Battle of the Atlantic

The prolonged naval campaign from 1939 to 1945 in which Allied forces fought German efforts to disrupt shipping across the Atlantic.

Convoy: A group of ships traveling together, usually under naval escort, to reduce the risk of attack. Convoys concentrated defenses around merchant ships and became the Allies’ main protection against U-boats.
Convoy HX 84: A British convoy attacked by the German surface raider Admiral Scheer in November 1940. The escort ship Jervis Bay sacrificed itself, allowing most of the convoy to escape.
Karl Dönitz: German admiral who commanded the U-boat arm and later led the German Navy during World War II. His wolf-pack tactics concentrated submarines against Allied convoys.
Merchant navy: The civilian and government-operated ships that transport commercial cargo by sea. Merchant ships carried the food, fuel, and war matériel the Allies needed to continue fighting.
Battle of the Atlantic campaign medal: A Canadian campaign medal awarded for service in the Battle of the Atlantic during World War II. Its award recognized the sustained service of naval and air personnel on Atlantic routes.
U-boat: A German submarine, especially one used by the German Navy in the world wars. U-boats were Germany’s principal weapons for sinking Allied shipping.
Convoy PQ 17: An Arctic convoy to the Soviet Union dispersed in July 1942 after a mistaken threat assessment. Its losses exposed the risks of withdrawing escorts when a surface raider seemed near.
Ernest King: U.S. Navy admiral who served as Commander in Chief of the U.S. Fleet during World War II. King directed the American naval response as U-boats attacked shipping off the U.S. coast.
North Atlantic: The northern part of the Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe. Its ocean routes linked North American supplies to Britain and other Allied forces.
Operation Overlord: The Allied invasion of Normandy launched on 6 June 1944. Secure Atlantic supply lines helped sustain the forces and matériel assembled for the invasion.

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