The U-boat was one of the most potent weapons of the twentieth century, and in this new book Jak Mallmann Showell explains how it was developed and designed and then deployed to wreak havoc in European waters and further afield in the Atlantic and off the American East Coast." "This is not a dry technical book but a work that looks behind the scenes at the men who built the boats and those who fought in them. While the boats themselves are described, a broader picture is painted of life in the U-boat arm. Weapon systems, operational areas, bases, builders and the organization of the fleets are all covered, and as well as dealing with the two world wars, the author covers the modern German Navy and brings the story up to date and includes the third, and latest, generation of U-boats." "This is an overview of 100 years of German submarine development by a leading U-boat writer and, with its fascinating collection of more than 400 photographs, many not published before, is destined to be a core addition to the library of every modern naval historian and enthusiast.