Battle of the Atlantic - Revision history

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	[[File:Adolf Hitler hailing German U-boats.~~jpg~~\|thumb\|350px\|''[[Reichskanzler]]'' [[Adolf Hitler]] [[German salute\|saluting]] German U-boats; On 3 September 1939, United Kingdom and France [[Declarations of War during World War II\|declared war on Germany]] and plunged Europe and the world into [[World War II]]. The "grey wolves" (''Graue Wölfe''), the U-boats of the [[Kriegsmarine]], take to the sea. There will be war in the Atlantic. The goal – to cut England’s lifelines. Konteradmiral [[Karl Dönitz]] announced at the end of 1939: ''"U-boats are the wolves at sea: Attack, tear, sink!"'' <br/><br/>Six years later, the war ends, and Germany lays in ruins. The [[U-boat]] fleet is all but wiped out, 30,000 of its 40,000 men having died at sea. Still, fighting hard but fair, they have accomplished success beyond all expectations and out of proportion to their strength. At some points during the war, they had come close to bringing the British Empire to its knees. On the Allied side, the cost of victory has been even higher. More than 30,000 merchant seamen have been lost in this struggle, along with many thousands of servicemen from all branches of the military. About 20 million tons of merchant tonnage lies under the sea.]]		[[File:Adolf Hitler hailing German U-boats.png\|thumb\|350px\|''[[Reichskanzler]]'' [[Adolf Hitler]] [[German salute\|saluting]] German U-boats; On 3 September 1939, United Kingdom and France [[Declarations of War during World War II\|declared war on Germany]] and plunged Europe and the world into [[World War II]]. The "grey wolves" (''Graue Wölfe''), the U-boats of the [[Kriegsmarine]], take to the sea. There will be war in the Atlantic. The goal – to cut England’s lifelines. Konteradmiral [[Karl Dönitz]] announced at the end of 1939: ''"U-boats are the wolves at sea: Attack, tear, sink!"'' <br/><br/>Six years later, the war ends, and Germany lays in ruins. The [[U-boat]] fleet is all but wiped out, 30,000 of its 40,000 men having died at sea. Still, fighting hard but fair, they have accomplished success beyond all expectations and out of proportion to their strength. At some points during the war, they had come close to bringing the British Empire to its knees. On the Allied side, the cost of victory has been even higher. More than 30,000 merchant seamen have been lost in this struggle, along with many thousands of servicemen from all branches of the military. About 20 million tons of merchant tonnage lies under the sea.]]
	The '''Battle of the Atlantic''' was the longest continuous military campaign of [[World War II]].		The '''Battle of the Atlantic''' was the longest continuous military campaign of [[World War II]].
	==History==		==History==
	[[File:Schlachtschiff „Bismarck“ V.~~jpg~~\|thumb\|350px\|The battleship "Bismarck" ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Schlachtschiff_%E2%80%9EBismarck%E2%80%9C de])]]		[[File:Schlachtschiff „Bismarck“ V.png\|thumb\|350px\|The battleship "Bismarck" ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Schlachtschiff_%E2%80%9EBismarck%E2%80%9C de])]]
	The Battle of the Atlantic started after the German [[Poland Campaign]] with the torpedoing of the British liner [[SS Athenia]] by a German [[U-Boot]]. Having faced raids on shipping during the [[First World War]], the British quickly implemented a convoy solution to protect merchant vessels; they were short of escort ships though, so many merchant ships had to sail without protection. At first, U-boats primarily operated within British waters while the Atlantic Ocean was covered by German surface vessels. The British attempted to counter the U-boat threat by forming anti-[[submarine]] hunting groups, which were ultimately ineffective because the U-boats proved too elusive.		The Battle of the Atlantic started after the German [[Poland Campaign]] with the torpedoing of the British liner [[SS Athenia]] by a German [[U-Boot]]. Having faced raids on shipping during the [[First World War]], the British quickly implemented a convoy solution to protect merchant vessels; they were short of escort ships though, so many merchant ships had to sail without protection. At first, U-boats primarily operated within British waters while the Atlantic Ocean was covered by German surface vessels. The British attempted to counter the U-boat threat by forming anti-[[submarine]] hunting groups, which were ultimately ineffective because the U-boats proved too elusive.

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	[[Category:WWAC]]		[[Category:WWAC]]
	~~[[Category:Battles]]~~
	[[Category:Royal Navy]]		[[Category:Royal Navy]]
	[[Category:Kriegsmarine]]		[[Category:Kriegsmarine]]
	[[Category:United States Navy]]		[[Category:United States Navy]]

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	*[https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/modern-europe/wars-and-battles/battle-atlantic Encyclopedia.com: Battle of the Atlantic]		*[https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/modern-europe/wars-and-battles/battle-atlantic Encyclopedia.com: Battle of the Atlantic]

	[[Category:~~World War II~~]]		[[Category:WWAC]]
	[[Category:Battles]]		[[Category:Battles]]
	[[Category:Royal Navy]]		[[Category:Royal Navy]]
	[[Category:Kriegsmarine]]		[[Category:Kriegsmarine]]
	[[Category:United States Navy]]		[[Category:United States Navy]]

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en>Crusader at 19:06, 17 November 2023

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[[File:Adolf Hitler hailing German U-boats.jpg|thumb|350px|''[[Reichskanzler]]'' [[Adolf Hitler]] [[German salute|saluting]] German U-boats; On 3 September 1939, United Kingdom and France [[Declarations of War during World War II|declared war on Germany]] and plunged Europe and the world into [[World War II]]. The "grey wolves" (''Graue Wölfe''), the U-boats of the [[Kriegsmarine]], take to the sea. There will be war in the Atlantic. The goal – to cut England’s lifelines. Konteradmiral [[Karl Dönitz]] announced at the end of 1939: ''"U-boats are the wolves at sea: Attack, tear, sink!"'' <br/><br/>Six years later, the war ends, and Germany lays in ruins. The [[U-boat]] fleet is all but wiped out, 30,000 of its 40,000 men having died at sea. Still, fighting hard but fair, they have accomplished success beyond all expectations and out of proportion to their strength. At some points during the war, they had come close to bringing the British Empire to its knees. On the Allied side, the cost of victory has been even higher. More than 30,000 merchant seamen have been lost in this struggle, along with many thousands of servicemen from all branches of the military. About 20 million tons of merchant tonnage lies under the sea.]]
The '''Battle of the Atlantic''' was the longest continuous military campaign of [[World War II]].
==History==
[[File:Schlachtschiff „Bismarck“ V.jpg|thumb|350px|The battleship "Bismarck" ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Schlachtschiff_%E2%80%9EBismarck%E2%80%9C de])]]
The Battle of the Atlantic started after the German [[Poland Campaign]] with the torpedoing of the British liner [[SS Athenia]] by a German [[U-Boot]]. Having faced raids on shipping during the [[First World War]], the British quickly implemented a convoy solution to protect merchant vessels; they were short of escort ships though, so many merchant ships had to sail without protection. At first, U-boats primarily operated within British waters while the Atlantic Ocean was covered by German surface vessels. The British attempted to counter the U-boat threat by forming anti-[[submarine]] hunting groups, which were ultimately ineffective because the U-boats proved too elusive.

With the German conquest of Norway ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Unternehmen_%E2%80%9EWeser%C3%BCbung%E2%80%9C ''Unternehmen „Weserübung“'']) and France ([[Battle of France]]) by June 1940, U-boats enjoyed decreased resistance. The [[French Navy]] was removed as an Allied force, and additional ports in France on the Atlantic Ocean became available to the [[Kriegsmarine]], allowing them to increase the range of their vessels. The [[Royal Navy]] became severely stretched, having to remain stationed in the [[English Channel]] to protect against a German invasion, send forces to the [[Mediterranean Sea]] to make up for the loss of the French fleet, and provide escort for merchant vessels. This was somewhat mitigated by the "Destroyers for Bases Agreement" with the [[United States Navy]] in September 1940, in which the British exchanged several of their oversea bases for fifty destroyers, which were then used for escort duties. The success of U-boats in this period led to an increase of their production and the development of the wolf pack technique.

The German surface navy, which had suffered substantial losses in the capture of [[Norway]], had mixed results. While there were several successful merchant raids, such as Operation Berlin, they also suffered several losses, such as the German pocket battleship ''Admiral Graf Spee'' ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Panzerschiff_%E2%80%9EAdmiral_Graf_Spee%E2%80%9C de]) and the battleship ''Bismarck''. The loss of the "Bismarck" had deeper ramifications on naval policy though, because as a result Hitler ordered all heavy surface vessels to Norwegian waters, shifting them from raiding operations to protection from a potential Allied invasion of [[Scandinavia]]. While the Royal Navy also suffered the loss of capital ships, such as the aircraft carrier [[HMS Courageous]], the battleship [[HMS Royal Oak]] and the battlecruiser [[HMS Hood]] ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/HMS_%E2%80%9EHood%E2%80%9C de]), their larger surface navy was better able to absorb the losses.

In May 1941, the British captured an intact [[Enigma machine]], which greatly assisted in breaking German codes and allowed for plotting convoy routes which evaded U-boat positions. In the summer of 1941, the Soviet Union entered the war on the side of the Allies, but they lost much of their equipment and manufacturing base in the first few weeks following the German invasion. The Western Allies attempted to remedy this by sending Arctic convoys, which faced constant harassment from German forces. In September, many of the U-boats operating in the Atlantic were ordered to the Mediterranean to block British supply routes. When the [[United States]] entered the war that December, they did not take precautionary anti-submarine measures; this resulted in shipping losses so great that the Germans referred to it as a second happy time.

In February 1942, several German capital ships that were stationed in the port of Brest, [[France]], managed to comply with Hitler's earlier order and Operation Cerberus ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Unternehmen_%E2%80%9ECerberus%E2%80%9C ''Unternehmen „Cerberus“'']) to their home bases in German waters, dealing a significant blow to the Royal Navy's reputation. In June, the Leigh light allowed Allied aircraft to illuminate U-boats that had been detected by the airplanes [[radar]], but this was soon negated by the Germans with [[Metox]], a radar detection system that gave them advance notice of such an aircraft's approach.

In [[American]] waters, the institution of shore blackouts and an interlocking convoy system resulted in a drop in attacks, and the U-boats shifted their operations back to the mid-Atlantic by August. In December, a strong German surface navy force engaged an Arctic convoy destined for the [[Soviet Union]] and failed to destroy a single merchant ship; this resulted in the resignation of [[Grand Admiral]] ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Gro%C3%9Fadmiral ''Großadmiral'']) [[Erich Raeder]], supreme commander of the Kriegsmarine. He was replaced by Commander of Submarines [[Karl Dönitz]], and all naval building priorities turned to the U-boats.

In January 1943, the British developed the H2S radar system which was undetectable by Metox. As before, this was followed by a counter-invention on the German side, the Naxos radar detector, which allowed German fighters of the [[Luftwaffe]] to hone in on Allied aircraft utilizing the H2S. In the spring, the Battle of the Atlantic began to turn in favour of the Allies with the pivotal point being Black May, a period where the Allies had fewer ships sunk and the Kriegsmarine lost 25% of their active U-boats.

That December, the German surface fleet lost their last active battlecruiser in the Battle of North Cape. By this time, the Kriegsmarine was unable to regain the initiative; Allied production, such as the mass-produced Liberty ships, improved antisubmarine warfare tactics, sea route patrols with B-24 Liberator, and ever-improving technology led to increasing U-boat losses and more supplies getting through. This allowed for the massive supply build up in the United Kingdom needed for the eventual invasion of [[Western Europe]] in mid-1944.

==External links==
=== Encyclopedias ===
*[https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-the-Atlantic Encyclopedia Britannica: Battle of the Atlantic]
*[https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/modern-europe/wars-and-battles/battle-atlantic Encyclopedia.com: Battle of the Atlantic]

[[Category:World War II]]
[[Category:Battles]]
[[Category:Royal Navy]]
[[Category:Kriegsmarine]]
[[Category:United States Navy]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:23, 28 April 2024
Line 1:		Line 1:
	[[File:Adolf Hitler hailing German U-boats.png\|thumb\|350px\|''[[Reichskanzler]]'' [[Adolf Hitler]] [[German salute\|saluting]] German U-boats; On 3 September 1939, United Kingdom and France [[Declarations of War during World War II\|declared war on Germany]] and plunged Europe and ~~tbe~~ world into [[World War II]]. The "grey wolves" (''Graue Wölfe''), ~~tbe~~ U-boats of ~~tbe~~ [[Kriegsmarine]], take to ~~tbe~~ sea. There will be war in ~~tbe~~ Atlantic. The goal – to cut England’s lifelines. Konteradmiral [[Karl Dönitz]] announced at ~~tbe~~ end of 1939: ''"U-boats are ~~tbe~~ wolves at sea: Attack, tear, sink!"'' <br/><br/>Six years later, ~~tbe~~ war ends, and Germany lays in ruins. The [[U-boat]] fleet is all but wiped out, 30,000 of its 40,000 men having died at sea. Still, fighting hard but fair, they have accomplished success beyond all expectations and out of proportion to their strength. At some points during ~~tbe~~ war, they had come close to bringing ~~tbe~~ British Empire to its knees. On ~~tbe~~ Allied side, ~~tbe~~ cost of victory has been even higher. More than 30,000 merchant seamen have been lost in this struggle, along with many thousands of servicemen from all branches of ~~tbe~~ military. About 20 million tons of merchant tonnage lies under ~~tbe~~ sea.]]		[[File:Adolf Hitler hailing German U-boats.png\|thumb\|350px\|''[[Reichskanzler]]'' [[Adolf Hitler]] [[German salute\|saluting]] German U-boats; On 3 September 1939, United Kingdom and France [[Declarations of War during World War II\|declared war on Germany]] and plunged Europe and the world into [[World War II]]. The "grey wolves" (''Graue Wölfe''), the U-boats of the [[Kriegsmarine]], take to the sea. There will be war in the Atlantic. The goal – to cut England’s lifelines. Konteradmiral [[Karl Dönitz]] announced at the end of 1939: ''"U-boats are the wolves at sea: Attack, tear, sink!"'' <br/><br/>Six years later, the war ends, and Germany lays in ruins. The [[U-boat]] fleet is all but wiped out, 30,000 of its 40,000 men having died at sea. Still, fighting hard but fair, they have accomplished success beyond all expectations and out of proportion to their strength. At some points during the war, they had come close to bringing the British Empire to its knees. On the Allied side, the cost of victory has been even higher. More than 30,000 merchant seamen have been lost in this struggle, along with many thousands of servicemen from all branches of the military. About 20 million tons of merchant tonnage lies under the sea.]]
	The '''Battle of ~~tbe~~ Atlantic''' was ~~tbe~~ longest continuous military campaign of [[World War II]].		The '''Battle of the Atlantic''' was the longest continuous military campaign of [[World War II]].
	==History==		==History==
	[[File:Schlachtschiff „Bismarck“ V.png\|thumb\|350px\|The battleship "Bismarck" ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Schlachtschiff_%E2%80%9EBismarck%E2%80%9C de])]]		[[File:Schlachtschiff „Bismarck“ V.png\|thumb\|350px\|The battleship "Bismarck" ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Schlachtschiff_%E2%80%9EBismarck%E2%80%9C de])]]
	The Battle of ~~tbe~~ Atlantic started after ~~tbe~~ German [[Poland Campaign]] with ~~tbe~~ torpedoing of ~~tbe~~ British liner [[SS Athenia]] by a German [[U-Boot]]. Having faced raids on shipping during ~~tbe~~ [[First World War]], ~~tbe~~ British quickly implemented a convoy solution to protect merchant vessels; they were short of escort ships though, so many merchant ships had to sail without protection. At first, U-boats primarily operated within British waters while ~~tbe~~ Atlantic Ocean was covered by German surface vessels. The British attempted to counter ~~tbe~~ U-boat threat by forming anti-[[submarine]] hunting groups, which were ultimately ineffective because ~~tbe~~ U-boats proved too elusive.		The Battle of the Atlantic started after the German [[Poland Campaign]] with the torpedoing of the British liner [[SS Athenia]] by a German [[U-Boot]]. Having faced raids on shipping during the [[First World War]], the British quickly implemented a convoy solution to protect merchant vessels; they were short of escort ships though, so many merchant ships had to sail without protection. At first, U-boats primarily operated within British waters while the Atlantic Ocean was covered by German surface vessels. The British attempted to counter the U-boat threat by forming anti-[[submarine]] hunting groups, which were ultimately ineffective because the U-boats proved too elusive.

	With ~~tbe~~ German conquest of Norway ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Unternehmen_%E2%80%9EWeser%C3%BCbung%E2%80%9C ''Unternehmen „Weserübung“'']) and France ([[Battle of France]]) by June 1940, U-boats enjoyed decreased resistance. The [[French Navy]] was removed as an Allied force, and additional ports in France on ~~tbe~~ Atlantic Ocean became available to ~~tbe~~ [[Kriegsmarine]], allowing them to increase ~~tbe~~ range of their vessels. The [[Royal Navy]] became severely stretched, having to remain stationed in ~~tbe~~ [[English Channel]] to protect against a German invasion, send forces to ~~tbe~~ [[Mediterranean Sea]] to make up for ~~tbe~~ loss of ~~tbe~~ French fleet, and provide escort for merchant vessels. This was somewhat mitigated by ~~tbe~~ "Destroyers for Bases Agreement" with ~~tbe~~ [[United States Navy]] in September 1940, in which ~~tbe~~ British exchanged several of their oversea bases for fifty destroyers, which were then used for escort duties. The success of U-boats in this period led to an increase of their production and ~~tbe~~ development of ~~tbe~~ wolf pack technique.		With the German conquest of Norway ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Unternehmen_%E2%80%9EWeser%C3%BCbung%E2%80%9C ''Unternehmen „Weserübung“'']) and France ([[Battle of France]]) by June 1940, U-boats enjoyed decreased resistance. The [[French Navy]] was removed as an Allied force, and additional ports in France on the Atlantic Ocean became available to the [[Kriegsmarine]], allowing them to increase the range of their vessels. The [[Royal Navy]] became severely stretched, having to remain stationed in the [[English Channel]] to protect against a German invasion, send forces to the [[Mediterranean Sea]] to make up for the loss of the French fleet, and provide escort for merchant vessels. This was somewhat mitigated by the "Destroyers for Bases Agreement" with the [[United States Navy]] in September 1940, in which the British exchanged several of their oversea bases for fifty destroyers, which were then used for escort duties. The success of U-boats in this period led to an increase of their production and the development of the wolf pack technique.

	The German surface navy, which had suffered substantial losses in ~~tbe~~ capture of [[Norway]], had mixed results. While there were several successful merchant raids, such as Operation Berlin, they also suffered several losses, such as ~~tbe~~ German pocket battleship ''Admiral Graf Spee'' ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Panzerschiff_%E2%80%9EAdmiral_Graf_Spee%E2%80%9C de]) and ~~tbe~~ battleship ''Bismarck''. The loss of ~~tbe~~ "Bismarck" had deeper ramifications on naval policy though, because as a result Hitler ordered all heavy surface vessels to Norwegian waters, shifting them from raiding operations to protection from a potential Allied invasion of [[Scandinavia]]. While ~~tbe~~ Royal Navy also suffered ~~tbe~~ loss of capital ships, such as ~~tbe~~ aircraft carrier [[HMS Courageous]], ~~tbe~~ battleship [[HMS Royal Oak]] and ~~tbe~~ battlecruiser [[HMS Hood]] ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/HMS_%E2%80%9EHood%E2%80%9C de]), their larger surface navy was better able to absorb ~~tbe~~ losses.		The German surface navy, which had suffered substantial losses in the capture of [[Norway]], had mixed results. While there were several successful merchant raids, such as Operation Berlin, they also suffered several losses, such as the German pocket battleship ''Admiral Graf Spee'' ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Panzerschiff_%E2%80%9EAdmiral_Graf_Spee%E2%80%9C de]) and the battleship ''Bismarck''. The loss of the "Bismarck" had deeper ramifications on naval policy though, because as a result Hitler ordered all heavy surface vessels to Norwegian waters, shifting them from raiding operations to protection from a potential Allied invasion of [[Scandinavia]]. While the Royal Navy also suffered the loss of capital ships, such as the aircraft carrier [[HMS Courageous]], the battleship [[HMS Royal Oak]] and the battlecruiser [[HMS Hood]] ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/HMS_%E2%80%9EHood%E2%80%9C de]), their larger surface navy was better able to absorb the losses.

	In May 1941, ~~tbe~~ British captured an intact [[Enigma machine]], which greatly assisted in breaking German codes and allowed for plotting convoy routes which evaded U-boat positions. In ~~tbe~~ summer of 1941, ~~tbe~~ Soviet Union entered ~~tbe~~ war on ~~tbe~~ side of ~~tbe~~ Allies, but they lost much of their equipment and manufacturing base in ~~tbe~~ first few weeks following ~~tbe~~ German invasion. The Western Allies attempted to remedy this by sending Arctic convoys, which faced constant harassment from German forces. In September, many of ~~tbe~~ U-boats operating in ~~tbe~~ Atlantic were ordered to ~~tbe~~ Mediterranean to block British supply routes. When ~~tbe~~ [[United States]] entered ~~tbe~~ war that December, they did not take precautionary anti-submarine measures; this resulted in shipping losses so great that ~~tbe~~ Germans referred to it as a second happy time.		In May 1941, the British captured an intact [[Enigma machine]], which greatly assisted in breaking German codes and allowed for plotting convoy routes which evaded U-boat positions. In the summer of 1941, the Soviet Union entered the war on the side of the Allies, but they lost much of their equipment and manufacturing base in the first few weeks following the German invasion. The Western Allies attempted to remedy this by sending Arctic convoys, which faced constant harassment from German forces. In September, many of the U-boats operating in the Atlantic were ordered to the Mediterranean to block British supply routes. When the [[United States]] entered the war that December, they did not take precautionary anti-submarine measures; this resulted in shipping losses so great that the Germans referred to it as a second happy time.

	In February 1942, several German capital ships that were stationed in ~~tbe~~ port of Brest, [[France]], managed to comply with Hitler's earlier order and Operation Cerberus ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Unternehmen_%E2%80%9ECerberus%E2%80%9C ''Unternehmen „Cerberus“'']) to their home bases in German waters, dealing a significant blow to ~~tbe~~ Royal Navy's reputation. In June, ~~tbe~~ Leigh light allowed Allied aircraft to illuminate U-boats that had been detected by ~~tbe~~ airplanes [[radar]], but this was soon negated by ~~tbe~~ Germans with [[Metox]], a radar detection system that gave them advance notice of such an aircraft's approach.		In February 1942, several German capital ships that were stationed in the port of Brest, [[France]], managed to comply with Hitler's earlier order and Operation Cerberus ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Unternehmen_%E2%80%9ECerberus%E2%80%9C ''Unternehmen „Cerberus“'']) to their home bases in German waters, dealing a significant blow to the Royal Navy's reputation. In June, the Leigh light allowed Allied aircraft to illuminate U-boats that had been detected by the airplanes [[radar]], but this was soon negated by the Germans with [[Metox]], a radar detection system that gave them advance notice of such an aircraft's approach.

	In [[American]] waters, ~~tbe~~ institution of shore blackouts and an interlocking convoy system resulted in a drop in attacks, and ~~tbe~~ U-boats shifted their operations back to ~~tbe~~ mid-Atlantic by August. In December, a strong German surface navy force engaged an Arctic convoy destined for ~~tbe~~ [[Soviet Union]] and failed to destroy a single merchant ship; this resulted in ~~tbe~~ resignation of [[Grand Admiral]] ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Gro%C3%9Fadmiral ''Großadmiral'']) [[Erich Raeder]], supreme commander of ~~tbe~~ Kriegsmarine. He was replaced by Commander of Submarines [[Karl Dönitz]], and all naval building priorities turned to ~~tbe~~ U-boats.		In [[American]] waters, the institution of shore blackouts and an interlocking convoy system resulted in a drop in attacks, and the U-boats shifted their operations back to the mid-Atlantic by August. In December, a strong German surface navy force engaged an Arctic convoy destined for the [[Soviet Union]] and failed to destroy a single merchant ship; this resulted in the resignation of [[Grand Admiral]] ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Gro%C3%9Fadmiral ''Großadmiral'']) [[Erich Raeder]], supreme commander of the Kriegsmarine. He was replaced by Commander of Submarines [[Karl Dönitz]], and all naval building priorities turned to the U-boats.

	In January 1943, ~~tbe~~ British developed ~~tbe~~ H2S radar system which was undetectable by Metox. As before, this was followed by a counter-invention on ~~tbe~~ German side, ~~tbe~~ Naxos radar detector, which allowed German fighters of ~~tbe~~ [[Luftwaffe]] to hone in on Allied aircraft utilizing ~~tbe~~ H2S. In ~~tbe~~ spring, ~~tbe~~ Battle of ~~tbe~~ Atlantic began to turn in favour of ~~tbe~~ Allies with ~~tbe~~ pivotal point being Black May, a period where ~~tbe~~ Allies had fewer ships sunk and ~~tbe~~ Kriegsmarine lost 25% of their active U-boats.		In January 1943, the British developed the H2S radar system which was undetectable by Metox. As before, this was followed by a counter-invention on the German side, the Naxos radar detector, which allowed German fighters of the [[Luftwaffe]] to hone in on Allied aircraft utilizing the H2S. In the spring, the Battle of the Atlantic began to turn in favour of the Allies with the pivotal point being Black May, a period where the Allies had fewer ships sunk and the Kriegsmarine lost 25% of their active U-boats.

	That December, ~~tbe~~ German surface fleet lost their last active battlecruiser in ~~tbe~~ Battle of North Cape. By this time, ~~tbe~~ Kriegsmarine was unable to regain ~~tbe~~ initiative; Allied production, such as ~~tbe~~ mass-produced Liberty ships, improved antisubmarine warfare tactics, sea route patrols with B-24 Liberator, and ever-improving technology led to increasing U-boat losses and more supplies getting through. This allowed for ~~tbe~~ massive supply build up in ~~tbe~~ United Kingdom needed for ~~tbe~~ eventual invasion of [[Western Europe]] in mid-1944.		That December, the German surface fleet lost their last active battlecruiser in the Battle of North Cape. By this time, the Kriegsmarine was unable to regain the initiative; Allied production, such as the mass-produced Liberty ships, improved antisubmarine warfare tactics, sea route patrols with B-24 Liberator, and ever-improving technology led to increasing U-boat losses and more supplies getting through. This allowed for the massive supply build up in the United Kingdom needed for the eventual invasion of [[Western Europe]] in mid-1944.

	==External links==		==External links==
	=== Encyclopedias ===		=== Encyclopedias ===
	*[https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-the-Atlantic Encyclopedia Britannica: Battle of ~~tbe~~ Atlantic]		*[https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-the-Atlantic Encyclopedia Britannica: Battle of the Atlantic]
	*[https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/modern-europe/wars-and-battles/battle-atlantic Encyclopedia.com: Battle of ~~tbe~~ Atlantic]		*[https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/modern-europe/wars-and-battles/battle-atlantic Encyclopedia.com: Battle of the Atlantic]

	[[Category:WWAC]]		[[Category:WWAC]]

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	[[File:Adolf Hitler hailing German U-boats.png\|thumb\|350px\|''[[Reichskanzler]]'' [[Adolf Hitler]] [[German salute\|saluting]] German U-boats; On 3 September 1939, United Kingdom and France [[Declarations of War during World War II\|declared war on Germany]] and plunged Europe and ~~the~~ world into [[World War II]]. The "grey wolves" (''Graue Wölfe''), ~~the~~ U-boats of ~~the~~ [[Kriegsmarine]], take to ~~the~~ sea. There will be war in ~~the~~ Atlantic. The goal – to cut England’s lifelines. Konteradmiral [[Karl Dönitz]] announced at ~~the~~ end of 1939: ''"U-boats are ~~the~~ wolves at sea: Attack, tear, sink!"'' <br/><br/>Six years later, ~~the~~ war ends, and Germany lays in ruins. The [[U-boat]] fleet is all but wiped out, 30,000 of its 40,000 men having died at sea. Still, fighting hard but fair, they have accomplished success beyond all expectations and out of proportion to their strength. At some points during ~~the~~ war, they had come close to bringing ~~the~~ British Empire to its knees. On ~~the~~ Allied side, ~~the~~ cost of victory has been even higher. More than 30,000 merchant seamen have been lost in this struggle, along with many thousands of servicemen from all branches of ~~the~~ military. About 20 million tons of merchant tonnage lies under ~~the~~ sea.]]		[[File:Adolf Hitler hailing German U-boats.png\|thumb\|350px\|''[[Reichskanzler]]'' [[Adolf Hitler]] [[German salute\|saluting]] German U-boats; On 3 September 1939, United Kingdom and France [[Declarations of War during World War II\|declared war on Germany]] and plunged Europe and tbe world into [[World War II]]. The "grey wolves" (''Graue Wölfe''), tbe U-boats of tbe [[Kriegsmarine]], take to tbe sea. There will be war in tbe Atlantic. The goal – to cut England’s lifelines. Konteradmiral [[Karl Dönitz]] announced at tbe end of 1939: ''"U-boats are tbe wolves at sea: Attack, tear, sink!"'' <br/><br/>Six years later, tbe war ends, and Germany lays in ruins. The [[U-boat]] fleet is all but wiped out, 30,000 of its 40,000 men having died at sea. Still, fighting hard but fair, they have accomplished success beyond all expectations and out of proportion to their strength. At some points during tbe war, they had come close to bringing tbe British Empire to its knees. On tbe Allied side, tbe cost of victory has been even higher. More than 30,000 merchant seamen have been lost in this struggle, along with many thousands of servicemen from all branches of tbe military. About 20 million tons of merchant tonnage lies under tbe sea.]]
	The '''Battle of ~~the~~ Atlantic''' was ~~the~~ longest continuous military campaign of [[World War II]].		The '''Battle of tbe Atlantic''' was tbe longest continuous military campaign of [[World War II]].
	==History==		==History==
	[[File:Schlachtschiff „Bismarck“ V.png\|thumb\|350px\|The battleship "Bismarck" ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Schlachtschiff_%E2%80%9EBismarck%E2%80%9C de])]]		[[File:Schlachtschiff „Bismarck“ V.png\|thumb\|350px\|The battleship "Bismarck" ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Schlachtschiff_%E2%80%9EBismarck%E2%80%9C de])]]
	The Battle of ~~the~~ Atlantic started after ~~the~~ German [[Poland Campaign]] with ~~the~~ torpedoing of ~~the~~ British liner [[SS Athenia]] by a German [[U-Boot]]. Having faced raids on shipping during ~~the~~ [[First World War]], ~~the~~ British quickly implemented a convoy solution to protect merchant vessels; they were short of escort ships though, so many merchant ships had to sail without protection. At first, U-boats primarily operated within British waters while ~~the~~ Atlantic Ocean was covered by German surface vessels. The British attempted to counter ~~the~~ U-boat threat by forming anti-[[submarine]] hunting groups, which were ultimately ineffective because ~~the~~ U-boats proved too elusive.		The Battle of tbe Atlantic started after tbe German [[Poland Campaign]] with tbe torpedoing of tbe British liner [[SS Athenia]] by a German [[U-Boot]]. Having faced raids on shipping during tbe [[First World War]], tbe British quickly implemented a convoy solution to protect merchant vessels; they were short of escort ships though, so many merchant ships had to sail without protection. At first, U-boats primarily operated within British waters while tbe Atlantic Ocean was covered by German surface vessels. The British attempted to counter tbe U-boat threat by forming anti-[[submarine]] hunting groups, which were ultimately ineffective because tbe U-boats proved too elusive.

	With ~~the~~ German conquest of Norway ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Unternehmen_%E2%80%9EWeser%C3%BCbung%E2%80%9C ''Unternehmen „Weserübung“'']) and France ([[Battle of France]]) by June 1940, U-boats enjoyed decreased resistance. The [[French Navy]] was removed as an Allied force, and additional ports in France on ~~the~~ Atlantic Ocean became available to ~~the~~ [[Kriegsmarine]], allowing them to increase ~~the~~ range of their vessels. The [[Royal Navy]] became severely stretched, having to remain stationed in ~~the~~ [[English Channel]] to protect against a German invasion, send forces to ~~the~~ [[Mediterranean Sea]] to make up for ~~the~~ loss of ~~the~~ French fleet, and provide escort for merchant vessels. This was somewhat mitigated by ~~the~~ "Destroyers for Bases Agreement" with ~~the~~ [[United States Navy]] in September 1940, in which ~~the~~ British exchanged several of their oversea bases for fifty destroyers, which were then used for escort duties. The success of U-boats in this period led to an increase of their production and ~~the~~ development of ~~the~~ wolf pack technique.		With tbe German conquest of Norway ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Unternehmen_%E2%80%9EWeser%C3%BCbung%E2%80%9C ''Unternehmen „Weserübung“'']) and France ([[Battle of France]]) by June 1940, U-boats enjoyed decreased resistance. The [[French Navy]] was removed as an Allied force, and additional ports in France on tbe Atlantic Ocean became available to tbe [[Kriegsmarine]], allowing them to increase tbe range of their vessels. The [[Royal Navy]] became severely stretched, having to remain stationed in tbe [[English Channel]] to protect against a German invasion, send forces to tbe [[Mediterranean Sea]] to make up for tbe loss of tbe French fleet, and provide escort for merchant vessels. This was somewhat mitigated by tbe "Destroyers for Bases Agreement" with tbe [[United States Navy]] in September 1940, in which tbe British exchanged several of their oversea bases for fifty destroyers, which were then used for escort duties. The success of U-boats in this period led to an increase of their production and tbe development of tbe wolf pack technique.

	The German surface navy, which had suffered substantial losses in ~~the~~ capture of [[Norway]], had mixed results. While there were several successful merchant raids, such as Operation Berlin, they also suffered several losses, such as ~~the~~ German pocket battleship ''Admiral Graf Spee'' ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Panzerschiff_%E2%80%9EAdmiral_Graf_Spee%E2%80%9C de]) and ~~the~~ battleship ''Bismarck''. The loss of ~~the~~ "Bismarck" had deeper ramifications on naval policy though, because as a result Hitler ordered all heavy surface vessels to Norwegian waters, shifting them from raiding operations to protection from a potential Allied invasion of [[Scandinavia]]. While ~~the~~ Royal Navy also suffered ~~the~~ loss of capital ships, such as ~~the~~ aircraft carrier [[HMS Courageous]], ~~the~~ battleship [[HMS Royal Oak]] and ~~the~~ battlecruiser [[HMS Hood]] ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/HMS_%E2%80%9EHood%E2%80%9C de]), their larger surface navy was better able to absorb ~~the~~ losses.		The German surface navy, which had suffered substantial losses in tbe capture of [[Norway]], had mixed results. While there were several successful merchant raids, such as Operation Berlin, they also suffered several losses, such as tbe German pocket battleship ''Admiral Graf Spee'' ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Panzerschiff_%E2%80%9EAdmiral_Graf_Spee%E2%80%9C de]) and tbe battleship ''Bismarck''. The loss of tbe "Bismarck" had deeper ramifications on naval policy though, because as a result Hitler ordered all heavy surface vessels to Norwegian waters, shifting them from raiding operations to protection from a potential Allied invasion of [[Scandinavia]]. While tbe Royal Navy also suffered tbe loss of capital ships, such as tbe aircraft carrier [[HMS Courageous]], tbe battleship [[HMS Royal Oak]] and tbe battlecruiser [[HMS Hood]] ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/HMS_%E2%80%9EHood%E2%80%9C de]), their larger surface navy was better able to absorb tbe losses.

	In May 1941, ~~the~~ British captured an intact [[Enigma machine]], which greatly assisted in breaking German codes and allowed for plotting convoy routes which evaded U-boat positions. In ~~the~~ summer of 1941, ~~the~~ Soviet Union entered ~~the~~ war on ~~the~~ side of ~~the~~ Allies, but they lost much of their equipment and manufacturing base in ~~the~~ first few weeks following ~~the~~ German invasion. The Western Allies attempted to remedy this by sending Arctic convoys, which faced constant harassment from German forces. In September, many of ~~the~~ U-boats operating in ~~the~~ Atlantic were ordered to ~~the~~ Mediterranean to block British supply routes. When ~~the~~ [[United States]] entered ~~the~~ war that December, they did not take precautionary anti-submarine measures; this resulted in shipping losses so great that ~~the~~ Germans referred to it as a second happy time.		In May 1941, tbe British captured an intact [[Enigma machine]], which greatly assisted in breaking German codes and allowed for plotting convoy routes which evaded U-boat positions. In tbe summer of 1941, tbe Soviet Union entered tbe war on tbe side of tbe Allies, but they lost much of their equipment and manufacturing base in tbe first few weeks following tbe German invasion. The Western Allies attempted to remedy this by sending Arctic convoys, which faced constant harassment from German forces. In September, many of tbe U-boats operating in tbe Atlantic were ordered to tbe Mediterranean to block British supply routes. When tbe [[United States]] entered tbe war that December, they did not take precautionary anti-submarine measures; this resulted in shipping losses so great that tbe Germans referred to it as a second happy time.

	In February 1942, several German capital ships that were stationed in ~~the~~ port of Brest, [[France]], managed to comply with Hitler's earlier order and Operation Cerberus ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Unternehmen_%E2%80%9ECerberus%E2%80%9C ''Unternehmen „Cerberus“'']) to their home bases in German waters, dealing a significant blow to ~~the~~ Royal Navy's reputation. In June, ~~the~~ Leigh light allowed Allied aircraft to illuminate U-boats that had been detected by ~~the~~ airplanes [[radar]], but this was soon negated by ~~the~~ Germans with [[Metox]], a radar detection system that gave them advance notice of such an aircraft's approach.		In February 1942, several German capital ships that were stationed in tbe port of Brest, [[France]], managed to comply with Hitler's earlier order and Operation Cerberus ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Unternehmen_%E2%80%9ECerberus%E2%80%9C ''Unternehmen „Cerberus“'']) to their home bases in German waters, dealing a significant blow to tbe Royal Navy's reputation. In June, tbe Leigh light allowed Allied aircraft to illuminate U-boats that had been detected by tbe airplanes [[radar]], but this was soon negated by tbe Germans with [[Metox]], a radar detection system that gave them advance notice of such an aircraft's approach.

	In [[American]] waters, ~~the~~ institution of shore blackouts and an interlocking convoy system resulted in a drop in attacks, and ~~the~~ U-boats shifted their operations back to ~~the~~ mid-Atlantic by August. In December, a strong German surface navy force engaged an Arctic convoy destined for ~~the~~ [[Soviet Union]] and failed to destroy a single merchant ship; this resulted in ~~the~~ resignation of [[Grand Admiral]] ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Gro%C3%9Fadmiral ''Großadmiral'']) [[Erich Raeder]], supreme commander of ~~the~~ Kriegsmarine. He was replaced by Commander of Submarines [[Karl Dönitz]], and all naval building priorities turned to ~~the~~ U-boats.		In [[American]] waters, tbe institution of shore blackouts and an interlocking convoy system resulted in a drop in attacks, and tbe U-boats shifted their operations back to tbe mid-Atlantic by August. In December, a strong German surface navy force engaged an Arctic convoy destined for tbe [[Soviet Union]] and failed to destroy a single merchant ship; this resulted in tbe resignation of [[Grand Admiral]] ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Gro%C3%9Fadmiral ''Großadmiral'']) [[Erich Raeder]], supreme commander of tbe Kriegsmarine. He was replaced by Commander of Submarines [[Karl Dönitz]], and all naval building priorities turned to tbe U-boats.

	In January 1943, ~~the~~ British developed ~~the~~ H2S radar system which was undetectable by Metox. As before, this was followed by a counter-invention on ~~the~~ German side, ~~the~~ Naxos radar detector, which allowed German fighters of ~~the~~ [[Luftwaffe]] to hone in on Allied aircraft utilizing ~~the~~ H2S. In ~~the~~ spring, ~~the~~ Battle of ~~the~~ Atlantic began to turn in favour of ~~the~~ Allies with ~~the~~ pivotal point being Black May, a period where ~~the~~ Allies had fewer ships sunk and ~~the~~ Kriegsmarine lost 25% of their active U-boats.		In January 1943, tbe British developed tbe H2S radar system which was undetectable by Metox. As before, this was followed by a counter-invention on tbe German side, tbe Naxos radar detector, which allowed German fighters of tbe [[Luftwaffe]] to hone in on Allied aircraft utilizing tbe H2S. In tbe spring, tbe Battle of tbe Atlantic began to turn in favour of tbe Allies with tbe pivotal point being Black May, a period where tbe Allies had fewer ships sunk and tbe Kriegsmarine lost 25% of their active U-boats.

	That December, ~~the~~ German surface fleet lost their last active battlecruiser in ~~the~~ Battle of North Cape. By this time, ~~the~~ Kriegsmarine was unable to regain ~~the~~ initiative; Allied production, such as ~~the~~ mass-produced Liberty ships, improved antisubmarine warfare tactics, sea route patrols with B-24 Liberator, and ever-improving technology led to increasing U-boat losses and more supplies getting through. This allowed for ~~the~~ massive supply build up in ~~the~~ United Kingdom needed for ~~the~~ eventual invasion of [[Western Europe]] in mid-1944.		That December, tbe German surface fleet lost their last active battlecruiser in tbe Battle of North Cape. By this time, tbe Kriegsmarine was unable to regain tbe initiative; Allied production, such as tbe mass-produced Liberty ships, improved antisubmarine warfare tactics, sea route patrols with B-24 Liberator, and ever-improving technology led to increasing U-boat losses and more supplies getting through. This allowed for tbe massive supply build up in tbe United Kingdom needed for tbe eventual invasion of [[Western Europe]] in mid-1944.

	==External links==		==External links==
	=== Encyclopedias ===		=== Encyclopedias ===
	*[https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-the-Atlantic Encyclopedia Britannica: Battle of ~~the~~ Atlantic]		*[https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-the-Atlantic Encyclopedia Britannica: Battle of tbe Atlantic]
	*[https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/modern-europe/wars-and-battles/battle-atlantic Encyclopedia.com: Battle of ~~the~~ Atlantic]		*[https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/modern-europe/wars-and-battles/battle-atlantic Encyclopedia.com: Battle of tbe Atlantic]

	[[Category:WWAC]]		[[Category:WWAC]]