The authoritative naval historian Bernard Ireland takes a fresh and fascinating look at the long and bitter struggle waged by the Allies against the Nazi U-boat threat. After sifting through the evidence, old and new, he questions the popular theory that it was a 'damn close-run thing'. He cites the massive resources that the United States brought to bear both at sea and in their shipyards, together with advances in technology and the breaking of German codes by Enigma. Far from 'revisionist' history, this is a closely argued work that demands reading. AUTHOR: Born in London in 1934 and educated at the Royal Dockyard School, Portsmouth, Bernard Ireland's whole life has been involved with ships and naval matters. His career was that of hydrodynamic research and ship design for the Admiralty. He is the author of 25 previously published books and is a regular contributor to journals and periodicals. He lives at Fareham, Hampshire. 32 b/w illustrations