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Operation Chowhound: The Most Risky, Most Glorious US Bomber Mission of WWII
The true story of a little-known, yet remarkable World War II operation, which had all the hallmarks of a suicide mission. Beginning with a crazy plan hatched by a suspect prince, and an even crazier reliance on the word of the Nazis, Operation Chowhound was devised. Between May 1 and May 8, 1945, 2,268 military units flown by the USAAF, dropped food to 3.5 million starving Dutch civilians in German-occupied Holland. It took raw courage to fly on Operation Chowhound, as American aircrews never knew when the German AAA might open fire on them or if Luftwaffe fighters might jump them. Flying at 400 feet, barely above the tree tops, with guns pointed directly at them, they would have no chance to bail out if their B-17s were hit―and yet, over eight days, 120,000 German troops kept their word, and never fired on the American bombers. As they flew, grateful Dutch civilians spelled out "Thanks Boys" in the tulip fields below. Many Americans who flew in Operation Chowhound would claim it was the best thing they did in the war. In this gripping narrative, author Stephen Dando-Collins takes the reader into the rooms where Operation Chowhound was born, into the aircraft flying the mission, and onto the ground in the Netherlands with the civilians who so desperately needed help. James Bond creator Ian Fleming, Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn, as well as Roosevelt, Eisenhower, and Churchill all play a part in this story, creating a compelling, narrative read.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published February 24, 2015
20 people are currently reading
567 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Dando-Collins
49 books126 followersStephen Dando-Collins is the multi-award-winning author of 48 books. British reviewer, noted playwright Robin Hawdon, says that Dando-Collins is "the modern age's foremost dramatizer of Greek and Roman history," while American reviewer bestselling military author Lt. Colonel Dave Grossman has described Dando-Collins as "a literary giant." Considered an authority on the legions of ancient Rome, Dando-Collins has written ancient and modern history, children's novels, scientific nonfiction, and biographies. The bulk of his works deal with military history, ranging from Greek, Persian and Roman times to American, British and Australian 19th century history and World I and Word War II.
Many of his books have been translated into foreign languages including Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Dutch, Russian, Albanian and Korean.
His most acclaimed book on the ancient military, 'LEGIONS OF ROME,' was the culmination of decades of research into Rome's imperial legions.
Dando-Collins aims to travel roads that others have not, unearthing new facts and opening new perspectives on often forgotten or overlooked people and aspects of history.
He has two new books in 2024: 'CAESAR VERSUS POMPEY: Determining Rome's Greatest General, Statesman & Nation-Builder,' (Turner, US), and 'THE BUNA SHOTS: The Amazing Story Behind Two Photographs that Changed the Course of World War Two,' (Australian Scholarly Publishing).
Many of his books have been translated into foreign languages including Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Dutch, Russian, Albanian and Korean.
His most acclaimed book on the ancient military, 'LEGIONS OF ROME,' was the culmination of decades of research into Rome's imperial legions.
Dando-Collins aims to travel roads that others have not, unearthing new facts and opening new perspectives on often forgotten or overlooked people and aspects of history.
He has two new books in 2024: 'CAESAR VERSUS POMPEY: Determining Rome's Greatest General, Statesman & Nation-Builder,' (Turner, US), and 'THE BUNA SHOTS: The Amazing Story Behind Two Photographs that Changed the Course of World War Two,' (Australian Scholarly Publishing).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
March 17, 2015
I received a free advanced reader's ebook (lots of editing yet to do) in return for an honest appraisal.
This is the rather extraordinary story of an operation that saved many lives in Holland following the harsh winter of 1944-1945. The winter was harsh on the Germans as well who had barely enough food for themselves. An appeal from the Dutch government in exile to Franklin Roosevelt--Roosevelt was rather proud of his Dutch ancestry (the British were not particularly helpful)-- resulted in his request to Eisenhower to help the Dutch. He died before anything concrete could be done. Once the operation was approved, the problem became how to deliver the supplies. Eisenhower and his chief of staff Bedell Smith took over the operation and following extensive negotiations, the Nazi governor of Holland ordered the troops not to fire on the low flying bombers who were dropping food from as low as three hundred feet.
But the story is more complicated. It involved Operation Market Garden, a Monty flop mostly due to his failure to trust Prince Bernhard, German born and ex-Nazi, but now married to the heiress to the Dutch throne. Bernhard had become a vigorously loyal Dutch advocate whose contacts with the Dutch resistance provided information that could have prevented the disaster at Arnhem. The result of Market Garden was to leave western Holland in the control of the Germans and isolated. The Germans, by this time, perhaps all but Hitler, realized the war was lost, but Hitler had refused to pull German troops out of Holland and he had issued a "destroy everything" order through Albert Speer. Speer was reluctant to enforce it, as was the German governor, Arthur Seyss-Inquart, who was willing to help the Dutch for his own reasons.
This book is not for everyone. It's a very detailed look at the negotiations and diplomacy required to pull off a rescue mission that saved many lived in Holland. It's also an interesting view into the lives of Germans who knew the war was lost and the actions they took in response to that knowledge. For historians or those interested in events of the last year of the war, it's a gold mine.
Audrey Hepburn plays a minor role in the author's portrayal of Dutch suffering during the winter.
This is the rather extraordinary story of an operation that saved many lives in Holland following the harsh winter of 1944-1945. The winter was harsh on the Germans as well who had barely enough food for themselves. An appeal from the Dutch government in exile to Franklin Roosevelt--Roosevelt was rather proud of his Dutch ancestry (the British were not particularly helpful)-- resulted in his request to Eisenhower to help the Dutch. He died before anything concrete could be done. Once the operation was approved, the problem became how to deliver the supplies. Eisenhower and his chief of staff Bedell Smith took over the operation and following extensive negotiations, the Nazi governor of Holland ordered the troops not to fire on the low flying bombers who were dropping food from as low as three hundred feet.
But the story is more complicated. It involved Operation Market Garden, a Monty flop mostly due to his failure to trust Prince Bernhard, German born and ex-Nazi, but now married to the heiress to the Dutch throne. Bernhard had become a vigorously loyal Dutch advocate whose contacts with the Dutch resistance provided information that could have prevented the disaster at Arnhem. The result of Market Garden was to leave western Holland in the control of the Germans and isolated. The Germans, by this time, perhaps all but Hitler, realized the war was lost, but Hitler had refused to pull German troops out of Holland and he had issued a "destroy everything" order through Albert Speer. Speer was reluctant to enforce it, as was the German governor, Arthur Seyss-Inquart, who was willing to help the Dutch for his own reasons.
This book is not for everyone. It's a very detailed look at the negotiations and diplomacy required to pull off a rescue mission that saved many lived in Holland. It's also an interesting view into the lives of Germans who knew the war was lost and the actions they took in response to that knowledge. For historians or those interested in events of the last year of the war, it's a gold mine.
Audrey Hepburn plays a minor role in the author's portrayal of Dutch suffering during the winter.
March 2, 2015
An interesting read about a little covered subject but a bit patchy in its delivery.
Operation Chowhound covers the humanitarian food-drops to feed the starving population of Holland near the end of the Second World War.
Whilst the author has obviously completed extensive research the book is let down on a number of counts.
He appears to have various axes to grind around Prince Bernard of Holland since the book appears to be as much about him as it is about the food drops.
The book is numbers and list heavy without enough context. For example many aircraft types are listed with no description or explanation for the general reader.
Although the book is titled Operation Chowhound it actually contains very little information on the actual drops, however that may have been due to a lack of source material.
As other reviewers have pointed out there is an excellent cameo appearance by actress Audrey Hepburn who was in Occupied Holland during the operation and towards the end you got more of the human stories such as the five year old opening an airdropped package. More of this sort of prose would have engaged this reader more effectively.
An interesting read about a little covered subject but a bit patchy in its delivery.
Operation Chowhound covers the humanitarian food-drops to feed the starving population of Holland near the end of the Second World War.
Whilst the author has obviously completed extensive research the book is let down on a number of counts.
He appears to have various axes to grind around Prince Bernard of Holland since the book appears to be as much about him as it is about the food drops.
The book is numbers and list heavy without enough context. For example many aircraft types are listed with no description or explanation for the general reader.
Although the book is titled Operation Chowhound it actually contains very little information on the actual drops, however that may have been due to a lack of source material.
As other reviewers have pointed out there is an excellent cameo appearance by actress Audrey Hepburn who was in Occupied Holland during the operation and towards the end you got more of the human stories such as the five year old opening an airdropped package. More of this sort of prose would have engaged this reader more effectively.
An interesting read about a little covered subject but a bit patchy in its delivery.
April 25, 2016
The largest airlift operation to that date, the US AF flew 2,268 heavy bomber sorties with an equal amount of British, Canadian, Australian & other exiled allies, put together by Eisenhower, his Chief of Staff Beddes-Smith and the operations planner Geddes to drop food to the starving Dutch population in the last month of the war.
It was an astounding fete given the failure of the Luftwaffe to attempt to provide food and supplies to the starving and trapped 6th Army in Russia where after weeks of failed attempts was finally abandoned, leading to the surrender of the 6th Army to Russian forces. With adroit planning and logistical expertise the Allies managed to negotiate a mercy mission that was one of the most successful airlifts at that time. requiring heavy bombers to make low passes at 300-600 feet to hard drop food into collection areas occupied Holland who had already had over 25,000 people starve to death in the winter of 44-45. The test run of two bombers dropped more food than the Luftwaffe managed in their entire attempt to resupply the 6th over several weeks.
This was also probably one of the best decompression examples for bomber crews who had spent the war reigning destruction on towns and civilians, to end the war with a mission of mercy and the experience of seeing the joy expressed by the recipients of their efforts.
It was an astounding fete given the failure of the Luftwaffe to attempt to provide food and supplies to the starving and trapped 6th Army in Russia where after weeks of failed attempts was finally abandoned, leading to the surrender of the 6th Army to Russian forces. With adroit planning and logistical expertise the Allies managed to negotiate a mercy mission that was one of the most successful airlifts at that time. requiring heavy bombers to make low passes at 300-600 feet to hard drop food into collection areas occupied Holland who had already had over 25,000 people starve to death in the winter of 44-45. The test run of two bombers dropped more food than the Luftwaffe managed in their entire attempt to resupply the 6th over several weeks.
This was also probably one of the best decompression examples for bomber crews who had spent the war reigning destruction on towns and civilians, to end the war with a mission of mercy and the experience of seeing the joy expressed by the recipients of their efforts.
January 5, 2015
Great book!
Exhaustively research, factual, well written and easy to read. It was a compelling historical presentation, one that should be read by those interested in WWII history, military members, as well as more young people because they need to learn about real missions like this one. Hopefully it will be well read.
Many comprehensive references touch on various writings and personalities I have read about and this book expands my knowledge and puts other history events into perspective and fills in gaps.
Sincerely glad I did not overlook reading this book. Very heart-warming.
Definitely recommend!
Exhaustively research, factual, well written and easy to read. It was a compelling historical presentation, one that should be read by those interested in WWII history, military members, as well as more young people because they need to learn about real missions like this one. Hopefully it will be well read.
Many comprehensive references touch on various writings and personalities I have read about and this book expands my knowledge and puts other history events into perspective and fills in gaps.
Sincerely glad I did not overlook reading this book. Very heart-warming.
Definitely recommend!
February 17, 2015
Operation Chowhound discusses a food-drop of immense proportions to feed tens of thousands of starving Dutchmen near the end of the Second World War. Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Publishers for the opportunity to read the DRC. Unfortunately, this 2.5 star-worthy attempt spreads itself across too much disparate historical turf, and in trying to do too much, does almost nothing successfully. Insufficient research using almost entirely secondary sources in chapter clumps suggests that were the author to focus on just the food-drop, he would not have enough material for a book.
Here's what I see: first, there is a list-like recounting that involves too many numbers and too many types of airplanes without any details or descriptions that might engage the reader. Then we have celebrity tangents. Actress Audrey Hepburn was in Occupied Holland during this period, and her story is told to such a great extent--whole chapters of actress-WWII-memoir interspersed in a way that seems almost surreal--that one almost wishes the writer would abandon his project as it stands and follow through with a biography of Hepburn instead. If he wants to write a celebrity memoir with World War II as its focus, then he should do that, but he can't do both and have it read well.
In addition, we have far too many references to Prince Bernard of Holland and Queen Wilhelmina of same. I was expecting a military history, and I got some of that, which is where 1.5 of the 2.5 stars were earned. But to a great degree, this seems more a memoir of Dutch royalty, and perhaps an attempt at restoring Prince Bernhard's good name, than a military history of anything.
I wanted to like this book, and I started it all over again once, wondering whether my first pass through it had simply found me in a snarky mood; was I being overly critical? But once I had made my way halfway through it, I decided to go to the bibliography, which was skimpy and insufficient, and at the notes, which tended to start with a source when it entered a new discussion and then used "Ibid." repeatedly, a sign of poorly integrated source material. So no, I wasn't just in a snarky mood; this really needs to be taken apart and rewritten, and it appears that to do any one of its three goals correctly, more research will be needed. Even so, three shorter pieces or series-articles would be preferable to this. Another possibility would be to edit Hepburn out apart from perhaps a passing mention, and put Bernhard into the title of the book, since the book is as much about him as it is about the food drops.
Enjoyable and informative selections within the book, where the mission of dropping the food is described in a way that the reader can see it unfold, come toward the end of the book. I enjoyed reading about the five-year-old opening the package that fell; about the GI's putting together their own "comfort" packages of treats and daily necessities to drop; I also liked the part about the message written in tulips. If the whole book had been focused like this and told at this level of detail, then this review could be more generous.
Early in the book over a dozen types of aircraft are listed with no description or explanation. Although I enjoyed the photographs, what there were of them, at the end of the book, I think either all of those aircraft should be referred to in a more general way, or they ought to be described or their purposes explained. Again, it is supposed to be a military history. Tell us which planes are the size of a station wagon, or how many people they hold, how much cargo...how many can fit onto a football field? Lists and more lists, numbers and more numbers, leave the reader feeling both ignorant and frustrated.
Toward the end, in the scenes mentioned earlier as useful and enjoyable, I got something of a feeling for the men on the plane dropping the food, and of its size and scope. The bomb bay door is stuck, which leads an air of suspense and tension lacking elsewhere. We hear about the person in the nose of the plane, and at what altitude it flies, and the danger inherent. This is an example of what I expected to find throughout the book.
In summation, the book tries to serve as a memoir of the Dutch royals; as a celebrity war-time bio; and as a military history, and does none of them credit.
Here's what I see: first, there is a list-like recounting that involves too many numbers and too many types of airplanes without any details or descriptions that might engage the reader. Then we have celebrity tangents. Actress Audrey Hepburn was in Occupied Holland during this period, and her story is told to such a great extent--whole chapters of actress-WWII-memoir interspersed in a way that seems almost surreal--that one almost wishes the writer would abandon his project as it stands and follow through with a biography of Hepburn instead. If he wants to write a celebrity memoir with World War II as its focus, then he should do that, but he can't do both and have it read well.
In addition, we have far too many references to Prince Bernard of Holland and Queen Wilhelmina of same. I was expecting a military history, and I got some of that, which is where 1.5 of the 2.5 stars were earned. But to a great degree, this seems more a memoir of Dutch royalty, and perhaps an attempt at restoring Prince Bernhard's good name, than a military history of anything.
I wanted to like this book, and I started it all over again once, wondering whether my first pass through it had simply found me in a snarky mood; was I being overly critical? But once I had made my way halfway through it, I decided to go to the bibliography, which was skimpy and insufficient, and at the notes, which tended to start with a source when it entered a new discussion and then used "Ibid." repeatedly, a sign of poorly integrated source material. So no, I wasn't just in a snarky mood; this really needs to be taken apart and rewritten, and it appears that to do any one of its three goals correctly, more research will be needed. Even so, three shorter pieces or series-articles would be preferable to this. Another possibility would be to edit Hepburn out apart from perhaps a passing mention, and put Bernhard into the title of the book, since the book is as much about him as it is about the food drops.
Enjoyable and informative selections within the book, where the mission of dropping the food is described in a way that the reader can see it unfold, come toward the end of the book. I enjoyed reading about the five-year-old opening the package that fell; about the GI's putting together their own "comfort" packages of treats and daily necessities to drop; I also liked the part about the message written in tulips. If the whole book had been focused like this and told at this level of detail, then this review could be more generous.
Early in the book over a dozen types of aircraft are listed with no description or explanation. Although I enjoyed the photographs, what there were of them, at the end of the book, I think either all of those aircraft should be referred to in a more general way, or they ought to be described or their purposes explained. Again, it is supposed to be a military history. Tell us which planes are the size of a station wagon, or how many people they hold, how much cargo...how many can fit onto a football field? Lists and more lists, numbers and more numbers, leave the reader feeling both ignorant and frustrated.
Toward the end, in the scenes mentioned earlier as useful and enjoyable, I got something of a feeling for the men on the plane dropping the food, and of its size and scope. The bomb bay door is stuck, which leads an air of suspense and tension lacking elsewhere. We hear about the person in the nose of the plane, and at what altitude it flies, and the danger inherent. This is an example of what I expected to find throughout the book.
In summation, the book tries to serve as a memoir of the Dutch royals; as a celebrity war-time bio; and as a military history, and does none of them credit.
January 29, 2015
Unsung Heroes …
This book was reviewed as part of Amazon's Vine program which included a free advance copy of the book.
It is mind-boggling that almost 70 years after World War II, accounts of previously unknown or lesser-known (but significant) events are still emerging. OPERATION CHOWHOUND details a unique Allied operation to feed 3.5 million starving Dutch in the final week of the war. While the goal to feed so many people at once would seem interesting enough, the steps needed to pull of such a feat are what make the story so captivating.
Stephen Dando-Collins sets the stage from the start: After almost five years of occupation and the failed Allied attempt to liberate them (Operation Market Garden), some 3.5 million Dutch were facing starvation. Despite the war drawing to a close, the Germans still had reinforced its grip on the Netherlands and appeared ready to defend it to the bitter end, this put the population at greater risk of dying every passing day … something had to be done to spare the unnecessary deaths of innocents. The effort to save the Dutch required some high-level/high-stakes negotiations between the Allies and Germans, as well as the logistical challenge of safely and effectively delivering food (US Army K-rations) in enemy territory. From beginning to end, the entire mission’s fragile nature seemed likely to fail, resulting in massive casualties for all sides involved (military and civilians).
Dando-Collins presents this unique operation in a storytelling manner that makes for a quick and easy read. He does a good job of illustrating stakes involved and more importantly the almost pipe-dream uncertainty that US heavy bombers could deliver humanitarian payloads in lieu of ordinance over enemy territory defended by some of Hitler’s most loyal soldiers … the SS. I found the effort of piecing-together the operational puzzle to be one of the most interesting aspects of the entire story … even more than the event itself. The thought of high-ranking Allied and German officers/officials entering each other’s lairs to negotiate a cooperative effort to pull off an Allied operation that involved the use of hundreds of B-17 bombers (that were recently used to bomb German cities) is hard to fathom. Dando-Collins puts you in the middle of these negotiations and you feel the tension, particularly the meeting that involved Eisenhower’s cantankerous Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Bedell Smith. Paralleling the planning effort, Dando-Collins injects stories of the (very) young men who would be carrying out the mission and the plight of those they were trying to save (including a young Audrey Hepburn). The book joins everything together in a concise manner with short, but eventful chapters that chronicle pivotal moments from beginning to end without losing any of the story’s momentum. The sorties that carried out the mission reminded me of the Ploesti Oil Refinery operation in 1943 … 4-engine bombers flying at treetop level to deliver their payloads … the only exception being the bombers conducting Chowhound were not capable of defending themselves if the Germans reneged or were unaware of the negotiated truce (and there are moments where this does happen). I particularly like the retrospective provided in the final chapters which brings to light the lasting impact of the entire operation.
I found OPERATION CHOWHOUND to be a pleasure to read in that it highlights a rare instance of cooperation between enemy combatants to achieve a greater good. It is a well-rounded read that tidily opens and closes a relatively unknown chapter of good amid mankind’s most destructive event.
This book was reviewed as part of Amazon's Vine program which included a free advance copy of the book.
It is mind-boggling that almost 70 years after World War II, accounts of previously unknown or lesser-known (but significant) events are still emerging. OPERATION CHOWHOUND details a unique Allied operation to feed 3.5 million starving Dutch in the final week of the war. While the goal to feed so many people at once would seem interesting enough, the steps needed to pull of such a feat are what make the story so captivating.
Stephen Dando-Collins sets the stage from the start: After almost five years of occupation and the failed Allied attempt to liberate them (Operation Market Garden), some 3.5 million Dutch were facing starvation. Despite the war drawing to a close, the Germans still had reinforced its grip on the Netherlands and appeared ready to defend it to the bitter end, this put the population at greater risk of dying every passing day … something had to be done to spare the unnecessary deaths of innocents. The effort to save the Dutch required some high-level/high-stakes negotiations between the Allies and Germans, as well as the logistical challenge of safely and effectively delivering food (US Army K-rations) in enemy territory. From beginning to end, the entire mission’s fragile nature seemed likely to fail, resulting in massive casualties for all sides involved (military and civilians).
Dando-Collins presents this unique operation in a storytelling manner that makes for a quick and easy read. He does a good job of illustrating stakes involved and more importantly the almost pipe-dream uncertainty that US heavy bombers could deliver humanitarian payloads in lieu of ordinance over enemy territory defended by some of Hitler’s most loyal soldiers … the SS. I found the effort of piecing-together the operational puzzle to be one of the most interesting aspects of the entire story … even more than the event itself. The thought of high-ranking Allied and German officers/officials entering each other’s lairs to negotiate a cooperative effort to pull off an Allied operation that involved the use of hundreds of B-17 bombers (that were recently used to bomb German cities) is hard to fathom. Dando-Collins puts you in the middle of these negotiations and you feel the tension, particularly the meeting that involved Eisenhower’s cantankerous Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Bedell Smith. Paralleling the planning effort, Dando-Collins injects stories of the (very) young men who would be carrying out the mission and the plight of those they were trying to save (including a young Audrey Hepburn). The book joins everything together in a concise manner with short, but eventful chapters that chronicle pivotal moments from beginning to end without losing any of the story’s momentum. The sorties that carried out the mission reminded me of the Ploesti Oil Refinery operation in 1943 … 4-engine bombers flying at treetop level to deliver their payloads … the only exception being the bombers conducting Chowhound were not capable of defending themselves if the Germans reneged or were unaware of the negotiated truce (and there are moments where this does happen). I particularly like the retrospective provided in the final chapters which brings to light the lasting impact of the entire operation.
I found OPERATION CHOWHOUND to be a pleasure to read in that it highlights a rare instance of cooperation between enemy combatants to achieve a greater good. It is a well-rounded read that tidily opens and closes a relatively unknown chapter of good amid mankind’s most destructive event.
February 4, 2015
When reading about Operation Market Garden recently (the ill-fated spearhead to cross the Rhine into Germany from eastern Holland), I learned that the movement of Allied forces subsequent to this campaign left western Holland cut off. It was of no strategic value to the Allies to dislodge 120,000 Germans from this part of the Netherlands; better to just leave the Nazi's isolated from action. Thus, until the war's conclusion the majority of Holland's population was under Nazi control, including the major cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague.
The Third Reich's civil administration in this region was unable to provide enough food for the Dutch and by the winter of 1944-45 the populace was starving. Dutch leaders in exile pleaded with the Allied political and military leadership to by any means get food to the affected region. A leading figure in making this appeal was Prince Bernhard, the husband of Princess Juliana. Bernhard was a German noble who has married the princess in 1936. While some suspicions about his loyalty worried the decision makers, it seems that he was truly loyal to his new country. (Bernhard had been a member of the Nazi party in his student days and while working out of Germany for I.G. Farber in the pre-war years is thought to have provided intelligence to the Nazi government.)
FDR was personally close with Princess Juliana who had located in Canada after fleeing Holland and promised to order the life-saving mission to feed the starving Dutch. Roosevelt, of course, died in early April and it wasn't clear that his determination would be followed. Bernhard made his case to Dwight Eisenhower and his plan was approved. By May 1945 the need for further Allied bombing runs over Germany had dissapated and it was proposed that the idle bombers be used to make low-level runs over Holland to drop food supply packages. The concern about this plan was whether the Germans would agree not to fire on the planes. Talks were initiated with the German civil leadership who seemed willing to make a deal. The Reich's gauleiter for Holland Arthur Seyss-Inquart was motivated to agree to the operation to put him in a better light when the Allied justice efforts commenced after the conclusion of hostilities. The German military command, however, habored suspicions that the fly-overs might be a trick to drop parachutists in the territory. In the event, there were hundreds of planes that made this run and the Germans held their fire. The few Allied casualties were related to aircraft malfunction over the English channel.
An interesting side story is that of the film actress Audrey Hepburn who, as a teenager, was living with her mother on an estate behind German lines. Hepburn had been raised in England, but was a Dutch national.
The story of the inception of the plan and negotiations to realize it is quite well told by the author. This is a little known operation and one that was held in pride by the airman who executed it. A minor criticism in my view is that the author recounts story after story of the air crews who went on these runs. He has evidently spoken with or researched many of their stories and it becomes a repetitive after a while. Not a major issue and one can skim these.
A well-written story of a little-known humanitarin operation that saved many lives as the war was winding down.
The Third Reich's civil administration in this region was unable to provide enough food for the Dutch and by the winter of 1944-45 the populace was starving. Dutch leaders in exile pleaded with the Allied political and military leadership to by any means get food to the affected region. A leading figure in making this appeal was Prince Bernhard, the husband of Princess Juliana. Bernhard was a German noble who has married the princess in 1936. While some suspicions about his loyalty worried the decision makers, it seems that he was truly loyal to his new country. (Bernhard had been a member of the Nazi party in his student days and while working out of Germany for I.G. Farber in the pre-war years is thought to have provided intelligence to the Nazi government.)
FDR was personally close with Princess Juliana who had located in Canada after fleeing Holland and promised to order the life-saving mission to feed the starving Dutch. Roosevelt, of course, died in early April and it wasn't clear that his determination would be followed. Bernhard made his case to Dwight Eisenhower and his plan was approved. By May 1945 the need for further Allied bombing runs over Germany had dissapated and it was proposed that the idle bombers be used to make low-level runs over Holland to drop food supply packages. The concern about this plan was whether the Germans would agree not to fire on the planes. Talks were initiated with the German civil leadership who seemed willing to make a deal. The Reich's gauleiter for Holland Arthur Seyss-Inquart was motivated to agree to the operation to put him in a better light when the Allied justice efforts commenced after the conclusion of hostilities. The German military command, however, habored suspicions that the fly-overs might be a trick to drop parachutists in the territory. In the event, there were hundreds of planes that made this run and the Germans held their fire. The few Allied casualties were related to aircraft malfunction over the English channel.
An interesting side story is that of the film actress Audrey Hepburn who, as a teenager, was living with her mother on an estate behind German lines. Hepburn had been raised in England, but was a Dutch national.
The story of the inception of the plan and negotiations to realize it is quite well told by the author. This is a little known operation and one that was held in pride by the airman who executed it. A minor criticism in my view is that the author recounts story after story of the air crews who went on these runs. He has evidently spoken with or researched many of their stories and it becomes a repetitive after a while. Not a major issue and one can skim these.
A well-written story of a little-known humanitarin operation that saved many lives as the war was winding down.
February 13, 2015
Have you ever heard of the lifesaving mission to feed the Dutch people who were close to starvation near the end of World War II? In the many books I have read about WWII, I cannot recall a reference to this amazing act of humanity in the the midst of the horror of war. In this well written, very touching book, we are made aware of another side of the war effort that until now has been largely overlooked by those not directly involved. We have all heard of the Berlin Air Lift that supplied West Berlin during the dark days of the Cold War. World War II’s Operation Chowhound, as the American’s called it, was a precursor that supplied Holland by air in the final days of the conflict. Hundreds of unarmed American and British planes flew from airfields in England loaded with food instead of bombs. Days before peace was declared, brave aircrews flew these volunteer missions over Holland at heights less than 400 feet, to drop food to the starving Dutch populace. These aircraft flew over manned German anti-aircraft batteries that only days before had attempted to shoot Allied planes from the skies. With only the tentative word of the Nazi commander in Holland that his troops would not open fire, the Allied aircraft kept to certain strict air corridors for their drops. Distrust ran high on both sides. The Americans and British aircrew staring into the upturned anti-aircraft guns on the ground, wondered if they could trust an enemy they had been fighting for years. The Germans thought the flights might be a coverup for a paratroop invasion of occupied Holland. The German’s under increasing Allied pressure from all sides were no longer able or willing to supply the trapped Dutch people with enough food to sustain life. Thousands had already died from starvation. The Dutch government in exile, lead by Queen Wilhelmina, implored the Allies to free Holland before millions more people starved to death. General Dwight Eisenhower okayed a plan by his combined staff of British and American officers, to supply the Dutch with food by changing the mission of hundreds of aircraft form raining destruction to delivering lifesaving food and supplies. This is an amazing story that needed to be told in detail before those many people involved were no longer here to tell of their heart warming exploits. This book provided for review by Library Thing and Palgrave Macmillan publishers.
January 22, 2015
After the failure of Operation Market Garden and the Allied victory at the Battle of the Bulge, western Netherlands remained in the hands of the Germans. The winter of 1944-1945 had been brutal for the Dutch as they suffered from both the weather and the starvation caused by the Germans. By April of 1945 the war was nearly over but the Dutch had reached the end. Without food quickly thousands would be dead before the war ended. Prince Bernhard of Netherlands (the former German Nazi who had become an Allied fighter pilot after he married Princess Juliana of Holland) went to the Allied commanders and begged for help for his country. He convinced Eisenhower to start what became Operation Manna from the British and Operation Chowhound from the Americans. The plan was to drop food from Allied bombers to the starving Dutch while convincing the Germans not to shoot the bombers down.
This is the story of Operation Chowhound. The true story tells us of Prince Bernhard renouncing his Nazi past and becoming a friend of Ian Fleming, the author of James Bond (guess who liked his vodka martinis shaken not stirred). It tells us of the starving Dutch including Audrey Hepburn, who had to change her name so it wouldn't sound too English, and nearly starved to death in the brutal winter. But mostly it tells us of the pilots who flew to bring food to the Dutch with no ammo or fighter coverage over German anti-aircraft guns hoping that they wouldn't be shot down. It is filled with interviews of the men, most who have since passed away, who flew those missions and remember them as their best missions of the war. And there are also interviews with the survivors on the ground who were saved by the American and British bomber groups.
Overall this book is excellent. My only complaint is that the book does lean a little towards the American Operation Chowhound (even though the British Operation Manna actually delivered more food) but that is a minor complaint. The book is a quick read with some fun details and a lot of interviews that can leave you choked up. Even today the Dutch still give tribute to the men who made these operations work with statues, trails, and celebrations. You should read this book so you will know why.
This is the story of Operation Chowhound. The true story tells us of Prince Bernhard renouncing his Nazi past and becoming a friend of Ian Fleming, the author of James Bond (guess who liked his vodka martinis shaken not stirred). It tells us of the starving Dutch including Audrey Hepburn, who had to change her name so it wouldn't sound too English, and nearly starved to death in the brutal winter. But mostly it tells us of the pilots who flew to bring food to the Dutch with no ammo or fighter coverage over German anti-aircraft guns hoping that they wouldn't be shot down. It is filled with interviews of the men, most who have since passed away, who flew those missions and remember them as their best missions of the war. And there are also interviews with the survivors on the ground who were saved by the American and British bomber groups.
Overall this book is excellent. My only complaint is that the book does lean a little towards the American Operation Chowhound (even though the British Operation Manna actually delivered more food) but that is a minor complaint. The book is a quick read with some fun details and a lot of interviews that can leave you choked up. Even today the Dutch still give tribute to the men who made these operations work with statues, trails, and celebrations. You should read this book so you will know why.
December 31, 2014
Years before the Berlin Airlift of 1948-9, Operation Chowhound delivered tons of food to starving civilians in Nazi-occupied Netherlands. Under the codename Operation Manna, the British and Canadian Air Forces dropped food parcels in Holland and the Americans used the jauntier codename Operation Chowhound. The program lasted less than two weeks, right up until the end of the war in Europe. If the Dutch had had to wait those last few days, many more people would have starved to death. Not only were the Dutch people relieved and thrilled to get the air-dropped food, but the airmen who crewed the bombers were happy to be part of a mission that didn't involve dropping bombs and being fired on.
Of course there were risks involved and military historian Stephen Dando-Collins goes into them in detail. Also of interest were the human stories behind the operation, both from the military and civilian standpoints. People who would later become famous were peripherally involved, but their stories are only included here because of their later fame, such as Audrey Hepburn, who was one of the starving Dutch, and Walter Cronkite, who was a war correspondent. Ian Fleming and Farley Mowat also make cameo appearances.
At a little over 200 pages, this is a quick and detailed slice of war history that is more upbeat than usual.
Of course there were risks involved and military historian Stephen Dando-Collins goes into them in detail. Also of interest were the human stories behind the operation, both from the military and civilian standpoints. People who would later become famous were peripherally involved, but their stories are only included here because of their later fame, such as Audrey Hepburn, who was one of the starving Dutch, and Walter Cronkite, who was a war correspondent. Ian Fleming and Farley Mowat also make cameo appearances.
At a little over 200 pages, this is a quick and detailed slice of war history that is more upbeat than usual.
March 20, 2015
In the closing days of the War in Europe, the British-based Allied bomber groups stopped loading bombs into their planes and instead loaded them with food rations and sent thousands of sorties over occupied Holland to drop life-saving food stuffs to the starving Dutch citizens. The Americans called this mission "Operation Chowhound." The British called it "Operation Manna." But under whichever name, this unique mission of mercy forever changed those on both ends of the flights... Historian Stephen Dando-Collins takes his readers step-by-step through the negotiations for this remarkable mission and eventual airlift itself. He introduces the reader to the main characters in this real-life drama and their roles during the war and after. He lets us meet everyday citizens trapped in the Hunger Winter in Holland of 1944-45 and also has us run across now famous folk like Ian Fleming and Audrey Hepburn who were caught up in the drama as well. Thoroughly researched and foot-noted, this book tells a story that too few have heard about today. Almost all who experienced this firsthand are gone to us now and only a few memorials remain. This book captures the confusion of the last days of war and the relief that came with a return of freedom for an entire nation. It is a story that the Allies should be so very proud to tell. I am glad that Mr. Dando-Collins chose to tell it.
April 16, 2015
It seems like there are so many stories of positive events that happened during such a horrible war. Operation Chowhound (aka Operation Manna) is another story that testifies to the good of humanity during a time when the destruction of, and by, man was so prevalent. Operation Chowhound was created to provide food to the starving people in German-occupied Holland. In particular, the elderly and very young were dying due to lack of food. It was mentioned that newborns did not survive due to to the absence of nutrient food during this time in the war. Pilots (and their crews) from several Allied nations participated in the food drops while having to put confidence in the Germans and their agreement that they would not shoot at the low flying planes over German-occupied Holland. The food drops were morale boosters for the people of Holland as well as for the pilots. The pilots, who volunteered for the mission and did not get combat credit for the flights, were nearly equally boosted in their morale when seeing the grateful Dutch flying Dutch and American flags as they flew overhead. An inspiring story!
February 18, 2015
Author Stephen Dando-Collins has written of the little known military air drop of thousands of tons of food to the Starving Dutch citizens in German occupied Holland during World War II.
In 1945 Western Holland was still occupied by German forces. While there was sufficient food for the military occupiers, there was little to no food for the Dutch and most were suffering the ravages of malnutrition and near starvation.
Through the efforts of American, British, Dutch, and German officials a truce was reached between the Allied and Axis forces in Holland allowing for American and British heavy bombers to drop food packages to the Dutch peoples and avert mass starvation and death.
This was called Operation Chowhound by the American military units involved in the drop.
Operation Chowhound is the story of how the airdrops came about as well as the stories of the top brass and government officials who forged the truce and planned the operation, the pilots and aircrews who flew the sorties and the Dutch citizens who were brought back from the brink of death.
In 1945 Western Holland was still occupied by German forces. While there was sufficient food for the military occupiers, there was little to no food for the Dutch and most were suffering the ravages of malnutrition and near starvation.
Through the efforts of American, British, Dutch, and German officials a truce was reached between the Allied and Axis forces in Holland allowing for American and British heavy bombers to drop food packages to the Dutch peoples and avert mass starvation and death.
This was called Operation Chowhound by the American military units involved in the drop.
Operation Chowhound is the story of how the airdrops came about as well as the stories of the top brass and government officials who forged the truce and planned the operation, the pilots and aircrews who flew the sorties and the Dutch citizens who were brought back from the brink of death.
November 29, 2014
I was lucky enough to win a copy in a Goodreads giveaway from the publishing company. I've always considered myself a amateur know it all when it came to anything to do with WW2, but this book brought me into an all together new experience. Shortly before the Germans surrendered, the Dutch were starving in their homeland and something needed to be done quickly before another nation of people perished. With cooperation between the Americans, English, Dutch, and even the occupying Germans, food drops were carried out on a daily basis for a short time so that the native Dutch could get by with enough food until the end of the war. This book introduces us to the people who orchestrated it, flew it, and benefited from these food drops. I enjoyed the real perspectives from the pilots who risked their lives to fly unarmed bombers over the German occupied Holland. A great read for anyone who enjoys WW2, Dutch history, or just people doing something good for those in need.
March 21, 2015
I was fortunate enough to win this book in a Goodreads giveaway and it was fortunate indeed.
It is a nice, easy read about a small but surprisingly important WWII action. If it were not all perfectly true, you'd think the author was pushing the coincidence button way too often, as almost every notable personality of the period makes an appearance in the tale even though it only actually covers a few weeks of the war. The 21st century reader will also pick up on a lot of foreshadowing of future events, none of which was envisioned by the players who were (mostly) just trying to do the right thing (sometimes under protest). The chapters are a handy length for picking up and putting down as a casual read, and the style is open enough that it doesn't feel like a traditional "history book".
Detailed review under my profile at: https://www.goodreads.com/comment/lis...
It is a nice, easy read about a small but surprisingly important WWII action. If it were not all perfectly true, you'd think the author was pushing the coincidence button way too often, as almost every notable personality of the period makes an appearance in the tale even though it only actually covers a few weeks of the war. The 21st century reader will also pick up on a lot of foreshadowing of future events, none of which was envisioned by the players who were (mostly) just trying to do the right thing (sometimes under protest). The chapters are a handy length for picking up and putting down as a casual read, and the style is open enough that it doesn't feel like a traditional "history book".
Detailed review under my profile at: https://www.goodreads.com/comment/lis...
July 3, 2016
I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads contest.
The book was about the food drops that Allied planes flew in occupied Holland/The Netherlands during WWII. It was interesting to read about this risky, little talked about, military operation. I really liked the parts of the book where people living in Holland at the time told of their memories of it.
The book is both detailed yet not. It tends to stretch the operation a bit since it wasn't long before the war ended in Europe that it took place. It tells just enough to inform the reader and WWII history buff without being padded by too much filler story. It only has a little of that.
I gave it 3 stars because while being interesting the book didn't totally drag me in when I was reading. Not a bad book just not entirely to my taste when I read history books.
The book was about the food drops that Allied planes flew in occupied Holland/The Netherlands during WWII. It was interesting to read about this risky, little talked about, military operation. I really liked the parts of the book where people living in Holland at the time told of their memories of it.
The book is both detailed yet not. It tends to stretch the operation a bit since it wasn't long before the war ended in Europe that it took place. It tells just enough to inform the reader and WWII history buff without being padded by too much filler story. It only has a little of that.
I gave it 3 stars because while being interesting the book didn't totally drag me in when I was reading. Not a bad book just not entirely to my taste when I read history books.
August 17, 2015
It's hard to read "Operation Chowhound" without getting a lump in your throat when you learn about U.S. and British airmen dropping tons of food for starving Dutch residents near the end of World War II. Author Stephen Dando-Collins does a nice job of evoking the emotion of the moment through his interviews with not only the individuals who flew the missions but the recipients of the food. This overlooked mission was eclipsed by the end of the war in Europe and the fall of Nazi Germany. However, this easy read does a wonderful job of tracing the complicated process in getting both sides to agree to this novel idea as well as the actual operation itself. I'm sure it's success was instrumental in the U.S.willingness to undertake Berlin Airlift some years later. It renews your faith in the kindness of humans after so many years of treachery under the Third Reich
January 5, 2016
A great account of the little-known rescue mission to the portion of Holland still left unliberated during the dying days of World War II. In early May, as food supplies dropped so low for civilians that newborns were all dying, the Allies reached an agreement for safe passage of bombers to drop food supplies. In early May, 1945, 2,268 sorties were flown to drop food from low-flying B-17s and Lancasters -- most without incident. In fact, the greatest danger to the planes were the pilots themselves, unaccustomed to flying at less than 400' and unaware of smokestacks and other obstacles.
The book is peppered with first-person stories, including that of Audrey Kathleen Ruston, who would nearly starve at the end of the war because her mother thought that Audrey would be safer in Holland. She would later Audrey Hepburn.
The book is peppered with first-person stories, including that of Audrey Kathleen Ruston, who would nearly starve at the end of the war because her mother thought that Audrey would be safer in Holland. She would later Audrey Hepburn.
March 10, 2015
I had never heard of Operation Chowhound before, the Berlin Airlift yes, but not this. Nor was I aware of just how desperate the situation was for the Dutch people and how close their country was to being flooded out of existence. This book also does some serious name dropping as well; Ian Fleming, Farley Mowat, and Audrey Hepburn, their lives are all threads in this grim tapestry that is the reason behind Operation Chowhound. Chapter 19 was of particular interest to me as it covered the loss of the aircraft that my distant cousin piloted. The only loss of the entire operation with only two people surviving and three bodies recovered, one of those being Lionel "Spider" Sceurman. Operation Chowhound would also provide a blueprint for the Berlin Airlift. Great read!
December 16, 2014
I received Operation Chowhound: The Most Risky, Most Glorious US Bomber Mission of WWII by Stephen Dando-Collins from Goodreads and enjoyed the story very much. It reads more like a narrative than like a novel but tells of nearly impossible circumstances and results that, until they were accomplished, were virtually impossible. I thought I knew my history, but I did not know this. It is a perfect supplement for WWII buffs and for anyone who wants to learn about a different element of the war. These men were heroes every bit as much as the soldiers on the ground, and every bit as appreciated by those whose fates they were able to change for the better, simply by providing food.
April 8, 2015
Another of those WW II stories that don't receive high profile coverage but are quite intriguing. This focuses on the food delivery efforts by the Allies to avert mass starvation in Holland in the waning stages of the war. It required complex diplomatic maneuvering between the Allies, Dutch, and Nazi occupation forces. Essentially the agreement was that the Allies would make food drops in designated zones and the Germans would not fire on the planes. With a few rare exceptions the agreement worked as planned. Similar to Cherny's excellent work - " The Candy Bombers" which dealt with feeding Berlin during the Berlin Blockade. In fact, it was a good test run for it.
May 9, 2015
I received a copy from First Reads in return for an honest review.
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
"In the end, Chowhound was about hope."
A great read for any WWII history buffs. Operation Chowhound looks at so much more than just this one operation. Dando-Collins examines the lives and actions of all the players involved and also shows the stark reality of how bad Holland's food crisis was during WWII. The back story, along with the tediousness of war, really paints a picture of how desolate Holland was and how cumbersome military planning can be.
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
"In the end, Chowhound was about hope."
A great read for any WWII history buffs. Operation Chowhound looks at so much more than just this one operation. Dando-Collins examines the lives and actions of all the players involved and also shows the stark reality of how bad Holland's food crisis was during WWII. The back story, along with the tediousness of war, really paints a picture of how desolate Holland was and how cumbersome military planning can be.
March 12, 2015
Res'd from Goodreads giveaway program....Thanks.
I've read many books on WW2 but never read about this operation.
Being of Dutch nationality I was very interested and was not disappointed.
It covers the entire ideas, planning, execution and completion of feeding the starving Dutch people under German occupation in 1945 using allied bombers with the cooperation of the Germans not to fire at them.
I highly recommend this book.
Kudos to the author for a well written, easy read!
I've read many books on WW2 but never read about this operation.
Being of Dutch nationality I was very interested and was not disappointed.
It covers the entire ideas, planning, execution and completion of feeding the starving Dutch people under German occupation in 1945 using allied bombers with the cooperation of the Germans not to fire at them.
I highly recommend this book.
Kudos to the author for a well written, easy read!
December 5, 2014
This was an excellent historical account of the rescue mission for the people of the Netherlands. The author puts it together in an easy to read, fascinating format, which is difficult to put down. The airmen involved can be very proud of a successful life-saving mission flown over Nazi-occupied lands. The German people can be proud of the restraint their military showed at the end of that terrible war. Everyone will enjoy this book and I heartily recommend it!
February 21, 2016
Hundreds of B-17 and Lancaster bombers, switched from bombing runs to dropping K-rations to starving Dutch people in April 1945. Fingers crossed that the Nazi AA gunners hold their fire for this humanitarian mission. Ike and Beetle Smith, defying orders from on high put together the plan , but Nazi holdups were provoking. The 8th AF pulled it off saying, "this is the best thing we did in the war" Audrey Hepburn was one of the kids saved from starving, 1,000s others also.
May 11, 2015
Operation Chowhound reveals one of the most neglected operations of World War II. In the last weeks of the war, American and British B-17 and Lancasters dropped tons of food in Nazi-occupied Holland, where the population had been near starvation for months. A touchy ceasefire held between the Allies and Germans. A prelude to the Berlin airlift.
March 26, 2015
Nice solid history book about a little known chapter of World War 2. Nicely footnoted for reference.
Also did a very good job of interweaving personal stories with the overall narrative.
Also did a very good job of interweaving personal stories with the overall narrative.
September 27, 2015
This operation was one that I hadn't read about before.
September 9, 2015
A nice narrative of a forgotten event in WWII. It even includes a few simple maps, which is often an omitted detail in books that cover historical topics.
February 26, 2016
Interesting read about a little known event of World War II
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