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The Battle of the Atlantic: How the Allies Won the War

The Battle of the Atlantic: How the Allies Won the War

by JonathanDimbleby (Author)

  • New

    Paperback 2016

    $14.03
Synopsis

'Majestic. Truly gripping' Andrew Roberts The Battle of the Atlantic was the single most important - and longest - campaign of the Second World War. If Britain lost this vital supply route it lost the war. In Jonathan Dimbleby's brilliant and dramatic new account we see how this epic struggle for maritime mastery played out, from the politicians and admirals to the men on and under the sea and their families waiting at home. Filled with haunting and hair-raising stories of chases, ambushes, sinkings, stalkings, disasters and rescues, The Battle of the Atlantic is a monumental work of history as it was lived and fought. 'Recounts the horror and humanity of life on those perilous oceans' Independent 'Dimbleby moves with skill from scene to scene, eavesdropping on the great statesmen like Churchill, the merchant seamen who carried out their orders, the U-boat commanders who tried to sink them and the families of those who lost their lives at sea' Mail on Sunday

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More Information

Format: Paperback
 Pages: 560
 Edition: Reprint
 Publisher: Penguin
Published: 19 May 2016
ISBN 10: 0241972108
ISBN 13: 9780241972106
Book Overview: Filled with haunting and hair-raising stories of chases, ambushes, sinkings, stalkings, disasters and rescues,The Battle of the Atlantic is a monumental work of history as it was lived and fought.

Media Reviews
This is an exceptionally vivid account of one of the critical campaigns of the Second World War by a masterly writer -- Max Hastings
Winston Churchill famously described the Battle of the Atlantic as 'a war of groping and drowning, a war of ambuscade and stratagem, a war of science and seamanship' and no book depicts all of those myriad aspects better than Jonathan Dimbleby's majestic overview. His judgments can sometimes be harsh and are bound to be controversial, but they are backed up with wide reading, diligent scholarship and cogent argument. This is a truly gripping account of a campaign that the author rightly puts epicentral to the Allied victory in the Second World War. * Andrew Roberts, author of 'Masters and Commanders' *
A fascinating story written with bite and grip of one of the most crucial showdowns of the twentieth century - of a victory wrung out of the unforgiving Atlantic swell by sailors and airmen using the best technology and Intelligence that those on land could provide. How close-run it was and the price of losing would have been catastrophe, defeat and darkness. Compelling -- Lord Peter Hennessy, author of 'The Silent Deep'
Jonathan Dimbleby's second volume on the Second World War is even better than its predecessor. The Battle of the Atlantic is a gripping account of the Allies' hard-won victory at sea. Dimbleby has delivered a masterful narrative that challenges many of the received views about this often overlooked conflict that foretold the defeat of Nazism. -- Amanda Foreman
Excellent on the characters of individual commanders . . . But perhaps the book's greatest strength is its analysis of the strategic side of the battle. Regularly switching from vivid coverage of individual encounters at sea, the narrative reveals the intense discussions that took place at the highest levels to decide naval policy, especially among Churchill, Roosevelt and their military advisers. It is [the] controversial assertion, backed by solid research and a readable style, that makes this book so compelling. -- Leo McKinstry * Wall Street Journal *
Starred review. A gripping history overflowing with anecdotes and enough calamity, misery, explosions, and individual valor for a Hollywood disaster epic. * Kirkus *
A gripping read and a great contribution to the history of the Second World War. The author realizes his immense ambition of bringing out the human aspects of the drama at every level, from the heads of state to the crews in the Atlantic, while also bringing important nuances to received views on the struggle against the U-boats, and, indeed, on Churchill's war leadership. An epic account. * Peter Padfield, author of 'War Beneath the Sea: Submarine Conflict 1939-1945', and biographies of Doenitz, Himmler and Hess *
In this refreshing book Jonathan Dimbleby skilfully weaves together front line accounts and high policy discussions to provide a gripping and accessible new account of the most important campaign of the Second World War against Germany. * Professor Eric Grove, author of 'The Royal Navy since 1815' *
The epic Battle of the Atlantic can only really be understood when set against the strategic context of the time. This highly engaging history does this by combining gripping accounts of the tactics and operational fortunes of the Germans and the Allies in this bitterest of battles with an authoritative review of the strategic thinking that helps explain their motives and their responses at the highest national level, and that shows why victory was so important for both sides. * Professor Geoff Till, author of 'The Development of British Naval Thinking' *
Dimbleby makes a convincing case that of all the campaigns of WWII, the struggle for dominance over the North Atlantic was the most important . . . The history of the battle for the Atlantic is well documented, but Dimbleby's work, with its emphasis on the strategic importance of the battle, is an excellent addition to the story, and expert historians as well as general readers can enjoy this effort * Publishers Weekly *
Dimbleby's incisive, gripping narrative uniquely places the campaign in the context of the entire war as it recounts the horror and humanity of life on those perilous oceans. -- Richard Blackmore * The Independent *
The strength of the book is its vivid evocation of dramatic events -- Robert Tombs * The Times *
The Battle of the Atlantic is a wonderfully readable mix of vivid personal stories and the penetrating questions that you wish someone had put to Churchill -- Bronwen Maddox, Editor-in-Chief of Prospect Magazine
Dimbleby captures the savagery of the fighting and of the sea itself... he has tackled the complexities in a very accessible way; but more importantly he has woven a compelling narrative of the people who fought, directed and ultimately decided our fate -- Admiral Lord West
I liked Jonathan Dimbleby's The Battle of the Atlantic and was gobsmacked to learn that the Germans read British radio messages much better than we read theirs. Air Ministry obstinacy (in failing to release aircraft from futile area bombing for anti-submarine patrols) nearly cost Britain the war -- Matt Ridley * Books of the Year 2015 *
Fascinating * Richard and Judy *
I am chilled to the bone and beyond ... the most extraordinary story ... absolutely fascinating -- Vanessa Feltz
An accessible and anecdotal account of the battle and the men who waged it, full of colour and surprising detail -- Charlotte Heathcote * Daily Express *
Fascinating, thought-provoking and entertaining. Explodes a number of self-serving myths * Andrew Roberts (on 'Destiny in the Desert: The Road to El Alamein') *
Fresh and provocative * Peter Snow (on 'Destiny in the Desert') *
A wonderfully incisive, superbly written history. What Dimbleby has nailed so brilliantly is what so many war historians miss: the big picture * Saul David (on 'Destiny in the Desert') *
Author Bio
Jonathan Dimbleby is a writer, broadcaster and film-maker. He is the chairman of BBC Radio 4's weekly Any Questions? programme and presented ITV's flagship weekly political programme, This Week, for over ten years. He is also the author of Destiny in The Desert: The Road to El Alamein, which was followed by his BBC 2 programme Churchill's Desert War. Both were highly acclaimed. In 2008 his five-part series on Russia was broadcast by BBC 2, accompanied by his book, Russia: A Journey to the Heart of a Land and Its People. His other books include Richard Dimbleby: A Biography, The Palestinians, The Prince of Wales: A Biography and The Last Governor.