The Longest Campaign - Brian Walter

Dwarfing concurrent conflicts in the Pacific and Mediterranean, Great Britain’s campaign in the Atlantic and off Northwest Europe constituted the premier maritime contest of World War Il and should be considered Britain’s greatest military triumph. For centuries the British realm had depended upon sea power to defend its interests and independence against a myriad of threats both military and economic, and the British Empire was squarely built upon the strength of the British navy. Yet, as momentous as this record was, the advent of World War lI presented Britain’s maritime services with their greatest challenge to date. At stake was not only the survival of the nation, but the future for all freedom-loving people.

Far more than just another recounting of the U-Boat scourge, in this book Brian E. Walter explores the breadth of this monumental conflict including the role that maritime power played in deterring invasion, maintaining vital seaborne lines of communication, imposing a maritime blockade against Germany, sustaining the Soviet Union and providing essential tactical and logistical support for the army.

Encompassing all participants including the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and British merchant marine as well as their Commonwealth counterparts, the book provides new angles and unique analysis in the effectiveness of the British maritime effort and the essential role it played in bringing about the overall Allied victory.
The Longest Campaign examines the indispensable role that British sea power played in bringing about the victory that shaped the world we know today.