Quote:
Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980
I have quite the library on US submarine operations in Pacific but nothing yet for U Boats.
What is "the bible" regarding U Boat war in the Atlantic?
Memoirs by U Boat Captains? Crew?
Just looking for suggestions.
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My vote goes for Dönitz’s memoirs (“Ten Years and Twenty Days”). He more or less provides you a play-by-play of the decisions he made etc.
Clay Blair’s “Hitler’s U-Boat War” is good.
Memoirs I have a hard time recommending to English speakers because many of the excellent ones I don’t think are translated to English (but let me know if you read German, then I have a list). Hirschfeld’s “Secret Diary of a U-Boat” (called “Feindfahrten” in the original German) is highly recommended. He was a radio operator aboard a IX. Will give you good insight into just how OP all of our hydrophones are in these games among other things. The English translation has several sections missing so if you read German, go for the original.
Das Boot by Buchheim of course. I consider it 100 times better than the movie (even Buchheim didn’t like the movie). From a technical perspective he hits the nail on the head, making only a few errors here and there, and exaggerating some things, but it is more or less true to life in terms of technical details, what was said (orders etc), and atmosphere aboard. The still- living Friedrich Grade, the chief engineer from the real U-96, praised the book for its accuracy in these things (not enjoying the dirty jokes and banter of the crew, but many of the veterans did not like the book because of that either).