Angus Konstam's book offers a gripping account of the critical but underappreciated naval battle during World War II, explaining why the hopes of the German Kriegsmarine fell along with their last great ship. Only 37 of the 1700 crew members of the German battleship were saved.

Konstam is a respected and widely-published military historian, with works ranging from ancient Greece to World War II, while his main field is naval history. He has published books covering various aspects of naval history, from pirates to the Battle of Bismarck.

On December 25, 1943, the German battleship Scharnhorst sailed from Altenfjord in Norway with the aim of attacking the convoy Bat and the vital war supplies to the Soviet Union. However, British naval intelligence knew about Scharnhorst's mission before it departed, resulting in the vulnerable convoy being protected by strong British forces including the battleship Duke of York. In this situation, Scharnhorst was simply walking into a trap. One of the most thrilling naval dramatic stories of World War II had begun.

Pages: 176, Dimensions: 15.6x15.6cm