The Longest Campaign: Britain's Maritime Struggle in the Atlantic and Northwest Europe, 1939–1945

A complete and balanced account of the maritime struggle in the Atlantic theater._x000D_ _x000D_ For four centuries the British realm depended upon sea power to defend its interest and independence against a myriad of threats both military and economic. During this time the Royal Navy established itself as the "Sovereign of the Seas," helping transform England, and later Great Britain, from an unassuming island nation perched on the edge of the European continent to the center of a global empire. Yet the advent of World War II presented Britain's maritime services with their greatest challenge to date. At stake was the survival of the nation. The Longest Campaign tells the story of this epic struggle and the indispensable role that British sea power played in bringing about the victory that shaped the world we live in today. It is a complete, balanced and detailed account of the activities, results and relevance of Britain's maritime effort in the Atlantic and off northwest Europe throughout World War II. It looks at the entire breadth of the maritime conflict, exploring the contribution of all participants including the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and British merchant marines and their Commonwealth equivalents. It puts the maritime conflict in the context of the overall war effort and shows how the various operations and campaigns were intertwined. Finally, it provides unique analysis of the effectiveness of the British maritime effort and role it played in bringing about the final Allied victory.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Chapter 1: Phoney War Chapter 2: Blitzkrieg Chapter 3: Standing Alone Chapter 4: Respite in the Atlantic Chapter 5: Offensive Operations Chapter 6: The Battle Intensifies Chapter 7: Turning Point Chapter 8: Retaining the Initiative Chapter 9: Operation Neptune and the Battle for Northwest Europe Chapter 10: Victory in Europe Chapter 11: The Reckoning

About the Author :
Brian E. Walter is a retired army officer from a combat arms branch with a BSc in Political Science and International Relations. A distinguished military graduate and recipient of the Excellence in Military History Award from the U.S. Army Center for Military History and the Association of the United States Army, he has been a student of the British military during World War II for more than 30 years and is the author of The Longest Campaign, Blue Water War and Forgotten War.

Review :
''The bibliography reveals that Walter has been scrupulous in his research and has derived his data from a range of recognised publications together with the UK government archives at Kew. ...this is a factually rich book and a valuable reference guide for researchers who might lack the time or resources to seek out reliable information elsewhere. The Longest Campaign does not carry any startling revelations but it does provide a balanced and dispassionate account for any newcomer of this all-important campaign which the author regards as the apogee of Britain's long and proud naval history.''-- "Navy News" "...a worthy contribution to the vast array of World War II studies. It is well documented and offers a concise review of the war in Europe."-- "Sea History Magazine" "...an impressive piece of work that is recommended to the scholar and maritime history enthusiast alike."-- "The Northern Mariner" "An erudite and elegant new study on the longest campaign of World War II... A must read."-- "Argunners Magazine" "Brian Walter has produced a solid new narrative history of the struggle for the vital control of the shipping lanes in the Atlantic, one of the decisive campaigns of the Second World War. This is a lucid, and well-argued interpretation that shows how important the struggle between the German U-boats and Allied, mostly British, naval forces was for the triumph over Nazi Germany."--Professor Phillips O'Brien, University of St Andrews "In straight and well-organised narrative form, every imaginable incident or event that occurred in the North Atlantic region during World War II is described fully and in a manner that holds the reader's interest in a tight grip."-- "Baird Maritime" "This book is a must-read for anyone interested in Naval warfare."-- "PowerShips" "This is a well referenced account of the Battle of the Atlantic set within the context of the war as a whole...strongly recommended for the expert and general reader alike."-- "Miniature Wargames" "The author's lucid prose and well-constructed narrative make this a valuable reference of the war's most important struggle. Walter's style will entertain the reader and his accuracy and breadth of coverage will ensure that The Longest Campaign will soldier on as a well-thumbed reference long after the first reading." --Vincent P. O'Hara, author of 'German Fleet at War, Torch, and Six Victories: North Africa, Malta, and the Mediterranean Convoy War November 1941-March 1942'