Factual error: Although the type of mission depicted in the movie did occur, it was not Americans that were known to do them. Canadian and British teams were specialized to do this mission.
Steve Kozak
27th Aug 2003
U-571 (2000)
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Suggested correction: America did capture a U-boat along with its crew and Enigma equipment... U-505.
27th Aug 2001
U-571 (2000)
Factual error: U-571 was sunk on January 8, 1944, by an Australian Sunderland. She was previously damaged by an Allied destroyer on March 22, 1943, but managed to come back to the base. All supply submarines (Type XIV or Type VIIF) were actually sunk by Allied planes or surface ships.
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Suggested correction: They were on a course for Britain... they could have covered a good bit of ground before the plane flew over.
17th Jan 2020
U-571 (2000)
Factual error: At the beginning of the movie, the German sub gets surprised and severely damaged by a destroyer. The sonar man first notices the enemy destroyer approaching, but only a short time before the destroyer is already literally on top of the sub. German sonar at the time had the capacity to detect ships up to more than 7 miles away. (00:03:40)
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Suggested correction: He was in the sound room, not running sonar...given they were attacking a convoy, they wouldn't be running soar as that could be picked up by other ships.
That is not correct. The German U-boat is literally running passive sonar and detecting the destroyer with that. Active sonar, using a 'ping' sound that could be picked up by other ships, was rarely, if ever, used by German U-boats at all.