"The U-boat experience" Topic

Hello all,

Doing some research and wondering if you have some recommendations about books, DVDs, etc, that illuminate the U-boat sailors life during the war. A lot of first person quotes would be helpful.

Also --

When did the U-boats hit the Caribbean? What was their success there? How could their boats get all the way there and back -- fueling, supplies, must have been tough going?

German naval officers: What was their "ethos"? Ruthless, honorable? (I read about a Luftwaffe commander saying to a new pilot, "We are not the SS. Honor is everything here.")

Late in the war, where did U-boat commanders come from? An OCS? Out of the ranks?

Lastly, how does DAS BOOT hold up as history?

Many thanks!

Try Werner's "Iron Coffins" as a start. He started off as an ensign in 1939 and ended up commanding U-boats by 1944. His descriptions are pretty harrowing (he titled one section of the book "Above Us, Hell").

"Night Raider of the Atlantic" by Terence Robertson is about U-boat ace Otto Kretschmer and (from what I recall) is a good read.

Both of the above are excellent as is Torpedo Junction (IIRC), which is about the U-Boats operating off the American coast during the Happy Time, which lasted until late '42/early '43 (IIRC, again).

The larger ocean-going boats could reach teh US coast and return on a load of fuel. There were German ships that tried to avoid Allied ships and provide fuel to the u-boats, there were also special u-boats built to refuel others, though there were only a couple from what I understand and the program wasn't terribly successful. They could also buddy fuel if necessary.

From what I've read, U-Boat commanders picked up from where WWI pilots left off. When able to, they assisted the crews of ships they sank. There were, of course, bad apples who machinegunned survivors, but I don't actually recall reading a documented account of this happening and I've read that most accounts of that happening were propoganda rather than fact.

The author of Das Boot was on subs during the war. I can't remember if he was a journalist or a member of the crew, though. so it should stand up pretty well as history.

"Das Boot" is excellent, both the book and the DVD mini-series.
Wolfgang Hirschfeld "Secret Diary of a U-Boat"
Goebeler "Steel Boat, Iron Hearts: A U-Boat Crewman's Life Aboard U-505"
Teddy Suhren "Ace of Aces:Memoirs of a U-boat rebel" link
John Terraine's "Business in Great Waters: U-boat Wars, 1916-45" gets good recommendations; I have it but sadly unread.
You could check out Bob Whinney's "The U-Boat Peril: A Fight for Survival" for an anti-sub POV.
Middlebrook's "Convoy: The Greatest U-boat Battle of the War"

Das Boot is an excellent movie for giving you a feel for u-boat ops.

Lots of great books on the subject.

As trade dried up in one area, the u-boats continued to operate further afield. Some even to the Florida/Gulf region.

Milch-kuehes (milk cows) provided extra fuel, torpedoes, ammo, etc. to help the u-boats extend their ops into southern waters.

Black May is a good book to give you a decent overview of the turning point in the Atlantic battles, in mid 1943.

IMHO – Best book covering just about every Uboat mission is the duel books 'Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters' and 'Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted'. by Clay Blair.

Das Boot – while is a fun, you do know it fiction?

Yep, I concur, the two volume set is superb.

Yes, on Das Boot, but still, I can't think of another movie that portrays the life of a u-boat crew better.

This is all great stuff, gentleman, much to keep me busy.

When doing research, TMP is where I always come first -- I've had answers on everything from helicopters in Vietnam to horseshoes in 18th century.

Amazing resource really.

Thanks again,

Steve

Another good one is "U-Boat Commander" by Peter Cremer.

Review of Lothar-Gunther Buchheim's "U-Boat War":

link

Pictures from the book:

link

Cool photos.