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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 days The Battle of the Atlantic: 2,073 days Started with the sinking of the Athenia.
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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 days The Battle of the Atlantic: 2,073 days Started with the sinking of the Athenia
Battle 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
During the Battle of the Atlantic:- 330 convoys attacked by U-boats- More than 2,000 merchant shipslost - more than 30,000 (total for all countries) merchant seamen died- 565 escorts and 234 stragglers were sunk.- 96,977 crossings were completed successfully.