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SEPTEMBER, 1939 MAY, 1945

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BASIC FACTS THE LONGEST CONTINUOUS MILITARY CAMPAIGN OF WWII (September 1939-May, 1945) WHERE? N.ATLANTIC S. ATLANTIC CARIBBEAN SEA GULF OF MEXICO WHO? AXIS: GERMAN KRIEGSMARINE (GERMAN NAVY ) ALLIES: ROYAL NAVY (U.K.) ROYAL NAVY (CANADA) U.S. NAVY WHAT? 100+ CONVOY BATTLES 1000 SINGLE-SHIP BATTLES

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MAJOR PHASES -BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC

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MAJOR ADVANCES & WEAPONS GERMANS: U-BOATS (UNTERZEEBOOT): GERMAN SUBMARINES SURFACE RAIDERS: SURFACE SHIPS USED TO ATTACK CONVOYS POCKET BATTLESHIPS: SMALLER-SIZED BATTLESHIPS USED TO ATTACK CONVOYS ENIGMA MACHINES: MESSAGE ENCODING MACHINE SCHNORKEL: SUBMARINE-MOUNTED AIR /VENTILATION DEVICE ALLIES: DESTROYERS: SMALL, FAST, AGILE WARSHIPS USED FOR CONVOY ESCORTING AND SUBMARINE HUNTING A.S.D.I.C.: ALLIED SONAR DEPTH CHARGE: PRESSURE / DEPTH DETONATED UNDERWATER EXPLOSIVE ESCORT CARRIERS: SMALL-SIZED ARICRAFT CARRIERS USED FOR SUBMARINE HUNTING M.A.C. SHIPS: MERCHANT AIRCRAFT CARRIERS HF/DF (ALSO CALLED HUFF-DUFF): HIGH FREQUENCY DIRECTION FINDER (RADAR) HEDGEHOG: SHIP-MOUNTED UNDERWATER EXPLOSIVE MORTAR LEIGH-LIGHT: RADAR-GUIDED AERIAL SEARCH LIGHT B-24 LIBERATOR: LONG-RANGE U.S. BOMBER USED FOR SUBMARINE HUNTING

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KEY INDIVIDUALS & STRATEGY GERMANS: GRAND ADMIRAL ERICH RADER: COMMANDER, KRIEGSMARINE VICE-ADMIRAL KARL DONITZ: COMMANDER OF U-BOATS ALLIES: U.K.: ADMIRAL SIR PERCY NOBLE ADMIRAL SIR MAX HORTON U.S: ADMIRAL ERNEST KING, COMMANDER, U.S. FLEET STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES: GERMANS: DISRUPT/CUT OFF SUPPLIES & SHIPPING THAT ALLOWED BRITAIN TO FIGHT FORCE BRITS. TO SIGN PEACE TREATY PREVENT SECOND FRONT ALLIES: KEEP ATLANTIC SHIPPING LANES OPEN KEEP BRITS. SUPPLIED U.S. WANTS TO KEEP BRITS. ALIVE UNTIL U.S. ENTERS WAR ELIMINATE GERMAN NAVAL THREAT BEFORE EVENTUAL INVASION OF EUROPE

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THE NORTH ATLANTIC & MAJOR PORTS

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STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES STRENGTHS: AXIS: EXPERIENCED NAVAL CREWS GOOD NAVAL SHIP DESIGNS INITIATIVE / MOMENTUM AFTER GERMAN SUCCESS OF 1939 ALLIES: NUMBER OF SHIPS IMPROVING ANTI-SUBMARINE TECHNOLOGY (ex. A.S.D.I.C. sonar) AERIAL SUPREMACY AIRCRAFT CARRIERS WEAKNESSES: AXIS: LACK OF AERIAL COVER LACK OF SURFACE SHIPS ALLIES: DISTANCE OF VOYAGE SIZE OF CONVOYS VULNERABILITY OF MERCHANT SHIPS AIR GAP IN ATLANTIC

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GRAND ADMIRAL ERICH RAEDER, COMMANDING OFFICER, KRIEGSMARINE

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GRAND ADMIRAL ERICH RAEDER ON TIME COVER, 1940

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VICE-ADMIRAL KARL DONITZ, KRIEGSMARINE COMMANDER OF U-BOATS

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ADMIRAL ERNEST J. KING, U.S.N. COMMANDER IN CHIEF, U.S. FLEET

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WINSTON CHURCHILL, BRITISH P.M. ADMIRAL SIR PERCY NOBLE, R.N.

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ADMIRAL SIR PERCY NOBLE, ROYAL NAVY (U.K.) Commander, Western Approaches, 1941-43

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ADMIRAL SIR MAX HORTON, ROYAL NAVY (U.K.), Commander, Western Approaches, 1943-45

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ADMIRAL LEONARD MURRAY, ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY, COMMANDER, CANADIAN NORTHWEST ATLANTIC FLEET

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REAR ADMIRAL ROYAL INGERSOLL, U.S. NAVY, COMMANDING OFFICER, ATLANTIC FLEET, 1941-44

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FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, 1933-45

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FDR & CHURCHILL DURING WWII

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WWII WAR BOND POSTERS

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COURSE OF BATTLE INITIAL BASIC TACTICS (Sept.,39 May,40) GERMANS: ATTACK MERCHANT SHIPS HOW? U-BOATS, SURFACE RAIDERS, PLANES, etc. WHY? U-BOAT FLEET IS SMALL AT FIRST ALSO MINE BRITISH PORT CITIES BRITISH: CONVOY SYSTEM CREATED ***ESCORT SHIPS USED TO PROTECT CONVOYS ***DEFINE ESCORT: SMALLER, FASTER NAVAL SHIPS USED TO HUNT / ATTACK SUBMARINES (EX.: DESTROYERS) PROBLEM: CHURCHILL WANTS MORE AGGRESSIVE STRATEGY RESULT? ANTI-SUBMARINE HUNTING GROUPS FORMED AIRCRAFT CARRIER GROUPS USED TO HUNT U-BOATS PROBLEM (again): U-BOATS TOO ELUSIVE FOR A.C. GROUPS ALLIED SONAR NOT ADVANCED ENOUGH YET

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ALLIED ATLANTIC CONVOY

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WWII ROYAL NAVY DESTROYER

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ROYAL NAVY DESTROYERS

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WATCH DUTY, NORTH ATLANTIC CONVOY

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U.S. EC2 TRANSPORT SHIP, a.k.a. LIBERTY SHIP DESIGN

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U.S. NAVY SB2U VINDICATOR DIVE BOMBER

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GERMAN SUCCESS THE HAPPY TIME: JUNE, 1940-FEB., 1941 OCCUPATION OF FRANCE = DIRECT ACCESS TO ATLANTIC PORTS FOR KRIEGSMARINE EFFECT? U-BOAT RANGE INTO ATLANTIC INCREASES BRITS LOSE BIGGEST ALLY (AT THAT TIME) BRITS. HAVE TO DIVERT MORE FORCES TO MEDITERRANEAN SEA RESULT? FEWER SHIPS AVAILABLE FOR CONVOY ESCORT U-BOATS ATTACKS VERY SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLE: JUNE OCT., 1940 = 270 ALLIED SHIPS SUNK WHY? GERMAN WOLFPACK SYSTEM

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INTERIOR DESIGN-WWII SUBMARINE

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CROSS-SECTION OF BASIC SUBMARINE

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SUBMARINE DESIGN / CROSS- SECTION IN HIGHER DETAIL

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BASIC SUBMERGING AND SURFACING PROCESS ON A SUBMARINE

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THE WOLFPACK SYSTEM DEFINITION: MULTIPLE U-BOAT ATTACKS ON CONVOYS ORIGIN: GERMANS HAD DECYPHERED BRIT. NAVAL CODES MOVEMENT / LOCATION OF CONVOYS COULD BE MORE EASILY PREDICTED TACTIC: U-BOATS SPREAD OUT IN LINE ACROSS EXPECTED PATH OF CONVOY U-BOAT FIRST TO SIGHT CONVOY SIGNALS TO OTHER U- BOATS U-BOATS MOVE TO GATHER FOR ATTACK ATTACKS OFTEN MADE AT NIGHT RESULT? VERY SUCCESSFUL BECOMES PRIMARY GERMAN ATTACK METHOD EX.: 9/21/40 CONVOY HX 72 (42 MERCHANT SHIPS) ATTACKED 4 U-BOATS LOSSES = 11 SHIPS, 2 BADLY DAMAGED

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U-BOAT STARTING ATLANTIC PATROL

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U-BOAT OFFICERS ON OBSERVATION DECK

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WORLD WAR II GERMAN U-BOAT SCHNORKEL

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U-BOAT DURING ATTACK ON CONVOY

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BASIC WORLD WAR II TORPEDO DESIGN

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WWII TORPEDO, U.S. NAVAL BASE, PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII, U.S.A.

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TORPEDO STRIKE ON TARGET VESSEL

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U-BOAT CREWMEN AFTER RETURN FROM LONG-RANGE PATROL

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U-BOAT CREWMEN CELEBRATE SUCCESSFUL HUNT

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GERMAN U-BOAT ACE, OTTO KRETSCHMER 47 SHIPS SUNK 274,333 TONS OF SHIPPING

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U-BOAT PENS, La ROCHELLE, FRANCE

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U-BOAT REFITTING, La ROCHELLE, FRANCE

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SURFACE RAIDERS DEFINE: SURFACE SHIPS (naval and disguised merchant ships) USED TO ATTACK CONVOYS USED MOSTLY FROM LATE 1940 EARLY 1942 NOMRALLY OPERATED IN GROUPS OF 2-3 TYPES OF SURFACE RAIDERS: POCKET BATTLESHIPS (smaller, less heavily armed naval versions of full-scale battleships) FULL SIZED BATTLESHIPS (ex. BATTLESHIP BISMARCK) ARMED MERCHANT SHIPS GERMAN BATTLESHIPS WERE BOTH FAST & HAD EXCELLENT NAVAL ARTILLERY (GUNNERY) EX.: BATTLE OF THE DENMARK STRAIT, May 1941 BISMARCK SINKS H.M.S. HOOD 1415 KIA ON H.M.S HOOD, 3 SURVIVORS SURFACE RAIDER THREAT EFFECTIVELY ENDS W/ SINKING OF BISMARCK, May 1941 2200 KIA ON BISMARCK, 100 P.O.W.

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GERMAN POCKET BATTLESHIP GRAF SPEE

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GERMAN SURFACE RAIDER

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GERMAN BATTLESHIP BISMARCK

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BATTLESHIP BISMARCK

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BISMARCK FIRING SALVO AT H.M.S. HOOD, BATTLE OF THE DENMARK STRAIT MAY 24, 1941

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STANDARD WWII NAVAL RANGE FINDER

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ROYAL NAVY SAILORS USING RANGE FINDER, WORLD WAR II

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ROYAL NAVY BATTLESHIP H.M.S. HOOD

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H.M.S. HOOD, ROYAL NAVY (U.K.)

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HMS HOOD(R) EXPLODES AFTER BEING HIT BY BISMARKS SHELLS

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ROYAL NAVY SWORDFISH TORPEDO PLANE

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ROYAL NAVY SWORDFISH TOPRPEDO PLANES, FLEET AIR ARM

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ROYAL NAVY (U.K.)SWORDFISH TORPEDO PLANE

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BATTLESHIP BISMARCK SINKING BY HER STERN, MAY 27, 1941

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WRECKAGE OF BISMARCK ON FLOOR OF NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN

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ALLIED ADVANCES SONAR: A.S.D.I.C. ALLIED SUBMARINE DETECTION INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE USED BY DESTROYERS TO FIX U-BOAT LOCATION BEFORE ATTACK BEGAN M.A.C.s: MERCHANT AIRCRAFT CARRIERS MERCHANT SHIPS CONVERTED INTO CATAPULT- LAUNCHING AIRCRAFT CARRIERS HEDGEHOG: SHIP-MOUNTED, MULTIPLE WARHEAD, ANTI-SUB MORTAR LAUNCHER LEIGH-LIGHT: AIRCRAFT-MOUNTED, RADAR OPERATED SEARCHLIGHT HF/DF (HUFF-DUFF) HIGH FREQUENCY, DIRECTION FINDER; RADAR SYSYEM USED TO LOCATE U-BOATS

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DEPTH CHARGE HEDGEHOG

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DEPTH CHARGE ATTACK

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ALLIED AERIAL ATTACK ON U-BOAT

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LEIGH-LIGHT ATTACK ON U-BOAT

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OPERATION DRUMBEAT JAN. JUNE, 1942 WHAT? EXTENSION OF U-BOAT ATTACKS TO N. AMERICAN COAST & MED. SEA CAUSES? ALLIED SUCCESSES IN MID/LATE 1941 U.S. ENTERS WAR AFTER PEARL HARBOR ATTACK GERMANS HAVE TO CHANGE TACTICS RESULTS: GERMANS ATTACK U.S. COAST SUCCESS MERCHANT SHIPS HEAVILY TARGETED 157,000 TONS OF SHIPPING SUNK U.S. FORCED TO USE CONVOYS W/ BRITS. & CANADA

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ALLIES GAIN THE UPPER HAND WHY? IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS MORE ACCURATE ANTI-SUB. ATTACKS GROWING INVOLVEMENT OF U.S. NAVY CANADIAN ROYAL NAVY U.S. ENTRY INTO WAR (& MILITARY POWER & SUPPLIES ) U-BOAT LOSSES INCREASE (ESPECIALLY AFTER MID-1942) BLACK MAY, MARCH MAY, 1943 SERIES OF VISCIOUS BATTLES IN N. ATLANTIC MARCH MAY = 70 U-BOATS SUNK DONITZ HALTS U-BOAT OPS. IN N. ATLANTIC BATTLE OF ATLANTIC IS NOW IN ALLIES FAVOR

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WHY THE ALLIES WON ALLIED TECHNOLOGY BEGAN TO IMPROVE AND BEGAN TO SIMULTANEOUSLY EFFECT U-BOATS INCREASED ALLIED RESOURCES (Ships, Aircraft, Aircraft Carriers, Anti-Sub. Weapons, etc.) MORE AERIAL SUCCESS (Long-Range Planes, Escort Carriers, Leigh-Light, etc.) THE AIR GAP IS CLOSED DECODING OF GERMAN ENIGMA MACHINE MESSAGES EFFECT? INCREASE IN U-BOAT LOSSES THE GERMANS CANT REPLACE RESULTS? GERMANS FAIL TO STRANGLE SUPPLIES TO BRITAIN BRITAIN BECOMES FOCUS OF BUILD-UP FOR INVASION OF EUROPE 2-FRONT WAR WILL HAPPEN (AFTER GERMANS INVADE RUSSIA)

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WORLD WAR II ESCORT CARRIER

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U.S. NAVY ESCORT CARRIER (CVE) [note flight deck loaded w/aircraft]

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AUGUST, 1942 MAY, 1943

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Grumman F-4-F Fighters on deck of U.S.S. Santee

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GRUMMAN F-4-F WILDCAT FIGHTER,U.S.NAVY

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GRUMMAN TBF AVENGER TORPEDDO PLANE, U.S.NAVY

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TBF AVENGERS IN FORMATION AVENGERS IN CARRIER LAUNCH

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U.S. NAVY PBY CATALINA SEAPLANE

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ROYAL NAVY PBY CATALINA

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GERMAN ENIGMA MACHINE

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CASUALTIES & FINAL TOLL ALLIES: 30,248 KIA / LOST AT SEA** 3500 MERCHANT SHIPS SUNK 175 NAVAL SHIPS SUNK 14.5 MILLION TONS OF SUPPLIES LOST **SOME SOURCES CLAIM MUCH HIGHER TOTAL (50,000+) GERMANS: 25,870 KIA OUT OF TOTAL FORCE OF 40,900 5000 POW 696 U-BOATS SUNK / DESTROYED OUT OF TOTAL U-BOAT FORCE OF 830 CASUALTY RATE: HIGHEST CASUALTY RATE FOR ANY BRANCH OF ANY MILITARY FORCE OF ANY NATION IN WWII 63% FATAL 75% OVERALL

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THE ONLY THING THAT REALLY FRIGHTENED ME DURING THE WAR WAS THE U-BOAT PERILIT DID NOT TAKE THE FORM OF FLARING BATTLES AND GLITTERING ACHIEVEMENTS IT MANIFESTED ITSELF THROUGH STATISTICS, DIAGRAMS, AND CURVES UNKNOWN TO THE NATION, AND INCOMPREHENSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. WINSTON CHURCHILL

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DISCUSSION QUESTION WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE EFFECT IF THE GERMANS, NOT THE ALLIES, HAD WON THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC?