The short but eventful career of the German battleship Bismarck was one of the most interesting episodes of the Second World War at sea. This book describes the Germans' preparations for Operation Rheinubung, the battle of the Denmark Strait and the British Home Fleet's chase after the Bismarck, as well as the shocking sinking of the British battlecruiser Hood by the Bismarck. Although the British Admiralty put the whole fleet at the disposal of Admiral Tovey, whose mission was to find and sink the Bismarck, the German crew struggled heroically to the end. Both parties made mistakes during the action that were kept secret for years. Thanks to recently declassified documents it has been possible to introduce new facts in this book, giving historians and naval warfare enthusiasts the chance to judge the operation for themselves.