The sea had become a mass grave by 1941 as Hitler's four capital warships--Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Tirpitz, and Bismarck, the largest warship on the ocean--roamed the wind-swept waves, threatening the Allied war effort and sending thousands of men to the icy depths of the North Atlantic. Bristling with guns and steeled in heavy armor, these reapers of the sea could outrun and outgun any battleship in the Allied arsenal. The deadly menace kept Winston Churchill awake at night; he deemed them "targets of supreme consequence."

The campaign against Hitler's surface fleet would continue into the dying days of World War II and involve everything from massive warships engaged in bloody, fire-drenched battle to daring commando raids in German occupied harbors. This is the fast-paced story of the Allied bomber crews, brave sailors, and bold commandoes who "sunk the Bismarck" and won a hard-fought victory over Hitler's iron sea.

Using official war diaries, combat reports, eyewitness accounts and personal letters, Simon Read brings the action and adventure to vivid life. The result is an enthralling and gripping story of the Allied heroes who fought on a watery battlefield.

About the Author
Simon Read is the author of eight previous works of nonfiction published on both sides of the Atlantic. His writing has appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, Publisher's Weekly, and Time. Three of his previous books, including Winston Churchill Reporting, have been optioned for movie and television adaptation. He lives in Phoenix, Arizona.


Book Information
ISBN 9780306921711
Author Simon Read
Format Hardback
Page Count 336
Imprint Da Capo Press Inc
Publisher Hachette Books
Weight(grams) 540g
Dimensions(mm) 232mm * 158mm * 38mm