Submarine warfare
On the 8th of September 1776, a small wooden vessel named the Turtle attempted to attach an explosive charge to the hull of HMS Eagle. This American submersible failed in its mission but marked the first recorded attack by a submarine against an enemy ship. The device relied on human power and a hand-cranked propeller to move underwater. It represented a desperate innovation during the American Revolutionary War when traditional naval tactics were failing.
Decades later, the Confederate States Navy developed a more effective weapon system. On the 17th of February 1864, the submarine H.L. Hunley sank the USS Housatonic in Charleston Harbor. This event became the first successful sinking of an enemy ship by a submarine in combat history. The crew of eight men aboard the Hunley died shortly after their victory due to the vessel's design flaws. Their sacrifice demonstrated both the potential and the extreme dangers of early underwater warfare technology.
German U-boats began major attacks on Allied merchant ships in February 1915. These operations targeted vessels bound for the United Kingdom, France, and Russia. The sinking of the Lusitania caused significant civilian deaths that turned American public opinion against the Central Powers. Germany initially followed prize rules from September 1915 until January 1917 before resuming unrestricted attacks.
Admiral Henning von Holtzendorff argued successfully in December 1916 to resume these attacks. His strategy aimed to starve Britain into submission through deliberate attacks on neutral shipping as well. The German high command calculated that American mobilization would be too slow to stop a German victory on the Western Front. Once naval convoys were implemented, sinkings did not reach the optimistic projections made by the Imperial Admiralty Staff. More than 5,000 Allied ships were sunk by U-boats during World War I.
The wolf pack tactic emerged as a primary method for German U-boats during World War II. A number of U-boats dispersed across possible paths of an expected convoy. When one boat sighted a convoy it signaled its course, speed, and composition to German Naval Command. The submarine continued to shadow the convoy while reporting any changes of direction.
The rest of the pack then headed to the first boat's position to form a coordinated group. They launched surface attacks at night when visibility was low. At dawn, the pack withdrew leaving a shadower to track movements. They resumed their attack at dusk with renewed force. This systematic approach allowed multiple submarines to overwhelm escort vessels. Almost 3,000 Allied ships including 2,825 merchantmen had been sunk by U-boats before losses became unacceptable.
In the Pacific theater, United States submarines hunted Japanese shipping with devastating effect. By war's end, US submarines destroyed over half of all Japanese merchant ships totaling well over five million tons of shipping capacity. British and Dutch submarines also participated in attacks on Japanese shipping mostly within coastal waters. Japanese submarines initially succeeded in destroying two US fleet aircraft carriers and several other vessels.
However, following a doctrine that concentrated on attacking warships rather than vulnerable merchantmen proved ineffective long term. The smaller Japanese fleet suffered heavy losses to Allied anti-submarine measures. Italian submarines and one German submarine operated in the Pacific Ocean but never enough to be an important factor due to distance and difficult relations with their Japanese ally. The strategic shift toward targeting commerce crippled Japan's ability to sustain its military operations across vast ocean distances.
The advent of nuclear-powered submarines in the 1950s brought about a major change in strategic thinking about warfare. These boats could operate faster, deeper and had much longer endurance than previous models. Their larger sizes allowed them to become missile launching platforms capable of carrying nuclear weapons. Nuclear power enabled submarines to generate their own air and water for extended durations without surfacing.
During the Cold War, the United States and Soviet Union engaged in what was described as a cat-and-mouse game of detecting enemy submarines. Attack submarines became more important particularly regarding their postulated role as hunter-killer units. The US used nuclear submarines as radar pickets for a period while developing new sensors and weapons systems. The mere existence of these vessels curtailed surface warships freedom to operate in contested waters.
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Common questions
When did the Turtle submarine first attack an enemy ship?
The Turtle attempted to attach an explosive charge to HMS Eagle on the 8th of September 1776. This event marked the first recorded attack by a submarine against an enemy ship.
Which Confederate submarine sank the USS Housatonic in 1864?
The submarine H.L. Hunley sank the USS Housatonic in Charleston Harbor on the 17th of February 1864. This became the first successful sinking of an enemy ship by a submarine in combat history.
How many Allied ships were sunk by German U-boats during World War I?
More than 5,000 Allied ships were sunk by U-boats during World War I. These operations targeted vessels bound for the United Kingdom, France, and Russia starting in February 1915.
What was the wolf pack tactic used by German U-boats in World War II?
The wolf pack tactic involved multiple submarines dispersing across possible convoy paths to coordinate attacks at night. Almost 3,000 Allied ships including 2,825 merchantmen had been sunk by U-boats before losses became unacceptable.
Why did Japanese submarines fail to destroy US shipping effectively?
Japanese submarines failed because their doctrine concentrated on attacking warships rather than vulnerable merchantmen. The smaller Japanese fleet suffered heavy losses to Allied anti-submarine measures while destroying over half of all Japanese merchant ships remained impossible.