Battleground Atlantic / Richard N. Billings / I-52 Japanese Submarines WWII / SubmarineBooks.com

How The Sinking of a Single Japanese Submarine Assured the Outcome of World War II

by Richard N. Billings

New Hardback edition with Dust Jacket

311 pages.

New $23.95

In the early hours of June 24, 1944, U.S, Navy warplanes patrolling the Atlantic attacked a Japanese submarine, the I-52. But this was more than the sinking of another enemy warship. It was an event of enormous strategic importance. For the I-52's mission was to return to Japan with the lethal ingredients of a doomsday weapon—which remained a government secret for years. In 1944, German scientists were failing to keep pace with their American counterparts—many of them refugees from Nazi brutality—in the race to develop a nuclear weapon. But they had learned to separate the U-235 isotope, which when mixed with dust or ash and packaged with a conventional explosive would kill millions, slowly and painfully, and contaminate a vast area for decades. London was the target, via the mighty V-2 German rocket, but Hitler, fearing retaliation, abandoned the idea. The Japanese had no such misgivings and gladly stepped in, purchasing the uranium with their own gold bullion—two tons of which were aboard the I-52 sub. In Japan, meanwhile, aircraft-carrying submarines were standing by for an attack on the California coast, but the mission was detected in an Allied intelligence victory equal to the breaking of the Enigma codes. The I-52's resting place—18,000 feet below the surface of the mid-Atlantic—became public in 1995, when discovery by ship salvager Paul Tidwell. Author Richard N. Billings has worked with Tidwell—whose attempts to raise the I-52's precious gold cargo continue—in bringing her mission to light. Finally, this is the story of how the I-52 mission may have influenced President Truman's decision to drop atomic bombs on two Japanese cities, thereby saving the United States from a similar fate and swiftly ending World War II.

New hardback book with dust jacket. 311 pages, with an index but no photos or maps.

Only $23.95

BOOK REVIEWS

"Richard Billings tells a fascinating story about the submarine I-52, Japanese naval personnel, and Paul Tidwell, the salvager. Billings weaves information gathered from declassified World War II radio intercepts, personal interviews, and observations during an expedition to the I-52, transitioning between the events of 1943-44 and 1995-98. This is not a "history" book, but lively non-fiction that reads like a novel." Sandy Greenwood

"This is a story of many facets: there's sunken treasure (two tons of gold), there's broken secret codes, there's radioactive uranium, there's politicians and it's World War II. Specifically this is the story of the Japanese submarine I-52 carrying gold and other commodities to Germany and expecting to return with three tons of uranium. Because of the breaking of the German and the Japanese codes the Allies were fully informed of what was happening. The I-52 was sunk. Beyond this there are other stories involved in this book.

1. There is a pretty good summary of what was happening in the German and Japanese Atomic programs.

2. There is some discussion about the development of a radiological 'dirty' bomb that Japan might use on the United States.

3. There is some speculation about Japan trying to surrender before the atomic bombs were dropped.

4. And there is the story of trying to get the two tons of gold from the I-52.

All in all, a lot of material for one book, but it is well handled and lively reading." John Matlock "Gunny"

"Battleground Atlantic is one part intriguing mystery, one part pulse-pounding race for sunken treasure, and one part jaw-dropping historical revelation. And that, my friend, is a formula for some wonderful reading." Don Keith. Author of "Final Patrol."

The Author

Richard N. Billings (at left) is a former Life magazine Pentagon correspondent and the author of six previous non-fiction books. He is also the former editorial director of the House Select Committee on Assassinations.