Second World War Books

Book SynopsisIn the dark dungeons beneath Nazi Germany, teams of occult experts delved into ancient and forbidden lore, searching for lost secrets of power. This book tells the complete history of the Nazi occult programs, from their quests for the Ark of the Covenant, the Spear of Destiny, and the Holy Grail, through their experiments with lycanthrope and zero-point energy. It also includes information on the shadow war fought in the dying days of the Reich as the Nazis deployed strange flying saucers that battled to save their final stronghold in the Antarctic. For years, the Allied governments worked to keep this information from reaching the public, and sought to discredit those few who dared to seek the truth. Now, using a combination of photography and artwork reconstructions, the true story of the most secret battles of World War II can finally be told.Table of ContentsThe Secret of the Runes /The Thule Bruderschaft /The Ahnenerbe /Tibet and the Secret Kingdom /The Ark, the Spear, and the Grail/ Aktion Hess /Ice Moon and Hollow Earth /Vril and Zero-Point Energy /Projekt Saucer /Werwolf /The Black Sun and the Fourth Reich

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Book SynopsisIt is a recognized fact that, had the war gone badly for the Allies on the India/Burma front, and had the Japanese succeeded in invading the Indian Continent, the outcome of the war would have been entirely different. Yet despite this, the campaign on the Burma front is offered surprisingly scant coverage in the majority of photo-history books. This new book, from respected military historian and author Norman Franks, attempts to redress the balance, noting the importance of this particular aerial conflict within the wider context of the Second World War. Franks takes as his focus the pilots, aircraft and landscapes that characterized the campaign. Photographs acquired during the course of an intensive research period are consolidated into a volume that is sure to make for a popular addition to the established Images of War series. Many unpublished photographs feature, each one offering a new insight into the conflict as it unfolded over Burmese skies. The archive offers a wealth of dynamic images of RAF Hurricanes and Spitfires in flight, with shots of both the aircraft and the pilots employed during this challenging conflict. To fly and fight in Burma, pilots really had to be at the top of their game. The Japanese enemy certainly weren't the only problem to contend with; weather, poor food, incredible heat and all its attendant maladies, jungle diseases, tigers, elephants, fevers...The Japanese were the real enemy but the British pilots had so much more to deal with. And they did it for years. In Britain, a pilot could look forward to a break from operations every six months or so on average. In Burma, pilots first employed in 1941 were still flying operations in 1944. The collection represents a determination on the author's part to record the part played by these resilient and skilled RAF fighter pilots, the contribution that they paid in supporting General Slim's 14th Army and the part they ultimately played in defeating the Japanese attempts to break through into India. These efforts, all paramount and imperative to success, are celebrated here in words and images in a volume sure to appeal to Spitfire and Hurricane enthusiasts, as well as the more general reader.

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Book SynopsisBy the will of fate I came to play a part in not letting Hitler achieve his final goal of disappearing and turning into a myth... I managed to prevent Stalin's dark and murky ambition from taking root-his desire to hide from the world that we had found Hitler's corpse' - Elena Rzhevskaya "A telling reminder of the jealousy and rivalries that split the Allies even in their hour of victory, and foreshadowed the Cold War"- Tom Parfitt, The Guardian On May 2,1945, Red Army soldiers broke into Hitler's bunker. Rzhevskaya, a young military interpreter, was with them. Almost accidentally the Soviet military found the charred remains of Hitler and Eva Braun. They also found key documents: Bormann's notes, the diaries of Goebbels and letters of Magda Goebbels. Rzhevskaya was entrusted with the proof of the Hitler's death: his teeth wrenched from his corpse by a pathologist hours earlier. The teeth were given to Rzhevskaya because they believed male agents were more likely to get drunk on Victory Day, blurt out the secret and lose the evidence. She interrogated Hitler's dentist's assistant who confirmed the teeth were his. Elena's role as an interpreter allowed her to forge a link between the Soviet troops and the Germans. She also witnessed the civilian tragedy perpetrated by the Soviets. The book includes her diary material and later additions, including conversations with Zhukov, letters of pathologist Shkaravsky, who led the autopsy, and a new Preface written by Rzhevskaya for the English language edition. Rzhevskaya writes about the key historical events and everyday life in her own inimitable style. She talks in depth of human suffering, of bittersweet victory, of an author's responsibility, of strange laws of memory and unresolved feeling of guilt.

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Book SynopsisThis is the true story of how one soldier experienced the horrors and bloodshed of World War II - and lived to tell the tale. Hans Fackler, like many boys his age, was conscripted into the Wehrmacht at the age of seventeen and sent to the Eastern Front. A pioneer in the infantry, he barely survived the carnage of the front lines and lost comrades to the Russian forces. Eventually, Hans suffered a grievous injury from a grenade explosion. No longer able to fight, he found himself drugged on morphine and on board the controversial Wilhelm Gustloff, an armed military transport ship for SS, Gestapo and Wehrmacht personnel, which operated under the guise of transporting civilians. The Gustloff was attacked and sunk by Russian torpedoes, drowning more than 9,000 passengers. Rescued by a German freighter, Hans recuperated in a military hospital near Erfurt in the Harz, which subsequently fell into the Russian zone. He escaped and undertook the arduous task of walking almost 200 miles back home to Bavaria. The extraordinary first-person account of one of the few soldier-survivors of the sinking of the Gustloff, it also includes Hans' experiences of taking part in the Kiev and the Vercors mountains massacres in 1941 and 1944 respectively.

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Book SynopsisEastern Front Sniper is a long overdue and comprehensive biography of one of World War II's most accomplished snipers. Math us Hetzenauer, the son of a Tyrolean peasant family, was born in December 1924. He was drafted into the Mountain Reserve Battalian 140 at the age of 18 but discharged five months later. He received a new draft notice in January 1943 for a post in the Styrian Truppenubungsplatz Seetal Alps where he met some of the best German snipers and learned his art. Hetzenauer went on to fight in Romania, Eastern Hungary and in Slovakia. As recognition for his more than 300 confirmed kills, he was awarded on the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on April 17, 1945. After nearly five years of Soviet captivity Math us Hetzenauer returned to Austria on January 10, 1950. He lived in the Tyrol's Brixen Valley until his death on 3 October of 2004.

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Book SynopsisThe most comprehensive and authoritative history of D-Day ever published‘Extraordinary’ Andrew Roberts‘Fascinating’ Daily Mail‘Magisterial’ James Holland________________6 June 1944, 4 a.m. Hundreds of boats assemble off the coast of France. By nightfall, thousands of the men they carry will be dead.This was D-Day, the most important day of the twentieth century.In Sand and Steel, one of Britain’s leading military historians offers a panoramic new account of the Allied invasion of France. Drawing on a decade of new research, Peter Caddick-Adams masterfully recreates what it was like to wade out onto the carnage of Omaha Beach, or parachute behind enemy lines in Normandy. He explores the year-long preparations that went into the invasion, overturning decades-old assumptions about Allied strategy. And he pays tribute to the remarkable individuals who made D-Day possible – not just soldiers on the beaches, but also paratroopers, sailors, aircrews, and women on the Home Front.The result is a compulsively readable account of the greatest battle of the Second World War. It will be the definitive work on D-Day for years to come.________________‘A hugely impressive book which makes full use of a lifetime of learning and experience.’ Herald‘Peter Caddick-Adams’ D-Day must surely go down as the definitive narrative of that pivotal moment in the history of the war.’ James Holland‘This is a warts-and-all forensic examination of the Allied invasion, offering stacks of insight based on a decade of research.’ SoldierTrade ReviewWhether you are a visitor to the Normandy battlefields, a general reader interested in the greatest amphibious assault in the history of warfare, or just someone who appreciates extremely well-written military history . . . this truly extraordinary book is undoubtedly the one for you. -- Andrew RobertsFollowing his excellent study of the Battle of the Bulge, Caddick-Adams does it again by explaining, as opposed to simply describing, the Allies’ victory. -- Jeremy BlackPeter Caddick-Adams is unquestionably one of the very finest historians of the Second World War . . . His D-Day must surely go down as the definitive narrative of that pivotal moment in the history of the war. -- James HollandFascinating . . . Reveals the full horror Allied troops suffered as they prepared to overwhelm the Nazis, examining the facts behind the historic assault. * Daily Mail *This is a hugely impressive book which makes full use of a lifetime of learning and experience. It is also rich in unexpected detail . . . Such an entertaining and engaging account. * The Herald *

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Book SynopsisInsights into the organisation, equipment, men, machines, technology and tactics of the RAF's bomber offensive 1939 - 1945, Night and day in the Second World War RAF Bomber Command pounded away at the infrastructure of Germany to bring the Reich to its knees., Author Jonathan Falconer describes the Command's complex organisation and the science, technology and engineering behind every raid: how were bomber airfields built? How were bomber crews trained? What aircraft did they fly and what weapons did they use? How was the Command organised? Who decided what to bomb? How was a raid planned, executed, and its effectiveness analysed? How were the 47,000 'missing' aircrew traced? How were damaged bombers repaired?, Author: Jonathan Falconer is the author of more than 35 books and has published widely on the history of the RAF and Bomber Command including the Haynes de Havilland Mosquito Manual (with Brian Rivas), Short Stirling Manual, Handley Page Halifax Manual and RAF 100: The Royal Air Force in 100 Technical Innovations. He lives in Wiltshire.

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Book SynopsisStalin's USSR and Hitler's Reich-- the populations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania had been subjected to a brutal Soviet occupation in 1940, Nazi invasion in 1941, and Soviet re-occupation in 1944, falsely branded as 'liberation'. Variously labelled 'freedom fighters' or 'Nazi bandits' by historians, the Baltic partisans who would become known as the Forest Brothers fought a long campaign against occupation that eventually failed under the might of the USSR. Much of this history of armed resistance, which was also a front in the intelligence war between East and West, is little known outside the region. Treachery, betrayal, heroism and lost futures all play a role in this fascinating tale, as Dan Kaszeta explores themes of independence, nationalism, Baltic identity, the fluidity of boundaries in Eastern Europe, and the comparative weight of Nazi and Soviet oppression. Drawing on extensive archival material rarely seen outside the Baltic states, 'The Forest Brotherhood' unpacks the forgotten story of this resistance movement, and reveals its continuing impact on today's world.Trade Review'A much-needed history of the anti-Soviet partisan war in the Baltic States. Dispassionate, clear and forthright in his assessments, Kaszeta's book offers a broader understanding of how the brutality and crimes of Soviet and Russian occupation spawns the kind of fierce resistance we see today in Ukraine.' -- Toomas Hendrik Ilves, former President of Estonia'A well-judged and well-written history of the often-overlooked but vitally important story about the part of modern Europe caught between totalitarian communist Russia and totalitarian Nazi Germany. Kaszeta brilliantly sets out the facts and their contemporary significance.' -- The Rt Hon Charles Clarke, former MP and editor of 'Understanding the Baltic States''Kaszeta's well-researched, insightful and sympathetic book casts overdue light on this gripping story of bravery and betrayal.' -- Edward Lucas, author, security specialist and Times columnist'Kaszeta rescues the fascinating and harrowing story of the Baltic resistance to post-war Soviet occupation from the footnotes of history and from the nefarious distortions of communist propaganda. This is a story that needs to be told and is all the more pertinent in the light of Russia's recent aggression against Ukraine. Highly recommended.' -- Roger Moorhouse, historian and author of 'The Devils' Alliance' and 'First to Fight''Illuminating a little-known chapter in Baltic and European history, this is a story of not just political activism and armed struggle, but of human resistance in face of overwhelming odds.' -- Mart Kuldkepp, Associate Professor of Scandinavian History and Politics, University College London

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Book Synopsis6th September, 1942: a middle-aged Jewish refugee stands on the Swiss side of the Franco-Swiss border above Geneva. He has been living in Switzerland since he fled Vienna in November 1938, as the Nazi persecution of the city’s Jewish population intensified. He is now waiting for the arrival of the wife he has not seen for nearly four years. Against all odds he has managed to get an entry permit for her to join him in Switzerland. She appears on the French side. They see each other. Call out. She begins to cross the few yards of no-mans-land that separate them. An official calls her back. She hesitates, turns, goes back - and is lost forever. This book tells the story of the wartime journey of Toni Schiff, as she ventured across Europe to the this fateful near-meeting at the Franco-Swiss border – and what happened next. Based on the extensive research of her daughter, Kindertransportee Hilda Schiff, and told by Sheila Rosenberg, who shared much of the later research and many of the research journeys, this book sheds light on the lives of one family – caught up in, and ultimately separated by, the tragic and tumultuous events of World War II.Trade ReviewThis is a well-researched and often heartrending book, illustrated with poignant poetry. It draws from Hilda’s own recollections and extensive investigations as well as on historical research by others. It is strong in human interest and painstakingly put together with helpful headings to make reading easier. * AJR Journal *Thoughtfully illustrated by precious family photographs ... Hilda and her family have clearly undertaken a great deal of meticulous research ... [This book] should help anyone else researching a typical European Jewish family in terms of where they might need to undertake research to locate vital fragments of information about what happened to their relatives. * Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine *Contains a terrific amount of information and is thoroughly researched ... Informative and touching, and a worthy contribution to Kindertransport and Holocaust literature ... A beautiful book, with many interesting illustrations; a book that raises interesting questions about memoir as a literary form. * Voices Newspaper *Represents a necessary form of intervention that appeals to the responsibility not of future but of current historians and journalists. * Jewish Historical Studies *The Exit Visa is remarkable. It encapsulates the bravery, fear and ultimately impossible choices of Jewish Refugees from Nazism. Through painstaking research, the journeys of the Schiff family are re-created. it is a study especially of mother and daughter: Toni, who comes agonisingly close to safety on the French-Swiss border, but is turned away and deported to her murder at Auschwitz, and Hilda who comes to England on the Kindertransport. This multi-layered account, curated deftly by Sheila Rosenberg, melds history, memory and reflection, most powerfully through Hilda Schiff's poetry of loss and displacement. It raises troubling questions of what happens when human beings are labelled 'illegal' as relevant to the migrant crisis today as it is to understanding the Jewish experience of persecution during the Holocaust. * Professor Tony Kushner, University of Southampton *The Exit Visa tells how the horrors of the Nazis overwhelmed a typical Jewish family – a unique story of survival by some and the capture of one woman on the Swiss German border within sight of her horrified husband. * Lord Alf Dubs, Arrived in the UK in 1939 on a Kindertransport *A moving and often unsettling investigation of alienation and reunification under and after the Nazi regime. Rosenberg has crafted a skillfully embroidered narrative of the Schiff children, Hilda and Gitti, their experiences as Kindertransportee children in England, and their efforts to unravel the mystery of their mother, Toni, who was separated from her husband at the Franco-Swiss border in September 1942. The story roves across cities, memories and conversations, while historians and archives reveal the painful conclusion of Toni's journey in Nazi Europe. The Exit Visa is a vital memoir of longing and loss. * Dr Simone Gigliotti, Senior Lecturer/Reader in Holocaust Studies, Royal Holloway University of London *Table of ContentsPrologue 1. Hilda 2. Vienna: Toni and the family up to February 1939 3. Escape to Belgium 4. Switzerland: The Moses Schiff story 1938-1942. The Swiss via 5. From Antwerp to Annemasse 6. The last journeys: Annemasse to Rivesaltes; Rivesaltes to Drancy 7. The last journeys: Convoy 33 to Auschwitz and Auschwitz Epilogue: 'And the Sun Still Shone'

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Book SynopsisAs Nelson Mandela said, ‘a nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.’ Shadowland tells the sometimes inspiring, often painful stories of Germany’s prisoners, and thereby shines new light on Germany itself. The story begins at the end of the Second World War, in a defeated country on the edge of collapse, in which orphaned and lost children are forced to live rough, scavenging and stealing to stay alive, often laying the foundations of a ‘criminal career’. While East Germany developed detention facilities for its secret police, West Germany passed prison reform laws, which erected, in the words of a prisoner, ‘little asbestos walls in Hell’. Shadowland is Germany as seen through the lives, experiences, triumphs and tragedies of its lowest citizens.

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Book Synopsis “In this rich and resonant study, Joanna Newman recounts the little-known story of this Jewish exodus to the British West Indies...”—Times Higher Education In the years leading up to the Second World War, increasingly desperate European Jews looked to far-flung destinations such as Barbados, Trinidad, and Jamaica in search of refuge from the horrors of Hitler’s Europe. Nearly the New World tells the extraordinary story of Jewish refugees who overcame persecution and sought safety in the West Indies from the 1930s through the end of the war. At the same time, it gives an unsparing account of the xenophobia and bureaucratic infighting that nearly prevented their rescue—and that helped to seal the fate of countless other European Jews for whom escape was never an option. From the introduction: This book is called Nearly the New World because for most refugees who found sanctuary, it was nearly, but not quite, the New World that they had hoped for. The British West Indies were a way station, a temporary destination that allowed them entry when the United States, much of South and Central America, the United Kingdom and Palestine had all become closed. For a small number, it became their home. This is the first comprehensive study of modern Jewish emigration to the British West Indies. It reveals how the histories of the Caribbean, of refugees, and of the Holocaust connect through the potential and actual involvement of the British West Indies as a refuge during the 1930s and the Second World War.Trade Review “In this rich and resonant study, Joanna Newman recounts the little-known story of this Jewish exodus to the British West Indies from the 1930s to the end of the war ... Through a vivid combination of letters, memoirs and interviews, we learn of the tremendous efforts the newly arrived Jews went to in an attempt to rebuild their shattered lives and recreate something of the Europe they had left behind”. • Times Higher Education “Nearly the New World is a sober, balanced, and deeply nuanced study of the Jewish refugee crisis of the 1930s, the reception of Jews in the West Indies on the eve of decolonization, and the British imperial policies that flowed through it all. Newman uses this history to speak effectively, and without anachronism, to address the current refugee crisis, breaking free from the usual sterile confines of standard academic histories.” • Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs “The volume fills some important gaps in Jewish and Caribbean studies by extending understanding of the nature of diaspora communities from the previous focus on Irish, African, South Asian, and Middle Eastern groups to include the under documented Jewish, and particularly Ashkenazi, presence in the British West Indies. It also contributes to understanding of the history of migration as an important constant in the life of the Caribbean.” • The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs “The work adds significantly to the budding scholarship on World War II and the Caribbean and brings to light the history of a people who have made significant contributions to a challenged but developing region.” • Central European History “…a study very much worth reading, clearly structured and enriched with personal illustrative material. Newman clearly achieves her goal to produce a ‘connected history,’ in which histories of the Caribbean, of refugees, and the Holocaust are linked together.” • H-Soz-Kult “Joanna Newman has done a remarkable job of rescuing an otherwise little-known story of the Holocaust, and her book is to be recommended to those seeking to learn something of the history of Holocaust rescue beyond that reserved for the countries where immigration was a given and refugee resettlement was expected.” • The Journal of British Studies “[This] book is a tour de force covering uncharted territory, exploring aspects that perhaps most readers had never thought about. As always, the historic photos and human-interest stories are fascinating and the detailed notes about sources will be of particular interest to academics.” • Association of Jewish Refugees Journal "A genuinely untold story doesn’t surface too often, but when it does, it’s best to pay attention. Joanna Newman’s diligent and scholarly excavation of Jewish refugees in the Caribbean is a revelation. It adds to what we know about the fate of those who fled the Holocaust; but it is also an excellent primer on colonial history. And it introduces us to a gallery of fascinating characters, many of whom exhibit a characteristic Caribbean mixture of courage, cunning and determination" • Trevor Phillips “Nearly the New World is a richly researched book that addresses a key gap in the historiography of World War II—the forced migration of Jewish refugees to the British West Indies. It is a timely work that will make an invaluable contribution to the scholarly literature on Jewish refugees from the Nazis, Jews in colonial spaces, and the Jewish Caribbean in particular.” • Sarah Phillips Casteel, Carleton University “Joanna Newman’s Nearly the New World is a remarkable achievement. It is the first full study of Jewish refugee movements to the British Caribbean and for that alone it is of immense value. But the significance of this book is much greater. In the field of Holocaust studies it acts as a model, bringing together perspectives from the British imperial government, Jewish refugee organisations, local responses and the experiences of the refugees themselves. It is also a wonderful example of a historian creatively curating sources, ranging from Colonial Office minutes through to the rich resource of Trinidadian calypsos, to explore the history and memory of this neglected topic. For those in refugee studies it is also an important intervention, with the persecuted at the forefront of her study. The author makes clear the connections between the refugees at sea in the Nazi era to find a place of safety and those on migrant boats today. This is a compelling story, beautifully told.” • Professor Tony Kushner, Parkes Institute, University of Southampton and author of Journeys from the Abyss: The Holocaust and Forced Migration from the 1880s to the present (2017). “This book offers an unusual angle of vision on the tragic history of Jews in flight from Europe before and during the Second World War. Joanna Newman shows how British officials and West Indians as well as refugees themselves reacted to the forced emigration of victims of Nazi oppression. She tracks the miserable record of the colonial bureaucracy through a multitude of archives. For the first time, she exposes the scandal of deliberate under-utilization of available refugee camp facilities in Jamaica during the war. Throughout, she injects a human dimension with evidence from letters, memoirs, and interviews. We learn how Jews disembarking in the West Indies were greeted with calypsos, some expressing sympathy at their plight, others resentment at their uninvited arrival. Admirably researched, deeply thoughtful, and wonderfully readable, this book has a vital message for the worldwide humanitarian crisis of our own time, as a new generation of asylum seekers knocks desperately at our doors.” • Bernard Wasserstein, University of ChicagoTable of Contents List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1. The Contextual Drivers: The British West Indies, the Colonial Office and Jewish Refugee Organisations PART I: CONFRONTING THE NEED FOR REFUGE Chapter 2. Jews Seeking Refuge, 1933–1938 Chapter 3. Panic Migration: The British West Indies And The Refugee Crisis Of 1938/39 PART II: CONFRONTING THE NEED FOR RESCUE Chapter 4. Boat People Chapter 5. Internment, Camps and Missed Opportunities Epilogue Select Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisAfter 75 years, this story presents archaeological evidence, archival records, and respected elders’ accounts from WWII and the most catastrophic period in Pacific Basin history, and then into modern times on Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. On June 15, 1944, Afetna Point was called ‘Yellow Beach 2’ by the U.S. Marines and Army infantry braving Japanese resistance to establish a beachhead before capturing As Lito airfield the following days. The beachhead then served as a resupply landing for the next two weeks or more as U.S. forces slowly cleared the island of enemy strongpoints, and removed wounded Americans and battle weary civilians to off-shore medical treatment. At the end of the battle Chamorro, Carolinian, Okinawan, and Korean residents were relocated into stockades for their separation from Japanese soldiers until liberation on July 4, 1946. American military and eventual civilian administration of the San Antonio area transformed the agrarian landscape into a busy corridor of residential, industrial, and then tourist development. Once again in the 21st century, competition for regional tourism and investment makes Saipan a nexus of geopolitical intrigue and economic speculation where the past is not forgotten.Table of ContentsPreface ; Chapter 1. Introduction to Yellow Beach 2 on Saipan ; Chapter 2. The Afetna Point Archaeological Project ; Chapter 3. Environmental Context of Afetna Point ; Chapter 4. Research Design and Methods Employed ; Chapter 5. Yellow Beach 2: Historic Context of Afetna Point ; Chapter 6. WWII Era Results ; Chapter 7. Osteological Analysis ; Chapter 8. San Antonio Memories Today ; Chapter 9. Discussion of Research Questions ; Chapter 10. Larger Research Implications ; Chapter 11. References Cited by Major Topics

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Book SynopsisThe generals that defined the Nazi WarJames Lucas, military historian and British Army veteran, spoke with many veterans of both Axis and Allied armies, digging deeper into the question of what it is that makes a good soldier. His studies of German forces are some of the most insightful and significant ever undertaken, showing why they were such formidable foes.Here he has selected fifteen of the leading players in Hitler’s war effort, including men at or near the top, and describes their role in the German military hierarchy and their performance at strategic or battlefield level.They had, Lucas suggests, an extra dimension, an additional quality—administrative skill, the ability to motivate, great tactical awareness, originality of thought—which set them apart from others of equal rank. Here his subjects include iconic names like Kesselring, von Manstein, Model, Nehring and Rommel in a riveting book about command, control, military tactics and the hard realities of soldiering.Perfect for readers of Max Hastings or Ian Kershaw.

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Book SynopsisThis book showcases over 150 images of some of the best restored World War Two aircraft that have been made airworthy again. The history, specifications, and war stories of these aircraft are covered, as well as the restoration efforts of the various museums and private owners. For reader's ease, aircraft will be given its own chapter. Aircraft covered include the P-51 Mustang, F6F Hellcat, B-25 Mitchell, P-39 Airacobra, C-47 Skytrain and many more. Delve into this richly detailed look at the deserving aircraft that have been rightfully restored to their former glory.

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Book SynopsisThe Supermarine Spitfire has achieved iconic status due to its exceptional design and the enduring bravery of its pilots during the conflicts of World War Two. Revered by pilots, this high-performance fighter aircraft is best remembered for operations with RAF Fighter Command in the defence of Britain in 1940, although the Spitfire went on to serve in every theatre of war. Using the Spitfire's speed, manoeuvrability and impressive firepower, Allied pilots enjoyed great success in aerial combat against all the leading Axis fighter types from 1940 through to VJ Day. No fewer than ten marks of Spitfire saw action as fighters during World War Two, and more than 460 RAF, Commonwealth and USAAF pilots claimed five or more enemy aircraft shot down to achieve ace status. The exploits of 40 aviators that made ace from Australia, Canada, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa and the US are examined in this volume. Alongside the more famous names of 'Johnnie' Johnson, Douglas Bader and 'Sailor' Malan, lesser-known aces including Bill Rolls, Brian Carbury and Don Laubman are included. Their stories, and the deadly conflicts in which they took part, are told through combat reports, first-hand accounts, award citations and autobiographical extracts. This volume contains more than 240 photographs of the aces and the various Spitfires (and other fighter types) that they flew, as well as 40 meticulously researched, specially commissioned profile illustrations.

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Book SynopsisSheila Mills’s story is a unique perspective of the Second World War. She is a clever, middle-class Norfolk girl with a yen for adventure and joins the WRNS in 1940 to escape the shackles of secretarial work in London, her unhappy childhood and her social-climbing mother. From a first posting in Scotland in 1940, she progresses through the ranks, first to Egypt and later to a vanquished Germany.Extraordinary and fascinating encounters and personalities are seen through the eyes of a young Wren officer: Admiral Ramsay, the Invasion of Sicily and Operation Mincemeat that triggered it, The Flap, the sinking of the Medway, the surrender of the Italian fleet and the Belsen Trials. These observations are peppered with humorous insights into the humdrum preoccupations of a typical Wren – boys, appearance and having fun, while worrying about home and family.This treasure trove of hundreds of letters, along with scrapbooks and memorabilia, some of which are reproduced here, was discovered in bin liners shortly after Sheila died. Her daughter, Vicky, has pieced together a fascinating and unusual record of the Second World War from a woman’s perspective.

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Book Synopsis‘I hold the greatest respect for Len for what he achieved in the RAF’. – Gordon Mitchell, son of Spitfire designer R.J. MitchellIn May 1940, 20-year-old Len Thorne joined the RAF, as did many young men during the Second World War. After two hectic tours of operational duty as a fighter pilot, including some desperately dangerous low-level flying at Dunkirk, he was posted to AFDU (Air Fighting Development Unit) and remained there as a test pilot for the rest of the war.Fortunately for us, Len kept a detailed diary, which, set alongside his log book, tells the unique story of a test pilot tasked with developing operational tactics and testing captured enemy aircraft, such as the feared Fw 190. During Len’s career, he worked alongside some of the most famous fighter aces and his records cast light on some of the most famous flyers of the RAF, including Wing Commander Al Deere and Spitfire aces Squadron Leader ‘Paddy’ Finucane, Ernie Ryder and many others.A unique record of military aviation history, From Spitfire to Focke Wulf offers a window to this era of rapid and high-stakes aircraft development.

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Book Synopsis‘Defying Vichy takes us into the heart of the French Resistance: the Dordogne region (in) this moving account of the darkest and brightest period in French history.’ – Matthew Cobb, author of The ResistanceVichy France under Marshal Pétain was an authoritarian regime that sought to perpetuate a powerful place for France in the world alongside Germany. It echoed the right-wing ideals of other fascist states and was a perfect instrument for Hitler, who drew more and more power and resources from a beaten France whose people suffered. Resistance was an unknown until a small number sought to make a stand in whatever way they could. Each would play their part in destabilising the Vichy state, all the while rejecting the Nazi occupation of their eternal France.The Dordogne was one of many hotbeds of early refusal and its dramatic stories are here told against the backdrop of the rise and fall of Vichy France. These stories, like so many others of often ordinary people – men and women, young and old – tell of a period of betrayal, refusal and heroism.Trade Review'Pacey and engaging ... a fascinating contribution to the field.' -- Robert Gildea'A meticulously researched and valuable contribution to the history of the German occupation.' -- Caroline Moorehead"A vivid and evocative account ... Robert Pike is to be applauded for bringing these stories to a wider readership." -- Hanna Diamond'A moving account of the darkest and brightest period in French history.' -- Matthew Cobb'Pulsating with action and detailed stories.' -- Rod KedwardExcellent ... A detailed, well-written and eminently readable book that will be of interest to any student or scholar of Vichy and the Occupation years. -- David Lees * MODERN & CONTEMPORARY FRANCE *

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Book SynopsisThe account of the fateful bridge too far…‘It was a bridge too far and perhaps the whole plan was doomed to failure from the start, but we had to try, didn’t we?’17 September 1944: 30,000 airborne soldiers prepare to drop 64 miles behind enemy lines into Nazi-occupied Holland; tens of thousands of ground troops race down Hell’s Highway in tanks and armoured cars, trucks and half-tracks to link up with them. The goal – to secure eight bridges across the Rhine and end the war by Christmas. Ten days later, over 15,000 of these soldiers have died, 6,000 have been taken prisoner.Operation Market Garden was the daring plan to stage a coup de main in occupied territory, gain control of those bridges, and obtain a direct route into Hitler’s Germany. But the operation failed and the allied forces suffered a brutal military defeat.In the 75 years since, tactics have been analysed and blame has been placed, but the heart of Arnhem’s story lies in the selflessness and bravery of those troops that fought, the courage and resilience of the civilians caught up in confrontation, and the pure determination to fight for their lives and their freedom. This is the story of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events.In Ballantyne’s Arnhem, we go into battle with not only the famous commanders in the thick of the action, but also with all those whose fates were determined by their decisions. Based on first-hand interviews, military records, and diaries, we witness the confusion and mayhem of war – from the horrific and devastating to the surreal and mundane. But most of all, we witness the self-sacrifice and valour of the men who gave their lives to liberate strangers in a foreign country.Praise for Arnhem: Ten Days in the Cauldron ‘Reminiscent of Stephen Ambrose at his best… some remarkable stories, which Ballantyne neatly dovetails into a rolling epic’ Dr Harry Bennett, University of Plymouth‘Breath-taking… I thoroughly enjoyed reading this account of Arnhem, adding, if you like, a trench-level perspective to those other accounts written from more senior, and sometimes more detached, points of view. Thoroughly recommended’ British Journal for Military History

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Book SynopsisThe war is drawing to a close, but life for the Caldwell sisters is far from peaceful…Still waiting for her fiancé, James, to return from fighting in North Africa, Imogen focuses her attention on driving for the Auxiliary Territorial Service General. Between work and looking out for her sisters, she soon finds she has very little time left over to worry.Meanwhile, Elsie continues to nurse her husband back to health, finally content with her quiet family life in Yorkshire. But she is nostalgic for happier times, before the war, and longs to be reunited with her sisters again.Daisy is also desperate for an end to the war – she fears for her love, Glenn, and longs to see him return home safely. In these uncertain times, she needs all the support Imogen and Elsie can give to her.When yet another tragedy befalls the Caldwell family, will the sisters be able to lift each other up to carry on?The captivating finale to the Second World War set Caldwell Sisters series, perfect for fans of Emma Hornby, Elaine Everest and Katie Flynn.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis_The planned landing operation in France of the Allies was on so large a scale and of such decisive importance that the preparations for it could certainly not be kept secretEveryone realized that, sooner or later, the invasion would have to become a reality._ Generalmajor Rudolf, Freiherr von Gersdorff.In June 1944, Allied troops were massing along the shores of southern England in readiness for the invasion of Hitler's Fortress Europe. Facing them, from the Pas de Calais to Brittany, were German troops, dug in, waiting and preparing for the inevitable confrontation. This compilation of in-depth accounts by German commanders presents D-Day, and the events leading up to it, from the point of view of the officers entrusted with preventing the Allied landings.The accounts selected, all written soon after the war's close for American military intelligence, cover preparations for the invasion and chart the development of German strategy as invasion looms. They then turn to the ordeal

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Book SynopsisThis book is a biographical study of the geographer/explorer and banker Francis Rodd, the second Lord Rennell of Rodd (1895-1978). Rodd’s life is interesting for the way it connected the worlds of geography, international finance, politics, espionage, and wartime military administration. He was famous in the 1920s for his journeys to the Sahara and his study of the Tuareg, People of the Veil (1926). A career in banking included a stint at the Bank of England, before he became a Partner in the merchant bank Morgan Grenfell—where remained for most of his working life (1933-1961). During the war he worked for the Ministry of Economic Warfare (1939=40), before getting closely involved in the sphere of military government (civil affairs). In 1942, he was War Office’s Chief Political Officer in East Africa. He was then appointed head of the first Allied Military Government in occupied Europe (Chief Civil Affairs Officer of AMGOT). In civil affairs, he was drawn to the principles of indirect rule. A generalist in an age of growing specialisation, he was also a mixture of traditionalist and moderniser. A product of Eton and Balliol College, Oxford, and elevated to the peerage in 1941, he was well-connected socially, and his life is a window onto British society at a time of great change.Trade Review“Francis Rodd lived a life shaped by war and with an enduring pragmatic commitment to the service of the state and to geographical thinking, whether about the Tuareg, international banking, Sicily during WWII or post-war African administration. This deeply researched biography – both a faithful tribute and an intelligent historical commentary – will interest many.” — Professor Charles W J Withers, Professor Emeritus of Historical Geography, University of Edinburgh, UK‘Who better than his grandson to tell the intriguing story of Francis Rodd, explorer, banker, intelligence officer and military administrator in Africa and Italy? This is an immaculately researched and written study which significantly adds to our understanding of the nature of the later British Empire’.” — Saul Kelly, Reader at the Defence Studies Department, King’s College London“Using the lens of biography, Philip Boobbyer shines a much-needed light on the activities of Francis Rodd who worked in and on a number of crucial activities in two world wars. This highly original contribution demonstrates how travel, intelligence gathering, diplomacy and allied liaison work intersected in the life of one man who was at the sharp end of British policy-making for almost 40 years.” — Dr Kent Fedorowich, Reader in British Imperial and Commonwealth History, University of the West of England, Bristol"The twenty-first century has taught us that the governance of conquered territory is difficult. Philip Boobbyer's The Life and World of Francis Rodd expertly illuminates the twentieth century's master of the art." — Simon Ball, Professor of International History and Politics, University of Leeds"Boobbyer’s biography finally gives full credit to Major General Lord Rennell’s remarkably diverse career. From bold explorer to international banker to hammer of the Mafia, his service to his country and the wider world was extensive and ingenious – a great British hero rediscovered." — Tim Newark, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/lord-rennell-unsung-british-hero-took-mafia/#:~:text=When%2048%2Dyear%2Dold%20Francis,them%20with%20local%20Mafia%20bosses, 26 February, 2021"Table of ContentsList of Figures; List of Abbreviations; A Note on Names; Acknowledgements; A Personal Note; Introduction; Chapter One Family and Youth; Chapter Two The First World War; Chapter Three Into the Sahara; Chapter Four International Banker; Chapter Five Negotiating with Italy; Chapter Six West Africa, 1940; Chapter Seven East Africa in Transition; Chapter Eight AMGOT (Allied Military Government of Occupied Territories); Chapter Nine ‘Jack of Many Trades’; Conclusion; Sources and Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe Allied assault on Normandy beaches was an almost flawless success, but it was to take three months of bitter fighting before the German defence of Normandy finally collapsed and Paris was liberated. In this masterly and highly individual account of that struggle, the reader is subjected to the gruelling ordeals confronted by the combatants - each encounter related from the point of view of a different nationality. While transcending conventional military history, it provides an intensely vivid picture of one of the Second World War's most crucial campaigns.Trade ReviewAs well as being a rare military historian who can also write gracefully, John Keegan has a distinguished capacity for peering behind the conventional view of events. -- Alistair Horne * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisOn average a Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent would be dead within three months of being parachuted into action. Terry Crowdy tells the extraordinary story of these agents, some of whom were women as young as 22, following them through their experiences beginning with their recruitment and their unorthodox training methods, which included hand-to-hand combat and parachuting. Packed with photographs and full-colour artwork, this book recounts the incredible combat missions of the SOE agents from their role in the attacks on a heavy water plant in Norway, to operations in the field with Yugoslav and Greek partisans, as well as sabotage missions ranging from blowing up bridges to the raising of full-scale partisan armies as they attempted to fulfill Churchill's directive to set occupied Europe ablaze.Table of ContentsIntroduction · Recruitment and Training · Organisation · Communication · Equipment · Combat missions · Sabotage missions · Post-war · Bibliography · Colour Plate Commentary · Index

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Book SynopsisThe formation of the Pathfinder Force in August 1942 produced a steady but certain change in the fortunes of Bomber Command. Its effectiveness against targets during the early years of the war had been very difficult to gauge. When examined in detail afterwards, aerial photographs showed that only one third of the aircraft were successfully reaching their target area and less than this were actually placing their bombs with target accuracy. It was known during the large-scale bombing of Coventry in the autumn of 1940 that the Germans had used an elite force of pathfinder aircraft, armed with incendiaries, who had acted as target finders for the main force of German bombers. What was now needed for the RAF were some similar specialist squadrons, with crews handpicked for their discipline, courage, high morale and, in particular, skills in a wider than normal range of flying jobs. Sidney Bufton, Deputy Director of Bomber Operations, developed the concept of a new Target Finding Force, and his tenacity in putting pressure upon senior Air Ministry staff to implement his ideas and bring Bomber Command out of the doldrums paid off. The new force was finally accepted and the choice of Don Bennett as its first Commander was inspired. Bennett was restless, imaginative, and receptive to change. He never accepted second best and he became a legend to all who served under him. Pathfinder Squadrons were equipped with the best available aircraft, which included the famous Lancaster bomber and later, increasingly, the Mosquito which was a hugely versatile and successful fighter bomber. Would be aircrew for the RAF came as volunteers from all parts of the world including Canada, America, Australia and New Zealand. To join a Pathfinder Squadron was a rare privilege but with it went a huge leap in the likelihood of being shot down. Pathfinder aircrew and aircraft had to lead the way for their following Bomber Force in hazardous raid after raid. They flew at night but it took a full 25 minutes to run the gauntlet of the Berlin defences from end to end at full stretch. They were highly vulnerable to the wall of flak thrown up by German city defenders, as well as to attacks by night-fighters. By the end of the war some 56,000 crewmen of Bomber Command had lost their lives. Martyn Chorlton has written a gripping account of the RAF's Pathfinder Squadrons, recalling the challenges faced in the smoke-filled skies over occupied Europe. It is also a tribute to the brave young men whose exploits, lives and, in all too many cases, deaths have left a powerful torch to bear for all who care about freedom. The book carries a moving foreward by Michael Wadsworth, Chaplain to the Pathfinders Association.

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Book SynopsisBerkshire began the Second World War in 1939 with virtually no military airfields. However, this quickly changed and a massive building programme was soon underway, initially intended to provide training facilities for bomber crews. As the newly built airfields became operational, some were taken over by the USAAF including Greenham Common, Membury and Welford and they were involved in the planning and eventual execution of operation Overlord, the Allied D-Day assault upon Fortress Europe. White Waltham near Maidenhead will always be remembered as the headquarters of the legendary Air Transport Auxiliary, whose male and then increasingly female pilots - including Amy Johnson - ferried every type of aircraft from the factories to the front line airfields. Not only did the ATA prove that girls had excellent flying skills, but also that they were capable of piloting solo the largest bombers. This book describes the history of each airfield, highlights some of the major operations carried out from them, and marks their overall contribution to the great war effort. The effects of the war on the daily lives of the people living in Berkshire are also described. Reading and Newbury in particular realised the constant dangers they faced from random daylight attacks by German planes. Robin Brook's action-packed account will bring back vivid memories for many. It is a sharp reminder of the time when the skies never ceased to throb with the drone of departing and returning aircraft.

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Book SynopsisThe D-Day landings of 6 June 1944 were the culmination of months of meticulous planning and organisation. A vast army had to be trained and equipped; huge amounts of material – from tin cans to tank transporters, petrol to parachutes – had to be stockpiled, distributed and readied for transport to the beaches of Normandy; bombing missions had to reduce the enemy; fighters, minesweepers and other naval missions had to clear the English Channel; and, finally, the men had to embark and the armada had to deliver its cargo to a strict timetable under enemy fire onto a hostile shore. For understandable reasons, the emphasis on remembrance of D-Day is focused on the beaches: that’s where the battles took place; that’s where most of the casualties occurred; that’s where the remarkable stories were written in blood, sand and shingle. We should never forget the sacrifice of those who fell, but equally we shouldn’t forget the sacrifices of those who prepared the way. The hundred locations chosen for this book are a small collection of those places in Britain that were involved in the preparations for D-Day. It would have been easy to choose a hundred others: few parts of Britain were not part of the war effort. It is perhaps best to see the chosen 100 as starting points from which the reader can discover the considerable depth of involvement required to launch the great invasion. Trade Review'D-Day UK offers an excellent addition to our understanding of the circumstances that led up to the Normandy landings and of many of the locations north of the English Channel that contributed to the success of the invasion. Very reasonably priced for such a well-illustrated volume, this book will appeal to a wide readership.' Hugh Clout, Cercles: An Interdisciplinary Journal of English StudiesTable of Contents1. Command & Control 2. Practice Makes Perfect 3. Logistical Challenges 4. All Aboard 5. Air Operations 6. Sea operations

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Book SynopsisFounded in 1922 the Hitler Youth movement was the second oldest Nazi group. Comprising male youths aged 14 - 18, by December 1936 membership stood at over 5 million. During the Second World War the role of Hitlerjugend evolved from assisting with the postal, train and fire services into full war fighting. Recruits went into units such as the elite 12th SS Panzer-Division 'Hitlerjugend' and we see graphic images of this Waffen-SS force in action both on the Eastern and Western fronts. Even as the Nazi cause faced inevitable defeat these units fought with fanatical and disturbing bravery and after defeat in May 1945 elements carried out guerrilla actions in the Bavarian and Austrian mountains. The reader will find much original material on this legendary but distasteful Nazi organisation.Trade ReviewHow Nazi boy soldiers fought advancing Allied troops in the final days of the Second World War is described in a new book about the Hitlerjugend. Founded in 1922, the Nazi youth movement boasted five million members by the time war broke out in September 1939. The book, HitlerA fs Boy Soldiers (Pen and Sword: GBP12.99), tells how these German youngsters, after the fall of Berlin, fled to the mountains of Bavaria and Austria in the hope of continuing resistance as partisans. Using rare, mostly unpublished images, author Hans Seidler traces the development of the Htlerjugend into tough fighting formations. One caption to an action picture explains that with so many youngsters in fighting units, their officers replaced the usual cigarette ration with sweets until the boys were old enough to smoke. Dover Express & Folkestone Herald Another great release from Pen and Sword in their Images of War series. The book tells the compelling story of the rise and fall off this well known division during the years before and during WWII. One can only imagine how the Allied forces felt when they met this formidable fighting formation. Rare and often unseen black and white images are used like in any other release in this Images of War series. Inscale

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Book SynopsisThe testament to a tragedy.Voices from The Holocaust follows the whole history of the 'Shoah' from Hitler's rise to power to the Nuremburg trials, but of course the exterminations and death camps of 'The Final Solution' take centre stage. It tells the story from the perspective of the people who were there, and were witnesses - on both sides - of the horror. While some of the eye-witnesses are well-known, such as Anne Frank, Primo Levi and Heinrich Himmler, the book includes recollections of camp inmates, SS Totenkopf guards and the British soldiers who liberated Belsen. Shocking, powerful and personal, Voices from the Holocaust retells history, written by those who were there.

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Book SynopsisItaly's navy, the Regia Marina was the fourth-largest naval force in the world at the outbreak of World War II, and yet is often overlooked and largely discounted as ineffective. In general the fleet was made up of obsolete vessels, lacked radar functionality, and had a reputation for indiscipline and poorly trained crews. The complex and bureaucratic command system imposed on the fleet further hampered its effectiveness. In this book, Mark Stille details why the Italian battleships were able to maintain a solid reputation, examining their impressive designs and the courage and determination of the fleet at Calabria, Sirte, Cape Spartiveto and Cape Matapan, all illustrated with stunning photographs from the Italian Navy's own archives.Table of ContentsIntroduction • Italian naval strategy and the role of the battleship • Italian naval tactics and the role of the battleship • Italian battleship design and development up until the First World War and the impact of the Washington and London Naval Treaties • Italian Battleship weapons • Italian Battleship • The Battleship classes (Cavour Class, Duilio Class, Vittorio Veneto Class) • Italian Battleships at War • Conclusion

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