Suicide Missions: U-Boats

It would be difficult to imagine a more hellish assignment in the German navy than being part of a U‑Boat crew. For the first few years of WWII, these "sharks of the sea" exacted a deadly toll on Allied shipping, but with the development of more sophisticated anti‑submarine weapons, the U‑Boats went from being a glamorous, romantic, and elite tour of duty to one in which death was a near certainty. Interviews with remaining U‑Boat captains and naval historians, along with footage filmed on board the subs, give viewers a personal look at what life was like aboard these incredibly cramped warships. If you've seen Das Boot or the more recent U-571, you'll have a good idea of what to expect, but the images are still startling. A solid pick for comprehensive WWII collections, this is recommended. Aud: P. (J. Carlson)