| Battle of the Atlantic | |||||||
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| Part of World War II | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Kingdom
|  Germany
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Martin E. Nasmith (1939–41)
|  Erich Raeder
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For the battle between the US Navy and the Royal Navy in Southern Victory, see Battle of the North Atlantic.
The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest continuous military campaign of World War II running from 1939 through to the defeat of Germany in 1945. It was at its height from mid-1940 through to the end of 1943. The Battle of the Atlantic pitted U-boats and other warships of the Kriegsmarine against Allied convoys. The convoys of merchant ships, coming mainly from North America and the South Atlantic and going to the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, were protected for the most part by the British and Canadian navies and air forces. These forces were aided by ships and aircraft of the United States from 13 September 1941. The Germans were joined by submarines of the Regia Marina after Italy entered the war on 10 June 1940. On occasion Imperial Japanese Navy submarines were dispatched to the Atlantic.
Battle of the Atlantic in Days of Infamy[]
The Battle of the Atlantic had already begun when the Japanese invaded Hawaii in December 1941. During the occupation, news of the U-Boats' successes were posted in the Japanese-run newspapers.
After the first attempt to retake the islands failed, the US Navy began to employ the tactics the Germans used in the Atlantic against the Japanese with devastating results, sinking freighters carrying both food, ammunition, and supplies. Many in the Japanese high command of both armed forces realised the similarities of both their situation and that of the battle raging in the Atlantic. In a twist of irony, they had to learn from the Allies as how best to deal with the submarine problem.
Battle of the Atlantic in "News From the Front"[]
News about US ship losses in the Battle of the Atlantic were heavily censored in the US press. Still, some movie reels were able to get interviews with survivors and pondered the kill-to-loss ratio for US ships and German U-boats.
Later, the New Yorker reported on the increased losses to the U-Boats, revealing the losses of materiel that had been on ships that went down. This led to the question of the incompetence of the Roosevelt administration's ability to fight the war.
Things only grew worse when the Miami Herald reported on the continued losses around the Florida coast.
Battle of the Atlantic in Southern Victory[]
The Battle of the Atlantic was waged by Great Britain and its colonies on one side, and the Americans and Germans on the other. Although the US Navy's submersibles did attack the British Merchant Fleet, it was the German Navy that bore the brunt of the battle.
Despite their combined efforts, the Americans and Germans never did win the Battle of the Atlantic, as the Royal Navy was still going strong when German superbombs forced Britain to seek an armistice.
Battle of the Atlantic in Worldwar[]
The Battle of the Atlantic quickly ground to a halt when the Race invaded in mid-1942. At first, the convoys enjoyed relative peace as the Race, not considering boats as a threat, ignored them. However, in time, the Race took notice of the shipping lanes and began to attack first war ships, then later, the ports.
After the Germans launched their first Elektroboot, many believed that if the Race had never come, the Germans would have eventually won the Battle of the Atlantic.
References[]
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