Kriegsmarine

The Kriegsmarine was the navy of Nazi Germany's armed forces, the Wehrmacht, during the Third Reich. Following World War I, Germany was forbidden from possessing submarines by the Treaty of Versailles. However, Adolf Hitler repudiated this treaty in 1935 and began rebuilding the German navy, including its U-boat fleet.12

The primary role of the Kriegsmarine in World War II was to attack Allied shipping, much like in World War I, using its U-boats. German U-boats achieved significant successes, particularly in the early stages of the war, by operating in groups known as "wolf packs" to overwhelm convoys. Despite initial successes, Allied advancements in radar, escort tactics, and long-range aircraft eventually countered the U-boat threat, leading to heavy German losses.23