The so-called “Torpedo Crisis” afflicted German U-boats in a critical part of the war, giving the allies much-needed time to improve anti-submarine tactics, and thus might have changed the course of the entire war.
By September of 1944, the Western Allies had broken out of the Normandy beachehead, and suddenly and quickly moved across northern France . By September 7th, the 90th division was stretched across the northern sector on Patton’s Third Army’s left, advancing slowly northeast. As they did so the German defenders made a risky attack in an effort to spoil the allied advance, cutting through Allied lines in a surprise action at the small town of Mairy-Mannville.