Death in the Doldrums : U-Cruiser actions off West Africa / by Bernard Edwards

Annapolis, Md. : Naval Institute Press, 2005. First Edition. Hardcover. An exceptional copy; fine in an equally fine dw, now mylar-sleeved. Particularly and surprisingly well-preserved; tight, bright, clean and especially sharp-cornered. Literally as new.; 200 pages; Description: viii, 200 p., 8 p. of plates : ill. ; 24 cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. 194-195) and index. First published in Great Britain in 2005 by Pen and Sword Militar. Subjects: Kriegsmarine --World War, 1939-1945 --Naval operations --Submarine --Submarine warfare --Germany --History --20th century. Summary: At the outbreak of war in 1939 Admiral Doenitz initiated an ambitious building program of Type IX U-cruisers to give his U-boat fleet global reach. Initially the boats operated with considerable success against shipping off the East Coast of America and in the Caribbean, but their main impact was felt in the Gulf of Guinea during 1942 and 1943. Due to the closure of the Suez Canal, the Gulf was a vital part of the supply route between Great Britain and Freetown. Before the arrival of the U-cruisers, ships had sailed alone in comparative safety. Although their appearance was expected to be no more than a nuisance, the submarines had a profound effect on Allied shipping-particularly U-68 and U-505-and their highly successful operations were the cause of serious concern. Bernard Edwards, a leading authority on 20th century naval history, provides conclusive evidence in this extensively researched work that the impact of the U-cruisers was far greater than most realize and that these large U-boats warrant closer study.