama.

The one downside, at least for me, is that the book lapses into large sections covering the technical aspects of the submarines themselves, including variations, dimentions and minor technical changes. I suppose it is to be expected given a subject that is not extremely broad. That said however, I found myself skipping over the more technical parts to get to the human interest sections.

Overall, this book is well worth the read for millitary history enthusiasts, Naval history enthusiasts and folks who just like the idea of a "Midget-sub."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Naval Special Operations of WWII, August 13, 2008

By 

ThorBjorn "Norseman" (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cassell Military Classics: Underwater Warriors: The Fighting History of Midget Submarines (Paperback)

A rare account of the sea-borne aspects of special operations in the Second World War. Mr. Kemp gives us an insight into the use of mini-submarines as a means to infiltrate enemy harbors, for the purpose of reconaissance, or the destruction/sabotage of ships with torpedoes and mines.
The use of mini-subs was significant in the navies of Britain, Germany, and particularly Italy. It was the Italians who pioneered the concept, and achieved the first successes in attacking ships with manned-torpedoes. Accounts of Count Borghese and Decima Mas are not as easily located as those of Allied and Wehrmacht special units, but this book gives them the credit they deserve.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an unexpected pleasure, October 7, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Underwater Warriors: Midget Submarine Operations in War (Hardcover)

An "Editor's Choice" in the Winter 1997 "MHQ Review." Editor-in-Chief Robert Cowley writes: "I found this history of midget submarines and human-guided torpedoes an unexpected pleasure. But perhaps I should not have been so surprised: Paul Kemp is a formidable authority on the significant arcana of naval history."