Bismarck

The Final Days of Germany's Greatest Battleship

By: Niklas Zetterling, Michael Tamelander

Narrated by: Charles Constant

A gripping tale of heroism - and doom - on the high seas....

The sinking of the German battleship Bismarck - a masterpiece of engineering, well-armored with a main artillery of eight 15-inch guns - was one of the most dramatic events of World War II. She left the port of Gotenhafen for her first operation on the night of 18 May 1941, yet was almost immediately discovered by Norwegian resistance and Allied air reconnaissance. British battlecruiser Hood was quickly dispatched from Scapa Flow to intercept the Bismarck, together with new battleship Prince of Wales. They were ordered to find the ship quickly because, on their way from the USA, several large convoys were heading for Britain.

On 24 May, Bismarck was found off the coast of Greenland, but the ensuing battle was disastrous for the British. The Hood was totally destroyed within minutes (with only three crewmen surviving), and Prince of Wales was badly damaged. The chase resumed until the German behemoth was finally caught, this time by four British capital ships supported by torpedo-bombers from the carrier Ark Royal. The icy North Atlantic roiled from the crash of shellfire and bursting explosions until finally the Bismarck collapsed, sending nearly 2,000 German sailors to a watery grave.

Tamelander and Zetterling's work rests on stories from survivors and the latest historical discoveries. The book starts with a thorough account of maritime developments from 1871 up to the era of the giant battleship, and ends with a vivid account, hour by hour, of the dramatic and fateful hunt for the mighty Bismarck, Nazi-Germany's last hope to pose a powerful surface threat to Allied convoys.

©2009 Niklas Zetterling & Michael Tamelander (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Well done and suspenseful

What made the experience of listening to Bismarck the most enjoyable?

Although we know the outcome the story is rendered in an interesting manner.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Bismarck?

The persistent British chase which involves lost contacts and fortuitous misinformation.

Which scene was your favorite?

The Catalina's discovery of Bismark.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The death of the Hood.

Any additional comments?

Very well done.

Awesome story - horrible reader

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The narrator

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The only detractor - most people listen while driving, is the book producer trying to kill us with this guy??? Not sure if he was a real person or a machine... So monotone and boring.

Well-researched and written book on a famous naval battle.

A very good book on the famous battle between the British and German Navies and during the earlier part of the war.

Bismarck

Well narrated, and very well written. The crescendo of the Bismarck’s clash with the Royal Navy, the pursuit and final stand make for very good story telling.

Best and most detailed factual telling of Operation Rhine on Audible

Fantastic listen - if you have any interest in WW2, in particular naval aspects, then this book should be definitely on your radar.

Well researched, with a real in depth look at the events before and leading up to the Bismarcks grim end, I've listened to this book several times already and I can't really pay it any higher compliment; it's that stuffed with information on anything from the technology in the ships (both allied and axis, naturally), to interviews and testimony from the men who where there, that listening several times is a must if you're to have a chance of taking it all in.

Easily 5* and the best book on Audible that tackles this subject.