Modern warfare Books

Book SynopsisA profound account and analysis of the Gestapo.Trade ReviewThis fascinating and absorbing new book, drawing on original Gestapo files, provides a wide range of vivid and fascinating stories that explore the tragic human plight of victims of Nazi terror, and the motives of the German citizens who denounced them. By examining in depth how the Gestapo dealt with Jews, Communists, religious dissidents and those on the margins of society, McDonough has produced a brilliant, readable and deeply significant examination of Hitler's notorious secret police. * Andrew Roberts *A compelling and crisply written new history of the Third Reich's central instrument on domestic terror between 1933 and 1945. McDonough moves beyond the administrative history of the Gestapo to examine the key target groups not just political and religious opponents, but social outsiders and Jews He provides a nuanced account via Gestapo files and courtroom testimony. In setting a range of victims' life stories revealed in these neglected Gestapo case files against long standing historical views of either an all pervasive surveillance or total reliance on public denunciations, The Gestapo provides an original and welcome perspective on this often misunderstood symbol of Nazi repression and enforced conformity. Impressive, illuminated by real victim stories, this book is strongly recommended. -- Matthew Feldman, Professor in Contemporary History at Teesside University and Senior Research Fellow at the University of Bergen, NorwayIn this thoroughly researched and elegantly written book, Frank McDonough confronts decades of myth-making to uncover the complex realities of Hitler's notorious secret police. The Gestapo is as surprising as it is illuminating, and it sets a new standard for this vitally important subject. -- Roger Moorhouse, leading Third Reich historian and best-selling authorSuperbly scholarly and just as readable. A chilling, meticulous record of state brutality that is more compelling than any novel. -- Dan Snow, Award-winning TV historian and best-selling authorProfessor Frank McDonough has unearthed much, drawn from recent research and his own work in the Gestapo's surviving archives and has blended it in this lucid, authoratative study of the institution and its servants. As for those servants' villiany, he lets them and their victims speak for themselves: this is a chilling as well as a compelling read...In telling the story of the how the Gestapo worked, McDonough has provided fascinating insights into the experiences of Germans in a fickle and frightening world. -- Lawrence James * The Times *It seems incredible that humane qualities could be exhumed from such evil, but that is one achievement of Frank McDonough's nuanced study...The contribution of McDonough's illuminating account - based on the 73,000 files at Düsseldorf, the largest surviving collection of Gestapo records - is to reveal that the organisation was neither faceless nor monolithic....Too often historians present material of this vile kind in emotive prose, forcing the reader into uneasy agreement with whatever argument they are presenting. Here, by combining a calm tone with a lucid, factual approach, McDonough has convincingly portrayed a system that was highly efficient and profoundly pernicious, but not unequivocally wicked. -- Miranda Seymour * The Sunday Telegraph *A myth-busting study exposes how ordinary Germans ran rings round the secret police...[McDonough] offers real insight into the methods, motives and backgrounds of the men who tried... to police the thoughts of the inhabitants of the Third Reich...Another remarkable point that McDonough makes is that judges often threw out cases brought by the Gestapo. Many were old-fashioned conservatives... with a prickly sense of their own independence. -- Marcus Ranner * The Independent *McDonough's penetrating study of the Gestapo, which challenges established myths- for instance that the Gestapo was everywhere, an Orwellian 'thought police' that kept everyone in check and fear, listening for every knock on the door in the middle of the night. In reality, it had fewer than 16,000 active officers to police the loyalty of a nation of 70 million. Its investigations were fuelled by informants, tell-tales in the community, of whom there were no shortage in Hitler's paranoid Reich... McDonough's book also reveals, thousands of other Nazi thugs and killers simply kept their heads down, slid back into society and were never properly brought to book. At the Nuremberg war crimes trials, the Gestapo was branded a 'criminal organisation' responsible or 'crimes against humanity. Yet no major collective Gestapo trial was held in the post war period. * Daily Mail *This year has produced a slew of important books relating to the Second World War and this informative study of the Gestapo is one of the best. The author tries to dismantle some of the common myths about Hitler's secret police. He does so with style and intelligence * Catholic Herald *McDonough has an instinct for good stories and, for example, when he writes about the policing process aimed at the outlawed Communist Party, he finds a bewildering array of people, among them some who converted to Nazism or joined the Wehrmacht. -- Professor Robert Gellately * The Times Higher Education Supplement *A very important and rigorous study based on original research from German archives. * Corriere della Sera (leading Italian newspaper) *Highly illuminating. It sets the Gestapo in historical context. McDonough also gives a detailed account of the Gestapo's day to operations and assists us in our efforts to understand the work done by the Gestapo. -- Dr. Richard Mullender, Newcastle University * Journal of Law and Society *

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Book SynopsisA renowned military historian, Richard Holmes was Professor of Military and Security Studies at Cranfield University in Bedfordshire and the Defence College of Management and Technology in Wiltshire. He wrote several best-selling books on the daily experience of soldiers, and presented programmes for the BBC on subjects including World War II battles and the American Revolution. He died in 2011.

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Book SynopsisFully illustrated complete history of British armoured warfare during the Second World War.

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Book SynopsisSniper One is the gritty, awe-inspiring true story that takes you right into the heart of the Iraq war from Sunday Times No.1 bestseller Sgt. Dan Mills. ''One of the best first-hand accounts of combat that I''ve ever read'' Andy McNab We all saw it at once. Half a dozen voices screamed ''Grenade!'' simultaneously. Then everything went into slow motion. The grenade took an age to travel through its 20 metre arc. A dark, small oval-shaped package of misery the size of a peach . . . April 2004: Dan Mills and his platoon of snipers fly into southern Iraq, part of an infantry battalion sent to win hearts and minds. They were soon fighting for their lives. Back home we were told they were peacekeeping. But there was no peace to keep. Because within days of arriving in theatre, Mills and his men were caught up in the longest, most sustained fire fight British troops had faced for over fifty years.This awe-

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Book SynopsisRe-issue of a classic book on a fascinating but often overlooked period in the history of the Second World War.Trade Review"The best ... because it travels the least familiar ground" Max Hastings, The Standard * "Graphic and moving ... the Germans paid a frightful price for their sins of conquest" Desmond Albrow, The Sunday Telegraph*

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Book SynopsisThis is a pioneering history of the experience of captivity of British prisoners of war (POWs) in Europe during the Second World War, focussing on how they coped and came to terms with wartime imprisonment. Clare Makepeace reveals the ways in which POWs psychologically responded to surrender, the camaraderie and individualism that dominated life in the camps, and how, in their imagination, they constantly breached the barbed wire perimeter to be with their loved ones at home. Through the diaries, letters and log books written by seventy-five POWs, along with psychiatric research and reports, she explores the mental strains that tore through POWs'' minds and the challenges that they faced upon homecoming. The book tells the story of wartime imprisonment through the love, fears, fantasies, loneliness, frustration and guilt that these men felt, shedding new light on what the experience of captivity meant for these men both during the war and after their liberation.Trade Review'Clare Makepeace is a rare historian able to combine depth of knowledge with exquisite sensitivity. By delving into the intimate lives of prisoners of war, Makepeace reveals the primacy of domestic ties in the inner lives of these captives, and emphasises the range and complexity of different masculinities. The book is a 'must read', not only for people curious about war and captivity, but also for anyone interested in the history of everyday lives.' Joanna Bourke, Birkbeck, University of London'This is a profoundly important new history of Second World War captivity. Through the experience of British prisoners of war, Clare Makepeace provides a groundbreaking appraisal of the impact of war upon masculine identity. A tour de force addition to the cultural history of modern warfare.' Heather Jones, London School of Economics and Political Science'Captives of War offers a rare combination of impeccable scholarship coupled with deep humanity for the men who lived through the history. Captives of War is teeming with vivid stories and compelling voices. Every page adds another level of understanding to what it must have been like to experience captivity. This riveting account will appeal to anyone fascinated by history - but also to any reader interested in how we respond to adversity.' Midge Gillies, author of The Barbed-Wire University (2012)'By weaving together the diaries and letters of those involved with official sources, and with insights from psychology, sociology and history, Clare Makepeace shows what everyday captivity entailed for the many thousands of British servicemen captured by the Axis powers behind barbed wire. Carefully constructed and well-written, Captives of War breaks new ground in the understanding of the social and cultural history of British prisoners of war in the Second World War.' Bob Moore, University of Sheffield'A fascinating, compassionate and evocative exploration of the highs and lows of life in captivity, told directly and contemporaneously by the men experiencing it.' Greg Taylor, Phoenix Magazine'A pioneering study … an invaluable reference for historians and family researchers alike.' Mark Simner, Who Do You Think You Are'… a poignant, at times searing human story … This pioneering examination is remarkable for the richness of its source material, depth of scholarship, and sensitive analysis.' Kristen Alexander, Twentieth Century British History'… an extremely interesting read, which I would recommend to all psychologists and others interested in the psychology of war, warfare and survival psychology.' Jamie Hacker Hughes, The Psychologist'… it is the kind of topic that needs a good deal of rigour. Happily the author matches that rigour with empathy and with a clear sense of how her work will meet its objective of filling a gap in the literature. She succeeds more than admirably.' Peter Monteath, Sabretache'To delve into this emotional world, Makepeace draws upon personal narratives composed by POWs during their captivity including, 40 diaries, 25 logbooks (small notepads used like a scrapbook), and 26 sets of correspondence, all of which is catalogued in an appendix outlining the details of each man. Her analysis of these sources is holistic in that they are not only viewed as records of captivity, but also part of how the experiences documented within them were shaped.' Alan Malpass, Reviews in History'… this will remain a go-to book for social, cultural and military historians alike.' Ben Hodges, Journal of Military and Strategic Studies'Makepeace offers a major and stimulating contribution to our understanding of war captivity in Europe. In this respect, Captives of War should be part of any analysis of history of British POWs in the Second World War. Its methodology and approach opens the way for future scholars working on other conflicts and the category of POWs and also on postwar history of prisoners … Captives of War is thus recommended to anyone interested in the cultural history of Britain during the Second World War and more broadly to cultural history of warfare and the study of personal narratives.' Jean-Michel Turcotte, H-Net'… demonstrates a way of using personal narratives that offers great benefits for cultural historians seeking to study and understand people's experiences of war.' Oliver Wilkinson, Journal of Contemporary HistoryTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Capture; 2. Imprisoned servicemen; 3. Bonds between men; 4. Ties with home; 5. Going 'round the bend'; 6. Liberation; 7. Resettling; Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisThe Knight's Cross (Ritterkreuz) was one of the highest decorations given for extreme acts of valour to all ranks of the German armed forces during the Second World War. Few awards captured the respect and admiration of the German public as the Knight's Cross - it was the greatest honour one could achieve. In the perilous and close-knit world of the U-boat crews the award of the decoration to their captain was an event of particular pride and sometimes it was even added to the boat's insignia. In all, there were 123 recipients, including their commander-in-chief Karl D nitz, and Jeremy Dixon's highly illustrated book is the ideal guide to all these men and their wartime service. A graphic text accompanied by almost 200 archive photographs describes the exploits of each of them, including those who received the higher grades of the award. Full details are given of their tours of duty, the operations they took part in, how they won their award, how many ships they sank and their subsequent careers.

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Book SynopsisA Telegraph Book of the Year, soon to be a BBC Radio 4 dramatisation.'Extraordinary.' Philippe Sands'We are touched by the courage and dignity of Andrew Harding's characters - qualities that the author must surely possess in equal measure.' - Andrey Kurkov'A story of extraordinary heroism by ordinary people. - James Meek'This gripping account is the Russian invasion of Ukraine in microcosm.' - Lindsey HilsumIt's March 2022 and Russian tanks are roaring across the vast, snow-dusted fields of Ukraine. Their destination: Voznesensk, a town with a small bridge that could change the course of the war.The heavily-armed Russians are expecting an easy fight - or no fight at all. After all, Voznesensk is a quiet farming town, full of pensioners. But the locals appear to have other ideas.Svetlana, a grandmother with arthritis, reacts in fury when Russian troops turn her cottage into their blood-soaked headquarters. Valentin, a quick-talking lawyer, joins the town's 'Dads Army' defenders, crouching in a trench with an AK47. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Sergei grabs a Molotov cocktail and lies in wait for Russian tanks as they push towards Dead Water Bridge.The odds are terrible. But a plan is emerging, and there's a chance it could save not just Voznesensk, but the rest of southern Ukraine. Meanwhile, inside the tanks, an inner battle rages. As Russian officer Igor Rudenko prepares to invade, he has a secret. He is Ukrainian himself.A gripping work of reportage that tells the story of a pivotal moment in Ukraine's war, this is a real-life thriller about ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances with resilience, humour and ingenuity.'[Andrew Harding is] one of our most gifted and sensitive journalists' - Jon SnowTrade Review'A short, brilliant book... Its characters could have walked out of a novel' * Financial Times *'A cracking story ... that never loses sight of the "murderous absurdity" of Russia's war' -- Justin Marozzi * The Spectator *'[A] remarkable story ... propulsive' * The Irish Times *'Riveting and vividly written ... this gripping story is the literary equivalent of a superb miniature painting' * The Observer *'The story of Ukraine in perfect microcosm - ordinary people doing absolutely extraordinary things - beautifully told' -- Christina Lamb'A short, brilliant book on the battle for Voznesensk. Harding captures the mixture of courage, bewilderment and mania of Ukrainians who decide to fight the invasion' -- Gideon Rachman * Financial Times *'Harding has told a mesmerising story of how in the face of a mighty army, ordinary people can sometimes turn and simply say, "No."' -- Sinclair McKay * Mail on Sunday *'Elegantly told ... a deceptively simple narrative that explains a great deal about the dynamics of this war and many others' -- Roger Boyes * The Times *'Harding recreates the fighting blow by-blow ... [and] the personalities of his interviewees come to life' * The Telegraph *'Reads like a daring tale from WW2' -- Will Brown * Tortoise Media *'Extraordinary; filled with a deep sense of enduring humanity. Immensely powerful, timely and real.' -- Philippe Sands, author of East West Street'It would be wonderful if the story told in this beautiful little book were the author's invention. But alas, the story itself is pure truth. Andrew Harding's characters invite the reader into their daily struggle which we witness with awe and empathy. We are touched by their courage and dignity - qualities that the author must surely have possessed in equal measure to record these extraordinary events.' -- Andrey Kurkov'A piercing book: the story of extraordinary heroism by ordinary people, and an accessible, limpid account of what battle is actually like. -- James Meek'This gripping account is the Russian invasion of Ukraine in microcosm.' -- Lindsey Hilsum'Fascinating, vivid, often harrowing, and deeply moving. A must-read for anyone trying to grasp both the human dimension and larger dynamics of this brutal contemporary war.' -- Fiona Hill, author of There Is Nothing for You Here'A captivating tale of one Ukrainian town and a heartening story of people's defiance, ingenuity and spirit. Originally reported and beautifully written.' -- Arkady Ostrovsky, author of The Invention of Russia'Maybe the most compelling book on Ukraine published in English this year[...] A Small Stubborn Town reads like a novel, both in light of its beautifully wrought prose, and the extraordinary story of the remarkable civilian defence mounted by the town's eclectic residents' * The Telegraph *'A gripping account of why Ukraine managed to so effectively thwart Russia's attempts to fully overrun its territory. With snapshot clarity and a real-time narrative structure, it reminds readers that Ukrainians know for exactly what, and exactly why, they are fighting.' -- Nicole Yurcaba * The New Voice of Ukraine *

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Book SynopsisAs an RAF medical officer, Aidan had served in France, survived Dunkirk, and was plunged into adventures in the Japanese-American arena comparable with those of famous war heroes. Interned by the Japanese in Java, he helped his fellow prisoners with amazing ingenuity in awful conditions. En route back to Japan in 1944, his ship was torpedoed but he was rescued by a whaling boat and re-interned in Japan. His life was literally saved by the dropping of the Nagasaki atom bomb. He was then eyewitness to the horror and devastation it caused. This is an almost incredible account written with humour and dignity.Trade Review"'Jaw-dropping account of life as an RAF doctor during the Second World War' Pete McCarthy, author of McCarthy's Bar 'This book is an epic' Sir Dennis Spotswood, Marshal of the RAF 'His description is terrifying but fascinating' Air Marshal Sir William Coles"

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times No.1 bestseller. 'Sixty special forces against 100,000 - a feat of British arms to take the breath away' Frederick Forsyth.They were branded as cowards and accused of being the British Special Forces Squadron that ran away from the Iraqis. But nothing could be further from the truth. Ten years on, the story of these sixty men can finally be told. In March 2003 M Squadron - an SBS unit with SAS embeds - was sent 1,000 kilometres behind enemy lines on a true mission impossible, to take the surrender of the 100,000-strong Iraqi Army 5th Corps. From the very start their tasking earned the nickname 'Operation No Return'. Caught in a ferocious ambush by thousands of die-hard fanatics from Saddam Hussein's Fedayeen, plus the awesome firepower of the 5th Corps' heavy armour, and with eight of their vehicles bogged in Iraqi swamps, M Squadron launched a desperate bid to escape, inflicting massive damage on their enemies. Running low on fuel and ammunition, outnumbered, outmanoeuvred and outgunned, the elite operators destroyed sensitive kit and prepared for death or capture as the Iraqis closed their deadly trap. Zero Six Bravo recounts in vivid and compelling detail the most desperate battle fought by British and allied Special Forces trapped behind enemy lines since World War Two. It is a classic account of elite soldiering that ranks with Bravo Two Zero and the very greatest Special Forces missions of our time.Trade ReviewBehind enemy lines: setting the record straight on an epic escape from Iraq * Soldier Magazine *More action than Call of Duty. Lifts the lid on the Special Forces mission they tried to keep secre * Captain David Blakeley *More than a tale of bravery against desperate odds. It provides an object lesson in what can go wrong when intelligence is flawed and insufficient resources and too few troops are used in war -- Toby Harnden * Sunday Times *One of the best accounts of a behind-enemy-lines mission ever * Phil Campion, ex-SAS and author of Born Fearless *One of the most remarkable stories in the history of special forces' operations * Daily Express. *Sixty special forces against 100,000 - a feat of British arms to take the breath away * Frederick Forsyth *Ten years after a near disastrous mission during the Second Gulf War, which ended in allegations of cowardice, the story of M Squadron Special Boat Service is finally being told * Daily Telegraph. *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Weighty, well argued, thorough and deeply researched.”—Richard J. Evans, London Review of Books“[An] excellent new history of the Sturmableilungen. . . a convincing thesis, supported with immense scholarship and research in national, regional, and local archives, providing a rich and detailed history.” —Taylor Downing, Military History Monthly“Brings a genuine rigour to the subject. He is not content simply to retread the stereotypical, half-formed narrative of the SA. . . Siemens portrays the SA as an integral part of the Nazi vision for society.” —Roger Moorhouse, BBC History“Quite simply, this is the best book on its subject”—David Marx, DavidMarxBookReviews“There is no doubt that it should be highly recommended reading for anyone interested in Nazi Germany.” —Katrin Paehler, German Studies Review"Siemens’s work will go a long way to correcting and deepening our understanding of the SA. He has produced an original and comprehensive study that successfully repositions the importance of the Hitler’s Stormtroopers in the history of the Third Reich."—Deborah Barton, The English Historical ReviewWinner of the Outstanding Academic Title for 2018 award sponsored by Choice"This excellent and original book is a tour de force, original, scholarly, and readable, as well as being informed by a solid grounding in the latest theoretical literature. I recommend it with great enthusiasm." Robert Gellately, author of Backing Hitler: Consent and Coercion in Nazi Germany"An excellent contribution to the vast literature on Nazi Germany. Based on meticulous research, Daniel Siemens’ Stormtroopers is not only the most comprehensive but also the best history of Hitler’s Brownshirts available in any language." Robert Gerwarth, author of Hitler's Hangman "A definitive study of the Stormtroopers. It offers genuinely new perspectives, integrating the familiar story of SA violence with the important history of that organization from 1934 to 1945. Quite simply, this is the best book on its subject." Richard Bessel, author of Germany 1945 "Daniel Siemens demonstrates in this excellent piece of scholarship that the SA did not, as is often assumed, fade into insignificance after the Night of the Long Knives in 1934 but continued to function until the very last days of the war and played a significant role in the Holocaust, in the Occupied Territories and on the home front. Thoroughly researched and very readable, Siemens has made an important contribution to our understanding of an often ignored aspect of the Third Reich." Adrian Weale, author of The SS"For the foreseeable future, Daniel Siemens’s study will be the book of reference on the National Socialist stormtroopers." Professor Michael Wildt, Humboldt University Berlin

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Book SynopsisCaroline Moorehead is a bestselling and prize-winning author, and the biographer of Bertrand Russell, Freya Stark, Iris Origo, Madame de la Tour du Pin and Martha Gellhorn. Her recent books a quartet focussed on resistance to dictatorship, particularly in Italy were shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize, the Orwell Prize and the Costa Biography Award. She lives in London.Trade ReviewBrilliant… It is refreshing to read a book that so confidently abandons the rhetoric of heroism and tries to see its subjects for who they were… Moorehead has had to master a huge amount of background material, and she pulls it off with skill and a remarkable lightness of touch -- Keith Lowe * Mail on Sunday *Riven with complexity… Stories of this weight could occupy several volumes and would still disorientate with all the possibilities – both altruistic and malevolent – of human nature -- Sinclair Mckay * Telegraph *Vivid...an unsparing yet balanced account of the Vichy years...we need books like this to make it impossible for us to forget. -- Alan Judd * Spectator *An especially poignant story… enthralling and meticulous book… amidst the horror of the Holocaust – and such horror is painfully evident in the lives of those left behind – this book shows that human kindness endured undimmed by the propaganda, the threats of violence and the vast rewards on offer for submitting to the will of Nazis -- Harry Hodges * Daily Express *Moorehead draws vivid portraits of those who helped…The emotional heart of the book beats in the children’s stories…The story does not end with Liberation. Moorehead, a biographer and historian, scrupulously records the emotional fallout from the children’s experiences -- Edward Stourton * The Times *

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Book SynopsisA.J.P. Taylor''s bestselling The Origins of the Second World War overturns popular myths about the outbreak of war.One of the most popular and controversial historians of the twentieth century, who made his subject accessible to millions, A.J.P. Taylor caused a storm of outrage with this scandalous bestseller. Debunking what were accepted truths about the Second World War, he argued provocatively that Hitler did not set out to cause the war as part of an evil master plan, but blundered into it partly by accident, aided by the shortcomings of others.Fiercely attacked for vindicating Hitler, A.J.P. Taylor''s stringent re-examination of the events preceding the Nazi invasion of Poland on 1st September 1939 opened up new debate, and is now recognized as a brilliant and classic piece of scholarly research.''Taylor''s most perfect work of art, a miracle of proportion, language and insight''  Robert Skidelsky''A dazzling exTrade ReviewTaylor's most perfect work of art, a miracle of proportion, language and insight * Robert Skidelsky *A dazzling exercise in revisionism which summed up Taylor's paradoxical, provocative and inventive approach to history * The Times *Taylor was a lifelong dissenter ... at his best - as in The Origins of the Second World War ... he shifted the gorund of major debates -- Ben Pimlott * Financial Times *No historian of the past century has been more accessible -- Niall Ferguson * Sunday Telegraph *An almost faultless masterpiece * Observer *Highly original and penetrating ... No one who has digested this enthralling work will ever be able to look at the period again in quite the same way * Sunday Telegraph *Table of ContentsForgotten problem; the legacy of the First World War; the post-war decade; the end of Versailles; the Abyssinian affair and the end of Locarno; the half-armed peace, 1936-38; Anschluss - the end of Austria; the crisis over Czechoslovakia; peace for six months; the war of nerves; war for Danzig.

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Book SynopsisThe final book in his acclaimed trilogy on the rise and fall of Nazi Germany, Richard J. Evans''s The Third Reich at War: How the Nazis Led Germany from Conquest to Disaster shows how Germany rushed headlong into destroying itself, shattering an entire continent. In 1939 Hitler mobilized Germany into all-out war. Richard Evans''s astonishing, acclaimed history conjures up a whole society plunged into conflict - from generals and front-line soldiers to Hitler Youth activists and middle-class housewives - tracing events from the invasion of Poland and the Battle of Stalingrad to Hitler''s plans for genocide and his eventual suicide. ''Masterly ... will surely be the standard history for many years to come ... This is a warning for the future, as much as a judgement on the past''   Richard Overy, Daily Telegraph ''We all know how the story ends ... but Richard Evans brings it masterfully home ... magnificent''  

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Book SynopsisGUARDIAN BOOKS OF THE YEARThe familiar image of the British in the Second World War is that of the plucky underdog taking on German might. David Edgerton''s bold, compelling new history shows the conflict in a new light, with Britain as a very wealthy country, formidable in arms, ruthless in pursuit of its interests and sitting at the heart of a global production system.The British, indeed Churchillian, vision of war and modernity was challenged by repeated defeat by less well equipped enemies. Yet the end result was a vindication of this vision. Like the United States, a powerful Britain won a cheap victory, while others paid a great price. Britain''s War Machine, by putting resources, machines and experts at the heart of a global rather than merely imperial story, demolishes some of the most cherished myths about wartime Britain and gives us a very different and often unsettling picture of a great power in actionTrade ReviewBrilliant and thought-provoking ... There are moments of edgy humour, too ... This remarkable book shows that whatever the reasons for the length of time it took to bring Hitler to heel, the quantity and quality of British war material was not among them -- Brendan Simms * Sunday Telegraph *Edgerton's book is a remarkable achievement. He re-envisions Britain's role in World War II and with it Britain's place in modernity. In place of a plucky island standing alone, he gives us a global empire of machines, not a welfare state, but a technocratic warfare state. The period will never look the same again -- Adam Tooze, author of The Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi EconomyConsistently lively, stimulating and authoritative * Observer *Absolutely fascinating. This book will make you think differently about Britain's role in the Second World War -- Laurence Rees, author of Auschwitz: The Nazis and The 'Final Solution'This book has certainly changed my views ... It is a necessary and timely corrective to a great deal of loosely thought-through conventional wisdom, and makes a real contribution to our understanding of the war -- Richard Holmes * Literary Review *For too long we have had a distorted view of Britain's position and role in the Second World War. David Edgerton has produced a stunning book that rectifies this misconception, and which is told with authority, clarity and compelling energy -- James Holland, author of The Battle of BritainAn important corrective to the black-and-white portrait of the period that still prevails * Financial Times *A stimulating exercise in muscular revisionism ... Offers a fresh and provocative view of our much-loved and much-misunderstood "finest hour" -- David Reynolds * Guardian *Accessibly written and deserves a wide audience. Above all, Edgerton demonstrates that the war is a subject we haven't yet heard nearly enough about. Britain's War Machine is a considerable achievement -- Graham Farmelo * Times Higher Education *Edgerton has excelled himself with this highly revisionist account of Britain's national performance during the Second World War ... an unusually provocative book * Twentieth Century British History, 2011 *Edgerton has written what could prove to be one of the most influential books on the history of the Second World War ... majestic ... [he] has successfully shown us that we still have a lot to learn about the conflict ... it will become the required reading for all students wishing to study the Second World War * Reviews in History *An astounding work of myth-busting ... Inspiring and unsettling in equal measure -- Tom Holland * Guardian *Majestic ... a wonderful read. It has probably popped more myths than any other book on the war in recent years -- Taylor Downing * History Today *Brilliant and iconoclastic ... debunks the myth that Britain was militarily and economically weak and intellectually parochial during the 1930s and 1940s -- David Blackburn * Spectator Book Blog *Truly eye-opening ... Edgerton's carefully researched book will fundamentally change the way you think about World War II * Daily Beast *Riveting ... a wonderfully rich book ... thoroughly stimulating -- Richard Toye * History *A major new assessment of Britain's war effort from 1939 to 1945. Never again will some of the lazy assessments of how Britain performed over these years ... be acceptable. That's why this is such an important book * History Today *Innovative and most important * Contemporary Review *Compelling and engaging ... an excellent read * Soldier *Edgerton's well-researched volume bursts with data that reveal Britain's true strength even when supposed to be in critical condition -- Peter Moreira * Military History *Britain's War Machine offers the boldest revisionist argument that seeks to overturn some of our most treasured assumptions about Britain's role in the war ... Edgerton [is] an economic historian with an army of marshalled facts and figures at his fingertips ... This is truly an eye-opening book that explodes the masochistic myth of poor little Britain, revealing the island as a proud power with the resources needed to fight and win a world war -- Nigel Jones * Spectator *Masterful Britain's War Machine promotes the notion that the United Kingdom of the Forties was a superpower, with access to millions of men across the globe, and forming the heart of a global production network * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisTHE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER ON THE LAST DAYS OF THE THIRD REICH2025 marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Read and remember the history that led to this important moment.''Recounts, in harrowing detail and with formidable skill, the brutal death-throes of Hitler''s Reich at the hands of the rampaging Red Army'' Boyd Tonkin, Independent''An irresistibly compelling narrative, of events so terrible that they still have the power to provoke wonder and awe'' Adam Sisman, ObserverThe Red Army had much to avenge when it finally reached the frontiers of the Reich in January 1945. Political instructors rammed home the message of Wehrmacht and SS brutality. The result was the most terrifying example of fire and sword ever known, with tanks crushing refugee columns under their tracks, mass rape, pillage and destruction. Hundreds of thousands of women and children froze to death or were massacred because Nazi Party chiefs, refusing to face defeat, had forbidden the evacuation of civilians. Over seven million fled westwards from the terror of the Red Army.Antony Beevor reconstructs the experiences of those millions caught up in the nightmare of the Third Reich''s final collapse, telling a terrible story of pride, stupidity, fanaticism, revenge and savagery - but also one of astonishing endurance, self-sacrifice and survival against all odds.''Makes us feel the chaos and the fear as if every drop of blood was our own . . . compellingly readable, deeply researched, and beautifully written'' Simon Sebag Montefiore, Spectator''Brilliant. Combines a soldier''s understanding of war''s realities with a novelist''s eye for detail'' Orlando Figes, Sunday Times''Startling, chilling, compelling. Beevor''s writing burns like a torch at night in a landscape of ruins''Literary Review''Powerful, diligently researched and beautifully written . . . even better than Stalingrad'' Andrew Roberts, Mail on SundayTrade ReviewFascinating, extraordinary, gripping * Jeremy Paxman *A masterpiece of modern historical writing -- Michael Burleigh * Guardian *This brilliant storyteller makes us feel the chaos and the fear as if every drop of blood was our own. It is much more than just a humane account; it is compellingly readable, deeply researched, and beautifully written -- Simon Sebag Montefiore * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisWhen Hitler attacked the Soviet Union in June 1941, he intended to capture Leningrad before turning on Moscow. Soviet resistance forced him to change tactics: with his forward troops only thirty kilometres from the city''s historic centre, he decided instead to starve it out. Using newly available diaries and government records, Anna Reid describes a city''s descent into hell - the breakdown of electricity and water supply; subzero temperatures; the consumption of pets, joiner''s glue and face cream; the dead left unburied where they fell - but also the extraordinary endurance, bravery and self-sacrifice, despite the cruelty and indifference of the Kremlin.Trade ReviewA masterpiece of modern historical writing. With a clear, unsentimental eye and in calm prose, she describes the horrors of the most lethal siege in modern history ... A terrible story, superbly researched and beautifully told * Anthony Beevor, Daily Telegraph Books of the Year *Magisterial * Orlando Figes, Daily Telegraph Books of the Year *An admirable retelling of the extraordinary story of the 1941-44 siege ... The author has assembled the testimony of many unfamiliar witnesses, and vividly portrays what some of us consider the most dreadful saga of the Second World War * Max Hastings, The Times Books of the Year *Impeccably researched, well-paced and beautifully written, Leningrad marks a new benchmark in the study of the subject and a more nuanced, objective interpretation for a new century * Financial Times *A moving and breathtaking examination of the terrible price extorted by unfettered political power on both sides -- Sally Moris * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisThe P-51B Mustang was delivered to the European Theater of Operations in the cherished hope that it could help achieve the destruction of Germany''s aircraft industry and the Luftwaffe before Operation Overlord. This title tells the story of that aircraft from its development prior to the American entry into the war through to D-Day in June 1944.During World War II, the United States Army Air Corps was led by a cadre of officers who believed implicitly that military aviation, particularly fast heavy bombers at high altitude, would be able to destroy strategic enemy targets during daylight with minimal losses. However, by 1942 the Flying Fortress was proving vulnerable to Luftwaffe fighters.This title charts the United States Army Air Forces'' struggle to develop a Long-Range Escort which would enable them to achieve the Combined Bomber Objectives and gain mastery of the skies over the Third Reich. The commitment of the USAAF to the Mediterranean and EurTrade ReviewWithin the pages of this book you will discover a detailed chronology and evolution of the P-51 airplane, from development to the battlefield. This is the most detailed and well-researched history that I have seen on the P-51 airplane, covering conception, design, development, manufacturing, and arrival at the field of battle. The story is both compelling and authentic. * Gerald Landry, GALCIT Wind Tunnel Manager, Ret. *The Mustang revisited. An exhaustive work with up-to-date research and something for all readers with the story of the famous fighter. A must-have for all Mustang lovers. -- Robert Gruenhagen, author of 'Mustang: The Story of the P-51 Fighter'It is a compelling story, told in a way that is both interesting and informative. For enthusiasts of aerospace history, WWII history, or merely the story of the march of technology, this is a book that deserves to be read and studied. -- Cindy Macha * Director of the Western Museum of Flight *For anyone interested in the US Air Force, or the Mustang itself, this is a very solid and attractive work. * The Armourer *A must have title that illustrates an outstanding American adventure. * JP4 Magazine *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Dedication Foreword Introduction 1: The Creation of NAA 2: NAA’s Struggle to Gain USAAC Acceptance 3: Building the Mustang Despite the USAAC-MD 4: The Birth of the Merlin Mustang 5: The Long-Hoped-For Single-Engined Escort Fighter 6: The Mission of Long-Range Escort Reaches Crisis Point 7: “Destroy the Luftwaffe – in the Air and on the Ground” Appendices Bibliography Endnotes Index

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Book SynopsisAs part of the infamous Double Cross operation, Jewish double agent Renato Levi proved to be one of the Allies' most devastating weapons in the Second World War. ln 1941, with the help of Ml6, Levi built an extensive spy ring in North Africa and the Middle East. But, most remarkably, it was entirely fictitious. This network of imagined informants peddled dangerously false information to Levi's unwitting German handlers. His efforts would distort any enemy estimates of Allied battle plans for the remainder of the war. His communications were infused with just enough truth to be palatable, and just enough imagination to make them irresistible. ln a vacuum of seemingly trustworthy sources, Levi's enemies not only believed in the CHEESE network, as it was codenamed, but they came to depend upon it. And, by the war's conclusion, he could boast of having helped the Allies thwart Rommel in North Africa, as well as diverting whole armies from the D-Day landing sites. He wielded great influence and, as a double agent, he was unrivalled. Until now, Levi's devilish deceptions and feats of derring-do have remained completely hidden. Using recently declassified files, Double Cross in Cairo uncovers the heroic exploits of one of the Second World War's most closely guarded secrets.Trade Review"Nigel West tells the story well, and this has all the page-turning excitement of a le Carre spy thriller." - Choice Magazine "An object lesson in how to run a successful wartime strategic deception operation and easily explains why such files were kept classified for so many years." - Thomas McClung, New York Journal of Books

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Book SynopsisOtto Skorzeny, Germanys top commando in the Second World War, is one of the most famous men in the history of special forces. His extraordinary wartime career was one of high risk and adventure and here he tells the full story. Skorzeny quickly proved his worth in Yugoslavia and then Russia. In 1942 he was awarded the Iron Cross, and in April 1943 he was promoted to captain and named Chief of Germany's Special Troops, Existing or to be Created in the Future. When Mussolini was imprisoned in Italy in 1943, it was Skorzeny who successfully led the daring glider rescue, winning the Knights Cross and promotion as a result. Skorzenys talents were brought into play again when he was sent to Budapest to stop the Hungarian regent Admiral Horthy from signing a peace with Stalin in 1944. Now dubbed the most dangerous man in Europe by the Allies Skorzeny was awarded the German Cross in Gold. A few months later he took a critical role in the Ardennes offensive with a controversial plan to raise a brigade disguised as Americans with captured Sherman tanks. His captured colleagues spread a false rumour that he was planning to assassinate Eisenhower, who was consequently confined to his headquarters for weeks.

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Book SynopsisOne of the most remarkable stories in the history of Special Forces' operations - Daily ExpressIn the bleak moments after defeat on mainland Europe in winter 1939, Winston Churchill knew that Britain had to strike back hard. So Britain's wartime leader called for the lightning development of a completely new kind of warfare, recruiting a band of eccentric free-thinking warriors to become the first 'deniable' secret operatives to strike behind enemy lines, offering these volunteers nothing but the potential for glory and all-but-certain death. Churchill's Secret Warriors tells the story of the daring victories for this small force of 'freelance pirates', undertaking devastatingly effective missions against the Nazis, often dressed in enemy uniforms and with enemy kit, breaking all previously held rules of warfare. Master storyteller Damien Lewis brings the adventures of the secret unit to life, weaving together the stories of the soldiers' brotherhood in this compelling narrative, from the unit's earliest missions to the death of their leader just weeks before the end of the war.Trade ReviewOne of the most extraordinary stories of World War II is also one of the least commonly known ... compelling ... an eloquent and welcome tribute to their selfless, sometimes reckless courage - a howitzer of a tale that more people should know about * Daily Mail *

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Book Synopsis''A magnificent story, brilliantly told. Read it!'' ANTHONY HOROWITZSIX GENTLEMEN, ONE GOAL - THE DESTRUCTION OF HITLER''S WAR MACHINE.In the spring of 1939, a top secret organisation was founded in London: its purpose was to plot the destruction of Hitler''s war machine through spectacular acts of sabotage. The guerrilla campaign that followed was to prove every bit as extraordinary as the six gentlemen who directed it. One of them, Cecil Clarke, was a maverick engineer who invented a lethal bomb. Another, William Fairbairn, was the world''s leading expert in silent killing. Led by dapper Scotsman Colin Gubbins, and aided by a group of formidable women, these six men and their sabotage attacks single-handedly changed the course of the war.''Terrific . . . a great read'' IAN HISLOP''Could not be faster-moving or more exciting'' LITERARY REVIEWPreviously published in hardback as The MiTrade Review[A] wonderful book . . . A fascinating and lively account . . . Milton writes with a pace and panache suitable to the subject * The Times *[A] wonderful book . . . A fascinating and lively account . . . Milton writes with a pace and panache suitable to the subject * The Times *[A] wonderful book . . . A fascinating and lively account . . . Milton writes with a pace and panache suitable to the subject * The Times *What sets Milton's work apart from other recounting is his behind-the-scenes access to the stories of the small group of men who put their minds to creating new ways to wage war * The Spectator *What sets Milton's work apart from other recounting is his behind-the-scenes access to the stories of the small group of men who put their minds to creating new ways to wage war * The Spectator *What sets Milton's work apart from other recounting is his behind-the-scenes access to the stories of the small group of men who put their minds to creating new ways to wage war * The Spectator *Milton is a meticulous researcher and masterful storyteller . . . a fascinating account of England's top-secret operatives who designed and deployed the chilling but effective weapons of clandestine warfare * USA Today *Milton is a meticulous researcher and masterful storyteller . . . a fascinating account of England's top-secret operatives who designed and deployed the chilling but effective weapons of clandestine warfare * USA Today *Milton is a meticulous researcher and masterful storyteller . . . a fascinating account of England's top-secret operatives who designed and deployed the chilling but effective weapons of clandestine warfare * USA Today *Milton is a first-rate storyteller . . . a rousing account - and celebration - of most insidious heroes * Wall Street Journal *Milton is a first-rate storyteller . . . a rousing account - and celebration - of most insidious heroes * Wall Street Journal *Milton is a first-rate storyteller . . . a rousing account - and celebration - of most insidious heroes * Wall Street Journal *[Giles Milton] writes with relish about the eccentrics who dreamed up the likes of anti-tank 'sticky bombs' while the adventures he describes could not be faster-moving or more exciting * Literary Review *[Giles Milton] writes with relish about the eccentrics who dreamed up the likes of anti-tank 'sticky bombs' while the adventures he describes could not be faster-moving or more exciting * Literary Review *[Giles Milton] writes with relish about the eccentrics who dreamed up the likes of anti-tank 'sticky bombs' while the adventures he describes could not be faster-moving or more exciting * Literary Review *This account of dirty bombs and derring-do rattles along with the pace of a spy novel * Daily Express *This account of dirty bombs and derring-do rattles along with the pace of a spy novel * Daily Express *This account of dirty bombs and derring-do rattles along with the pace of a spy novel * Daily Express *A magnificent story, brilliantly told. Read it! * Anthony Horowitz *A magnificent story, brilliantly told. Read it! * Anthony Horowitz *A magnificent story, brilliantly told. Read it! * Anthony Horowitz *Terrific . . . a great read * Ian Hislop *Terrific . . . a great read * Ian Hislop *Terrific . . . a great read * Ian Hislop *

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Book SynopsisAcclaimed historian and best-selling author Antony Beevor vividly brings to life the epic struggles that took place in Second World War Crete - reissued with a new introduction.''The best book we have got on Crete'' ObserverThe Germans expected their airborne attack on Crete in 1941 - a unique event in the history of warfare - to be a textbook victory based on tactical surprise. They had no idea that the British, using Ultra intercepts, knew their plans and had laid a carefully-planned trap. It should have been the first German defeat of the war, but a fatal misunderstanding turned the battle round. Nor did the conflict end there. Ferocious Cretan freedom fighters mounted a heroic resistance, aided by a dramatic cast of British officers from Special Operations Executive.Trade ReviewAntony Beevor's unerring flair for the climate and the feel of the conflict ... his insight and his grasp of these events make them seem as though they had happened last week * Patrick Leigh Fermor, Daily Telegraph *Excellent . . . an arresting account of the whole war on Crete, including the ghastly experiences of the Cretans under German occupation * John Keegan, Sunday Telegraph *The best book we have got on Crete * Michael Foot, Observer *Beevor's account is excellent: fresh, lively and peppered with anecdotes * Mail on Sunday *'A new paperback edition is welcome for two reasons; reminding us that Beevor is a writer and historian of rare ability and for starkly illustrating the variables of war' * Neville Smith, Lloyd's List *

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Book SynopsisIn March 1943 a team of expatriate Norwegian commandos sailed from the most northerly part of Britain for Nazi-occupied Norway. Their mission was to organise and support the Norwegian resistance. They were betrayed, and only one man survived the ambush by the Nazis.Crippled by frostbite, snow-blind and hunted by the Nazis, Jan Baalstrud managed to find a tiny arctic village. There - delirious, near death - he found villagers willing to risk their own lives to save him. David Howarth narrates his incredible escape in this gripping tale of courage and the resilience of the human spirit.Trade ReviewExcellent...a deeply moving Arctic saga * * The Times * *We Die Alone fills one with humble admiration for the stubborn courage of a man who refused to die under circumstances that would have killed ninety-nine men out of a hundred. * * New York Times * *A book that I absolutely could not put down...and one that I will never forget. * * Steven E. Ambrose, author of Band of Brothers * *Almost unbelievable. We Die Alone is a spine-chiller. It was well become a legend. -- Boston PostHowarth's narrative is thoroughly involving; you can almost hear the shriek of the Arctic wind, be blinded by the snow and feel the frostbite. As vividly portrayed as his personal courage is the desolating impact of war on a handful of remote Norwegian fishing settlements. -- David Stafford * * Times Literary Supplement * *One of the most extraordinary escape stories you will ever read . . . outstanding -- Andy McNabastonishing and enthralling * * The Scottish Mail on Sunday * *

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Book SynopsisThe five-month Monte Cassino campaign in central Italy is one of the best-known European land battles of World War Two, alongside D-Day and Stalingrad. It has a particular resonance now, because Cassino, with its multitude of participating armies - most notably the American 5th Army under the controversial General Mark Clark - was perhaps the campaign of the Second World War that most closely anticipates the coalition operations of today, with its ever-shifting cast of players stuck in inhospitable, mountainous terrain, pursuing an objective set by unknowing politicians in distant capitals, where victory is difficult to define. Monte Cassino was characterised by the destruction of its world famous Abbey: in retrospect, considered an unjustifiable act of cultural vandalism by the allies.The audit trail of decision-making to destroy an icon as well known then as the Eiffel Tower or Lincoln Memorial, is a chilling reminder that similar decisions are still being made in ITrade ReviewPeter Caddick-Adams has brought highly perceptive and much-needed fresh analysis to this new account of the Cassino battles. Both authoritative and compellingly written, his immense knowledge and understanding of the Second World War exudes off every page. It will unquestionably remain the standard text on this bloody episode of the war for many years to come * James Holland *

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Book SynopsisWinston Churchill (1874-1965) was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1940 to 1945 and from 1951 to 1955. A prolific writer, whose works include The Second World War and A History of the English-Speaking Peoples, Churchill was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1953.

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Book SynopsisWinston Churchill''s six-volume history of the cataclysm that swept the world remains the definitive history of the Second World War. Lucid, dramatic, remarkable both for its breadth and sweep and for its sense of personal involvement, it is universally acknowledged as a magnificent reconstruction and is an enduring, compelling work that led to his being awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. The Hinge of Fate describes how the tide of the war gradually turned for Britain and its allies from constant defeat to almost unbroken successes - Japan''s successful assault on the Pacific, Britain''s attempts to aid a beleaguered Russia and the defeat of Rommel at the Battle of Alamein.

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Book SynopsisAfter Germany''s defeat in World War II, Europe lay in tatters. Millions of refugees were dispersed across the continent. Food and fuel were scarce. Britain was bankrupt, while Germany had been reduced to rubble. In July of 1945, Harry Truman, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin gathered in a quiet suburb of Berlin to negotiate a lasting peace: a peace that would finally put an end to the conflagration that had started in 1914, a peace under which Europe could be rebuilt.The award-winning historian Michael Neiberg brings the turbulent Potsdam conference to life, vividly capturing the delegates'' personalities: Truman, trying to escape from the shadow of Franklin Roosevelt, who had died only months before Churchill, bombastic and seemingly out of touch Stalin, cunning and meticulous. For the first week, negotiations progressed relatively smoothly. But when the delegates took a recess for the British elections, Churchill was replaced,both as prime minster and as Britain''s representativTrade Review2016 Harry S. Truman Book Award Wall Street Journal "An easily digestible page-turner." Financial Times "[A] crisp, elegantly organized account of Potsdam... [An] excellent book." Weekly Standard "[Neiberg is] a skilled storyteller." America in World War II "[A] well-researched, perceptive history." Library Journal "An intriguing and readable book about a conference that has been relegated to footnotes for much too long. A must-have account for everyone..." Publishers Weekly "[A] thoughtful, mildly controversial account... Neiberg's insightful history makes a case that Potsdam worked much better than Versailles had in 1919." Kirkus "This is a solid account of the conference, concisely summarizing its results and significance without excessive indulgence in entertaining personal anecdotes. Fills a hitherto surprisingly empty niche in the World War II library." Geoffrey Wawro, author of A Mad Catastrophe: The Outbreak of World War I and the Collapse of the Habsburg Empire "Michael Neiberg has given us a taut, masterful account of Potsdam, revealing that the Big Three operated more from fear--of each other, of their peoples, of their rivals, and of fast-moving events on the ground--than from any degree of confidence or certainty. The Cold War was born at Potsdam, and Neiberg seats us at the conference table, to feel the tension and acrimony." Jeremi Suri, author of Liberty's Surest Guardian: American Nation-Building from the Founders to Obama "The Potsdam Conference defined international relations in the second half of the twentieth century, and it continues to influence contemporary events in Europe and East Asia. This book offers a compelling account of the events that led to the conference, the personalities who dominated the conference, and the consequences of their decisions. Neiberg explains why Potsdam was more successful than the Versailles Conference at the end of the First World War, and he analyzes how Potsdam contributed to postwar peace. This is a powerful book with high drama--a must-read for anyone interested in global affairs." Norman Stone, author of World War Two: A Short History "Michael Neiberg's Potsdam is a masterpiece of much needed compression on the Potsdam Conference of 1945, and the contrast with peacemaking in 1919 is excellently brought out." Dennis Showalter, Professor History at Colorado College "Ghosts and hopes informed the 1945 Potsdam Conference, which began a new era in European and world history. Michael Neiberg's comprehensively researched, smoothly presented analysis demonstrates that the statesmen who met at Potsdam were as much concerned with ending the era of total war that began in 1914 as with addressing the question of how best to go forward in securing peace and stability. Potsdam describes the processes and consequences in a perceptive work confirming the author's status as a leading scholar of the twentieth century experience." Jonathan Schneer, author of Ministers at War: Winston Churchill and His War Cabinet "With the end of war in Europe in May 1945, Truman, Stalin, Churchill, and their advisors met at Potsdam to solve the 'German problem' once and for all. They agreed upon the main task, but on little else. Shrewdly and economically, Michael Neiberg delineates the conflicting motives and interests that separated the leaders of 'the Big Three.' Mr. Neiberg provides deft pen portraits of the principals as well. He has taken an enormously complicated subject and made it comprehensible for the general reader." Andrew Roberts, author of The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War "Although the Potsdam Conference isn't as famous as those held at Casablanca, Quebec, or Yalta, Michael Neiberg brilliantly shows how the decisions made at Potsdam color today's world far more than its counterparts. With compelling prose and first-class scholarship, Neiberg superbly captures its spirit of misplaced optimism, as the world teetered on the brink of a totally unnecessary Cold War." Jeremy Black, author of Rethinking World War Two "A first rate account of a meeting that played a key role in defining the postwar world. Scholarly, thoughtful, and well written."Table of Contents1. "Jesus Christ and General Jackson" 2. "The Most Terrible Responsibility Any Man Ever Faced" 3. May Days 4. "Our Troubles Might Not Yet Be Over" 5. "A Vast Undertaking": Coming to Potsdam 6. "What a Scene of Destruction" 7. "In Seventeen Days You Can Decide Anything" 8. "I Dreamed That My Life Was Over" 9. " Dismemberment as a Permanent Fate"? Solving the Problem of Germany 10. "The Bastard of Versailles" 11. Dr. Grove's Son and the Fate of East Asia

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Book SynopsisDrawing on extensive archival research and interviews with survivors of the period, Eric Lee has written the definitive account of the raid, putting it into the context of the German occupation of British lands during the war.Trade Review"An authentic and compelling read." -- Damien Lewis * best-selling author of Hunting Hitler's Nukes, Churchill's Secret Warriors, and The Nazi Hunters. *"Riveting." * The Wall Street Journal *"Gripping detail." * Jersey Evening Post *"Drawing on extensive research from a number of sources, including interviews with survivors from the period, the author tells the story of Operation Basalt for the very first time and exposes some fascinating detail which also puts into context the German wartime occupation of the Channel Islands ... Any reader with an interest in the war in the Channel Islands really needs to have this on his bookshelf!" * Britain at War *"Well-researched ... a most informative read." * Channel Islands Occupation Society newsletter *

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Book Synopsis‘We continued to receive unwelcome visits from the Hun – Fw 190s dropping bombs.’

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Book SynopsisIn-depth investigation of the problems of British tank design in the interwar years and during the war.

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Book SynopsisDescribes how the ambitious Allied airborne Landing at Arnhem was thwarted by the presence of two elite Waffen-SS divisions. Covers the fierce action as the lightly armed Paras were worn down. Superb contemporary images of action and equipment. Compiled by leading IOW author.

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Book SynopsisFirst in-depth study of the ingenious logistics plan for OP CORPORATE, written by a highly experienced and senior military logistician.

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Book SynopsisDrawing on a superb collection of rare and unpublished photographs the 5th SS Division Wiking 1941 - 1945 is the 5th book in the Waffen-SS Images of War Series by Ian Baxter. The book tells the dramatic story of the 5th SS Panzer Division�Wiking at War. �The men of the division were recruited from foreign volunteers in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, the Netherlands and Belgium under the command of German officers. Not all were collaborators - the choice they were all too often presented with was join up or be locked up - or worse. During the course of the war, the division served on the Eastern Front in 1941. It surrendered in May 1945 to the American forces in Austria.

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Book SynopsisTHE GRIPPING SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'A vastly entertaining tale, bursting with astonishing stories and extraordinary characters ... A fascinating read' Sunday Telegraph'Brilliant ... An amazing story, one I hadn't heard too much about' Dan SnowIT IS THE DEPTHS OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR.The Germans like to boast that there is 'no escape' from the infamous fortress that is Colditz.The elite British officers imprisoned there are determined to prove the Nazis wrong and get back into the war.As the war heats up and the stakes are raised, the Gestapo plant a double-agent inside the prison in a bid to uncover the secrets of the British prisoners. Captain Julius Green of the Army Dental Corps and Sergeant John 'Busty' Brown must risk their lives in a bid to save the lives of hundreds of Allied servicemen and protect the secrets of MI9.Drawn from unseen records, The Traitor of Colditz brings to light an extraordinary, never-before-told story from the Second World War, an epic tale of how MI9 took on the Nazis and exposed the traitors in their midst.Trade Review'A rump of die-hard British fascists intent on horrific treachery, a hunt that echoes down the dark and sinister halls of Colditz Castle, secret and ingenious codes to fox the enemy, unbelievably courageous and ingenious escapes executed by Allied POWs who would not be denied, MI9's masterful body lines that spirited escapees back to Britain to continue the fight – this book has it all ... An intensively researched work, this is a period of WWII history that Robert Verkaik brings to life with real verve and flair' -- Damien Lewis, author of SAS Band of Brothers'A masterly book... An incredible piece of research that has uncovered an unknown story of betrayal, double agents against a sense of honour and need for justice by those British POWs who were betrayed. It's a real page-turner' -- Dr Helen Fry, author and leading expert on MI9'Verkaik has managed to add considerably to the history of Purdy, the traitor at Colditz... An excellent book' -- William Neave, son of Airey Neave, the first British officer to escape from Colditz'A vastly entertaining tale, bursting with astonishing stories and extraordinary characters. Much of it will be new, even to fans of the Second World War espionage genre ... Verkaik has done a great job mining the secret service files in the National Archives and unearthing narrative gold ... The truth about the traitors may be that there is no great enigma to be unravelled. But in Verkaik's hands the story of their treachery makes for a fascinating read' -- Patrick Bishop, Sunday Telegraph'Riveting story' * Mail on Sunday *'A gripping tale of wartime espionage and counterespionage' * History of War Magazine *'A brilliant book about Walter Purdy, one of the worst Nazi sympathisers who passed on information about British escape plans, including in Colditz Castle ... Us Brits don't like talking about traitors during the Second World War so Purdy doesn't fit the narrative. Purdy is an uncomfortable reality' * Dan Snow's History Hit podcast *'A welcome addition to the Colditz historiography ... This book will have you hanging on every word' * Key Military *

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Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1941, as the Germans invade Russia, newspaper reporter Vasily Grossman is swept to the frontlines, witnessing some of the most savage atrocities in Russian history. As Grossman follows the Red Army from the defence of Moscow, to the carnage at Stalingrad, to the Nazi genocide in Treblinka, his writings paint a vividly raw and devastating account of Operation Barbarossa during World War Two. Grossman’s notebooks, war diaries, personal correspondence and newspaper articles are meticulously woven into a gripping narrative and provide a piercing look into the life of the author behind recent Sunday Times bestseller Stalingrad.A Writer at War stands as an unforgettable eyewitness account of the Eastern Front and places Grossman as the leading Soviet voice of ‘the ruthless truth of war’.‘A remarkable addition to the literature of 1941 – 1945...a wonderful portrait of the wartime experience of Russia... A worthy memorial to a remarkable man’ Sunday TelegraphTrade ReviewA remarkable addition to the literature of 1941-45...a wonderful portrait of the wartime experience of Russia... A worthy memorial to a remarkable man -- Max Hastings * Sunday Telegraph *Magnificent... Any war correspondent writing today about the horrors we are still being subjected to by ideologues, mean-spirited leaders and fanatics of various shades and faiths, should take the time to read him. There is a profound humanity in his prose, an abilitity for empathy and a capacity for rage that one rarely meets -- Omer Bartov * Times Literary Supplement *Grossman, like Isaac Babel twenty years before him, lifts war correspondence to new heights * Literary Review *As a pithy account of war at its most extreme, this fascinating book will rarely be bettered -- James Delingpole * Mail on Sunday *Unforgettable... Antony Beevor and Luba Vinogradova have recovered nothing less than a lost classic of reportage -- Sean McCarthy * The Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisBy the beginning of 1941 there was a fully fledged Polish Air Force operating alongside the RAF. With 14 Squadrons it was larger than any other of the Air Force from Nazi-occupied Europe that had joined the Allies. Over 17,000 men and women passed through the ranks of the Polish Air Force while it was stationed in the UK.They shot down 745 enemy aircraft, with a further 175 unconfirmed. They dropped thousands of bombs and laid hundreds of mines, flying 102,486 sorties notching up a total of 290,895 operation flying hours. They achieved this at a cost of 1,973 killed and 1,388 wounded. They won 342 British gallantry awards.

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 1944, Enemy Coast Ahead combines Guy Gibson''s RAF career, including the famous Dambuster raid which he himself led, with the inside story of life in RAF Bomber Command and is still a riveting read for the immediacy and vibrancy of its writing.And yet, what has not been widely known is that the published edition of Enemy Coast Ahead was carefully cut by wartime censors.Now, Gibson''s original manuscript, which was archived for almost 75 years, has been be brought to light. This uncut edition provides not only previously unpublished details of Gibson''s career, but also reveals his true view of the course of the war, of the wartime population, of his pilots and crews and of Bomber Command tactics. Combined with newly added photographs and diagrams Enemy Coast Ahead - Uncensored remains one of the outstanding accounts of WWII seen through the eyes of one of its most respected and controversial personalities, but now allows the reader to know Gibson''s own story in his

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Book SynopsisThis is beautifully slipcased presented collector’ s edition of the best selling title, The Lost World of Bletchley Park, a comprehensive illustrated history of this remarkable place, from its prewar heyday as a country estate, its wartime requisition and how it became the place where modern computing was invented and the German Enigma code was cracked, to its post-war dereliction and then rescue towards the end of the twentieth century as a museum. Removable memorabilia includes: 1938 recruiting memo with a big tick against Turing’ s name Churchill’ s ‘ Action this day’ letter giving code breakers extra resources Handwritten Turing memos Top Secret Engima decryptions, about the sinking of the Bismark, German High Command’ s assessment of D-Day threat and the message announcing Hitler’ s suicide A wealth of everyday items such as call-up papers, security notices and propoganda posters Newly redesigned interiors with 25% new content, high end slipcase package featuring removable facsimile documents, this is an essential purchase for everyone interested and wanting to experience the place where code-breaking helped to win the war.Trade ReviewIllustrated Book of the Month ‘Less a book than an adventure€¦ Even better, the book covers not only the wartime life of Bletchley Park, but also brings the story right up to date with material on the renovation of the buildings and on famous visitors to the site.’ Illustrated Book of the Month ‘Less a book than an adventure… Even better, the book covers not only the wartime life of Bletchley Park, but also brings the story right up to date with material on the renovation of the buildings and on famous visitors to the site.’ 5*'This collection provides a fascinating insight into [the Bletchley characters’] work… Thumbing through this slipcased collector’s edition will make you feel as if you are holding history in your hands.’‘this fascinating book brings to life the invaluable work done...But there is also an insight into the origins of Bletchley Park itself’‘Unforlding the maps, memos and Enigma decryptions adds a powerful and evocative dimension to this impressive chronicle… This marvelous account makes compelling reading.’‘an introduction to the place and the people who made the magic happen, and how they lived their covert lives.’‘5*. This collection provides a fascinating insight into [the Bletchley characters’] work… Thumbing through this slipcased collector’s edition will make you feel as if you are holding history in your hands.’ * How it Works magazine *'This fascinating book brings to life the invaluable work done...But there is also an insight into the origins of Bletchley Park itself’ * Who do you think you are magazine *

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Book SynopsisEwen Montagu's legendary memoir is released to coincide with the film version of Operation Mincemeat

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Book SynopsisA daring behind-enemy-lines mission from the author of A Time of Gifts and The Broken Road, who was once described by the BBC as 'a cross between Indiana Jones, James Bond and Graham Greene'.Trade ReviewIt takes some chutzpah to kidnap a German general - and serious presence of mind to get away with it. Paddy, the Special Operations Executive commander of a group of 11 Cretan andartes, or guerrilla fighters, together with his second-in-command Captain William Stanley Moss, had excessive stores of both . . . Abducting a General . . . is the work of a mature man, anxious to pay proper tribute to the Cretans who were the backbone of the resistance and ran by far the greatest risks. His SOE reports, which run to 90 pages here, provide gripping cinematic portraits of Leigh Fermor the soldier * The Spectator *Beautifully written . . . Fermor's love of Crete and scholarly knowledge of the Classics exude from the pages * The Times *As a pure adventure story . . . it is hard to beat * Financial Times *Superb . . . Leigh Fermor's many fans will find plenty of the old master's fizz in this resurrected work . . . irresistible * Scotsman *Paddy's vividly idiomatic reports irresistibly take us in to the skulduggery and derring-do . . . a wonderful story * Jan Morris, Literary Review *The late, great Pagrick Leigh Fermor, described as a cross between Indiana Jones, James Bond and Graham Greene, first became famous in 1944 for his daring kidnap of high-ranking German general . . . Afficionados of the tale were spoilt this year * Daily Express *Gripping buccaneering of the old school * Sun *Paddy was the Byron of our time * Standpoint *A riveting first-hand account * Good Book Guide *Abducting a General is filled with the same rich exuberant prose [as his trilogy] and fulfils its objective as portraying the Cretan people as the true heroes of the resistance * TLS *What shines through in Leigh Fermor's account is his connection to and respect and admiration for the spirit of the Cretan people * Daily Mail *A glorious first-hand account of one of the great adventures of the Second World War * Gentleman's Journal *

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Book SynopsisIn the aftermath of the Winter War, Finland found itself drawing ever closer to Nazi Germany and eventually took part in Operation Barbarossa in 1941. For the Finns this was a chance to right the wrongs of the Winter War, and having reached suitable defensive positions, the army was ordered to halt. Years of uneasy trench warfare followed, known as the Continuation War, during which Finland desperately sought a way out, German dreams of victory were dashed, and the Soviet Union built the strongest army in the world. In the summer of 1944, the whole might of the Red Army was launched against the Finnish defenses on the narrow Karelian Isthmus. Over several weeks of fierce fighting, the Finns managed to halt the Soviet assault. With Stalin forced to divert his armies to the race to Berlin, an armistice agreement was reached, the harsh terms of which forced the Finns to take on their erstwhile German allies in Lapland. Featuring rare photographs and first-hand accounts,

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Book Synopsis'A humbling, inspiring account of some of the real founders of modern day Special Forces soldiering' Bear GryllsPraise for Sunday Times No.1 bestselling author Damien Lewis' SAS mission series:'One of the great untold stories of WWII' - Bear Grylls on SAS Ghost Patrol'A tale of bravery against desperate odds' - Sunday Times on Churchill's Secret Warriors'True adventures laced with staggering bravery and sacrifice' - Sun on Hunting the Nazi BombSAS Nazi Hunters is the incredible, hitherto untold story of the most secret chapter in the SAS's history. Officially, the world's most elite special forces unit was dissolved at the end of the Second World War, and not reactivated until the 1950s. Among their last actions was a disastrous commando raid into occupied France in 1944, which ended in the capture,torture and execution of 31 soldiers.It can now be revealed that the SAS never was dissolved: it lived on, commanded personally by Churchill and hidden even from the British government. They were tasked with hunting through the ruins of the Reich for the SS commanders responsible for the murder of their comrades, including many who had escaped the failed justice of the Nuremberg trials. Along the way, they discovered before anyone else the full horror of Hitler's regime, and the growing threat from Stalin's Russia.Still studied by the SAS today and a central part of their founding myth, the story of the Nazi hunters is now told by bestselling author Damien Lewis.

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Book SynopsisAugust Kubizek met Adolf Hitler in 1904 while they were both competing for standing room at the opera. Their mutual passion for music created a strong bond, and over the next four years they became close friends. Kubizek describes a reticent young man, painfully shy, yet capable of bursting into hysterical fits of anger if anyone disagreed with him. The two boys would often talk for hours on end; Hitler found Kubizek to be a very good listener, a worthy confidant to his hopes and dreams. In 1908 Kubizek moved to Vienna and shared a room with Hitler at 29 Stumpergasse. During this time, Hitler tried to get into art school, but he was unsuccessful. With his money fast running out, he found himself sinking to the lower depths of the city: an unkind world of isolation and constant unappeasable hunger. Hitler moved out of the flat in November, without leaving a forwarding address; Kubizek did not meet his friend again until 1938. The Young Hitler I Knew tells the story of an extraordinary friendship, and gives fascinating insight into Hitler's character during these formative years. This is the first edition to be published in English since 1955 and it corrects many changes made for reasons of political correctness. It also includes important sections which were excised from the original English translation.

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Book SynopsisHer voice is absolutely, beguilingly conversational Intelligent, allusive, iconoclastic, captivatingly intense This is the news from the domestic frontline: personal, unique, unexpurgated, without propaganda, as it unfolded and was experienced Splendid'William Boyd, GuardianWith the intimacy and wit of a Second World War Bridget Jones, Eileen Alexander offers a portal into life during the Blitz.Eileen Alexander fell in love amidst the falling of bombs, finding a quotation from poetry at every turn. Graduating from Cambridge in 1939, she had just been injured in a car crash (the man she had a soft spot for was driving) and had firm ambitions of studying further, making herself useful and absolutely not getting married.Her letters offer a love story and a unique snapshot of the home front, as well as resurrecting the voice of a profoundly funny writer.I wonder what anyone would think if they suddenly came across my letters to you & started reading them in chronological order?' Eileen Trade Review‘Once in a while, just at the right moment, a truly gorgeous real-life love story appears out of the blue, or in this case out of a chance purchase on eBay. Some of wartime’s funniest, most unexpected and possibly unintentionally sexiest letters. Eileen has an insatiable eye for funny stories amid the strange circumstances of war. There are echoes of intimate, Mitfordian shorthand and a touch of the self-deprecating, self-doubting Bridget Jones about her.’The Spectator ‘It has been a long time since I enjoyed a book as much … Of the hundreds of books about World War II that I’ve read, this is one of the best. Imagine how [Austen] might have witnessed the Blitz, and you have a sense of this wonderful book’New York Times ‘Eileen emerges as a force of nature, and her voice is one of the real joys in these remarkable letters. She was clever and caustic, without being cruel; intellectually brilliant and revelling in that fact… a memoir of hope and resilience, as much as of love’ The Times ‘A trove of dazzlingly literary love letters. These are as [Oswyn] Murray rightly concludes, ‘some of the most beautiful and vivid’ love letters of the Second World War’Daily Telegraph ‘The great value of Eileen’s book is that it takes you out of our present troubles into a world even more dangerous and destructive, which people nevertheless survived’ Sunday Times ‘This remarkable treasure trove of letters gives a unique insight into home-front life and romance’Mail on Sunday ‘Superbly entertaining … on almost every page there is a gleaming little starburst of life … She is immensely clever and her literary judgements are delicious. Her writing is a diary-like outpouring, a stream of consciousness in which she relives her days in the glorifying imagined gaze of her recipient; it is a mass of aperçus, jokes, observations and confessions.’ TLS

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