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Grey Wolves: The U-Boat War 1939?1945 Hardcover – Illustrated, June 3, 2014

by Philip Kaplan (Author)
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 56 ratings
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In the early years of the Second World War, the elite force of German submariners known as the Ubootwaffe came perilously close to perfecting the underwater battle tactics and successfully cutting Britain's transatlantic lifeline. To the Allies, these enemy sailors were embarking on a mission of unequivocal evil.

Each member of the Ubootwaffe understood that he must take pride in being part of a unique brotherhood. He had to do so because he was setting out—in claustrophobic, unsanitary, stench-filled, and ultimately hellish conditions—on a journey that would test his mental and physical endurance to the very limits, and which he had little chance of surviving. Those that did return soon ceased to take comfort in friends or family, dwelling only on the knowledge that another patrol awaited them. By the end of the war, of the 39,000 men who went to sea in the U-boats, 27,491 died in action and a further 5,000 were made prisoners of war. Of the 863 U-boats that sailed on operational patrols, 754 were lost.

Grey Wolves captures life on board a U-boat, in text, letters, diaries, journals, memoirs, prose, and poetry, relaying tales of the mundane and the routine, dramatic and heroic; the fear and resilience of every crew member, from Kapitainleutnant to Mechaniker. It is a vivid, brutally realistic portrait of the men who fought and died beneath the surface of the Atlantic in what was, perhaps, the most critical battle of the war.

Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Skyhorse
  4. Publication date
    June 3, 2014
  5. Dimensions
    6.1 x 1 x 9.1 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9781628737271
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1628737271
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Philip Kaplan, formerly a book designer with Harper-Row and Art Director with Playboy and Atlanta magazines, has written or coauthored and designed twenty books, including One Last Look, Little Friends, Fighter Pilot, Night and Day Bomber Offensive, and Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe in World War II. He lives in Gloucester, England.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1628737271
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Skyhorse; Illustrated edition (June 3, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781628737271
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1628737271
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.1 x 1 x 9.1 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 56 ratings

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Philip Kaplan

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4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
56 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

WALLACE MURRAY
5.0 out of 5 stars AN IN DEPTH COVERAGE OF WHAT IT WAS REALLY LIKE DURING THIS TIME FOR GERMAN U-BOAT CREWS
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2016
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AN IN DEPTH COVERAGE OF WHAT IT WAS REALLY LIKE DURING THIS TIME FOR GERMAN U-BOAT CREWS. NOTHING GLAMOROUS ABOUT THIS DUTY. DIRTY, CRAMPED AND PSYCHOLOGICAILY TRYING, THIS WAS NO WORK FOR THE WEAK OF MIND OR HEART.
WITH A CRUISE THAT LASTED LONGER THAN A MONTH WITHOUT A BATH THEY ATE LIKE KINGS FOR THE FIRST PART BUT HAD SCRAPS AND WHAT WAS CANNED FOR THE LAST PART. IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR SOME CREW MEMBERS NEVER TO SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY FOR THE WHOLE CRUISE. IF YOU WERE STANDING WHEN YOU READ THE FIRST COUPLE PAGES YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF STILL STANDING ON THE LAST PAGE. WALLY
2 people found this helpful
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C. B. Griggs
5.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed. I marvel at the research done by the ...
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2015
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First, it is not about any one crew, or U-boat. It is about tactics, methods and practices, how each problem was solved, how U-boats were different from any other branch. I enjoyed. I marvel at the research done by the author.
2 people found this helpful
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Charles Shanks
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2015
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Good history review
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Alex Wilson
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Account of Life on US and German Subs & Bravery of the US Merchant Marines (and Merchant Navies of Allies)
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2015
Grey Wolves: The U-Boat War 1939-1945 by Philip Kaplan, is well written, clear, and provides the reader with a concise biography of the men who served aboard the deadly submarines. Kaplan rapidly explains the global history of submarines, especially from 1620 onward, even reminding the reader of the Confederates' submarine attack during the US Civil War.

Of the 39,000 German men to serve on U-boats, 27,491 died and 5000 became prisoners of war. (p. 7). Life for those serving on the "Grey Wolves" of the ocean, nicknamed "steal coffins", was miserably hot, cramped, humid, smelly, dirty...just plain awful.

Submarines were often said to be the pearls of the German fleet. Even during WWI the Kaiser particularly loved his submarines. Kaplan covers German submarine history concisely, also providing a brief discussion on the sinking of the Lusitania.

Kaplan highlights that some historians believe that WWII German U-boats nearly sealed the fate of Europe by rabidly attacking Ally convoys of supplies. In packs, much like wolves stalking prey, the U-boats would bear down on convoys, taking out several (sometimes all) ships in the vicinity. Civilian, merchant, and neutral ships (including US ships before entering the war) were stalked and attacked across the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Baltic, and North Seas.

In addition to explaining the naval tactics used by the WWII German U-boat fleet, and the Allied response to the U-boats, Kaplan also does a stellar job recounting life on the submarines, both on German U-boats and on their U.S. equivalents. Kaplan uses a large amount of first-hand stories, including official documents and private journals and letters of those who served on U-boats, giving the reader an intimate view inside the dank submarines.

Kaplan's coverage of the merchant navy and marines of Britain, Canada, and the United States stupendously gives a voice to these forces of brave sailors who quite literally fueled the Allies, including the Russian (Eastern) front, Britain, and Mainland Europe. Like "sitting ducks," these merchant ships carried critically needed supplies, but were almost defenseless against German U-boats. These courageous men ensured that critical weapons, ammunition, vehicles, fuel, and other provisions made it where they were needed most, regardless of the danger brought on by the lurking Grey Wolves.

As the number of encounters with German U-boats increased, the Allies learned tactics to overcome the submarines, turning the once safe depths of the ocean into a deadly trap for the Germans. Depth charges, particularly those dropped on both sides of the haul of the U-boat (anchor maneuver), proved deadly, as were convoys of merchant and naval ships. Aircraft (when possible) and scouting ships discovered the lurking U-boats, helping to coordinate attacks on the U-boats. The lessons learned in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and North Seas would prove particularly usefully in the Pacific, where the Japanese also possessed lethal submarines.

I am giving Kaplan's Grey Wolves: The U-Boat War 1939-1945 4.5 out of 5 stars because of its compelling prose, and its inside look into the lives of those who served and often died on the German U-boats. Furthermore, Grey Wolves gives a much-needed voice to the thousands of merchant marines/navy of several Allies of WWII. Grey Wolves will not disappoint those interested in a quick read about WWII submarine and naval warfare and tactics, as well as a compelling glimpse into the lives of the merchant marines of WWII.

Tags:
WWII, U-boat, Submarine, Submarine Warfare, Germany, Military History, Military Tactics, Naval Tactics, Naval History, German Prisoners of War, Merchant Navy, Merchant Marines, Atlantic Battles, North Sea Battles, Mediterranean Battles
6 people found this helpful
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MarkSLC
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Coverage of the U-boat War in the ETO
Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2022
Verified Purchase
I’ve read a lot about submarine warfare in the Pacific during WW2. This book helped me come to understand about the substantial effort made by the Germans in the Atlantic. The Germans ran wild before the British and Americans staged a response. The hunters became the hunted.
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Top reviews from other countries

David Lewis
5.0 out of 5 stars As advertised. I will deal with this vendor again.
Reviewed in Canada on August 18, 2016
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As advertised. I will deal with this vendor again.
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geoff fixter
5.0 out of 5 stars I must say every book I have had has been ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 10, 2015
Verified Purchase
I must say every book I have had has been first rate this one is no exception . The descriptions of life onboard at times are unbelievable and at times hard to believe that both captain and crew are around 20 to 25 years of age. This is a book for all readers who share an interest in men of the kriegsmarine.
4 people found this helpful
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S J Myland
5.0 out of 5 stars Life in the kreigsmarine.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 29, 2019
Verified Purchase
Excellent. Just what I wanted. Gives you an idea of life from both the sub and allied perspective but mainly the subs.
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Goffik
1.0 out of 5 stars Not impressed.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 19, 2020
Verified Purchase
Personally, I didn't think much of this book at all. In fact, I pretty much skimmed through the last couple of chapters because I wanted to get to the end and be done with it. For me, it has the following issues:

- Each chapter is supposed to be dedicated to a specific subject, such as Donitz, the u-boat captains or the u-boats themselves. This means each chapter jumps about to different periods of the war rather than starting at the beginning and finishing at the end. Indeed, the first chapter alone gives a brief overview of the entire war, despite the fact it is meant to be about Donitz himself! Which is a sub-issue in itself... the chapters rarely stay on the subject at hand, and even repeat information already presented in previous chapters.

- The book uses ridiculously excessive amounts of quotation from other books. In many places the quote goes on for page after page after page, seemingly taking half a chapter from the book in question! Very, very lazy in my opinion, and particularly irritating if you've already read the books in question!

- Third and finally, the cardinal sin... inaccurate information. Having a very active interest in the battle of the Atlantic means I've read plenty of books on the subject, many written by former u-boat crew or Royal Navy sailors. Some of the information provided in this book is just plain wrong, and on occasion the quotes used from other books even contradict what is pesented in this one!

Overall, I just don't think that this book is of any value, either to those who already know a thing or two about u-boats, or those looking for their first book on the subject. There are plenty of other far better sources right here on Amazon, so check them out instead.
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