The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest continuous military campaign of World War II, running from 1939 right through to the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, and was at its height from mid-1940 through to about the end of 1943.

World War II lasted for a total of 2,075 days. The Battle of the Atlantic lasted for 2,073 of these. It started with the sinking of the passenger liner Athena on the day Britain and France declared war on Germany.

The Allies developed a convoy system where merchant ships were guarded by destroyer escorts. The British developed a system for detecting U- boats that resembled radar. this development gave the Allies the edge in the Battle for the Atlantic.

 German U-boats were sinking ships bound for England with arms.  FDR created a defense zone in the west Atlantic to allow the US Navy to help detect the subs for the Brits.

The campaign pitted the German Navy’s surface raiders and U-boats against Allied convoys from North America and the South Atlantic to the United Kingdom and Russia, protected mainly by the British and Canadian navies and air forces, later aided by United States ships and aircraft.

The German plan was to launch over 100 U- Boats.The German plan was to launch over 100 U- Boats. Only a couple of dozen were built and launched.Only a couple of dozen were built and launched. The allies always assumed there were more than there were.The allies always assumed there were more than there were. With the use of SONAR, the U-Boat’s advantages were neutralized.With the use of SONAR, the U-Boat’s advantages were neutralized.

The British and their allies gradually gained the upper hand, driving the German surface raiders from the ocean by the middle of 1941 and decisively defeating the U- boats in a series of convoy battles between March and May 1943

 The agreement between FDR and Churchill as to what the world would be like after WW II would like.  FDR promised Churchill he would “force an incident” to get US in the war!

Sinking of the Bismarck “ Wars always start with the strategies of the last one ”

As a Result More than 2,000 merchant ships were lost to a submarine attack in the North Atlantic and more than 8,300 American merchant seamen died as a result. About 330 convoys in the Atlantic were attacked by U-boats. 565 escorts and 234 stragglers were sunk. 1,100 proceeding independently were also sunk. 96,977 crossings were completed successfully.As a Result More than 2,000 merchant ships were lost to a submarine attack in the North Atlantic and more than 8,300 American merchant seamen died as a result. About 330 convoys in the Atlantic were attacked by U-boats. 565 escorts and 234 stragglers were sunk. 1,100 proceeding independently were also sunk. 96,977 crossings were completed successfully.