Das Boot
- Author: Lothar-Gunther Buchheim
- Publisher: Cassell
- Classification: World War II
- Reviewed by: Shep
Set at the end of 1941, when it was becoming obvious to the u-boat crews that they no longer ruled the Atlantic, Das Boot is an enlightening read. Sailing for week after week with no sightings of enemy ships, the taste of diesel in their mouths and the close proximity of the living conditions conspire to take their toll on the crew of U-96. When they eventually do sight the enemy, hour after hour of depth-charging follows.
Das Boot is unlike most war stories. There are no gun-ho attitudes here, just cynicism and a distrust of the high command. These sailors are pawns in a game, to be sacrificed for the so called greater good. Just as they think they are to return home, the crew receive orders to sail through the straits of Gibralter, a mission the Captain knows to be suicidal. Suffering bomb damage, the boat, being guaranteed to a depth of 280 feet, sinks to a depth of 900. Narrowly surviving this, the boat is destroyed when arriving at a port for repairs.
Though the characters in this novel are fictional, the events were actually experienced by Buchheim. This is made apparent in the depth of his ability to describe the feelings of claustrophobia, boredom, and fear. The captain of the boat is held in absolute awe, and the way he encourages the crew, and puts them at their ease, really has to be admired. As for the crew, they weren’t Nazis, just kids, hoping not to be die. Das Boot has the reputation of being one of the best novels ever written about war. This reputation is deserved.
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