John Keegan in The Daily Telegraph, 24.6.1995
Peter Padfield is the best British naval historian of his
generation now working...He is also an expert on the leadership of the
Third Reich and in his biography of Grand Admiral Dönitz told the story
of 'the Last Führer'. Dönitz secured the posthumous succession because
of the single-mindedness with which he prosecuted the U-boat war...at
one stage in 1942-43 it nearly won him the war.
How
nearly is a major theme of this book. It is not one that the lay reader
is likely to enjoy. Even a professional must harden his heart as he
ploughs through the relentless recounting of death by drowning, by
incineration, by explosion, by asphyxiation, by exposure, by atrocity
and by almost every form of cruelty, casual or direct...
Padfield
supplies convincing explanations of how morale was sustained despite
the probability of extinction. He also organises a highly detailed
narrative of convoy battles and individual submarine cruises into a
lucid exposition of the different submarine strategies of the four
powers - Germany, Japan, Britain and the USA - which used boats
effectively in their conduct of the war...
Padfield's
book, despite certain statistical deficiencies, will now become the
standard work on the subject.
Vice Admiral James F.Calvert, USN (rtd) in USNI Proceedings, September 1996
Peter Padfield has written a fascinating book covering the
submarine operations of Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Japan and the
United States during World War II...The author gives the most
interesting and complete story of the U-boats in World War II that I
have yet seen. He provides clear descriptions of the capabilities of
the Type VII and the Type IX boats, the two workhorses of the war for
Germany. Padfield also makes clear the absolutely dominant role that
Admiral Karl Dönitz played in the shaping of U-boat tactics in the
war...
Peter
Padfield has written a superb history of a complex and controversial
subject. It is a valuable addition to our body of history of World War
II, and I recommend it highly.
Alan Cameron in Lloyd's List, 24.6.1995
Peter Padfield has produced by far the best and most complete
critical history of the submarine operations of all the combatants in
the Second World War, at the same time providing vivid narrative
accounts of particular actions and events...
The
book's main qualities are twofold: first its analyses and critical
evaluations have not been watered down by 'official' versions and
propaganda. Second, its narrative of events provides a vivid
understanding of the pitiless and barbaric nature of this most savage
kind of sea warfare and the incredibly brave men on both sides who were
called upon to wage it.
The Officer Magazine, July/August 1997
...War Beneath the Sea is remarkable: comprehensive, authoritative and, above all, well written. It succeeds as history but is peppered with enough anecdotes to make it lively reading. It is also an epic adventure story and a morality tale...a near-flawless work of history that can be recommended both as a serious study and a compelling read.
Canadian Military History Book Review Supplement, Spring 1997
Probably one of the most valuable books ever written on submarine operations and countermeasures for World War II history...This book is in the 'Bravo' category.
Graham Rhys-Jones in RUSI Journal, June 1997
...This monument to the submarine arms of the major
belligerents tells the story of their triumphs and tragedies and comes
from one of our ablest naval historians.
Padfield,
biographer of Dönitz, gives pride of place to the U-boat campaigns in
the Atlantic. He has vast knowledge of the technologies of the day and
draws on the War Diaries of U-boat Headquarters and of the leading
U-boat aces to give us a fully rounded and gripping account of this
bitter and protracted struggle...Padfield's depth of knowledge and
narrative skills are more than sufficient to capture the attention of
the specialist. His account carries the ring of authority...a first
rate book.
Military Illustrated, June 1995
This looks set to become the definitive work on submarine warfare in the Second World War. The British, German, American and Japanese submarine forces are all thoroughly analysed and described...All in all, a good read and an essential reference book for anyone interested in this subject.
Military Review (USA), August 1996
Peter Padfield crafts a brilliant submarine warfare study...
The Times paperback reviews, 1.3.1997
War Beneath the Sea is loaded with confirmation and surprise.
Peter Padfield's excellent account of submarine warfare in the Second
World War tells non-submariners what they have always suspected - that
serving in these craft is an horrific and brutal business...
Padfield
keeps an unwavering balance between providing the dryest of history and
maintaining an exciting narrative. For too long the role of submarines
in WWII has been regarded as ancillary, but here are 560 pages that
will convince the reader that the opposite may well be the case.
Max Davidson in The Daily Telegraph (Paperbacks reviews), 8.2.1997
Padfield is one of the foremost naval historians of his generation and his bumper study of the Second World War as waged beneath the oceans of the world should become the standard work on the subject...scholarly and exhaustive without ever losing sight of the emotions of war.