German U-boats came close to winning World War I in 1917 and managed to repeat this performance in World War II. Yet, as Eberhard Rossler reveals, Germany was a late-comer to submarine construction and only embarked on the U-boat program a few years before 1914. German designers were able to benefit from the hard-won experience of other navies. German industry could provide first-class diesel engines and reliable electrical components, so it was not long before German yards were completing submarines equal if not superior to any in the world.

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.