battle of the atlantic
During World War II nations fought over control over the Atlantic Ocean. The atlantic was a pathway for America to supply Britain with resources during the war. The Axis powers wanted to block this path. This struggle for control was called the Battle of the Atlantic. It lasted from September 3, 1939 to May 8, 1945. In the beginning of this battle, the tide was in favor of the Germans. They mostly used submarines (U-boats) and conducted surprise attacks on the allies. As a counter attack, the allies moved in big groups that they called convoys. Where there was a warship that defended them as they crossed the ocean. Though this tactic worked in the beginning, Germany then built more submarines and the allies couldn't keep up. The allies lost about 1,664 supply ships in 1942. The peak of the battle was in 1943, when the allies broke the German code. This turned the tide into the favor of the allied because they could now locate the submarines and destroy them before they attacked. The allies ultimately won the war, but there were many loses. About 60,000 sailors died, and 3,500 supply ships, 175 warships, and 783 submarines were lost.