"The greatest naval conflict in history occurred during World War II from 1939 to 1945. Most people are familiar with the famous Battle of the Atlantic and epic naval engagements in the Pacific like Midway and Leyte Gulf, all of which receive ample coverage in this panoramic work. However, the author offers a truly global perspective of World War II at sea that captures every aspect of a vast naval conflict that involved dozens of nations, more that 15,000 ships and 43.7 million tons of shipping. Approximately 570,000 lives were lost at sea in those six years"-- Provided by publisher.