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New Release Books on WW2
Seven HC printings, sounds impressive for an academic title ! Will puck up either version.
A March 2018 release:
by Peter J. DeanDescription:
From 1942–1945 the Allies’ war in the Southwest Pacific was effectively a bilateral coalition between the United States and Australia under the command of General Douglas MacArthur. By charting the evolution of the military effectiveness of the US-Australian alliance, MacArthur’s Coalition puts the relationship between the United States and Australia at the center of the war against Japan.
Drawing on new primary source material, Peter J. Dean has written the first substantial book-length treatment of the coalition as a combined military force. This expansive and ambitious book provides a fresh perspective on the Pacific War by providing a close-up, in-depth account of operations in the Southwest Pacific from the Kokoda Trail campaign to the reconquest of the Philippines and Borneo. Dean’s work takes the reader deep into the key military headquarters in the Southwest Pacific and reveals the discussions, debates, and arguments between key commanders and staff officers during the course of planning and waging a monumental conflict. Drawing upon archival records across three continents, Dean brings the qualities of these senior officers to life by exploring the critical importance of personalities and leadership in overcoming cultural, doctrinal, and organizational divides in the largely unequal alliance. Set against the practicalities of fighting a fanatical enemy in some of the most inhospitable terrain in the war, his book shows how, despite these divides and MacArthur’s difficult personality, the US-Australian coalition was able to forge a highly effective and ultimately triumphant fighting machine.
With its unprecedented view of the joint nature of operations in the Southwest Pacific and its focus on frontline commanders and units in forging a successful fighting force, MacArthur’s Coalition illuminates a critical aspect of the Allied victory in World War II.
Hmmm looks like a seriously interesting book, thanks for posting the details Jerome.
That does look interesting, but from my perspective, I'd really like to see some new scholarship & published works on SEAC operations in the Dutch East Indies/Indonesia and French Indo-China/Viet Nam, Laos & Cambodia, as well as the political maneuvering of the various nations concerned... Something new along the lines of
would be an excellent addition to the history of WWII, especially given the fact that so much has been de-classified during these last few decades. I don't know about anyone else, but I get really frustrated sometimes with the gaping hole in the historical coverage, particularly having to do with the Asia/Pacific region, between roughly August 1945 and late 1949/early 1950, when the (de jure) independence of Indonesia and Viet Nam was formally recognised by the U.S., U.S.S.R. and the former colonial powers. Although there are some good books covering this aspect of history in general (
&
, for example, are both quite good), most of them have too wide a focus to cover the tumultuous events in SEA in any depth...
Liam wrote: "That does look interesting, but from my perspective, I'd really like to see some new scholarship & published works on SEAC operations in the Dutch East Indies/Indonesia and French Indo-China/Viet N..."Liam: I haven't seen enough in English on the Dutch East Indies during the war. I have Bayly's book, unread.
Liam you should see if you can find a copy of this book. It's an Australian publication from some years back but you may be able to find a second hand copy on the Internet somewhere.http://www.netherlandsnavy.nl/Review_...
That is true, Manray9; I remember reading one book on the subject about 35 years ago (the war memoir of a British or American consular officer, if I remember correctly), but that's it. All I remember about it was that it discussed the obsolete and/or inferior aircraft in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force, like the Brewster Buffalo. The late Professor Bayly's book on the post-war events throughout Asia is really quite good, like I said; I think you will find it interesting and enjoyable when you get around to reading it...Rick, thank you for bringing that book to my attention! It is getting better slowly, but finding information on many books published only in Australia is frequently still quite difficult compared with those from the U.S., U.K. and even Canada. I made a listing for it so I could put it on my "to-read" list, and discovered that Doug Hurst had written some other books as well which you might find of interest.
After I typed my previous post, I happened to look up a book I didn't actually mention in the post on BookFinder.com, a book that I've seen listed for more than US$100.00 on many occasions. Usually it is listed for around half that, which is the primary reason I have never bought a copy. This time, however, I found a copy for a dollar plus shipping; $4.98 total! Needless to say, I immediately ordered it, and hopefully this is not simply a mistaken listing or similar screw-up... I'm not naming the book here (due to superstition) until I have it in my hands, but I'll let you know when it gets here!
Liam wrote: "That is true, Manray9; I remember reading one book on the subject about 35 years ago (the war memoir of a British or American consular officer, if I remember correctly), but that's it. All I rememb..."Liam: A few years ago I read --
Hurricanes Versus Zeros: Air Battles Over Java, Sumatra, and Singapore by Terence Kelly.It wasn't great and, in fact, had little to do with air combat over the Indies.
Marc wrote: "Paul wrote: "While the paperback version is good news, I'm more anxious for the third volume in Hornfischer's Pacific War trilogy."Don't you mean Ian Toll's Pacific War Trilogy?"
I did. Thanks for correcting me.
A May 2018 release:
by Antony BeevorDescription:
On 17 September 1944, General Kurt Student, the founder of Nazi Germany's parachute forces, heard the growing roar of aeroplane engines. He went out on to his balcony above the flat landscape of southern Holland to watch the air armada of Dakotas and gliders carrying the British 1st Airborne and the American 101st and 82nd Airborne divisions. He gazed up in envy at this massive demonstration of paratroop power.
Operation Market Garden, the plan to end the war by capturing the bridges leading to the Lower Rhine and beyond, was a bold concept: the Americans thought it unusually bold for Field Marshal Montgomery. But could it ever have worked? The cost of failure was horrendous, above all for the Dutch, who risked everything to help. German reprisals were pitiless and cruel, and lasted until the end of the war.
The British fascination with heroic failure has clouded the story of Arnhem in myths. Antony Beevor, using often overlooked sources from Dutch, British, American, Polish and German archives, has reconstructed the terrible reality of the fighting, which General Student himself called 'The Last German Victory'. Yet this book, written in Beevor's inimitable and gripping narrative style, is about much more than a single, dramatic battle.
It looks into the very heart of war.
Beevor does Arnhem ? This is more thrilling than Debbie does Dallas !
Yep, another damn fine book I reckon :)
Another new release to watch out for but sorry to say not published till August 2018: 
Big Week by James HollandDescription:
It was to be the battle to end the air war, once and for all…
In the early days of 1944, as the build-up to D-Day intensified, an audacious plan was taking shape in the form of Operation Argument – a brutal and systematic strategy to finally sledgehammer the Luftwaffe into submission and ensure the skies were clear for the Allied invasion of France later that summer. In one fatal stroke they planned to deplete not only the German air force, but also the aircraft and munitions industry which supported it.
On Sunday 20th February, an airborne assault, the like of which had never before been seen, was unleashed. The Americans launched their first-ever thousand bomber raids by day while the RAF attacked by night.What followed over that week was one of the largest and most dramatic air battles ever witnessed.
In the first ever narrative history of Big Week, best-selling historian James Holland recounts the story of that extraordinary and brutal battle, underpinned by painstaking research and analysis. In day-by-day and often hour-by-hour detail, he follows the fortunes of some of the men - and women - who took part on both sides; commanders, pilots, air crew, ground staff, and civilians, revealing in forensic and heart-stopping detail the conditions, fear and drama of war in the air.
Big Week is the elemental story of bomber against flak gun, of fighter against fighter, in which tens of thousands of young men were pitted against each other in a punitive, bludgeoning clash of arms. It was one hell of a week.
AR, you're a prophet ! the air war in Normandy just after the inquiry in the Overlord thread.
Dimitri wrote: "AR, you're a prophet ! the air war in Normandy just after the inquiry in the Overlord thread."We must be on the same wave length :)
Dimitri wrote: "This is more thrilling than Debbie does Dallas !"Anything is more thrilling than that Dimitri :-)
Other than that "He gazed up in envy at this massive demonstration of paratroop power." How does Anthony Beevor know this?
Sounds like Maximilian Shell popping his eyeballs : "What? Why? There is nothing important here... me! I'm important! They must've landed here just to capture me."
Maximilian Schell (as General Bittrich) certainly did envy all the airpower of the Allies, but wasn't it the actor who portrayed Field Marshal Model, who uttered the line about being 'important'? I've often thought they were a bit unfair to Model since he was more competent than they made him seem.
oops... I refuse to use Imdb but my brain always make Maximilian the Model...
Dimitri wrote: "oops... I refuse to use Imdb but my brain always make Maximilian the Model..."I thought he was Model as well. After all, in the books I have read on Arhnem landings, he is the one that is closest to them and flees leaving his breakfast on the table. Although must not have been to much of a panic, since breakfast was left, papers weren't.
Mystery solved:Walter Kohut ... Field Marshal Walther Model
Maximilian Schell ... Lt. Gen. Wilhelm Bittrich
and
Richard Attenborough ... Lunatic Wearing Glasses (uncredited)
Oh damn. Arnhem and Big Week? Gonna have to add two more books to my pre-order list!
Just saw this one advertised on Amazon for May, 2018:
The Price of the Oath: The French SS Sturmbataillon During the Battle of Berlin 1945
Marc wrote: "Just saw this one advertised on Amazon for May, 2018: [book:The Price of the Oath: The Fre..."It should be an interesting book Marc although I would like to see a copy in a shop before I orders as sometimes Helion's page count are drastically out. I see that this is supposed to be 176 pages.
KOMET wrote: "As a new member of the group (son of a Second World War U.S. Army veteran who fought from Normandy to Czechoslovakia), I'd like to recommend the following 2 books by a young, absolutely first-class..."James Holland has wrote some Brilliant WW2 BOOKS.
For those fans of David Glantz, good news, he has a new book due out in March 2018 (UK). I dare say I'll get a copy although I'm only half-way through his four volume study on Stalingrad!
Operation Don's Main Attack: The Soviet Southern Front's Advance on Rostov, January-February 1943 by David M. GlantzDescription:
With the defeat and destruction of German Sixth Army at Stalingrad all but certain at the end of 1942, the war on the Eastern Front took a definitive turn as the Germans struggled to erect a new defensive front to halt the Soviet juggernaut driving west. Operation Don's Main Attack is the first detailed study of the dramatic clash of armies that followed, unfolding inexorably over the course of two months across an expanse of more than 1,600 kilometers.Using recently released Russian archival material never before available to researchers, David M. Glantz provides a close-up account, from both sides, of the planning and conduct of Operation Don-the Soviet offensive by the Red Army's Southern front that aimed to capture Rostov in January-February 1943. His book includes a full array of plans, candid daily reports, situation maps, and strength and casualty reports prepared for the forces that participated in the offensive at every level. Drawing on an unprecedented and comprehensive range of documents, the book delves into many hitherto forbidden topics, such as unit strengths and losses and the foibles and attitudes of command cadre. Glantz's work also presents rare insights into the military strategy, combat tactics, and operational art of such figures as Generals Eremenko and Malinovsky and Field Marshal Erich von Manstein.A uniquely informed study of a critical but virtually forgotten Soviet military operation, Operation Don's Main Attack offers a fresh perspective on the nature of the twentieth century's most terrible of wars.
Betsy wrote: "Maximilian Schell (as General Bittrich) certainly did envy all the airpower of the Allies, but wasn't it the actor who portrayed Field Marshal Model, who uttered the line about being 'important'? I..."Dimitri wrote: "Sounds like Maximilian Shell popping his eyeballs : "What? Why? There is nothing important here... me! I'm important! They must've landed here just to capture me.""
Curiously in the movie ABTF Student isn't featured. (???)
Staying away from this topic would help with my "buy less, read more from the shelves" resolution...
Dimitri wrote: "Staying away from this topic would help with my "buy less, read more from the shelves" resolution..."That's a hard thing to do Dimitri, besides you are allowed one vice in life aren't you?
Dimitri wrote: "Staying away from this topic would help with my "buy less, read more from the shelves" resolution..."Dimitri: a few years back I decided to use my public libraries (fortunately, I have direct access to two different library systems) and interlibrary loans instead of buying more books. My resolve survived about eight weeks into the year.
Just added to my wish list on Amazon:The Turn of the Tide in the Pacific War: Strategic Initiative, Intelligence, and Command, 1941-1943 (Modern War Studies) Hardcover – March 15, 2018
by Sean M. Judge (Author), A23 (Author), Jonathan M. House (Editor)
Manray9 wrote: "Dimitri wrote: "Staying away from this topic would help with my "buy less, read more from the shelves" resolution..."Dimitri: a few years back I decided to use my public libraries (fortunately, I have direct access to two different library systems) and interlibrary loans instead of buying more books. My resolve survived about eight weeks into the year.?.."
Hah, I did the same and I haven't been to the Library all year. Bought a lot of books though!
Mike wrote: "Manray9 wrote: "Dimitri wrote: "Staying away from this topic would help with my "buy less, read more from the shelves" resolution..."Dimitri: a few years back I decided to use my public libraries..."
Mike: I use the library for inter-library loans of books too expensive to buy or difficult to find. Also I'll take popular novels out, such as Lee Child, Michael Connelly or Daniel Silva. In fact, I have Child's and Connelly's newest waiting at the library for pick-up today.
What's a library? ;>)NOfP
For those of you who are Luftwaffe artwork junkies (like me), there's a new book scheduled to be published in March by Luftfahrtverlag-Start:http://www.luftfahrtverlag-start.de/l...
Greetings all! My first post! With the recent increased focus on Dunkirk (the movies 'Darkest Hour' and 'Dunkirk') I have to tout the book 'Dunkirk - The Men They Left Behind' by Sean Longden. This well researched book tells the story of those men that fought a rear guard action that gave their comrades the time to be plucked off the beaches. The ones that survived against horrible odds spent five long, hard years in German POW camps. These men and those that died fighting the Nazi onslaught should never be forgotten.
Glenn wrote: "Greetings all! My first post! With the recent increased focus on Dunkirk (the movies 'Darkest Hour' and 'Dunkirk') I have to tout the book 'Dunkirk - The Men They Left Behind' by Sean Longden. ..."+++++++++++++++++
Thanks for the recommendation. I have "Dunkirk - The Men They Left Behind" in my library. I'll have to put that on my TBR List for this year.
BTW, speaking of the Battle of France, you may want to check out Saul David's book, "Churchill's Sacrifice of the Highland Division: France 1940." I read it a few years ago and it made for very sobering reading.
Thanks for the recommendation. Much appreciated.
An August release:
by Alexander StatievDescription:
This is the story of the highest battlefield of World War Two, which brings to life the extremes endured during this harsh mountain warfare. When the German war machine began faltering from a shortage of oil after the failed Blitzkrieg against the Soviet Union, the Wehrmacht launched Operation Edelweiss in the summer of 1942, a bold attempt to capture the Soviet oilfields of Grozny and Baku and open the way to securing the vast reserves of Middle Eastern oil. Hitler viewed this campaign as the key to victory in World War Two. Mountain warfare requires unique skills: climbing and survival techniques, unconventional logistical and medical arrangements and knowledge of ballistics at high altitudes. The Main Caucasus Ridge became the battleground that saw the elite German mountain divisions clash with the untrained soldiers of the Red Army, as they fought each other, the weather and the terrain.
Should make for some interesting reading, thanks for posting the details Jerome.
The Brandenburgers under Adrian von Foelkersam secured the Baku fields (for a short while anyway) in a very original way, while Gebirgsjaeger scale the summit of Mt. Elbruz and established a long range radio relay. Hitler was less than impressed with the mountain climbers.
I moved this comment from group member Dachokie to this thread:I'm sure some of you are familiar with Jason Mark, who's authored some of the most researched books on Stalingrad ever printed. I've had some of his books in my Amazon wishlist for years because they cost anywhere from $200 - $600. A couple of years ago, one of those books, DEATH of the LEAPING HORSEMEN (about 24th Pz Div. at Stalingrad) was re-issued at a much more reasonable price ~$35-40 (brand new).
I checked Amazon for upcoming releases of WWII books and noticed another one of Mark's books is being release on May 1, 2018 for less than $50: ISLAND OF FIRE (Battle for the Barrikady Gun Factory in Stalingrad). You can pre-order it now on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Island-Fire-Ba...
If you want books on Stalingrad with real meat inside, Jason Mark arguably delivers some of the best available.
Just wanted to let people know of this.
Now, if only the book BLOODY STREETS (about Battle for Berlin) would be re-published (it's currently selling for the price of $399.95 to $10,099 ... used.
https://www.amazon.com/Bloody-Streets...
An October release:
by Flint WhitlockDescription:
The Allied landings at Anzio, on the Italian coast, six months before the Normandy invasion were intended as an "end run" around the stalemate that had developed in Italy. The planners hoped that the Allied invasion would surprise the Germans and threaten their defensive line in southern Europe. But the invasion stalled a few miles inland and the Allies faced a five-month bloody fight. In the end, American and British troops accomplished one of the great defensive stands of all time, turning defeat into victory.
Using previously unpublished archival material, including memoirs from American, British, and German veterans, award-winning historian Flint Whitlock reveals the entire allied and German campaign, never forgetting the experiences of the soldiers in muddy, freezing, water-filled foxholes, struggling to hold off endless waves of infantry assaults, aerial bombardments, and artillery barrages.
Desperate Valour is the first comprehensive account of the unrelenting slugfest at Anzio and a stirring chronicle of courage beyond measure.
Looks like a good one to add to my reading list :) Thanks for posting the details Jerome.
Added to my TBR pile too.
Another:
by Prit ButtarDescription:
Late 1942 saw the strategic situation on the Eastern Front change completely. The encirclement of Paulus' Sixth Army in Stalingrad trapped a significant portion of the Wehrmacht's combat forces in the ruins of the devastated city, where they would ultimately die or be taken prisoner, and at the same time the entire German position was left in a catastrophic state.
The year's campaign had seen the Germans advance first east, but then increasingly to the south and southeast; the Soviet counteroffensive not only isolated Sixth Army; it also raised the possibility of the collapse of the entire front. The ultimate failure of the Red Army to achieve this is due in no small part to the efforts of one of the Wehrmacht's greatest commanders: Erich von Manstein, who rebuilt the German front line and fought a mobile campaign, in which all the strengths of the German forces, and all the weaknesses of their Soviet opponents, were revealed. Written by one of the world's leading experts on the Eastern Front, On a Knife's Edge, is a story of brilliant generalship, lost opportunities, and survival in the harshest theater of war.
I'll be adding a copy to my wish list by the looks of it :)
And yet another October release:
by James M. ScottDescription:
By early 1945, the war against Japan was at its height and General Douglas MacArthur began to fulfill his vow of liberating the Philippines. He was already planning his own victory parade down Dewey Boulevard in Manila, a city he loved dearly. But the Japanese had other plans. While their command had agreed to abandon Manila after the fall of Leyte, a rogue Japanese admiral instructed his troops to fight to the death.
The result was the catastrophic destruction of the city, and a rampage that terrorized the civilian population. Landmarks were demolished, houses were torched, suspected resistance fighters were tortured and killed, countless women were raped, and their husbands and children were murdered. An estimated 100,000 civilians lost their lives in a massacre as heinous as the “Rape of Nanking.”
Based on extensive research, war-crimes testimony, after-action reports, and survivor interviews, Rampage recounts one of the most heartbreaking chapters of Pacific war history.
I quite enjoyed the last book by James M. Scott (Target Tokyo) and this is a very interesting subject that not too many books cover so it will be a definite purchase for me.
THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP
Books mentioned in this topic
Airmen of Arnhem (other topics)Air War Varsity (other topics)
D-Day Dakotas: 6th June 1944 (other topics)
Air War Varsity (other topics)
D-Day Dakotas: 6th June 1944 (other topics)
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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)
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Don't you mean Ian Toll's Pacific War Trilogy?