U-Boat War

There is no comparable record of the war at sea - especially the U-Boat war at sea, if only because no similar collection of photographs exist. The author, who was not a submariner, was ordered to join the crew of a U-Boat and to bring back photographs for propaganda purposes. Very soon he became appalled by what he saw and, using his unlimited stocks of film, began to photograph everything around him. Eventually he secreted away over 5,000 photographs until the war was over. More than 200 of those photographs are reproduced here as Buchheim takes us on a journey that is no joy-ride. Instead it is a blow by blow account of the lives of men inside their tin coffins who's only real orders were to kill or be killed. It is an incredible account of war inside a U-Boat and an excellent read. NM

The English translated text is very good. The original book title was 'U-Boot Krieg." However, I believe the authors anti-war views after WWII detract from the epic story of U-96 and its captain and crew. The photos taken during WWII are excellent for the time and the conditions under which they were shot. Especially, the photos of the meeting of U-boats during the Atlantic Storm. The two conning towers appear and disappear between the Atlantic swells and valleys. It makes you wonder how these little boats could ever survive the elements, let alone a depth charge attack from a British Corvette or a U.S. Destroyer. In addition, You get an insight as to how the crew and captain handle being the hunted. The 29 year old captain, Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock, was a man of steel who earned the respect and confidence of his crew. The crew placed their lives and fortunes into his abilities to out fox the enemy. He was one of the very few U-boat captains to survive WWII. He was born on December 11, 1911, and died on April 18, 1986, in Bremen, Germany. If you are interested in U-boats and want to see what it was like to be onboard in time of war, then this book is for you! ...

For anyone who is interested in the history of submarines, submarine warfare, and WW2 specifically this book is a must. The photos in it take you into the heart of the depths along the crew. The text is well written and enhances the what the photos show. Reading through the book made me count my blessings, and ideology aside it will make you respect the men who served in the U-Boats.

Buchenheim's book serves to remind the public that tragic novels like "Das Boot" are not merely fiction. No one "writes" stories like these -- someone had to have actually LIVED the horror.The submarine arm of the Kriegsmarine suffered 75% fatalities during WW II. By the end of the war, the average age of a U-Boat captain was about 20, and crews were often pre-pubescent children -- too young to even grow beards. Brave, inexperienced children in outmoded boats, with heads filled with Nazi Reich propaganda, who faced battle-hardened Allied commanders more than twice their age. They were little more than depth-charge fodder. As a journalist for that propaganda ministry, Buchenheim came to know the real truth and the real horror of submarine warfare.U-Boat crews have been maligned in history. Buchenheim reminds us that, like submariners of all nations, they were exceptionally brave young men who often went to sea knowing they had little or no ! chance of survival.Buchenheim is very critical of Doenitz and the Wermacht/Kriegsmarine High Command in this outstanding first person account of World War II through the German eyes.

Hundreds of high quality photos taken while under way during the war make this a valuable and informative book for any serious student of the era of U-Boats and submarines in general. Authentic, detailed, and an easy read.