If Allies lost here all would have been lost. No Supplies for England,heavily reduced supplies for Russians.

Many vital supplies required for the Battle of Britain such as aircraft fuel (Britain has no oil fields) came from the the Battle of the Atlantic. No fuel, no Battle of Britain.

An emmense struggle. Could have gone either way. Could not have been more important.

If the RAF had not defeated the Lufwaffe in the skies over England in the summer of 1940,then there would have probably not been a prolonged Battle of the Atlantic.Hitler would have launched the invasion of Britian - Operation Sealion - and would have had air superiority over the English Channel.Whether this invasion would have suceeded is problematical given that the Royal Navy was very much intact and in command of the seas around the British Isles.However,without a free and unconquered Britian,there would have not been a Battle of the Atlantic and the horrendous logistical problems in invading and freeing both England and Europe from the USA would have probably ment that hitler would have had free rein to attack who he wanted to in Eastern Europe with impunity.The wisdom of attacking the USSR and its vastness was another question for another forum.

Many of the supplies required for the Battles of France, Britain, Stalingrad, El Alamein Kursk, Normandy, Ardennes, and Berlin went through the Atlantic. If the Allies lost the Atlantic Battle the outcome of the above mentioned battles would have been different or not have occured at all. The Atlantic battle was the longest and the German Navy was still operational at the end of the European war. People and plans for weapons such as improved radar, aircraft, atomic bombs, etc had to get across the Atlantic so that the USA could build these war winning weapons for use in Europe and the Pacific.

Winning The Battle of the Atlantic was vital to the allied forces to ensure the secure movement of troops, armour, supplies, aircraft and ammunition. It was an essential prerequisite to The Battle of Normandy (and Operation Torch)

One could view the battle of the Atlantic as the second battle of Britain, and, perhaps, the more important of the two

We look back on these battles and I often wonder what motivated these heroes to knowlingly put their life on the line - both military and merchant seamen.

wow, that's a story!

Sounds like a fighting man. Which country did he serve?

My grandad fought in the Battle of the Atlantic. He was a navigator, and was part of the first crews to use the Leigh light to track down German subs. His plane was shot down over the Bay of Biscay and he survived 6 days in rough seas in a small dinghy before rescue. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his efforts at Buckingham Palace.