Black May: The Epic Story of the Allies' Defeat of the German U-Boats in May 1943

By: Michael Gannon

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Synopsis: “A compelling, comprehensive account of the turning point of the Battle of the Atlantic in May 1943” (Publishers Weekly).For two years the German U-boats—the most powerful underwater force ever assembled—turned the seas of the Atlantic into a killing field. Now it was May 1943. The year the Allies struck back. The year the tide of war turned forever.In one extraordinary month, using new tactics, new weapons, and the coordinated forces of a new generation of submarine hunters, the Allies destroyed 41 U-boats and damaged 37 others in the North Atlantic—sending the Nazi U-boat wolf pack running. Here, distinguished naval historian Michael Gannon captures this epic battle and those who shaped it, from the men who made key command decisions to the sailors trapped inside the steel-hulled U-boats as they were pounded by Allied depth charges. Drawing on never-before-released transcripts of secretly recorded conversations of U-boat POWs, this is the epic story of two powerful enemies going head-to-head in a desperate naval battle, and why one side emerged the victor and the other the vanquished.“A gripping tale of the undersea (or U-Boat) war by one of our finest naval historians. Highly recommended.” —Carlo D’Este, author of Patton: A Genius for War