Second World War Books

Book SynopsisLondon, June 1942. The bombs are falling, the music plays on, but can the Good Time Girls keep dancing?Everything has finally fallen into place for Renee. So when vicar Roger asks her to support a new dance hall, it should be a great way to give back to the community. Except Renee has a terrible secret she is holding onto. One that Roger can never know about...Nancy will keep Renee's secret. But she's got her own problems: handsome GI Jack has turned her head, and the American soldiers are causing a stir. Temperance has made a new friend - but now that she has someone who can understand the challenges she faces, will her relationship with Archie survive?All Violet wants is to spend every minute with her precious baby Eamon. But with her sweetheart dead and cruel gossips making life a misery for her and her mixed-race son, will she be able to weather the hostility she's forced to face every day?Things have never been so tough for the Good Time Girls, but they'll get through it as long as they have each other... An absolutely gripping and heart-warming wartime saga about the power of love and friendship. Perfect for fans of Pam Howes, Vicki Beeby and Nancy Revell.

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Book SynopsisA detailed exploration of a critical month-long battle, which set the stage for German strategic-level defeats on both the Eastern and Western fronts.In February 1944, 1st Panzer Army (under Generaloberst Hube) played a major role in the relief operation that saved part of the German forces trapped in the Korsun Pocket. However, the losses suffered in that effort left Hube's forces materially weakened, exhausted and with vulnerable flanks. Unexpectedly, Zhukov's 1st Ukrainian Front and Konev's 2nd Ukrainian Front attacked on 4 March, conducting a huge pincer operation against 1st Panzer Army. Within three weeks, Hube's 200,000-strong army was isolated, with its back to the Dniester River. The destruction of Hube's army would doubtless precipitate a rapid German collapse on the Eastern Front two months before the Allied invasion of France. In this work, Eastern Front expert Robert Forczyk presents a superbly illustrated examination of the initial Soviet encirclement operation, Hube's full-scale breakout operation to save his army, and the relief operation by 2nd SS-Panzer Corps (redeployed from the West) in April 1944. Although Hube's army managed to escape Zhukov's trap, it lost most of its equipment and was no longer fully combat capable. The German Army in the East had been seriously weakened, and the amount of German armour deployed in the West to counter any Allied landings in France had simultaneously been reduced.

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Book SynopsisArranged by type, German Fighter Aircraft of World War II offers a highly illustrated guide to the most important fighters used by the Luftwaffe during the conflict. It features such classics as the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Bf 110, the Heinkel He 100D-1 and the Focke-Wulf Fw 187 and Fw 190, as well as curiosities such as the Arado Ar 68F-1, Henschel Hs 123 and Heinkel He 51B biplanes. Late war innovations, such as the jet and rocket powered Me 262, Me 163 and Heinkel He 162, are also included. Most types are represented in numerous variants and with examples drawn from different theatres of the war. The book includes all the major fighters that served in the invasion of Poland, the defeat of France, the Battle of Britain, Operation Barbarossa, the war in the Mediterranean, the fighting on the Eastern Front and the Defence of the Reich. Each featured profile includes authentic markings and colour schemes, while every separate model is accompanied by detailed specifications. Packed with 110 full-colour artworks, German Fighter Aircraft of World War II is a key reference guide for military modellers and World War II enthusiasts.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Biplanes Arado Ar 66 Arado Ar 68 Heinkel He 50 Heinkel He 51 2. Single-Seat Monoplanes Heinkel He 100 Heinkel He 112 Messerschmitt Bf 109 Focke Wulf Fw 190 Focke Wulf Ta 152 Focke Wulf Ta 154 Dornier Do 335 Pfeil Blohm & Voss BV 40 3. Heavy Fighters Messerschmitt Bf 110 Focke-Wulf Fw 187 Falke Dornier Do 17Z night fighter Dornier Do 215 night fighter Dornier Do 217 night fighter Junkers Ju 88 night fighter Heinkel He 219 Uhu Messerschmitt Me 210 Messerschmitt Me 410 4. Jet and Rocket Fighters Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet Messerschmitt Me 262 Heinkel He 162 Salamander Bachem Ba 349 Natter Appendices Aircraft compared, variants, production numbers, losses Index

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Book SynopsisAn illustrated study of the big guns of Hitler''s army the Wehrmacht''s field artillery, its capabilities and its role in German fighting units of World War II. Often overshadowed in military history by the tanks and aircraft of Blitzkrieg, Germany's artillery was key to its methods of waging war throughout World War II. Field artillery remained the primary killer on the battlefield, often responsible for three-quarters of combat casualties inflicted.Redressing the balance, this book surveys the major Wehrmacht guns of the war, and the basic organizational structure of the German field artillery. Its primary focus is on the divisional field guns, especially the lFH 18 10.5cm field howitzer and the 15cm sFH 18 field howitzer that formed the backbone of German artillery. A brief survey is also made of the infantry guns used at the regimental level, and of corps-level heavy artillery. The issue of the use ofBeutewaffen, captured war-booty field guns, is also looked Table of ContentsIntroduction Artillery organization Infantry guns Light infantry guns Heavy infantry guns Divisional artillery Old and eccentric: the 7.5cm field gun Backbone of the artillery: the 10.5cm light field howitzer 10.5cm gun battery organization 10.5cm leFH 18 operation The 10.5cm mountain howitzer The 15cm heavy field howitzer GHQ artillery 10cm gun 12.8cm K 81 gun 15cm guns 17cm gun K 18 in Mörserlafette 21cm Mörser 18 21cm Kanone Beutegeschütze Rocket artillery 15cm Nebelwerfer 41 21cm Nebelwerfer 42 28/32cm schwere Wurfgerät Artillery in combat Artillery on the Eastern Front 1941–45 Artillery on the Western Front 1944–45 Further reading Index

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Book SynopsisThe first book to examine the Japanese and American tank forces in the Philippines campaigns, which saw the biggest armored clashes of the Pacific War. The Philippines saw the most extensive tank combat of any single theater in the Pacific War. In this book, armor expert Steven J. Zaloga explains the capabilities of the tank forces involved and how they fought. He explains how while the first tank clashes on Leyte were relatively small scale, the fighting for Luzon, including the capital Manila, saw massive use of tanks by Pacific standards, and indeed, Luzon was the only place where a Japanese armored division was thrown into combat against US forces. While there was some tank-vs-tank combat in northern Luzon when the Japanese 2nd Tank Division faced separate US Army tank battalions, most tank fighting in the Philippines involved their use in the traditional infantry support role, including in the largest urban battle of the Pacific War, the horrific struggle

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Book SynopsisSoviet Tank Units 1939–45 offers an highly-illustrated guide to the main armoured fighting vehicles used by the Red Army during World War II. This compact volume includes sample unit structures and orders of battle from company up to corps level, providing an organizational context for key campaigns throughout the war. Organised chronologically, the book offers a comprehensive survey of Soviet-employed armoured fighting vehicles by campaign, including the German invasion of 1941, the defence of Moscow, the Stalingrad counter-offensive, the battles of Kharkov and Kursk, Operation ‘Bagration’, and the final defeat of Axis forces in Berlin, Vienna and Budapest in May 1945. All the major and many minor tank that saw action on the Eastern Front is featured. The guide also includes numerous Lend-Lease Armoured fighting vehicles well as many examples of Soviet light vehicles, self-propelled guns, tractors and trucks. Packed with 250 full-colour artworks and photographs with exhaustive specifications, Soviet Tank Units 1939–45: Identification Guide is a key reference source for military modellers and World War II enthusiasts.Table of Contents1. Prewar Development 2. Defending the Motherland 3. Kursk and Kharkov 4. The Destruction of the Wehrmacht 5. Victory in Europe 6. Victory in the East Appendices Orders of battle, glossary, terminology, total production numbers. Index

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Book SynopsisIllustrated with colourful artworks of carrier aircraft and their markings, Allied Carrier Aircraft of World War II is a detailed guide to all the aircraft deployed by the Allied navies from 1939 to 1945. Organised chronologically by type and nationality, this book includes fighters, fighter-bombers, torpedo bombers, dive-bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, floatplanes and flying boats. All the best-known types are featured, such as the Grumman F4F Wildcat, Douglas TBD Devastator and Douglas SBD Dauntless that fought at the battle of Midway in 1942, as well as the Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber that proved so effective at the Battle of Taranto in 1940 and helped sink the German battleship Bismarck in 1941. The entries are accompanied by exhaustive captions and specifications. The guide is illustrated with profile artworks, three-views, and special cutaway artworks of the more famous aircraft in service, such as the Blackburn Skua torpedo bomber, Curtiss SB2 Helldiver dive-bomber and the Vought F4U Corsair heavy fighter. Illustrated with more than 100 artworks, Allied Carrier Aircraft of World War II is an essential reference guide for modellers and enthusiasts of military aircraft of World War II.Table of ContentsIntroduction Fighters and Fighter-Bombers US: Brewster Buffalo Grumman Martlet Grumman F4F WildcatSeversky P-35 Vought F4U Corsair Curtiss P-36 Hawk Curtiss P-40F Warhawk Grumman F6F Hellcat Grumman F7F Tigercat P-47 Thunderbolt (USS Manila) Ryan FR Fireball UK: Fairey Fulmar Blackburn Roc Gloster Sea Gladiator Gloster Gladiator II Hawker Hurricane I (HMS Glorious) Hawker Sea Hurricane Fairey Firefly Supermarine Seafire De Havilland Sea Hornet De Havilland Sea Mosquito Torpedo Bombers and Dive-Bombers US: Vought SB2U Vindicator Northrop BT-1 Douglas TBD-1 Devastator Douglas SBD Dauntless Curtiss SB2C Helldiver Consolidated TBY Sea Wolf Grumman TBF Avenger UK: Blackburn Skua Fairey Swordfish Fairey Albacore Fairey Barracuda Blackburn Firebrand France: Loire-Nieuport LN.401 Latécoere 299 Reconnaissance Aircraft and Flying Boats Brewster SB2A Buccaneer Sikorsky HNS helicopter Curtiss SO3C Seamew Consolidated PBY Catalina Martin PBM Mariner Appendix Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe first in a series of illustrated books exploring the longest and best-known naval campaign of World War II, focusing on the struggle between Allied naval and air forces and Hitler''s U-boats. When fighting broke out in September 1939, neither the British Royal Navy nor the German Kriegsmarine were prepared for another war in the North Atlantic. Having defeated the U-boats in World War I, the Royal Navy was confident it would succeed again. This was quickly shown to be an illusion, as neither the scale of forces available nor their tactics were sufficient. The Germans were even less prepared, with only a small number of U-boats, most of which were left over from World War I. Respected naval historian Mark Stille examines the struggle between Allied naval and air forces and the German U-boats in the first 15 months of the war. The Germans attempted to win a tonnage war against Allied shipping, with well-trained and bold U-boat commanders enjoying some brilli

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Book SynopsisA fascinating exploration of how between February 1 and March 10, 1942, three small US task forces launched several unexpected raids across the Japanese defensive perimeter in the Central and South Pacific. After the devastating Japanese blows of December 1941, the Allies found themselves reeling with defeat everywhere in the Pacific. Although stripped of his battleships and outnumbered 10:3 in carriers, the US Navy commander-in-chief Admiral Ernest J. King decided to hit back at Japan''s rapidly expanding Pacific empire immediately, in an effort to keep the Japanese off-balance. On February 1, 1942, Vice Admiral Bill Halsey led the US Pacific Fleet carriers on their first raid, using high-speed hit-and-run tactics to strike at the Japanese, at a time when most of the Japanese carrier fleet was in the Indian Ocean. Halsey''s aggressive commitment inspired its American participants to invent the mythical Haul Ass With Halsey club. The last of the 1942 US carrieTrade ReviewAn enjoyable read that covers a lot of action. -- Neil Smith * Wargames Illustrated *Table of ContentsORIGINS OF THE CAMPAIGN Pearl Harbor and aftermath, December 7–10, 1941 Failed Wake Island relief, December 14–23 Yamamoto’s Submarine Offensive against Hawaii and the US West Coast, December 1941 Reforming the US Pacific Fleet 1941–42 Reinforcing the Central and South Pacific CHRONOLOGY OPPOSING COMMANDERS Japanese United States OPPOSING FORCES Japanese United States Marshalls–Gilberts raid orders of battle, February 1, 1942 OPPOSING PLANS Japanese United States THE CAMPAIGN Commander Michimune Inaba’s I-6 torpedoes Saratoga, January 11, 1942 US Pacific Fleet carrier plans, January 1942 Operation R: the Japanese invasion of Rabaul and Kavieng, January 20–23, 1942 Brown’s aborted Task Force 11 raid against Wake, January 23, 1942 Halsey and Fletcher raid the Marshalls and Gilberts, February 1, 1942 US Pacific Fleet strategy, February 1942 Japanese carrier actions, February 1–19, 1942 Action off Bougainville, February 20, 1942 Halsey’s Task Force 16 raids Wake Island, February 24, 1942 Halsey strikes Marcus Island, March 4, 1942 Shokaku and Zuikaku redeploy to defend the Home Islands The Japanese invasion of Lae and Salamaua, March 8, 1942 Brown and Fletcher strike Lae and Salamaua, March 10, 1942 AFTERMATH THE BATTLEFIELDS TODAY SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX

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Book SynopsisThe first history of how the aircraft of the British Pacific Fleet shattered Japanese oilfields in Sumatra, starving Japan of oil and proving how Anglo-American navies could fight together.With the war in Europe in its final stages, by 1944 the Royal Navy was able to put together a major force to join the campaign against Japan. The British Pacific Fleet was arguably the most powerful fleet the Royal Navy has ever sent into action. In this book, renowned naval historian Angus Konstam explores how the first target of British naval power in the Pacific would be the strategically vital oil fields in Japanese-occupied Sumatra, part of the Dutch East Indies. Between April 1944 and January 1945, the task force struck oil fields and production centres, Japanese airfields, naval facilities and troop concentrations. Initially working alongside US Navy carriers, and learning their ruthlessly effective fast carrier doctrine, the British would end the Sumatra campaign wit

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Book SynopsisA fascinating story of a key turning point in the War in the Mediterranean, as the island of Malta was thrown a vital lifeline. Since 1940, the island of Malta had been a thorn in the Axis'' side. It sat astride the direct sea route between Italy and its North African colonies, and from 1941 the Royal Navy had used the island as a base for its attacks on Axis convoys. The island, though, relied on convoys to survive, and from early 1941 these came under increasingly heavy air and submarine attack. As the situation became critical in 1942, the decision was made to send through a heavily protected convoy, carrying fuel and supplies, in an effort to save the island. This mission was codenamed Operation Pedestal. This fascinating work describes how, after leaving Britain on 2 August 1942, the convoy was repeatedly pummeled by Axis air and submarine attacks as it ground its way towards Malta, with most of the merchant ships sunk during the passage, along with an aircraft carriTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION CHRONOLOGY ORIGINS OF THE CAMPAIGN OPPOSING COMMANDERS Allies Axis OPPOSING FORCES Allies Axis Orders of Battle OPPOSING PLANS Allies Axis OPERATION PEDESTAL The first leg Through the Western Mediterranean, 10–11 August The secondary operations, 10–12 August The Western Mediterranean, 12 August The night action, 12/13 August Da Zara’s sortie The last air attacks, 13 August The stragglers AFTERMATH THE LEGACY OF PEDESTAL FURTHER READING INDEX

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Book SynopsisThe first ever illustrated study of the largest and most significant clash between the Royal Navy and the Italian Regia Marina.The Battle of Matapan witnessed the first use of decisive new technologies to bring about a stunning British victory over the Italian Navy. The Allies had tapped into the Ultra coded messages sent by the Axis powers, and the battle witnessed the use of radar and carrier-based air strikes to bring about a critical night action. The result was the most decisive engagement of the Mediterranean naval war.Written by renowned naval historian Angus Konstam, this book offers for the first time a unique and fully illustrated exploration of the battle. It also examines why, despite the emphatic and decisive Royal Navy victory, the Allies failed to capitalize on the strategic advantage earned in the months that followed. Battlescene artworks bring to life the cruiser clashes early on 28 March off Gavdos, the Fleet Air Arm attacks on the Italian fTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION Origins of the campaign CHRONOLOGY OPPOSING COMMANDERS Regia Marina Royal Navy OPPOSING FORCES Regia Marina Royal Navy Orders of Battle OPPOSING PLANS Regia Marina Royal Navy THE BATTLE OF CAPE MATAPAN First contact Pursuits and ambushes The first air strikes The general chase The afternoon air strikes The dusk strike Cattaneo’s mission The night action AFTERMATH COMMEMORATING THE BATTLE FURTHER READING INDEX

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Book SynopsisA new illustrated history of one of the key air campaigns of late World War II the American effort to cripple Germany''s oil production, and grind its armed forces to a halt.With retreating German forces losing their oilfields on the Eastern Front, Germany was reliant on its own facilities, particularly for producing synthetic oil from coal. However, these were within range of the increasingly mighty Allied air forces. In 1944 the head of the US Strategic Air Forces, General Carl Spaatz was intent on a new campaign that aimed to cripple the German war machine by depriving it of fuel. The USAAF's Oil Campaign built up momentum during the summer of 1944 and targeted these refineries and plants with its daylight heavy bombers. Decrypted German communications made it clear that the Oil Campaign was having an effect against the Wehrmacht. Fuel shortages in the autumn of 1944 forced the Luftwaffe to ground most of its combat units except for fighters involved in the defense ofTrade ReviewThis author really needs no accolade from the likes of me. Once again, he provides an excellent description and analysis of WWII equipment, tactics, operational method, and strategic impact in a well-blended and thoroughly researched manner. Allied industrial/military intelligence identified the German oil industry as a critical point in their infrastructure, the crippling of which would lead not only to severe logistics issues (including the loss of associated key chemical by-products such as nitrogen for explosives) but also attrition of German fighter defences in aerial combat. The book focuses on the operational and strategic aspects of the campaign rather than detailed (but still adequate) descriptions of equipment – aircraft and anti-aircraft, radar and anti-radar – so is ideal for that level of wargaming. There are numerous tables of bomb tonnage, sorties, oil production, fighter strength, etc set against a background of mammoth air ‘missions’, with up to 2,000 Allied bombers and fighters at a time. German fighter losses in the later engagements were horrific – up to 50% of aircraft engaged. An excellent account, with a good bibliography too. -- Chris Jarvis * Miniature Wargames *This fascinating book packed with key photos and illustrations examines the controversies and debates over the focus of the US bombing campaign in the final year of the war, and the impact it had on the war effort overall. This campaign was so successful the Luftwaffe had to ground most of its aircraft due to the fuel shortage caused by the campaign. -- Jason Hubbard * Irregular Magazine *The 12 pages of exceptional artwork covering the type’s various colour schemes are by Polish artist Janusz Swiatlon, and will no doubt be of great value to scale modellers. Recommended. * Aviation News *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION CHRONOLOGY ATTACKER’S CAPABILITIES Allied bomber strength in 1944 Royal Air Force US Army Air Forces DEFENDER’S CAPABILITIES Luftflotte reich Luftwaffe organization Luftwaffe daylight tactics Luftwaffe night tactics Luftwaffe Flak CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES The crucial commodity The Oil Plan THE CAMPAIGN Collapsing the German war economy Mission 353: May 12, 1944 Ploesti attacks resume Impact of the initial Oil Campaign German countermeasures Bomber Command joins the battle Post-invasion USSTAF Oil Campaign August Oil Campaign Ploesti subdued Summer assessment The Fall 1944 Oil Campaign October missions The November reprieve Hitler’s December gamble Bodenplatte January 1945 Luftwaffe demoralization The February decline The final campaign ANALYSIS FURTHER READING INDEX

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Book SynopsisFought in the winter of 1944-1945, the coldest season in over 100 years, the Battle of the Bulge still ranks as the single largest battle ever fought by the United States Army. Thirty-one American divisions - fully one-third of the U.S. Army raised during World War II - saw action in this battle. This battle was truly a test: could this conscript army from a pacifistic democracy defeat the best remaining men and machines that Germany''s totalitarian government could produce? In Battle of the Bulge, author and artist Wayne Vansant brings readers into the frozen foxholes, haunting forests, and devastated villages of the Ardennes during that freezing cold winter. With meticulous historical accuracy and hand-drawn visuals that can tell a story in ways words alone cannot, Vansant recounts the Bulge with insightful detail, replaying the thrusts and volleys of both the combined Allied and German forces during the tumultuous battle. This is a story of panic, fear, and physical

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Book SynopsisThe complex and fascinating story of Romania's ''turning of arms'' against Nazi Germany, and the battle for Romania - an important but overlooked and misunderstood episode of World War II. The battle for Romania from March to September 1944 is a multifaceted story involving German, Romanian, Soviet, American, and British forces. Romania's defection from the Axis denied Nazi Germany not just resources (especially oil) but also turned the Romanian Army, formerly its most important support on the Eastern Front, from friend to foe. The fighting witnessed the German Sixth Army being destroyed for a second time (after Stalingrad).This in-depth work explores the strategic struggle within German-Romanian relations and the tactical development of the Battle of Romania. The detailed 2D maps and 3D diagrams guide you step-by-step through the Axis defence of Romania in March-May during the first Iasi-Chisinau offensive, the Allied campaign in April-August to assist the So

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Book SynopsisThis highly illustrated title details the history of the Panzer III throughout World War II, from its early development in the pre-war years through its pivotal role in the Blitzkrieg campaigns in Poland and Western Europe and its eventual obsolescence on the Eastern Front.The Panzer III was the mainstay of the German armored force in the early years of World War II, and spearheaded the victories in Poland, Western Europe, and the Balkans. Designed and developed in the mid-1930s, it was originally equipped with a 3.7cm gun and with 30mm thick armor. Early combat in Poland and France saw the need for this to be upgraded, and later models were armed with a 5cm KwK L/42 gun and had the frontal armor reinforced to 60mm by adding extra plating. This later version proved to be particularly effective during the campaigns in the Balkans and against British armor in the North African desert campaign. However, in the first months of Operation Barbarossa -- the German invTrade ReviewA well written, well examined and thorough dive into an often-forgotten part of the German armoured machine. * Classic Military Vehicle *Well illustrated and superbly researched... this is a reference book with class and is sure to please anyone with an interest in WWII German tanks, from modeller to historian. * Gun Mart & Militaria Mart magazine *Table of ContentsBlitzkrieg Panzer 1. Development 2. Production Begins 3. Combat in Poland 4. Combat in France 5. Further Development 6. The Balkan Invasion 7. North Africa 8. The Invasion of Russia 9. Progress 10: In Africa 11. Russia–1942/43 12. Support Vehicles Index Acknowledgements

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Book Synopsis'Through thick and thin, never separate. Stick together, guard each other, and live for one another.' As Hitler's war intensified, the Ovitz family would have good reason to stand by their mother's mantra. Descending from the cattle train into the death camp of Auschwitz, all twelve emerged in 1945 as survivors - the largest family to survive intact. What saved them? Ironically, the fact that they were sought out by the 'Angel of Death' himself - Dr Joseph Mengele. For seven of the Ovitzes were dwarfs - and not just any dwarfs, but a beloved and highly successful vaudeville act known as the Lilliput Troupe. Together, they were the only all-dwarf ensemble with a full show of their own in the history of entertainment. The Ovitzes intrigued Mengele, and amongst the thousands on whom he performed his loathsome experiments, they became his prize 'patients': 'You're something special, not like the rest of them.' It was this disturbing affection that saved their lives. After being plunged into the darkest moments in modern history, this remarkable troupe emerged with spirits undimmed, and went on to light up Europe and Israel, which offered them a new home, with their unique performances. Giants reveals their moving and inspirational story.Trade Review"An astonishing story: both wretchedly sad and oddly uplifting - Giants can scarcely fail to stay with you." Mail on Sunday '[An] amazing story sympathetically and eloquently told ... The authors show great respect and affection for the Ovitzes ... Theirs was a life worth living and a story very worth telling.' New York Review of Books "Their remarkable story, extensively researched, is so beautifully and sympathetically written that it fully deserves to appeal far beyond its core audience." BBC History Magazine

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of Fortress Malta this is the second book in the Mediterranean war trilogy. This book looks afresh at the conflict in Northern Africa, focusing for the first time on the involvement of the US and the way this early collaboration to defeat shaped the whole Anglo-American axis for the rest of the war in Europe.By June 1942, Britain had reached her lowest ebb. Her military command was in tatters, her armies beaten, and in the Middle East it seemed all might be lost. Her new ally, America, had only fledgling armed forces and was severely under-trained, yet it was this alliance of the weary combatant and naïve newcomer, coming together for the first time in North Africa, that would eventually bring about the defeat of Nazi Germany.This crucial period from defeat at Gazala through to the victories of Alamein and, ultimately, Tunisia was a time of learning for the Allies. Yet by the end Britain and America had finally gained material and certain tactical advantagTrade Review'Anyone who wants to know how it felt to fight in the desert war should read Holland's book. It represents a remarkable collation of personal experience and sensible historical judgments.'Sunday Telegraph, Max Hastings 'Holland has produced a wonderful book whose pace…never seems to flag … he is a master at evoking time and place, with haunting descriptions of the desert landscape … If there is a better book on the North African campaign, I haven't read it.'Daily Telegraph, Saul David 'Using personal testimony and private memoirs as effectively as official archives, he recreates the hardships and challenges faced by ordinary soldiers and reassesses the tactical and strategic innovations that finally gave the allies the upper hand.'Sunday Times 'as Holland shows, this period saw the realisation of how the war might eventually be won'BBC History Magazine 'stands out from the crowd’Literary Review, Nigel Jones 'The book gives the individuals, be they commander-in-chiefs or infantry, space that attests to their bravery and sacrifices … a comprehensive appraisal of the war in North Africa.'Good Book Guide 'Holland tells the story brilliantly. He has delved into archives for letters and diaries and diligently tracked down survivors … Vividly, intelligently, movingly, Holland's monumental chronicle tells it like it was.'Patrick Bishop, Mail on Sunday

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Book Synopsis'Long Live Freedom!' — Hans Scholl's last words before his execution The White Rose (die Weiße Rose) resistance circle was a group of students and a professor at the University of Munich who in the early 1940s secretly wrote and distributed anti-Nazi pamphlets. At its heart were Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl, Christoph Probst, Alexander Schmorell, Willi Graf and Professor Kurt Huber, all of whom were executed in 1943 by the Nazi regime. The youngest among them was just twenty-one years old. This book outlines the story of the group and sets their resistance texts in political and historical context, including archival photographs. A series of brief biographical sketches, along with excerpts from letters and diaries, trace each member’s journey towards action against the National Socialist state. The White Rose resistance pamphlets are included in full, translated by students at the University of Oxford. These translations are the result of work by undergraduates around the same age as the original student authors, working together on texts, ideas and issues. This project reflects a crucial aspect of the White Rose: its collaborative nature. The resistance pamphlets were written collaboratively, and they could not have had the reach they did without being distributed by multiple individuals, defying Hitler through words and ideas. Today, the bravery of the White Rose lives on in film and literature and is commemorated not just in Munich but throughout Germany and beyond.Table of ContentsContents Acknowledgements The White Rose: An Introduction Biographical Sketches Sophie Scholl (1921-1943) Hans Scholl (1918-1943) Christoph Probst (1919-1943) Alexander Schmorell (1917-1943) Kurt Huber (1893-1943) Willi Graf (1918-1943) Hans Leipelt (1921-1945) The Pamphlets of the White Rose Pamphlet I Pamphlet II Pamphlet III Pamphlet IV Pamphlet V Pamphlet VI Draft Pamphlet VII Timeline of Events Further Reading and Viewing in English Bibliography Picture Credits Index

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Book SynopsisThe impossibly moving story of how Judy, World War Two's only animal POW, brought hope in the midst of hell.Judy, a beautiful liver and white English pointer, and the only animal POW of WWII, truly was a dog in a million, cherished and adored by the British, Australian, American and other Allied servicemen who fought to survive alongside her. Viewed largely as human by those who shared her extraordinary life, Judy's uncanny ability to sense danger, matched with her quick-thinking and impossible daring saved countless lives. She was a close companion to men who became like a family to her, sharing in both the tragedies and joys they faced. It was in recognition of the extraordinary friendship and protection she offered amidst the unforgiving and savage environment of a Japanese prison camp in Indonesia that she gained her formal status as a POW. Judy's unique combination of courage, kindness and fun repaid that honour a thousand times over and her incredible story is one of the most heartwarming and inspiring tales you will ever read.Trade ReviewThe dog of war whose sixth sense saved hundreds of British lives * Mail on Sunday *One of the most famous animals of the Second World War * Daily Express *The extraordinary story of the only animal POW held during the Second World War * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisA MAIL ON SUNDAY AND WASHINGTON POST BOOK OF THE YEAR. The little-known true story of the woman who headed the largest spy network in Vichy France during World War II. In 1941, a thirty-one-year-old Frenchwoman, a young mother born to privilege and known for her beauty and glamour, became the leader of Alliance, a vast Resistance organisation — the only woman to hold such a role. Brave, independent, and a lifelong rebel against her country’s conservative, patriarchal society, Marie-Madeleine Fourcade was temperamentally made for the job. No other French spy network lasted as long or supplied as much crucial intelligence as Alliance — and as a result, the Gestapo pursued its members relentlessly, capturing, torturing, and executing hundreds of its three thousand agents, including Fourcade’s own lover and many of her key spies. Fourcade herself lived on the run and was captured twice by the Nazis. Both times she managed to escape. Though so many of her agents died defending their country, Fourcade survived the occupation to become active in post-war French politics. Now, in a dramatic account of the war that split France in two and forced its people to live side by side with their hated German occupiers, Lynne Olson tells the fascinating story of a woman who stood up for her nation, her fellow citizens, and herself.Trade Review‘In this deeply researched book, American journalist Lynne Olson tells the story of this extraordinary and overlooked heroine … a splendid biography.’ -- Kathryn Hughes * The Mail on Sunday *‘Fast-paced and impressively researched … Olson writes with verve and a historian’s authority … With this gripping tale, Lynne Olson pays [Marie-Madeleine Fourcade] what history has so far denied her. France, slow to confront the stain of Vichy, would do well to finally honor a fighter most of us want in our foxhole.’ * The New York Times Book Review *‘If Lynne Olson had set out to write a novel, she could not have come up with a more fascinating character than Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, the glamorous young woman who led the largest French spy network in World War II. This is a case where fact is far more riveting than fiction. Olson chronicles Fourcade’s extraordinary story with her customary eye for every revealing detail and every breathtakingly dangerous twist.’ -- Andrew Nagorski, author of Hitlerland, The Nazi Hunters, and The Year Germany Lost the War‘Within the pages of this thrilling narrative, Fourcade’s spirit shines through … Madame Fourcade’s Secret War stands out from a crowded field.’ * All About History *‘Brilliantly researched and stylishly written.’ * Military History Monthly *‘This is a stirring story of heroism, charisma, and determination.’ * History Revealed *‘A brilliant, cinematic biography of resistance leader Marie-Madeleine Fourcade ... Olson’s weaving of Fourcade’s diary artfully and liberally into her own writing and her heart-stopping descriptions of Paris, escapes, and internecine warring create a narrative that’s as dramatic as a novel or a film. Olson honours Fourcade’s fight for freedom and her ‘refusal to be silenced’ with a gripping narrative that will thrill WWII history buffs.’ STARRED REVIEW * Publishers Weekly *‘A hell of a yarn … Why the heck have we never heard of [Marie-Madeleine] Fourcade? The only woman to lead a major French resistance network. A woman who in later life was elected to the European Parliament. And who, upon her death in 1989 at the age of seventy-nine, became the first woman to be granted a funeral at Les Invalides, the complex in central Paris where Napoleon Bonaparte and other French military heroes are buried. Olson posits a few possible reasons for Fourcade’s relegation to the footnotes of history. The inescapable one, though, circles back to where we began: her gender.’ * The Washington Post *‘In Madame Fourcade’s Secret War, Lynne Olson tells one of the great stories of the French Resistance, a story of one woman’s courage amid great danger, a story of heroism, defiance, and, ultimately, victory.’ -- Alan Furst, author of A Hero in France‘In Madame Fourcade’s Secret War, Lynne Olson is at the top of her game, giving us the renowned beauty and elite French socialite, Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, who surprised everyone — including herself, perhaps — by becoming one of the most consequential players in the high-stakes spy game in Nazi-occupied France. Fourcade’s nerve, resolve, and extraordinary inner resources shine and inspire here. A fascinating portrait of uncommon audacity.’ -- Paula McLain, author of Love and Ruin and The Paris Wife‘In the real-life character of Madame Fourcade, Lynne Olson has found a heroine who seems to come tailor-made for the movie screen — she is beautiful, rich, effortlessly elegant, and an absolutely indomitable spy for the ages. Olson’s clear, unadorned writing style and her meticulous marshaling of facts will keep you on the edge of your seat as Fourcade endures psychological and physical hardship in service of her singular goal — to keep France free of fascism. For all of us who have wondered what we would do in a time of crisis, Olson holds up Madame Fourcade and her relentless fight for the French Resistance as a model of how to fight back when faced with unthinkable evil. Fascinating and timely.’ -- Elizabeth Letts, author of The Perfect Horse‘Incredibly absorbing and long-overdue ... This masterfully told true story reads like fiction and will appeal to readers who devour WWII thrillers à la Kristen Hannah’s The Nightingale (2015).’ -- Margaret Flanagan * Booklist *‘Lynne Olson has added yet another brilliant chapter to her vital historical project: documenting the extraordinary efforts of individuals, such as spymaster Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, who helped liberate 20th-century Europe from Nazi occupation. Much like Madame Fourcade herself, Olson goes to great lengths to unearth truth and preserve dignity for those who lived and died during Hitler’s reign of terror — and for that, both the author and her daring subject deserve high praise.’ * Former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright *‘Madame Fourcade’s war should never have been a secret, and it takes a historical sleuth like Lynne Olson to bring it, at last, into glorious light. I read this extraordinary book with wonder and admiration, seeing a movie on every page that was both true to life and somehow bigger than life. The canvas is vast, the characters vibrant, the history we thought we knew suddenly as fresh as tomorrow.’ -- Jay Cocks, screenwriter of The Age of Innocence, Gangs of New York, and Silence‘As well researched and engrossing as her previous books, showcasing her adroit ability to weave personal narratives, political intrigue, and wartime developments to tell a riveting story, Olson’s latest is highly recommended to readers interested in World War II, the history of espionage, women’s history, and European history.’ STARRED REVIEW * Library Journal *‘Lynne Olson is a gifted author and her books about the Allies in World War II are carefully researched and compulsively readable … Thankfully, a new generation of writers is expanding our knowledge of individuals whose roles in World War II deserve more attention.’ * The Christian Science Monitor *‘A comprehensive, often exciting narrative ... [Olson’s] solid descriptive passages help re-create the tension and anxiety Fourcade and her friends felt as they risked everything to save France ... The author brings into the spotlight a woman whose courage and endurance helped shape history yet whose full story had not yet been told. “For several decades following the war,” writes the author, “histories of the French resistance, which were written almost exclusively by men, largely ignored the contributions of women.” Olson rectifies that omission. An engaging, informative addition to World War II history.’ * Kirkus Reviews *‘Marie-Madeleine Fourcade has largely slipped from popular memory, but during World War II she led the largest spy network in Vichy France ... Olson’s very readable account charts Fourcade’s progress from socialite to leader of a vast resistance movement, and reflects on the irreparable divisions caused by the war.’ -- Jeff Popple * Canberra Weekly *‘This is very well written, it creates almost a fast-paced novel as her exploits get more and more strained … A splendid book indeed, which heartily proves that women are more than capable of maintaining a strong position in a male-dominated world and making it work extremely well at the same time.’ -- Reg Seward * NB Magazine *‘Olson has written a lively and compelling account of a woman who deserves to be remembered and honoured.’ * Military Book History *Praise for Citizens of London: ‘An excellent and revealing chronicle.’ * Booklist *Praise for Last Hope Island: ‘[A] pointed volume … [Olson] tells a great story and has a fine eye for character.’ * The Boston Globe *Praise for Last Hope Island: ‘Exhilarating and epic.’ * The Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisA moving tribute to the sacrifice and bravery of the fliers of RAF Bomber Command. ****************************** The Crew, based on interviews with Ken Cook, the crew's sole surviving member, recounts the wartime exploits of the members of an Avro Lancaster crew between 1942 and the war's end. Gloucestershire-born bomb aimer Ken Cook, hard-bitten Australian pilot Jim Comans, Navigator Don Bowes, Upper Gunner George Widdis, Tail Gunner 'Jock' Bolland, Flight Engineer Ken Randle and Radio Operator Roy Woollford were seven ordinary young men living in extraordinary times, risking their lives in freedom's cause in the dark skies above Hitler's Reich. From their earliest beginnings – in places as far apart as a Cotswold village and the suburbs of Sydney – through the adventure of training in North America and the dread and danger of the forty-five bombing raids they flew with 97 Squadron, David Price describes the crew's wartime experiences with human sympathy allied to a secure technical understanding of one of the RAF's most iconic aircraft. The drama and anxiety of individual missions – to Kassel, Munich and Augsburg as well as Berlin – is evoked with thrilling immediacy; while the military events and strategic decisions that drove the RAF's area bombing campaign against Nazi Germany are interwoven deftly with the narrative of the crew's operational careers. ****************************** Reviews: 'A sensitive account of the bomber's life... Price has given the bomber offensive a human face. This book [...] has a heart and soul' The Times. 'A fascinating and fast-paced account of the exploits of an Avro Lancaster bomber crew from 97 Squadron RAF' The Herald. 'A remarkable insight into the bravery, determination and skill of British Bomber Command crews during WWII' Waterstones.Trade ReviewA sensitive account of the bomber's life... Price has given the bomber offensive a human face. This book [...] has a heart and soul' * The Times *A fascinating and fast-paced account of the exploits of an Avro Lancaster bomber crew from 97 Squadron RAF * Herald *His eyewitness account is frank about the dangers of the role * i newspaper *A remarkable insight into the bravery, determination and skill of British Bomber Command crews during WWII * Waterstones *This book uses [Ken Cook's] story of bravery to shed light on the Second World War bombing campaign * The Times *The story of one Lancaster bomber crew, and of its last surviving member, former bomb-aimer Ken Cook provides the focus for David Price's sobering and poignant book * Mail on Sunday *The drama and anxiety of individual missions is evoked with thrilling immediacy, while the military events and strategic decisions are interwoven deftly with the narrative of the crew's careers * Military History *

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Book SynopsisThis highly illustrated title details the history of the Panzer IV throughout World War II, where it saw service on the front line from Poland in 1939 through to the very last days of the Third Reich in Berlin in 1945.The Panzer IV program was started in 1934, forming, alongside the Panzer IIs and IIIs, the schnellen Truppen, the force that was to become the Panzerwaffe. At first, German planners envisioned the tank in a secondary role, but during the invasions of The Low Countries and France, it took on a more central role.When the Panzerwaffe turned east to attack the Soviet Union, the Panzer IV initially fared poorly against the better-armed T-34. However, upgrades to its gun and armor protection saw it perform far better, not only against Soviet armor but also against British and American tanks in North Africa and Italy. In 1944, it was slowly replaced by the Panzer V Panther, but the dire strategic situation meant that it bore the brunt of the Allied D-DaTrade ReviewThe author’s work is comprehensive and of exceptional quality. * Military Archive Research *Highly recommended. * Miniature Wargames *Table of ContentsChapter 1: Origins Chapter 2: 1936–1938 The Panzertruppe Chapter 3: 1939 – Fall Weiss Chapter 4: 1940 – Fall Gelb Chapter 5: After the Fall of France Chapter 6: 1941 – The Balkans Chapter 7: 1941 – North Africa Chapter 8: 1941 – Barbarossa Chapter 9: 1942 – Langrohr Chapter 10: 1943 Chapter 11: 1944 – Technical Progress Chapter 12: Afterword Index

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Book SynopsisThis sensational 1941 memoir of life on wartime Europe's frontline by a trailblazing female reporter is an 'unforgettable' (The Times) rediscovered classic, introduced by Christina Lamb.Paris as it fell to the NazisLondon on the first day of the BlitzBerlin the day Germany invaded PolandMadrid in the Spanish Civil WarPrague during the Munich crisisLapland as the Russians attackedMoscow betrayed by the GermansVirginia Cowles has seen it all.As a pioneering female correspondent, she reported from the frontline of 1930s Europe into WWII always in the right place at the right time. Flinging off her heels under shellfire; meeting Hitler ('an inconspicuous little man'); gossiping with Churchill by his goldfish pond; dancing in the bomb-blasted Ritz ... Introduced by Christina Lamb, Cowles' incredible dispatches make you an eyewitness to the twentieth century as you haveTrade Review'A brilliant describer with an uncanny ability to be present in the right country when it falls into the abyss ... One of the most atmospheric war descriptions I've read ... Unforgettable.' - The Times'An amazingly brilliant reporter ... One of the most engrossing [books] the war has produced in all its diverse richness of drama and compassion and penetration and wit.' - New York Times

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Book SynopsisFully illustrated, this absorbing study assesses the Commonwealth and Italian infantrymen pitted against one another during the First and Second battles of El Alamein in 1942. By July 1942, the Allied troops fighting in North Africa, the multinational Eighth Army, had withdrawn to the El Alamein line, the last position stopping their German and Italian opponents from reaching the Suez Canal. Featuring full-colour artwork, carefully chosen archive photographs and incisive analysis, this book casts light on the Commonwealth and Italian infantrymen who participated in the seesaw battle for control of the North African coastline as it entered its decisive phase, played out over two bloody engagements during JulyOctober 1942. Although Allied and Axis commanders saw armour as the decisive weapon in the Desert War, the infantry fielded by both sides would be key to the outcomes of the two El Alamein battles. While the majority of the 96,000 Axis troops at the first b

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Book SynopsisThe forgotten story of the major naval operations conducted in the Philippines by the US and Japanese navies after Leyte Gulf up to the US invasion of Luzon in January 1945. The events that took place in the aftermath of the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944 are often overlooked by military historians. An impressive array of naval operations continued in the Philippines up to January 1945, which included (on the Japanese side) the largest convoys to a contested island during the war, the first kamikaze campaign, and the second largest Imperial Japanese Navy surface operation during the last nine months of the conflict. On the American side, US forces were involved in efforts to cut off Leyte from enemy reinforcement, a massive amphibious invasion off Luzon, and large-scale operations by the Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 38).Expert naval historian Mark Stille throws new light on this often forgotten phase of the Pacific naval war. Among the actions covered areTable of ContentsORIGINS OF THE CAMPAIGN CHRONOLOGY OPPOSING COMMANDERS United States Navy Imperial Japanese Navy JAPANESE COMMANDERS AND FORCES United States Navy Imperial Japanese Navy Orders of Battle OPPOSING PLANS United States Japanese THE CAMPAIGN TF 38 operations, October–November 25, 1944 The Japanese TA Operation The battles for Ormoc Bay The landing at Ormoc November 1944 TF 38 operations The invasion of Mindoro The San Jose Intrusion Force TF 38 operations, December 10, 1944–January 10, 1945 The invasion of Luzon Halsey’s rampage AFTERMATH AND ANALYSIS Analysis BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX

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Book SynopsisPublished in association with the Imperial War Museums, this book will provide the ultimate challenge to even the most knowledgeable military historian.You might think you know a great deal about World War II but have you ever really tested your knowledge? This compelling book, published in association with Imperial War Museums, contains over 1,000 questions (and answers, if you need them) that cover every aspect of the Second World War, from its beginnings, though the widening of the conflict, the leaders and their strategies, armies, battles, weapons, bombing raids – everything to provide a real challenge to even the most committed history lover.With multiple-choice questions, truth or fiction sections to baffle and intrigue, picture quizzes from the Imperial War Museums' archive – one of the largest military photographic archives in the world – and much more, you will find there is still something new to learn about this compelling conflict, and your answers will be ranked accordingly.Trade ReviewHighly recommended, and a superb stocking filler * Britain at War Magazine *

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Book SynopsisWith three Military Crosses, three Croix de guerre, a Légion d'honneur and a papal knighthood for his heroics during the Second World War, Sir Tommy Macpherson is the most decorated living soldier of the British Army. Yet for 65 years the Highlander's story has remained untold. Few know how, aged 21, he persuaded 23,000 SS soldiers of the feared Das Reich tank column to surrender, or how Tommy almost single-handedly stopped Tito's Yugoslavia annexing the whole of north-east Italy. Twice captured, he escaped both times, marching through hundreds of miles of German-held territory to get home. Still a schoolboy when war broke out, Tommy quickly matured into a legendary commando, and his remarkable story features a dizzyingly diverse cast of characters, including Winston Churchill, Field Marshal Montgomery and Charles de Gaulle.Trade ReviewMy book of the year, without question . . . reads like a combination of a Biggles adventure and Dick Barton -- Jeffrey Archer in Books of the Year 2010 * Daily Telegraph *One of Scotland's most courageous sons * Sunday Herald *Recreates the adventure * The Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisJózsef Debreczeni (Author) József Debreczeni was a Hungarian-language novelist, poet and journalist who spent most of his life in the former Yugoslavia. He was an editor of the Hungarian daily newspaper Ünnep in Budapest, from which he was dismissed due to anti-Jewish legislation. He was later a contributor to the Hungarian media, including the newspaper Napló, in the Yugoslav region of Vojvodina, as well as leading Belgrade newspapers. He was awarded the Híd Prize, the highest distinction in Hungarian literature in the former Yugoslavia.Paul Olchvary (Translator) Paul Olchváry has translated many books for leading publishers, including György Dragomán's The White King, András Forgách's No Live Files Remain, Ádám Bodor's The Sinistra Zone, Vilmos Kondor's Budapest Noir and Károly Pap's Azarel. He has received translation awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, PEN America, and Hunga

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Book SynopsisAndrew Hodges is Tutor in Mathematics at Wadham College, Oxford University. His classic text of 1983, since translated into several languages, created a new kind of biography, with mathematics, science, computing, war history, philosophy and gay liberation woven into a single personal narrative. He is an active contributor to the mathematics of fundamental physics, as a follower of Roger Penrose. See www.turing.org.uk for further material.Trade ReviewOne of the finest scientific biographies I’ve ever read: authoritative, superbly researched, deeply sympathetic and beautifully told * Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind *Andrew Hodges' book is of exemplary scholarship and sympathy. Intimate, perceptive and insightful, it’s also the most readable biography I’ve picked up in some time * Time Out *A first-rate presentation of the life of a first-rate scientific mind * New York Times Book Review *One of the finest scientific biographies ever written * New Yorker *A first-rate presentation of the life of a first-rate scientific mind…it is hard to imagine a more thoughtful and warm biography than this one -- Douglas Hofstadter * New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisFrom the pioneering tactics and terror of the Blitzkrieg assault, through the carnage of Barbarossa, Kursk, the Desert War, and the Normandy Bocage and the Battle of the Bulge, there were perhaps no more unsettling and merciless positions to occupy in World War II than that of a tank commander. This book puts the reader at the very heart of this hell on wheels and presents the original instructions required to perform this most dangerous of wartime battlefield roles. From training manuals and war office memorandums to combat reports and first-hand accounts, The Tank Commander Manual sits you in the turret position of commander of some of the most fearsome land vehicles. These include the Soviet T-34, the German Panther and its nemesis the American Sherman, the terrifying Tiger I as well as tank variants including flamethrowers and tank destroyers such as the Allied M10 and the StuG III. Original documents, diagrams, technical drawings and reports have been collated and compiled from ar

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Wolfson Prize for History, Ian Kershaw''s Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis is the concluding second volume of one of the greatest biographies of modern times. No figure in twentieth century history more clearly demands a close biographical understanding than Adolf Hitler; and no period is more important than the Second World War. Beginning with Hitler''s startling European successes in the aftermath of the Rhineland occupation, from Czechoslovakia to Poland; addressing crucial questions about the unique nature of Nazi radicalism; exploring the Holocaust and the poisoned European world that allowed Hitler to operate so effectively; and ending nine years later with the suicide in the Berlin bunker, Kershaw allows us as never before to understand Hitler''s motivation and impact. ''Magisterial ... anyone who wishes to understand the third reich must read Kershaw, for no on has done more to lay bare Hitler''s morbid psyche''  Niall Ferguson, Sunday Telegraph ''An achievement of the very highest order ... a marvellous book''  Michael Burleigh, Financial Times ''No previous biographer has examined Hitler''s devilishness in Kershaw''s detail ... his book is so comprehensive, so richly documented and so judicious that it will not soon be superseded''  Daniel Johnson, Daily Telegraph Ian Kershaw''s other books include Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis, Making Friends with Hitler, Fateful Choices: Ten Decisions that Changed the World 1940-4 and The End: Hitler''s Germany, 1944-45. Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis received the Wolfson History Prize and the Bruno Kreisky Prize in Austria for Political Book of the Year, and was joint winner of the inaugural British Academy Book Prize.Trade ReviewWinner of the Wolfson History Prize, the Bruno Kreisky Prize in Austria for Political Book of the Year, and the inaugural British Academy Book Prize. * Prizes and awards *Magisterial ... anyone who wishes to understand the third reich must read Kershaw, for no on has done more to lay bare Hitler's morbid psyche -- Niall Ferguson * Sunday Telegraph *An achievement of the very highest order ... Kershaw communicates a genuine sense of tension as Hitler embarked on ever-riskier stratagems, bringing a fresh eye to the over-familiar diplomatic or military story ... a marvellous book -- Michael Burleigh * Financial Times *Extraordinarily convincing ... I do not know any other Hitler biography that so coolly, factually and devastatingly presents the phenomena of "obedience" and charisma -- Gitta Sereny * The Times *For the present generation, Kershaw's Hitler stands as our clear beacon of truth, illuminating a dark age of terror and mendacity -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *No previous biographer has examined Hitler's devilishness in Kershaw's detail ... his book is so comprehensive, so richly documented and so judicious that it will not soon be superseded -- Daniel Johnson * Daily Telegraph *A riveting narrative ... the text positively crackles with fascinating insights and interesting perceptions ... this is unquestionably an outstanding biography -- Frank McLynn * Herald *Magisterial ... anyone who wishes to understand the third reich must read Kershaw, for no on has done more to lay bare Hitler's morbid psyche -- Niall Ferguson * Sunday Telegraph *An achievement of the very highest order ... Kershaw communicates a genuine sense of tension as Hitler embarked on ever-riskier stratagems, bringing a fresh eye to the over-familiar diplomatic or military story ... a marvellous book -- Michael Burleigh * Financial Times *Extraordinarily convincing ... I do not know any other Hitler biography that so coolly, factually and devastatingly presents the phenomena of "obedience" and charisma -- Gitta Sereny * The Times *For the present generation, Kershaw's Hitler stands as our clear beacon of truth, illuminating a dark age of terror and mendacity -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *No previous biographer has examined Hitler's devilishness in Kershaw's detail ... his book is so comprehensive, so richly documented and so judicious that it will not soon be superseded -- Daniel Johnson * Daily Telegraph *A riveting narrative ... the text positively crackles with fascinating insights and interesting perceptions ... this is unquestionably an outstanding biography -- Frank McLynn * Herald *Table of ContentsCeaseless radicalization; the drive for expansion; marks of a genocidal mentality; miscalculation; going for broke; licensing barbarism; zenith of power; designing a "war of annihilation"; showdown; fulfilling the "prophecy"; last big throw of the dice; beleaguered; hoping for miracles; luck of the devil; no way out; into the abyss; extinction.

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Book SynopsisThe powerful and deeply disturbing book that was at the heart of the David Irving libel case, now dramatized in the film Denial.The denial of the Holocaust has no more credibility than the assertion that the Earth is flat. Yet there are those who insist that the death of six million Jews in Nazi concentration camps is nothing but a hoax perpetrated by a powerful Zionist conspiracy. For years those who made such claims were dismissed as harmless cranks operating on the lunatic fringe. But they have now begun to gain a hearing in respectable arenas.In this famous book, reissued now to coincide with the film based on the legal case it provoked, Denial, Deborah Lipstadt shows how--despite tens of thousands of witnesses and vast amounts of documentary evidence--this irrational idea not only has continued to gain adherents but has become an international movement, with ''independent'' research centres, and official publications thTrade ReviewStrong medicine... An antidote to the moral and intellectual virus that has spread from the crackpot fringe to the very heart of public discourse in the media, the courts and the world's universities. * Los Angeles Times *Important and impassioned... it illuminates with skill and clarity, not only the peculiarly disturbing world of the Holocaust deniers, but also the methods they have used to distort history, the motives that have driven them to do so, and the vulnerabilities of our educational systems, our culture, and ourselves that have made so many in our society ready to listen to them. * New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisDuring the war, Géraldine Schwarz's grandparents were neither heroes nor villains - they just followed the current. Afterwards they wanted to forget, to bury it all under the wreckage of the Third Reich. But decades later, delving through the basement of their apartment building, Géraldine discovers that her grandfather Karl profited from the forced 'Aryanisation' of Jewish businesses - and so she is compelled to investigate her ancestors' past. On her mother's side, she delves into the role of her French grandfather, a policeman during the Vichy regime. How guilty were they? Combining generations of family stories with the history of Europe's post-war reckoning, Géraldine asks: how did Germans transform their collective guilt into democratic responsibility? And, given rising populism in Europe today, how can we ensure we learn from history?

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Book SynopsisOn 8 March 1941, a 27-year-old Jewish Dutch student living in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam made the first entry in a diary that was to become one of the most remarkable documents to emerge from the Nazi Holocaust. Over the course of the next two and a half years, an insecure, chaotic and troubled young woman was transformed into someone who inspired those with whom she shared the suffering of the transit camp at Westerbork and with whom she eventually perished at Auschwitz. Through her diary and letters, she continues to inspire those whose lives she has touched since. She was an extraordinarily alive and vivid young woman who shaped and lived a spirituality of hope in the darkest period of the twentieth century. This book explores Etty Hillesum's life and writings, seeking to understand what it was about her that was so remarkable, how her journey developed, how her spirituality was shaped, and what her profound reflections on the roots of violence and the nature of evil can teach usTrade Review[Hillesum's] inspirational reflections on the roots of violence and the nature of evil have as much relevance now as they did in the 1940s. * The Bookseller *[A] superb and moving account of her life and writings, touching on Hillesum's profound reflections on violence and the nature of evil. * Catholic Herald *Complicated, intelligent, passionate and disarming by turns, Etty Hillesum is interpreted here as a woman for our time. The forward to the book, written by the Archbishop of Canterbury, argues that by examining the life of Etty Hillesum, the reader is able to understand how a theology of hope and of the redemptive meaning of suffering can emerge, even from the darkest of contexts. -- Lavinia Byrne * Cheddar Valley Gazette *This is a very precious book that left me feeling very grateful for the life of Etty Hillesum. Patrick Woodhouse has written about her with a clarity and unobtrusive simplicity that is wholly appropriate. -- Jonathan Gorsky * One in Christ *Etty was pyschologically complex to say the least, and her story presents us with a disturbing and challenging spirituality for a world wracked with hatred. * The Tablet *A touching and wonderful book. * The Good Book Stall *For anyone involved in pastoral care, there are rich and thought-provoking resources here and Woodhouse is an excellent guide. ... Inspiring and deceptively simple book. * The Pastoral Review *This book is at home in a silent sanctuary and in a noisy prison – in any place, at any time. Read it. Let it do what it will ... In this memoir of Etty, Patrick Woodhouse has done far more than condense her story into 153 pages. He has immersed himself in her life so deeply and so passionately that Etty seems to be speaking through him. * Church Times *Table of ContentsIntroduction Why the diary and letters of this inspirational young woman who died in the Holocaust are of such significance and speak beyond her own time and context. Who was Etty Hillesum? A brief biographical outline, and the background and chronology of her life Chapter 1: An Emerging Self Explores the process of profound personal change that occurred in Etty. Within her intimate relationship with her therapist Julius Spier she grappled with the chaotic complexity of her intense personality against the background of her disturbed family and fearful times, and moved from an insecure and depressive past towards an integrated self. It examines her relationship with Spier and his crucial importance in enabling her to change. Chapter 2: Discovering God This chapter explores the beginnings of Etty's spirituality, looking at how understandings of prayer and God slowly took root and grew in her, her formation as the child of a liberal Jewish background, her secular student days and the gradual development of her contemplative life. It touches on her surprise and embarrassment at her strongly emerging religious consciousness -- a deep sense of the intimate life of God within. As she faced up to her own end and the destruction of her people, the realisation dawned upon her that God was unable to help them and so, she says, 'they must help Him' and, if they are to retain their integrity as human beings 'guard his Presence within them at all costs'. This chapter explores how this insight, with its profound theological significance, connects with understandings of God in the Christian and other traditions. Chapter 3: Refusing to hate Etty wrote a lot about hatred. This chapter looks at her refusal to hate and goes on to explore the phenomenon of hatred and its function in the collective mind of a persecuted people -- how it galvanises and unites, helping people to cope with their fear, but is ultimately an avoidance and displacement mechanism which Etty believed was profoundly destructive. Determined to hate "only the evil that is within me", Etty wrote of what it meant to bear fear and suffering, absorbing and accepting it rather than turning it back on those causing it. This understanding produced some of her most profound writing and makes her a universal figure, able to identify with all who suffer, including 'German mothers for they too sorrow for their slain and murdered sons'. Chapter 4: Losing her life As the persecutions intensified, many Jews clung to life and struggled to avoid their destruction. Along with her refusal to hate, Etty refused to hide or to evade what she saw coming. Her clear-eyed acceptance of the end and her refusal to clutch at illusions grew out of her commitment to truth and to living in the present rather than in fear of the future. "It sounds paradoxical," she wrote, "but by excluding death from our life we cannot live a full life... and by admitting death into our life we enlarge and enrich it." This chapter reflects on this paradox and its place in other religious traditions. Chapter 5: Seeing Differently Etty's greatest fear was that she would sleep-walk into death, that numbness would overcome her. Her triumph was to show that the reality of the Holocaust - the power of a terrible hatred against the Jews - was not the only or final reality. She saw and lived from other realities in the midst of the hell around her and in the end was neither captive to, nor overwhelmed by the darkness. This chapter goes to the heart of the paradox that enabled her - surrounded by death - to be a source of care and compassion for others and to continue to insist that life was meaningful and beautiful and, as she set out on her final journey to Auschwitz, to "leave the camp singing". Chapter 6: A woman for our time At a time of decline in institutional religion, Etty is a curiously modern person. Her route into spirituality is initially through psychotherapy and the exploration of the self. She sees the world through the prism of the person: systems of thought claiming 'the truth' inevitably contain falsehood and divide people. Suspicious of religious or political ideology, she sees the struggle for peace and a new world rooted in personal change. She is ecumenical in the widest sense, bridging the differences between religions. She was a Jew who drew inspiration from the New Testament, from St Augustine, from Russian writers, from Jung and above all from Rilke. She forged a spirituality that connects and resonates with aspects from all the great religious traditions - not only Judaism and Christianity, but also Buddhism and Hinduism. She lived and died at a time of mass violence. Her diaries and letters are an extended reflection on what it means to be fully human in the midst of violence and the temptations of violence, and she looks beyond the violence of her time to a new world.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis'Outstanding...Overy has written a masterpiece of analytical history, posing and answering one of the great questions of the century' Niall Ferguson, Sunday TimesThe Allied victory in 1945 – though comprehensive – was far from inevitable. By 1942 almost the entire resources of continental Europe were in German hands and Japan had wiped out the western colonial presence in Asia. Democracy appeared to have had its day. In this remarkable study, Richard Overy provides a reinterpretation of the war through an account of the decisive military campaigns that created the astonishing revival in Allied fortunes. He also explores the deeper factors that determined success and failure: industrial stength, fighting ability, the skills of leaders and the moral contrasts between the two sides. Today the modern world is once more in the throes of painful transformation. It is essential to establish why and how the last great war was won. Richard Overy casts a brilliant light on the most important turning-point of the modern age.‘A compelling analysis...skilful and chilling’ The EconomistTrade ReviewA compelling analysis... skilful and chilling -- Ross Davies * Economist *A much needed book... He deserves the attention of a wide audience -- Donald Cameron * Independent *Richard Overy is writing at the height of his powers... The result is often startling, never less than fascinating -- Adam Sisman * Observer *A thought provoking reappraisal of the war - deeply researched, complex and yet beautifully lucid -- Correlli Barnett * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisThe invasion has begun. In this gripping book, Jonathan Mayo gives a blow by blow account of the events of D-Day, revealing what happened to the people swept up in this crucial moment in history. From soldiers, French villagers and journalists, to schoolchildren and nurses, thousands were placed in extraordinary situations when the Allies landed in Normandy. This is their story.Trade ReviewStudded with extraordinary detail, this is the most joltingly vivid account ever written of the day the Allies gambled everything. * Daily Mail *The chaos, the horror and the bravery of the battlefield are all here… * Daily Express *An engrossing work... An accessible history that conveys the havoc and vast international spread of D-Day. * Kirkus Reviews US *Awesome... a completely comprehensive examination, an incredible amount of detail, a pleasure to read and learn from. * The Avid Reader *This is an outstanding book and should be required reading in High School history classes. * Battles and Book Reviews *This book creates a remarkably vivid picture of one of the most important days in modern history. * The Good Book Guide *

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Book SynopsisIf we seal off the past, how will we ever know the truth? In 1942, in Nazi-occupied Poland, a Jewish child was smuggled out of the Warsaw ghetto in a backpack. That child was Karen Kirsten’s mother, but she knew nothing about this extraordinary event until one day a letter arrived from a stranger. After Karen eventually discovered the grandparents she loved dearly were in fact not her biological grandparents, she travelled the globe to uncover her family’s past and to find the answers to baffling questions: why did her adoptive grandmother treat Karen’s mother so unkindly? Why did she hide the truth that she was her mother’s aunt? And why, if she appeared to dislike Karen’s mother, did she risk her life to save her and bring her to Australia? Irena’s Gift weaves together a mystery, history and memoir to tell the story of a family torn apart by war. From the glittering concert halls of interbellum Warsaw to the vermin-infested prison where a Jewish woman negotiates with an SS officer to save her sister’s child, Irena’s Gift is about the lies we tell to survive and what happens when those lies unravel. It is about the extraordinary resilience of three generations of women, and the sacrifices made for love. Trade Review'Deeply moving and beautifully written, Irena's Gift is a powerful unravelling of mysteries and memory. The journey of reconstruction and reconnection brilliantly evokes a lost era full of pain and love, as well as laying out the intricacies of intergenerational trauma. In addition to its value as Holocaust history, Irena's Gift deserves to become a classic of the memoir genre.' * Lucy Adlington, author of 'The Dressmakers of Auschwitz - the True Story of the Women who Sewed to Survive' *'Karen Kirsten’s debut is a harrowing family drama that spans the globe — from Jewish ghettos patrolled by Nazis to Melbourne suburbs of poodles, kookaburras, and refugees. Kirsten goes on a quest to piece together her family’s secrets and finds much more than a tale of survival from history’s nightmare. She tells a story of disillusionment and faith. She reminds us that sometimes heroes can be repulsive, and sometimes lies keep families together. Irena's Gift is beautifully written, deeply researched and deeply felt.' * Kevin Birmingham, NYT Bestselling author of 'The Sinner and the Saint' and 'The Most Dangerous Book: The Battle for James Joyce's Ulysses' *'With extremism and fascism again threatening democracies, 'Irena's Gift' is a must-read for our times. Stunningly researched, it explores themes of identity, secrets, grief and forgiveness. The author addresses the importance of naming our history and wrestles with the complexity of human nature - why a Nazi officer saved her mother.' * Michelle Bowdler, author of TIME's 100 Must-Read Books of 2020: 'Is Rape A Crime?' *'A family story as unique as a fingerprint. Enchanting.' * Thomas Keneally, author of Booker Prize-winning 'Schindler’s List' *'As Karen Kirsten sets out to solve the mystery of her mother’s past she takes us on a very personal journey of discovery. Skilfully, she unearths a thrilling story of war and survival against all odds. A keen researcher and sleuth, Karen uncovers a truth both astonishing and heartbreaking. Irena’s Gift is a beautiful, insightful, heartfelt and nuanced book. Masterfully crafted, it is both history and a memoir, but also so much more. Essential reading for anyone interested in WWII, trauma or family histories, this is one of the best second generation holocaust books ever published. I loved it and couldn’t put it down.' * Ariana Neumann, author of When Time Stopped. Winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, US National Jewish Book Award for Best Memoir. *'An epic story and an epic search for the truth that is beautifully written and meticulously weaved together, in a page-turning read I couldn’t put down. Karen Kirsten has captured her remarkable odyssey to place the final pieces of her family jigsaw in place, with moving and at times gut-wrenching detail. Alicja’s poignant words, "you think someone will want to know all of this?" will ring in your ears with every twist and turn that Kirsten’s journey takes to find the truth of who her family really are and how they were saved. Compulsive enough to read in a single-sitting, this is ultimately a story of love, healing, hope and humanity that will tug at your heartstrings. Irena’s Gift offers a prescient reminder, as Alicja says, that "we should never forget what happened".' * Sue Smethurst, author of The Freedom Circus *'An extraordinary story of how secrets and lies can tear a family apart.' * Maya Lee, author of The Nazis Knew My Name *‘Since I first learned about my Opa escaping the Nazis in occupied Holland, I have been taken with the heroic stories of everyday people during WWII. With author and refugee advocate Karen Kirsten, I find a kindred spirit. In Irena’s Gift, Kirsten brings to life the true and remarkable story of her family, including her mother and her grandmother, who like my Opa, sabotaged munitions at an armaments factory. This is a story of extraordinary women, survival and sacrifice. A must read.’ * Tara Moss, human rights and disability advocate, and author of The War Widow and The Ghosts of Paris *

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Book SynopsisThis third volume of a three-volume set offers concise biographical information for generals and admirals of the Third Reich with surnames between P and Z. The set covers all branches of service, providing a brief but scholarly overview of each individual, including personal details and dates for all attachments to unit, and medals awarded, offering a readily accessible go-to reference work for all World War II researchers and historians.These books are packed with information on these senior officers of the Third Reich, many of whom are little documented in the English language. In addition to the biographic information, this volume includes detailed appendices on admirals of the Kriegsmarine and generals of the Waffen-SS.

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Book SynopsisAn illustrated exploration of the dramatic aerial combats between the US Navy''s long-range bomber and Japanese flying boats in the Pacific War.Edward Young explores these rarely written about combats, examining the aggressive and strategic tactics deployed by both US Navy and Imperial Japanese Navy Air Force and analyzing the technical improvements installed throughout the war.The PB4Y-1/2 Liberator/Privateer was the US Navy's first four-engined, land-based bomber, adapted and allocated to fight the U-boat menace in the Atlantic and protect the vast reaches of the Pacific Ocean. The long range, speed, armament and bomb load of the PB4Y-1 enabled the US Navy's Pacific squadrons to adopt more aggressive tactics. The PB4Y-1, and its follow-on PB4Y-2, engaged in dangerous bombing missions against Japanese installations, shipping strikes, and air combat. On the other side, with its doctrine of making the first strike against an enemy fleet, the Imperial Japanese Navy recognized theTable of Contents(Subject to Confirmation) Introduction Chronology Design and Development Technical Specifications The Strategic Situation The Combatants Combat Statistics and Analysis Aftermath Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisUsing maps, contemporary photographs, and new artwork, this book examines the Hellcat and the naval aviators who flew them.Joining combat in the Pacific in late 1943, the Hellcat squadrons soon demonstrated their ascendency over their Japanese opponents, culminating in the great Marianas Turkey Shoot during the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June 1944. The fighter proved to be a dream for pilots to fly, allowing both novice and veteran Naval Aviators alike to prevail in largescale aerial combats. From October 1944 to January 1945, the Fast Carriers supported General MacArthur's invasion of the Philippines.Featuring specially commissioned armament views and battlescenes, this book covers the key role played by Naval Aviators flying the Hellcat into action during the Fast Carrier Task Force's strikes against the Philippines in September and October 1944. Using maps, contemporary photographs, and technical diagrams, the volume examines the highly effective tactics used to prevail Trade ReviewOsprey have produced yet another high quality, and thoroughly enjoyable read. -- Simon Dalton * Books2Cover *Well worth considering as inspiration for any USN Hellcat build, or for those with an interest in the Pacific Arena of World War Two. * Scale Aircraft Modelling *Table of ContentsChapter 1 In Battle Chapter 2 Setting the Scene Chapter 3 Path to Combat Chapter 4 Weapon of War Chapter 5 Art of War Chapter 6 Combat Appendices Index

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Book SynopsisThe most shocking year in history. Week by week, hour by hour.In his brilliant reconstruction, Richard Collier vividly brings one of the most momentous years in world history to life once again.This was a time of blitzkrieg and the Blitz; of the Battle of Britain and Dunkirk. From the fighting in Finland to the destruction of Coventry, from the sinking of the French fleet in Oran to the invasion of Norway, this is history at its most extraordinary and engaging.By recounting major episodes from the viewpoint of those actually involved, Collier provides enlightening glimpses of just what war represented to both the great and to the unknown, and reveals that while 1940 was a year of incredible folly, it was also a time of inestimable bravery.Perfect for readers of Anthony Beevor and Max Hastings, this is an unforgettable book about an unforgettable year, a year that shaped the world we know today.‘Masterly… you could be reading a spine-tingling thriller’ Sunday Express‘I would like to see this book made compulsory reading’ Evening Standard

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