(A) Trench warfare
(B) ** U-Boats
(C) Stalemate
EXPLANATIONS BELOW
Concept note-1: -U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic-warfare role (commerce raiding) and enforcing a naval blockade against enemy shipping.
Concept note-2: -The formidable U-boats (unterseeboots) prowled the Atlantic armed with torpedoes. They were Germany’s only weapon of advantage as Britain effectively blocked German ports to supplies. The goal was to starve Britain before the British blockade defeated Germany.
Concept note-3: -By 1 August 1941, U-48, the most successful boat of the Second World War, had sunk 56 merchant ships of 322, 478 gross tons and one corvette. She was then transferred to the Baltic as a training boat.
Concept note-4: -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. This story originally ran in 2014; it has been updated for 2022.
Concept note-5: -Germany has commissioned over 1, 500 U-boats (German: Unterseeboot) into its various navies from 1906 to the present day. The submarines have usually been designated with a U followed by a number, although World War I coastal submarines and coastal minelaying submarines used the UB and UC prefixes, respectively.