The Battle of the Atlantic, 1939-1945. Part 1. The Surface War

Battle of the Atlantic, in World War II, was a contest between the Western Allies and the Axis powers (particularly Germany) for the control of Atlantic sea routes. For the Allied powers, the battle had three objectives: blockade of the Axis powers in Europe, security of Allied sea movements, and freedom to project military power across the seas. The Axis, in turn, hoped to frustrate Allied use of the Atlantic to wage war. For British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the Battle of the Atlantic represented Germany’s best chance to defeat the Western powers.