The deadly deep : the definitive history of submarine warfare / Iain Ballantyne.

Title:

Author:

Ballantyne, Iain, 1963-

ISBN:

9781681778778

1681778777

Edition:

First Pegasus books hardcover edition.

Publication Info:

Description:

xii, 729 pages, 24 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some color), maps ; 24 cm

Summary:

At the heart of this thrilling narrative lurks danger and power, as acclaimed naval writer Iain Ballantyne reveals some of warfare's murkiest secrets. The cast of colorful characters includes an American who devised plunging boats to attack the British, who then switched sides and tried to help the Royal Navy defeat Napoleon; a former monk who created submersible boats to assist the cause of Irish liberation; and a spy who, during the American Civil War, hid Confederate submarine secrets in her bonnet. The reader is plunged into the epic convoy battles of the twentieth century's two world wars, when hopes of victory were placed on the shoulders of daring young submarine captains, many of whom perished along with the men they commanded. We learn of efforts by the British to seize Enigma material from U-boats, how Germany's so-called Grey Wolves were not always brave or invincible, and the role of American submarines in bringing Japan to its knees. This definitive history concludes with a look at the resurgence of submarines as political and military tools and the threat of nuclear annihilation they pose.

Subject(s):

Submarine warfare -- History.

Anti-submarine warfare -- History.

Holds: Copies (not including on-order items):

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Call Number	Shelf Location	Status	Item Holds
Searching... East Library	Book	359.93 BALL	Nonfiction	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable
Searching... East Library	Book	359.93 BALL	Nonfiction	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

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Summary

The fascinating story of the submarine's evolution from its ancient beginnings to its culmination as the deadliest vessel ever invented.

A fascinating and comprehensive account of how an initially ineffectual underwater boat--originally derided and loathed in equal measure--evolved into the most powerful and terrifying vessel ever invented--with enough destructive power to end all life on Earth.

Iain Ballantyne considers the key episodes of submarine warfare and vividly describes the stories of brave individuals who have risked their lives under the sea, often with fatal consequences. His analysis of underwater conflict begins with Archimedes discovering the Principle of Buoyancy. Our clandestine journey then moves through the centuries and focuses on prolific characters with deathly motives, including David Bushnell, who in 1775 in America devised the first combat submarine with the idea of attacking the British.

Today, nuclear-powered submarines are among the most complex, costly ships in existence. Armed with nuclear weapons, they have the ability to destroy millions of lives: they are the most powerful warships ever created. At the heart of this thrilling narrative lurks danger and power as we discover warfare's murkiest secrets.

Author Notes

Iain Ballantyne has covered naval and military issues for prestigious publications published on behalf of NATO and the Royal Navy. His recent books include Killing The Bismarck; Hunter Killers; and Bismarck: 24 Hours to Doom, all published in England. Iain lives in England.

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

In an effort to be comprehensive, Ballantyne (Killing the Bismarck: Destroying the Pride of Hitler's Fleet) seems intent on recounting almost every wartime use of submarines in this exhaustive, and sometimes exhausting, history. He begins with ancient Egyptian and Greek efforts to hunt and wage war underwater and Leonardo da Vinci's design for a submersible that he ultimately destroyed because it was too devastating a weapon. He reviews the role of such weapons in the American Revolution and the Civil War before devoting most of the book to the first and second world wars. The devastation submarines caused during WWI led to serious consideration of banning them as an "uncivilised, disgusting outrage" akin to poison gas. The weakening resolve of the Allies to keep Germany in check manifested itself in allowing the Nazis to flout the restrictions on submarine manufacture in the Treaty of Versailles. The account continues through to the present day, with the placement of nuclear cruise missiles in submarines. The length and level of detail (at one point, he discusses minor variations in the number of torpedo tubes in a particular 1930s model, without explaining the significance of the information) makes this work mostly suited to students of military history. Photos. (Dec.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Booklist Review

*Starred Review* Presenting a comprehensive history of the submarine, British naval journalist Ballantyne emphasizes their combat record. That was inaugurated by a primitive type, the American Turtle, in 1776, followed by the first to sink a ship (and itself), the Confederate Hunley, in 1864. Impressive first efforts, they did not create an effective underwater warship, which requires buoyancy, propulsion, maneuvering, weaponry, and life support; John Holland's boats of the early 1900s mastered these technical issues, and from his solutions, the submarine rapidly developed into ocean-stalking predators of deadly effectiveness. Chronicling Germany's attempt to win WWI with submarines, Ballantyne also includes lesser-known operations of the Allies, noting the profound effect the fear of surprise attacks from beneath the waves had and has on naval tactics and strategy. In recounting Germany's WWII U-boat campaign, Ballantyne tracks the Battle of the Atlantic as well as the havoc wreaked against Japan by U.S. submarines. After the war, a vulnerability of submarines, their need to surface and expose themselves to detection, was solved by the advent of the nuclear-powered and -armed submarine. With this overview of the revolutionary warship, Ballantyne ably introduces readers to a subject that boasts an immense bibliography. A great selection for any general-interest collection.--Gilbert Taylor Copyright 2018 Booklist