Notes
- The U-Boat Peril:
- U-Boats start using forward bases in France and Norway.
- U-Boats begin hunting in wolf packs.
- Germans fight a tonnage war (sinks the cargo ships)
- Due to the threat of U-Boats on cargo ships, the convoy system is introduced. This system was used to help ships cross the Atlantic safely. Destroyers were used for protection.
- Asdic (early sonar), depth charges, hedgehog defence, radar, long range aircraft and carrier based aircraft all helped with this problem.
- The mid-Atlantic gap was closed because of the range of bombers, carrier based aircraft and warships that were increasing.
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Summary
The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest continuous military campaigning World War II, running from 1939 to the defeat of Germany in 1945. At its core was the Allied naval locked of Germany, announced the day after the declaration of war, and Germany's subsequent counter-blockade.
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Political Cartoon
Quotes
"The Battle of the Atlantic was the only thing that ever frightened me" - Winston Churchill
Subjunctive Question
What if U-Boats were not invented? How much harder would it have been to attack?