Churchill later remarked that the looming peril of the German U-boats were the only thing that really frightened him; destroying a significant number of them during the Battle of the Atlantic would prove crucial for the Allies’ victory.
The Allies won, but at a terrible price. 3,500 merchant ships, 175 warships, hundreds of aircraft, and millions of tons of supplies were lost along with the lives of approximately 70,000 sailors. On the Axis side, 783 U-boats, 47 warships, 17 Italian submarines, and 30,000 sailors were also lost, with the U-boat fleet suffering 75% casualties. Churchill later remarked that the looming peril of the German U-boats were the only thing that really frightened him; destroying a significant number of them during the Battle of the Atlantic would prove crucial for the Allies’ victory.