Product Details

• Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Pbs Home Video
• VHS Release Date: April 3, 2001
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• ASIN: 0780625560
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #326,890 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Perhaps no weapon was more feared in World War II than the German Kriegsmarine's U-boat, the shadowy black submarines that preyed on Allied shipping. This documentary opens with the ghostly image of the battered hull of a U-boat sunk on the next-to-last day of the war. Awaiting restoration at a Liverpool dry dock, the battered and rusted sub still evokes the deadly danger that permeated the minds of sailors for much of the war. During what German submarine crews called "The Happy Time," the early war years, the U-boats attacked mercilessly and with terrifying surprise. The documentary examines the evolving role of the U-boat in the war, including innovative design refinements and tactical deployments. Receiving attention are also the dogged and ingenious Allied efforts to hunt and destroy the U-boats. The fearsome "Wolf Packs" of U-boats steadily lost their effectiveness after 1943, and during the final two years of the war, thanks to Allied planes and ships that hunted the U-boats with considerable help from brilliant code breakers, shipping out on a German submarine was practically a suicide mission, as hundreds of U-boats and thousands of their crewmen were sent to deep ocean graves. The story of the U-boats is succinctly told in this documentary, which makes good use of archival footage presented with highly informative narration. --Robert J. McNamara

Product Description

It was a war that propelled our country into death and destruction. One that spawned technical innovation but caused a loss of life so monumental it left an indelible mark on history. This is the explosive story of the weapons and tactics used in World War II. Travel back in time with the troops to learn more about the Stuka, a slow-moving dive-bomber with a built-in siren designed to terrorize its victims. Explore the tactical submarine maneuvers of the U-534 - a German U-boat that sunk while trying to escape to Argentina. Head to the frontlines for heavy duty tank battle action where you'll learn more about the invincible Tiger Tank and what it was like to live - and die - as part of a tank crew. This action-packed series puts you there at the beaches of Normandy on D-Day and in flight with German, British and American paratroopers. Highlights include a spectacular 3D recreation of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars U-boat basics, September 1, 2000

By 

brian monihan (moorestown, nj USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wwii Battle Force: U-Boat [VHS] (VHS Tape)

If you are looking for a good overview of WWII and the impact of the u-boat, this is the video for you. not too in-depth, but with some different footage, this is an informative video.