THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP discussion
BOOK DISCUSSIONS
>
New Release Books on WW2
message 1402:
by
Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces
(new)
Great info on new and newly available books folks, thanks for posting details.
This is becoming a very expensive conversation. The two books mentioned on Germany a nation under arms plus Stalin and the Red Army and the Great trails hit my two interest spots. Definite purchases.And this is just after I finished Barbara Tuchman's August 1914 - a brilliant read of great clarity - and order a whole lot of her books.
I need to retire as am gradually being overwhelmed by un-read military books.
Sir Nicholas Evans the author of several books on the Nazi regime will be speaking at our local university (ANU) in two weeks which promises to be fascinating
alex
I know how exactly how you feel Alex! Luckily I've recently taken early retirement :)I usually get e-mails from the ANU about author events but I must have missed the one concerning Sir Nicholas Evans. Is it a public event or something within the ANU?
Actually it is richard Evans isn't it. Public event on evening of 27 th. should be on web site. Are you Canberra based ric.
Yes, Richard Evans is correct, as you stated he has published a few books on the Third Reich during WWII.I am Canberra based in fact, as you must be?
It is on ANU events and I have just registered Ric. If you are going we should meet up. Looks there are refreshments from 5.45 to 6.10 and then speech and Q&A. Alex
Hi Alex, I've just booked tickets as well. I will send you a message a bit later about meeting up at the event.I've just went and pulled my copy of "The Third Reich at War" and will try and read it prior to his talk.
by Richard J. Evans
Miss M wrote: "This does go beyond the war, but I think some might be interested:
[book:Queen of Spies: Daphne Park, Britain's Cold..."
Definitely interested! Love the quote, "I have always looked like a cheerful, fat missionary," she once told an interviewer. "It wouldn't be any use if you went around looking sinister, would it?"
There's another good obit, at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010...
cheers
^
message 1410:
by
Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces
(new)
Good to see people meeting up too. Hope the talk goes well gents.
Stumbled across this one while researching a book of the same title (different subject) being discussed over on the "So what are you reading?" thread. Didn't see that it has been mentioned yet but may be interesting for some here:
To Hell and Back: Europe 1914-1949
Good add Mike, it's bound to interest a few members of the group for sure!
Mike wrote: "Stumbled across this one while researching a book of the same title (different subject) being discussed over on the "So what are you reading?" thread. Didn't see that it has been mentioned yet but ..."A new Kershaw ? Don't ask, just buy :-)
Miss M wrote: "This does go beyond the war, but I think some might be interested:[book:Queen of Spies: Daphne Park, Britain's Cold..."
MM, that Queen of Spies book sounds good; thanks.
Big Science: Ernest Lawrence and the Invention that Launched the Military-Industrial ComplexA book just added to TBR list that's received some good reviews for those interested in science.
Nice one Eileen. Added.
I used to work in finance and now work in law so I thought these two upcoming releases also sound interesting:Monetary Men: The Allies Struggle to Recover and Restore Nazi Gold, Silver, and Diamonds
World War II Law and Lawyers: Issues, Cases, and Characters
Hi Eileen,If you are interested in WW2 and the law this book may also interest you:
Yamashita's Ghost: War Crimes, MacArthur's Justice, and Command Accountability by Allan A. Ryan
'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Hi Eileen,If you are interested in WW2 and the law this book may also interest you:
[book:Yamas..."Thanks Rick; I'll definitely take a look at it.
One more that sounds interesting but is not yet on Goodreads (to be released December 2015):Angels of the Underground: The American Women Who Resisted the Japanese in the Philippines in World War II by Theresa Kaminski
http://www.amazon.com/Angels-Undergro...
A September release:
by Michael Sturma (no photo)Description:
From unpromising beginnings in March 1942, the Allied submarine base at Fremantle on the west coast of Australia became a vital part of the Allied offensive against Japan. Pushed back from the Philippines and the Netherlands' East Indies, American submariners, accompanied by a small group of Dutch forces, retreated to Fremantle as a last resort. The location was chosen for its good harbor and the fact that it was outside the range of land-based Japanese aircraft. Unfortunately the base was also far from their patrol areas and supply lines, and it was difficult to reinforce should the enemy attack. Thanks largely to a welcoming civilian population, morale quickly improved. The hospitality and sense of belonging fostered by Western Australians became legendary among Allied submariners and remains central to their wartime memories. Perhaps as a result of such a positive experience, the Allied forces became much more successful in combat. Intertwining social and military history, Fremantle's Submarines relates how courage, cooperation, and community made Fremantle arguably the most successful military outpost of World War II from the standpoint of troop morale.
Should be an interesting book Jerome, thanks for posting the details.
I saw a copy of this new release in a book shop today and figured I should mention it here in the group as I am sure it will interest other members:
After the Flood: What the Dambuster Did Next by John NicholDescription:
After the famous dams raid, thousands of equally daring missions were flown in WWII by 617 Squadron. Find out about them here, from former RAF Tornado Navigator and Gulf War veteran John Nichol. The role RAF 617 Squadron in the destruction of the dams at the heart of the industrial Ruhr has been celebrated in book, magazine and film for more than seventy years. On the 17th May 1943, 133 airmen set out in 19 Lancasters to destroy the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe dams. 56 of them did not return. Despite these catastrophic losses, the raid became an enormous propaganda triumph. The survivors were feted as heroes and became celebrities of their time. They had been brought together for one specific task - so what happened next? Of the 77 men who made it home from that raid, 32 would lose their lives later in the war and only 45 survived to see the victory for which they fought. Few are aware of the extent of the Dambuster squadron's operations after the Dams Raid. They became the 'go to' squadron for specialist precision attacks, dropping the largest bombs ever built on battleships, railway bridges, secret weapon establishments, rockets sites and U-boat construction pens. They were involved in attempts on the lives of enemy leaders, both Hitler and Mussolini, created a 'false fleet' on D-day which fooled the Germans, and knocked out a German super gun which would have rained 600 shells an hour on London. In After The Flood, John Nichol retraces the path of 617 Squadron's most dangerous sorties as their reputation called them into action again and again.
Here is a September 2015 release that I am sure will interest a number of members in the group:
Karl Doenitz and the Last Days of the Third Reich by Barry TurnerDescription:
Among the military leaders of World War Two, Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz remains a deeply controversial figure. As chief of the German submarine fleet he earned Allied respect as a formidable enemy. But after he succeeded Hitler - to whom he was unquestioningly loyal - as head of the Third Reich, his name became associated with all that was most hated in the Nazi regime. Yet Doenitz deserves credit for ending the war quickly while trying to save his compatriots in the east. His Dunkirk-style operation across the Baltic rescued up to 2 million troops and civilian refugees. He was sentenced to ten years at Nuremberg - a penalty acknowledged as a blatant example of victor's justice - and after his release from Spandau kept well away from politics. Barry Turner's closely-examined and even-handed portrait gives a fascinating new perspective on this complex figure, to whom history has not been kind.
message 1425:
by
Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces
(new)
Thanks I shall keep an eye out for this one.
I am going to as well :)
Always looking for new books on WWII in the Pacific, here's one that was recently published that I just came across:
Men to Devils, Devils to Men: Japanese War Crimes and Chinese JusticeThe Japanese Army committed numerous atrocities during its pitiless campaigns in China from 1931 to 1945. When the Chinese emerged victorious with the Allies at the end of World War II, many seemed ready to exact retribution for these crimes. Rather than resort to violence, however, they chose to deal with their former enemy through legal and diplomatic means. Focusing on the trials of, and policies toward, Japanese war criminals in the postwar period, Men to Devils, Devils to Men "analyzes the complex political maneuvering between China and Japan that shaped East Asian realpolitik during the Cold War.
Barak Kushner examines how factions of Nationalists and Communists within China structured the war crimes trials in ways meant to strengthen their competing claims to political rule. On the international stage, both China and Japan propagandized the tribunals, promoting or blocking them for their own advantage. Both nations vied to prove their justness to the world: competing groups in China by emphasizing their magnanimous policy toward the Japanese; Japan by openly cooperating with postwar democratization initiatives. At home, however, Japan allowed the legitimacy of the war crimes trials to be questioned in intense debates that became a formidable force in postwar Japanese politics.
In uncovering the different ways the pursuit of justice for Japanese war crimes influenced Sino-Japanese relations in the postwar years, Men to Devils, Devils to Men "reveals a Cold War dynamic that still roils East Asian relations today
Sounds like a pretty interesting book Mike and something a bit different. I will have to keep an eye on it and see if I need a copy in my library :)
'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Sounds like a pretty interesting book Mike and something a bit different. I will have to keep an eye on it and see if I need a copy in my library :)"I'm sure you'll come to the same conclusion I did. The library will just not be complete without a copy of this one.
My wife doesn't hold the same opinion as us I'm afraid :)
'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Here is a September 2015 release that I am sure will interest a number of members in the group:[book:Karl Doenitz and the Las..."I interviewed many officers who served with and under Doenitz, and he was highly respected, even by Hitler.
I've read Doenitz's memoires back in the 1990's so new book to read about him is about due.
An April 2016 release:
by William Geroux (no photo)Description:
Mathews County, Virginia, is a remote outpost on the Chesapeake Bay with little to offer except unspoiled scenery—but it sent one of the largest concentrations of sea captains and U.S. merchant mariners of any community in America to fight in World War II. The Mathews Men tells that heroic story through the experiences of one extraordinary family whose seven sons (and their neighbors), U.S. merchant mariners all, suddenly found themselves squarely in the cross-hairs of the U-boats bearing down on the coastal United States in 1942.
From the late 1930s to 1945, virtually all the fuel, food and munitions that sustained the Allies in Europe traveled not via the Navy but in merchant ships. After Pearl Harbor, those unprotected ships instantly became the U-boats’ prime targets. And they were easy targets—the Navy lacked the inclination or resources to defend them until the beginning of 1943. Hitler was determined that his U-boats should sink every American ship they could find, sometimes within sight of tourist beaches, and to kill as many mariners as possible, in order to frighten their shipmates into staying ashore.
As the war progressed, men from Mathews sailed the North and South Atlantic, the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean, and even the icy Barents Sea in the Arctic Circle, where they braved the dreaded Murmansk Run. Through their experiences we have eyewitnesses to every danger zone, in every kind of ship. Some died horrific deaths. Others fought to survive torpedo explosions, flaming oil slicks, storms, shark attacks, mine blasts, and harrowing lifeboat odysseys—only to ship out again on the next boat as soon as they'd returned to safety.
The Mathews Men shows us the war far beyond traditional battlefields—often the U.S. merchant mariners’ life-and-death struggles took place just off the U.S. coast—but also takes us to the landing beaches at D-Day and to the Pacific. “When final victory is ours,” General Dwight D. Eisenhower had predicted, “there is no organization that will share its credit more deservedly than the Merchant Marine.” Here, finally, is the heroic story of those merchant seamen, recast as the human story of the men from Mathews.
Slated for release OCTOBER 27th, 2015 -Forgotten: The Untold Story of D-Day's Black Heroes, at Home and at War by Linda Hervieux
SUMMARY
"The injustices of 1940s Jim Crow America are brought to life in this extraordinary blend of military and social history — a story that pays tribute to the valor of an all-Black battalion whose crucial contributions at D-Day have gone unrecognized to this day.
"In the early hours of June 6, 1944, the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion, a unit of African-American soldiers, landed on the beaches of France. Their orders were to man a curtain of armed balloons meant to deter enemy aircraft. One member of the 320th would be nominated for the Medal of Honor, an award he would never receive. The nation’s highest decoration was not given to African American soldiers in World War II."
Even after 70 years, the achievements of African Americans in the U.S. military during World War II are little known. Thankfully this book can help to redress this imbalance. (Besides, the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion, there were a number of other African American combat units that saw action in France in the days and weeks after D-Day and established fine combat records through V-E Day. Examples: the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion, the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion, and the 969th Field Artillery Battalion - which took part in the Battle of the Bulge.)
Some excellent books due out soon, thanks Jerome and Komet for the adds.
message 1436:
by
Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces
(new)
Good books and very interested in Komet's recommendation.
A December release:
by Jonathan DimblebyDescription:
The Battle of the Atlantic was -- though often overlooked -- crucial to the Allied victory. If the German U-boats had prevailed, the maritime artery across the Atlantic would have been severed. Mass hunger would have consumed Britain, and the Allied armies would have been prevented from joining in the invasion of Europe. There would have been no D-Day. Through fascinating contemporary diaries and letters, from the leaders and from the sailors on all sides, Jonathan Dimbleby creates a thrilling narrative that uniquely places the campaign in the context of the entire Second World War. Challenging conventional wisdom on the use of intelligence and on Churchill's bombing campaign, The Battle of the Atlantic tells the epic story of the decisions that led to victory, and the horror and humanity of life on those perilous seas.
Looks like a good book, dare say I will have to have a copy :)
Looks like an interesting book on the Battle of the Atlantic. I have just finished
by Alan Burn, which is the story of Captain F. J. Walker, who was responsible for the sinking of more U-boats than any other allied naval officer. On my last visit home to England, I visited the Liverpool War Museum, which was the underground operations centre for the Western Approaches Command. This was the command that was responsible for directing the Battle of the Atlantic and a fantastic place to visit for anyone interested in that aspect of the war.
Here's a link to the museum's website http://www.liverpoolwarmuseum.co.uk/
message 1440:
by
Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces
(new)
Thanks Steve. I've not been and really must. I have this to read on the subject of the command there:
Max Horton and the Western Approaches by W.S. Chalmers
Steve wrote: "Looks like an interesting book on the Battle of the Atlantic. I have just finished by Alan Burn, which is the story of Captain F. J. Walker, ..."Steve: I have a copy of --
Relentless Pursuit: The Story of Capt. F.J. Walker, CB, DSO, RN, U-Boat Hunter & Destroyer by D.E.G. Wemyssstill unread.
Geevee wrote: "Thanks Steve. I've not been and really must. I have this to read on the subject of the command there: [book:Max Horton and the Western ..."Well worth the time and effort if you get the chance to make it up to Liverpool, Geevee. Additionally, the "Johnnie" Walker statue at the Pier Head is a must see. Walker is somewhat of a legendary figure on Merseyside and still had an appreciation society in Bootle up until a few years ago. There is also a Walker display at Bootle Town Hall. Walker's Escort Group was based at Gladstone Dock, in Bootle.
The Horton book looks interesting and I've added it to my TBR list.
Manray9 wrote: "Steve wrote: "Looks like an interesting book on the Battle of the Atlantic. I have just finished by Alan Burn, which is the story of Captain ..."Manray9,
Wemyss was an officer on Walker's ship and is quoted quite a few times in the book I've just finished. I would think that there would be some good first hand knowledge of the actions that Walker's escort group participated in. I also have another book about Walker called "Escort Commander" by Terence Robertson, which I haven't read yet.
This new title may interest some in the group, its on my Fathers Day list (September in Australia):
Farthest Field: An Indian Story of the Second World War by Raghu KarnadDescription:
'A masterpiece' New Statesman Farthest Field is 'one of those rare and extraordinary books which bring people alive again' (Michael Holroyd). Raghu Karnad brings to life the loves, aspirations, confusions and bitter heartaches of his own family in WW2 - and rescues the history of the 2.5m Indian men who fought for Britain in 'the forgotten army'. Three young men gazed at him from silver-framed photographs in his grandmother's house, 'beheld but not noticed, as angels are in a frieze full of mortal strugglers'. They had all been in the Second World War, a fact that surprised him. Indians had never figured in his idea of the war, nor the war in his idea of India - and he thought that he had a good idea of both. One of them, Bobby, even looked a bit like him, but Raghu Karnad had not noticed until he was the same age as they were in their photo-frames. Then he learned about the Parsi boy from the sleepy south Indian coast, so eager to follow his brothers-in-law into the colonial forces and onto the front line. Manek, dashing and confident, was a pilot with India's fledgling air force; gentle Ganny became an army doctor in the arid North-West Frontier. Bobby's pursuit would carry him as far as the deserts of Iraq and the green hell of the Burma battlefront. The years 1939-45 might be the most revered, deplored and replayed in modern history. Yet India's extraordinary role has been concealed, from itself and from the world. In riveting prose, Karnad retrieves the story of a single family - a story of love, rebellion, loyalty and uncertainty - and with it, the greatest revelation that is India's Second World War. Farthest Field narrates the lost epic of India's war, in which the largest volunteer army in history (2.5m men) fought for the British Empire, even as its countrymen fought to be free of it. It carries us from Madras to Peshawar, Egypt to Burma - unfolding the saga of a young family amazed by their swiftly changing world and swept up in its violence.
Today's NY Times features a review of Timothy Snyder's new book --
Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and WarningThe review:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/06/boo...
Slated for release SEPTEMBER 10th, 2015 ---The War in the West - A New History: Volume 1: Germany Ascendant 1939-1941 by James Holland
SUMMARY
"Are you ready for the truth about World War II?
"In the first of an extraordinary three-volume account of the war on land, in the air and at sea, James Holland reveals not only the truth behind the familiar legends of the Second World War but he also unveils those lesser known events which were to have the greatest significance.
"The first book to consider the economic, political and social as well as the military aspects of World War Two, this is a unique retelling of a monumental event in all its terrible and majestic glory.
"Holland has spent over twelve years unearthing new research, visiting archives, battlefields and the very people who fought and lived through the conflict. He has, in his own accessible and inimitable style, written an account to redefine our understanding of the war. It is unlike anything else on the subject."
Got a copy on order already Komet :)I've liked all his WW2 books so far so this three volume set should be pretty good.
A May release:
by Walter R. BornemanDescription:
World War II changed the course of history. Douglas MacArthur changed the course of World War II. MacArthur at War will go deeper into this transformative period of his life than previous biographies, drilling into the military strategy that Walter R. Borneman is so skilled at conveying, and exploring how personality and ego translate into military successes and failures.
Architect of stunning triumphs and inexplicable defeats, General MacArthur is the most intriguing military leader of the twentieth century. There was never any middle ground with MacArthur. This in-depth study of the most critical period of his career shows how MacArthur's influence spread far beyond the war-torn Pacific.
Hmmm, just saw this book is due out for release shortly:
Scramble: The Dramatic Story of a Young Fighter Pilot's Experiences during the Battle of Britain & Siege of Malta by Tom NeilDescription:
This is a fighter pilot's memoir of four tumultuous years, 1938-1942, when he was first trained, then fought and survived in not one but two of the biggest aerial campaigns of the war, the Battle of Britain and the equally epic, but lesser known, Siege of Malta. When the Germans were blitzing their way across France in spring 1940, Pilot Officer Tom Neil had just received his first posting - to 249 Squadron. Nineteen years old and fresh from training, he was soon to be pitched into the maelstrom of air fighting on which the very survival of Britain would come to depend. By the end of the year he had shot down thirteen enemy aircraft, seen many of his friends killed, injured or burned, and was himself a wary and accomplished fighter pilot. Out of the frying pan and into the fire, Tom was then shipped off to the beleaguered island of Malta to face a second Luftwaffe onslaught. Again heavily engaged, he shot down another enemy fighter and survived a number of engine failures and other emergencies. Now ninety-five, he is one of only twenty-five Battle of Britain veterans still alive and this vivid memoir is his last word on his fighter pilot experiences.
'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Hmmm, just saw this book is due out for release shortly:[boo..."Well, that one is going to be an easy decision to buy!
THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP
Books mentioned in this topic
Air War Varsity (other topics)D-Day Dakotas: 6th June 1944 (other topics)
Airmen of Arnhem (other topics)
Into the Firestorm: The Allied Heroes Who Flew World War II's Most Daring Missions (other topics)
Into the Firestorm: The Allied Heroes Who Flew World War II's Most Daring Missions (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Scott McGaugh (other topics)Scott McGaugh (other topics)
Scott McGaugh (other topics)
James M. Scott (other topics)
James M. Scott (other topics)
More...
You Brits and Aussies may have read it years ago, but I've only seen the Dirk Bogarde movie, so this book is going straight to TBR.