The German Navy, during the lead up to war and throughout the years of fighting, was heavily outnumbered by the navies of Great Britain and the United States, nonetheless, it proved to be a serious thorn in the sides of its adversaries. The U-boat war in the North Atlantic threatened the very liberation of Europe, while the major warships posed a constant threat to the Allied shipping lanes. This important book is an indispensable guide to the ships, organization, command and rank structure, and leaders of the Kriegsmarine. And helps explain why it was such a potent force. A detailed text, augmented by photos, maps and diagrams, studies the German Navy from the Treaty of Versailles after the First World War, to the collapse of the U-boat offensive and the demise of the Third Reich. After covering the background organization and naval bases, the author gives detailed descriptions of all the classes of ship from the battleships to motor torpedo boats and mine-sweepers. The officers and sailors are covered along with their uniforms and awards and insignia. Biographies of notable personalities and a chronology of the main naval events are included and the work is rounded off with extensive appendices and a select bibliography. This magnificent work is based on the author's 1979 title The German Navy in World War II but both text and illustrative content have been extensively revised. A classic work of reference for a new generation. AUTHOR: Jak Mallmann Showell is a well-known naval historian and author and has written more than twenty books on the German Navy and U-boat operations. He has researched extensively on original documents both in the UK and in Germany and is regarded as one of the world's leading authorities in this field. 300 colour tb/w photos
