Why does U96 sail through the sea near Gibraltar?
In Das Boot the crew tries to dive through the sea near Gibraltar, although they know that's very risky.
Why do they do that?
What they try to achieve in the Mediterranean Sea?
Best Answer
The Medditeranian sea was very much a region under control of the allies from 1941 onwards with the Italian Navy suffering big losses and the allies controlling Gibraltar as the 'gate'. The Germans sent 62 U-Boats into the Mediterranean despite the risks in order to limit the overwhelming control that the allies had there.
However it was a very risky arena for the U-Boats, calmer water, allied air-cover with radar, and they had to get past Gibraltar. No U-Boats ever made it back from the Mediterranean.
It was not a universally popular policy in the German military, Donitz (Commander of the submarine fleet before being elevated to Grand Admiral) considered it wasteful of resources as each U-Boat sent into the Med was no longer ever available in the Atlantic.
Pictures about "Why does U96 sail through the sea near Gibraltar?"
How did u-boats get into the Mediterranean?
The Second Battle of El Alamein prompted a concentration of U-boats in the western Mediterranean, in anticipation of Allied amphibious invasion. Five U-boats made contact with Operation Torch convoys, and two wolfpacks assembled near the invasion points.Are there any surviving German U-boats?
Today, the U-2540 is the only U-boat still floating in the sea. The U-2540 is open to visitors and dedicated to the preservation of peace.Is U-96 real?
German submarine U-96 was a Type VIIC U-boat of the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) during World War II. Her keel was laid down on 16 September 1939, by Germaniawerft, of Kiel as yard number 601. She was commissioned on 14 September 1940, with Kapit\xe4nleutnant Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock in command.Did they use a real U-boat in Das Boot?
A mock-up of the U-96 submarine was created for the movie to be shot in. The interior of the sub was mounted five meters off the floor.Das Boot - Sneaking through Gibraltar - BluRay GER
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Images: Adrien Olichon, Bulat Khamitov, Şahin Sezer Dinçer, Szelei Robert