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Oliver Stone: The Untold History of the United States

The Battle of the Atlantic

Posted by history-admin on 30 January 2008


The longest battle and one of the costly campaigns of World War II. German submarines attempt to sink supply ships going to England and the Soviet Union. By the summer of 1942 one Allied ship is being sunk every 4 hours, while German U-boat looses are frustratingly low. Cracking the Enigma code, the development of radar and long range aircraft would be instrumental in turning the tide of the battle.



What are you thoughts of this battle?

11 replies so far...

  1. CLiFFy17677

    2:33 AM, 02 March 2008

    If Allies lost here all would have been lost. No Supplies for England,heavily reduced supplies for Russians.

  2. JoeStarlin

    10:41 PM, 15 February 2008

    Many vital supplies required for the Battle of Britain such as aircraft fuel (Britain has no oil fields) came from the the Battle of the Atlantic. No fuel, no Battle of Britain.

  3. heinzhoess

    8:57 PM, 15 February 2008

    An emmense struggle. Could have gone either way. Could not have been more important.

  4. Johnmack

    1:05 AM, 15 February 2008

    If the RAF had not defeated the Lufwaffe in the skies over England in the summer of 1940,then there would have probably not been a prolonged Battle of the Atlantic.Hitler would have launched the invasion of Britian - Operation Sealion - and would have had air superiority over the English Channel.Whether this invasion would have suceeded is problematical given that the Royal Navy was very much intact and in command of the seas around the British Isles.However,without a free and unconquered Britian,there would have not been a Battle of the Atlantic and the horrendous logistical problems in invading and freeing both England and Europe from the USA would have probably ment that hitler would have had free rein to attack who he wanted to in Eastern Europe with impunity.The wisdom of attacking the USSR and its vastness was another question for another forum.

  5. JoeStarlin

    9:22 PM, 13 February 2008

    Many of the supplies required for the Battles of France, Britain, Stalingrad, El Alamein Kursk, Normandy, Ardennes, and Berlin went through the Atlantic. If the Allies lost the Atlantic Battle the outcome of the above mentioned battles would have been different or not have occured at all. The Atlantic battle was the longest and the German Navy was still operational at the end of the European war. People and plans for weapons such as improved radar, aircraft, atomic bombs, etc had to get across the Atlantic so that the USA could build these war winning weapons for use in Europe and the Pacific.

  6. militaryhistorian

    11:04 PM, 11 February 2008

    Winning The Battle of the Atlantic was vital to the allied forces to ensure the secure movement of troops, armour, supplies, aircraft and ammunition. It was an essential prerequisite to The Battle of Normandy (and Operation Torch)

  7. old-person

    9:20 PM, 10 February 2008

    One could view the battle of the Atlantic as the second battle of Britain, and, perhaps, the more important of the two

  8. laboodle

    3:55 PM, 06 February 2008

    We look back on these battles and I often wonder what motivated these heroes to knowlingly put their life on the line - both military and merchant seamen.

  9. noblejoel

    10:40 PM, 04 February 2008

    wow, that's a story!

  10. mattdean

    5:04 PM, 04 February 2008

    Sounds like a fighting man. Which country did he serve?

  11. daggkris

    8:51 AM, 04 February 2008

    My grandad fought in the Battle of the Atlantic. He was a navigator, and was part of the first crews to use the Leigh light to track down German subs. His plane was shot down over the Bay of Biscay and he survived 6 days in rough seas in a small dinghy before rescue. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his efforts at Buckingham Palace.

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