Forgotten Sacrifice: The Arctic Convoys of World War II Paperback – 20 January 2016

Well written, historic on many levels , truly gut wrenching and unsung bravery. A must read for any naval, military or WW 2 buff.

Excellent book, well researched and well written. I read it thoroughly and it helped me to understand what my Father and his shipmates suffered. Quality excellent , packaging and delivery, very good before estimated date.

During World War II, the Allies employed the convoy system in order to move material across the Atlantic ocean to ports in the Soviet Union. The Soviets, after the German invasion in the summer of 1941, were desperately short of supplies of all types. In order to supply the Soviets, the British (and later, the Americans), set up the convoy system to keep the Soviets in the fight. In "Forgotten Sacrifice", author Michael G. Walling describes the perilous journey faced by the merchantmen of the convoys.The primary threat to the Allied convoys was the U-Boat. The German submarines wreaked havoc on the Allied convoys, often sinking several ships at a time and denying vital supplies to the Soviets. Also, the German Luftwaffe and surface fleet took a large toll on the convoy. Defenses of the convoy usually were comprised of destroyers, minesweepers, and cruisers. These ships fought valiantly to protect the convoy, but losses were still sometimes very great, such as convoy PQ-17, which lost half of its ships.Perhaps as great a threat as the Germans was the terrible weather. The temperatures were bitterly cold, and if a sailor had to abandon ship, he would usually die quickly in the freezing water unless rescued quickly. Plus, the total darkness of the arctic winter and the unending daylight of the arctic summer played havoc with the sailors. Still, these brave men (and women) persevered and did their best to get their cargoes through.I found this book to be an informative and interesting read. I've read much World War II history, but very little about the arctic convoys. The opening chapter gives a background of what is to follow, and the ensuing chapters do a good job of describing the battle between the German surface, air, and submarine fleets vs. the Allied convoys. This book is technical, so be prepared for a somewhat involved read.

I agree with most of the other readers that this is a really great book which gives a clear picture of the development of the artic convoys and the sacrifices of their crews. I do, however, also agree with the reader who missed more info about tactics and strategy. I am a sucker for maps, and some illustrations about the battle formations, attach strategies etc would have provided the 5th star.

Tremendous account of the arctic convoys and the ships, aircraft and personnel involved as they fought to reach Russia and return. I learnt a great deal from this book which is highly recommended.