Preview
  • The War for the Seas

  • A Maritime History of World War II
  • By: Evan Mawdsley
  • Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
  • Length: 28 hrs and 23 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (143 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.

The War for the Seas

By: Evan Mawdsley
Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $25.79

Buy for $25.79

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

A bold and authoritative maritime history of World War II which takes a fully international perspective and challenges our existing understanding

Command of the oceans was crucial to winning World War II. By the start of 1942 Nazi Germany had conquered mainland Europe, and Imperial Japan had overrun Southeast Asia and much of the Pacific. How could Britain and distant America prevail in what had become a "war of continents"?

In this definitive account, Evan Mawdsley traces events at sea from the first U-boat operations in 1939 to the surrender of Japan. He argues that the Allied counterattack involved not just decisive sea battles, but a long struggle to control shipping arteries and move armies across the sea.

Covering all the major actions in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as well as those in the narrow seas, this book interweaves for the first time the endeavors of the maritime forces of the British Empire, the United States, Germany, and Japan, as well as those of France, Italy, and Russia.

©2019 Evan Mawdsley (P)2020 Tantor
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about The War for the Seas

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    87
  • 4 Stars
    36
  • 3 Stars
    14
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    89
  • 4 Stars
    25
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    4
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    83
  • 4 Stars
    30
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

wow easy to fall asleep to

this is so much detail information might be great for college course at Annapolis.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great way to finish a 3 part history of WWII Pacif

It was compelling from beginning to end
especially the complete analysis of the closing of the war.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good general content, boring narrator

Good listen which provided an overall detailed yet quick summary of each major naval power at different times in the war. Though dry at times with listing of figures, the narrator often made it feel like I was trying to stay awake in a lecture hall.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

This is a wonderful reading of an excellent book! I’ve been studying this material for all my life and there’s additional facts added in this book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A lot of information

If you want a broad look at WW2 naval warfare this your book. I found it a bit dry as it was mostly dates and quick glimpses of the battles as a whole.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Significant Detail Presented Effectively

Enjoyed the big picture presentation of this book. The level of detail provided is highly effective in terms of understanding how and why the battle of the seas were won by the Allies. Learned about numerous battles in the European war for defeating the Germany and Italy as well as the Japanese. The narrator does an excellent job of making the book an enjoyable experience. I have given the book a four-star rating in the overall and story categories because I was frustrated by the frequent reference to tables of information that could/should be provided as a pdf supplement to the Audiobook. Great read and great information. Thank you! BlueWaterGator

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

A Real Slog

i have no problem with dry histories, but this takes it too far. 70% of the book follows the same formula: Ships X, Y and Z engaged ships A and B off the Cape of Bob, with Z and B damaged and A sunk. 347 were killed. Next, ships J and K engaged etc. etc. The other 30% is discussing tonnage under the Washington Naval Treaty.

There is no real insight and relatively little analysis. He takes a few shots at specific other historians, and that is as exciting as it gets. I don't need heroic narrative, but it reads like the naval equivalent of a book report.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good story

Performance is difficult to understand...tone does not vary. Story is well developed and very thorough.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding narrative

The narrator offered a very complicated subject with a verbal method that helped the listener visualize the action.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Worth a listen for all history buffs

I at first thought it might get bogged down with too much detail. However It is worth that aspect when one discovers so much new information about so many overlooked events. I became appreciative of those facts as the book progressed. Splendidly read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful