German Fleet at War, 1939–1945

The German Fleet at War relates the little-known history of the Kriegsmarine’s surface fleet with a focus on the 69 surface naval battles fought by Germany’s major warships against the large warships of the British, French, American, Polish, Soviet, Norwegian and Greek navies. It emphasises operational details but also paints a broad overview of the naval war. The German Fleet at War is a serious, well-researched work, but the pacing is rapid and appeals to all level of readers. Histories emphasise famous actions, like those involving Bismarck or Graf Spee, at the expense of equally interesting, but obscure actions. This distorts the record and an understanding of the war at sea. The German Fleet at War is a reference work, relating in both tabular and narrative format details that do not appear in any other single volume available in English. It provides a database of naval engagements for comparison and analysis, but unlike most reference works, it has a continuous narrative and a theme. The result is a unique overview of the German and Allied navies at war that provides new appreciation of their activities and accomplishments. About the Author Vincent P. O’Hara is an independent scholar and the author of five books including On Seas Contested: the Seven Great Navies of the Second World War and The Struggle for the Middle Sea: The Great Navies at War in the Mediterranean 1940–1945. Mr. O’Hara’s work appears in periodicals and annuals including Warship, MHQ, World War II Quarterly and Storia Militare. He holds a history degree from the University of California, Berkeley.