Everything was thought to be known about the German submarine arm during WWII. But what was really known about the men serving in these special "ships"? This book, written by a specialist of naval history, evokes how the men were recruited and how they went through the long arduous training which started to collapse in 1941; it also covers the main training schools, the principals, tactics, team spirit and politics together with the long test periods for the submarine itself. Many other aspects are evoked like the drive and the spirit with which Admiral Doenitz inspired the men; the very direct and informal relations between the Admiral and his U-Boat commanders, the very strong ties betwen the commanders and their men; the different compartments and machines, the men at action stations, daily life aboard with all the inconveniences of this claustrophobic life with its various superstitions, its hygiene problems, pollution, food and dumps... Questo volume si occupa per la prima volta specificatamente degli equipaggi dei sottomarini tedeschi. Accompagnato da moltissime, inedite, fotografie appartenenti a collezioni private, da disegni a colori delle uniformi, insegne e da spaccati dei mezzi, questo studio offre una visione diversa di questi uomini. Presenta i differenti livelli di addestramento, le diverse specializzazioni, la sempre maggiore qualità di allenamento, il grande spirito di corpo, le difficoltà di una vita a bordo in uno spazio chiuso e ristretto e i ruoli di ognuno. Mostra i particolari  rapporti tra i comandanti e i loro uomini, uniti dalla stessa comunità di destino ognuno nelle mani degli altri, ma i più liberi in seno al Terzo Reich.