The Battle of the Atlantic

- longest continuous military campaign of WW II- 1939 right through to the defeat of Nazi Germany in

1945- at its height from mid-1940 to end of 1943

Total WWII days: 2,075 daysThe Battle of the Atlantic: 2,073 daysStarted with the sinking of the Athenia

Battle of the AtlanticBattle of the Atlantic

German U-Boats (submarines) patrolled the Atlantic- to solve British blockade of Europe- to stop supplies from America from reaching Britain.- operated in groups of 10 called "wolf packs.”

Convoys

Allies developed convoy system - merchant ships guarded by destroyer escorts-British developed a system for detecting U-boats - resembled radar-Gave Allies the edge in the Battle for the Atlantic. 

The Allies gradually gained the upper hand-Drove German surface raiders from the ocean by the middle of 1941-decisively defeated U-boats in a series of convoy battles between March and May 1943