The Destruction of Germany’s Fearsome U-boat Fleet
Operation Deadlight
May 7th, 1945 marked a momentous day in world history. It was the day that Nazi Germany officially, and unconditionally, surrendered to the Allies. The war in Europe was over. Finally.
In addition to a shattered nation, a scarred populace and untold horrors waiting to be uncovered in German occupation camps, the Allies also inherited large swaths of the remaining German military forces. That included Hitler’s fearsome U-boat fleet that wreaked havoc on Allied shipping for the entire course of the war.
As a part of the surrender terms, 156 functional U-boats surrendered and were turned over to the Allies.
Britain, the chief victim of the bloody U-boat campaign in the Atlantic, decided to have the fleet destroyed. It was surely a decision made on practical grounds but it would not be surprising if no small measure of personal vengeance went into it as well.
There would not be a Briton in the land that was not happy to see the grey boats placed on the bottom of the ocean.
