In 1921 a United States navy officer wrote that "the requirements of a submarine diesel engine might be considered as a quest of the absolute." His statement is the book's theme, a long neglected subject. Much has been written on the diesel boats which played such destructive roles in two world wars of the last century. Yet rarely do they tell about the engines propelling them or charging their batteries for the power to submerged. For the first time the submarine diesels of all the word's navies are described beginning with their less than proven designs when Rudolf Diesel's brainchild was still in its infancy.

Included are the people and engine makers who transformed the diesel into a reliable and durable submarine power plant. Here also are first hand accounts from the enginemen serving on these boats and how politics and government bureaucracies affected diesel progress. This unique history will appeal to navy veterans, engine enthusiasts and readers interested in a technology's evolution.