THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP discussion

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BOOK DISCUSSIONS > New Release Books on WW2

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message 2751: by Colin (new)

Colin Heaton (colin1962) | 2011 comments My understanding is that is will go exclusively to streaming on AppleTV after HBO passed on the project.


message 2752: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 20068 comments Colin wrote: "My understanding is that is will go exclusively to streaming on AppleTV after HBO passed on the project."

I'm keen to see this on air as soon as its available, not too much longer I hope.


message 2753: by Darya Silman (new)

Darya Silman (geothepoet) | 125 comments 'Dropping an Atomic Bomb on Hitler and Hirohito: What Might Have Happened if the A-Bomb Had Been Ready Early' by Jim Mangi (the book is not on GR).

An interesting alternative reality glance at the end of the WWII. The author replaced only one person, the head of the Manhattan Project, and -viola! - the A-Bomb was ready at the beginning of 1945. It's not historical fiction. All names are real, events highly probable. Historical figures act as they would have, according to their characters and political intentions. The writing style is one of popular science + the accurate, compherensible description of how atomic bombs work. 4/5 for me.

The book will be released on the January 30, 2022.


message 2754: by Colin (new)

Colin Heaton (colin1962) | 2011 comments After having interviewed both Curtis LeMay and Dr. Zumwalt (brother of Admiral Elmo and who worked with Oppenheimer and Fermi) I am interested to see this take. I know the answer to this question.


message 2755: by Darya Silman (new)

Darya Silman (geothepoet) | 125 comments Colin, this is my review:
https://www.netgalley.com/book/241475... the book goes too deep into specifics. If a person has no previous knowledge of the period, he/she may get confused


message 2756: by Colin (new)

Colin Heaton (colin1962) | 2011 comments Thanks


message 2757: by Jerome (new)

Jerome Otte | 811 comments An October release:

Bitter Peleliu The Forgotten 1944 Struggle on the Pacific War's Worst Battlefield by Joseph Wheelan by Joseph Wheelan
Description:
In late 1944, as a precursor to the invasion of the Philippines, U.S. military analysts decided to seize the small island of Peleliu to ensure that the Japanese airfield there could not threaten the invasion forces. This important new book explores the dramatic story of this 'forgotten' battle and the campaign's strategic failings. Bitter Peleliu reveals how U.S. intelligence officers failed to detect the complex network of caves, tunnels, and pillboxes hidden inside the island's coral ridges. More importantly, they did not discern – nor could they before it happened – that the defense of Peleliu would represent a tectonic shift in Japanese strategy. No more contested enemy landings at the water's edge, no more wild banzai attacks. Now, invaders would be raked on the beaches by mortar and artillery fire. Then, as the enemy penetrated deeper into the Japanese defensive systems, he would find himself on ground carefully prepared for the purpose of killing as many Americans as possible.

For the battle-hardened 1st Marine Division Peleliu was a hornets' nest like no other. Yet thanks to pre-invasion over-confidence on the part of commanders, 30 of the 36 news correspondents accredited for the campaign had left prior to D-Day. Bitter Peleliu reveals the full horror of this 74-day battle, a battle that thanks to the reduced media presence has never garnered the type of attention it deserves.

Pacific War historian Joseph Wheelan dissects the American intelligence and strategic failings, analyses the shift in Japanese tactics, and recreates the Marines' horrific experiences on the worst of the Pacific battlegrounds. This book is a brilliant, compelling read on a forgotten battle.


message 2758: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 20068 comments This book has just been released, the first in a projected two volume set; "Bloody Verrieres: the I. SS-Panzerkorps' Defence of the VerrieRes-Bourguebus Ridges" by Arthur W Gullachsen

Bloody Verrieres the I. SS-Panzerkorps' Defence of the VerrieRes-Bourguebus Ridges by Arthur W Gullachsen Bloody Verrieres: the I. SS-Panzerkorps' Defence of the VerrieRes-Bourguebus Ridges by Arthur W Gullachsen
Description:
This book follows the I. SS Panzerkorps as they meet with the Anglo-Canadian forces in the area of the Verrières and Bourguebus ridges.

South of the Norman city of Caen, the twin features of the Verrières and Bourguebus ridges were key stepping stones for the British Second Army in late July 1944—taking them was crucial if it was to be successful in its attempt to break out of the Normandy bridgehead. To capture this vital ground, Allied forces would have to defeat arguably the strongest German armored formation in Normandy: the I. SS-Panzerkorps “Leibstandarte." The resulting battles of late July and early August 1944 saw powerful German defensive counterattacks south of Caen inflict tremendous casualties, regain lost ground and at times defeat Anglo-Canadian operations in detail.

Viewed by the German leadership as militarily critical, the majority of its armored assets were deployed to dominate this excellent tank country east of the Orne river. These defeats and the experience of meeting an enemy with near-equal resources exposed a flawed Anglo-Canadian offensive tactical doctrine that was overly dependent on the supremacy of its artillery forces. Furthermore, weaknesses in Allied tank technology inhibited their armored forces from fighting a decisive armored battle, forcing Anglo-Canadian infantry and artillery forces to further rely on First World War “Bite and Hold” tactics, massively supported by artillery. Confronted with the full force of the Panzerwaffe, Anglo-Canadian doctrine at times floundered. In response, the Royal Artillery and Royal Canadian Artillery units pummeled the German tankers and grenadiers, but despite their best efforts, ground could not be captured by concentrated artillery fire alone.

This is a detailed account of the success of I. SS-Panzerkorps' defensive operations, aimed at holding the Vèrrieres-Bourgebus ridges in late July 1944.


message 2759: by Simon (new)

Simon Alford | 188 comments Sounds interesting ...


message 2760: by Jerome (new)

Jerome Otte | 811 comments A July release:

Defeat and Division France at War, 1939–1942 by Douglas Porch byDouglas Porch
Description:
Defeat and Division launches a definitive new account of France in the Second World War. In this first volume, Douglas Porch dissects France's 1940 collapse, the dynamics of occupation, and the rise of Charles de Gaulle's Free France crusade, culminating in the November 1942 Allied invasion of French North Africa. He captures the full sweep of France's wartime experience in Europe, Africa, and beyond, from soldiers and POWs to civilians-in-arms, colonial subjects, and foreign refugees. He recounts France's struggles to reconstruct military power within the context of a global conflict, with its armed forces shattered into warring factions and the country under Axis occupation. Disagreements over the causes of the 1940 debacle and the subsequent requirement for the armistice mirrored long-standing fractures in politics, society, and in the French military itself, as efforts to reconstitute French military power crumbled into Vichy collaboration, De Gaulle's exile resistance, Alsace-Moselle occupation struggles, and a scuffle for imperial supremacy.


message 2761: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 20068 comments Jerome wrote: "A July release:

Defeat and Division France at War, 1939–1942 by Douglas Porch byDouglas Porch
Description:
Defeat and Division launches a definitive new account of France in t..."


Might be one to keep an eye out for, thanks for posting the details Jerome.


message 2762: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 20068 comments This new release is due out in a few months time (April) and may interest some group members; "One Man's Courage During the Bloodiest Military Campaign in Aviation History" by Kevin Maurer

Damn Lucky One Man's Courage During the Bloodiest Military Campaign in Aviation History by Kevin Maurer Damn Lucky: One Man's Courage During the Bloodiest Military Campaign in Aviation History by Kevin Maurer
Description:
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was a world away from John Luckadoo’s hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee. But when the Japanese attacked the American naval base on December 7, 1941, he didn’t hesitate to join the military. Trained as a pilot with the United States Air Force, Second Lieutenant Luckadoo was assigned to the 100th Bomb Group stationed in Thorpe Abbotts, England. Between June and October 1943, he flew B-17 Flying Fortresses over France and Germany on bombing runs devised to destroy the Nazi war machine.

With a shrapnel torn Bible in his flight jacket pocket and his girlfriend’s silk stocking around his neck like a scarf as talismans, Luckadoo piloted through Luftwaffe machine-gun fire and antiaircraft flak while enduring subzero temperatures to complete twenty-five missions and his combat service. The average bomber crew rarely survived after eight to twelve missions. Knowing far too many airmen who wouldn’t be returning home, Luckadoo closed off his emotions and focused on his tasks to finish his tour of duty one moment at a time, realizing his success was more about being lucky than being skilled.

Drawn from Luckadoo’s firsthand accounts, acclaimed war correspondent Kevin Maurer shares his extraordinary tale from war to peacetime, uncovering astonishing feats of bravery during the bloodiest military campaign in aviation history, and presenting an incredible portrait of a young man’s coming-of-age during the world’s most devastating war.

Reviews:
“Journalist Maurer (coauthor, No Easy Day) delivers a comprehensive account of bomber pilot John ‘Lucky’ Luckadoo’s experiences during WWII. … Drawing on extensive interviews with Lucky, Maurer recounts each mission in cinematic detail and vividly evokes the emotional toll taken by the air war’s heavy casualties. … This somber and well-crafted biography is a fitting tribute to its resolute subject.” ―Publishers Weekly

"Drawing from Luckadoo’s first hand-accounts, Kevin Maurer creates a vivid and riveting story of an idealistic young man who tried to join the Royal Air Force before the war to flying dangerous missions with the Eighth Air Force’s 100th Bomb Group. It culminates with a heart-stopping battle over the skies of Germany. This is a deeply absorbing reading experience, filled with memorable characters and fascinating details. With heart-stopping details, it’s impossible to put down. In the end, Damn Lucky is a profound and riveting story of courage and friendship against the backdrop of the bloodiest military campaign in aviation history." ―Chris Wallace, anchor of Fox News Sunday and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Countdown Bin Laden

“An epic, thrillingly written, utterly immersive account of a very lucky, incredible survivor of the war in the skies to defeat Hitler. A wonderfully entertaining, fast read. Don’t miss this one.” ―Alex Kershaw, New York Times bestselling author of The Longest Winter and The Liberator

"Kevin Maurer has crafted a heart-pounding narrative of the air war in Europe, framed around the incredible true story of pilot John "Lucky" Luckadoo who survived twenty five missions against the Third Reich. In Maurer's talented hands, readers will hear the thunder of flak, wince under the rattle of machinegun fire, and feel the fear that haunted the dreams of America's brave airmen. Damn Lucky is a damn fine book!" ―James M. Scott, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of Target Tokyo and Rampage

"In this action-packed flyboy saga, the reader is in the co-pilot's seat next to Lt. John "Lucky" Luckadoo as his B-17 Flying Fortress rains destruction on the Nazi Fatherland. The scenes of the deadly duels between bold American bombers and desperate German fighters are riveting and remind us of the terrible toll it took to earn victory in World War II." ―Bob Drury and Tom Clavin, New York Times bestselling authors of Blood and Treasure and Lucky 666

“Damn Lucky brings to life World War II's deadliest campaign in a riveting account of aerial combat over the skies of Nazi Germany. From the freezing cockpit of a Flying Fortress to surviving flak so thick pilots joked they could land on it, Lucky Luckadoo’s story of service and survival is timeless. He personifies America’s greatest generation.” ―Mitch Weiss, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter and New York Times bestselling coauthor of Countdown 1945

“Maurer, as always, makes the details of war compelling.” ―Kelly Kennedy, author of They Fought for Each Other: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Hardest Hit Unit in Iraq

“Few writers working today are able to marry historical fact with propulsive narrative like Kevin Maurer can.” ―Wiley Cash, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Ballad


message 2763: by Martin (new)

Martin Campbell (httpswwwbadbeathotelcom) | 17 comments This background may be of interest to some group members. Thank you for your consideration.

A few years ago, working as a psychologist, I found an old 1945 psychology paper, "The Kielder Experiment" in The British Journal of Psychiatry.
This took me down a rabbit hole of research into the WWII Arctic convoys, men who were broke down in battle and were labelled as cowards, poltroons and malingerers, experimental treatments at isolated British Admiralty facilities, and hidden naval archives.
All these years later, the result is a book, Sailor's Heart, published last month (January), giving an account of real events in the form of a novel.
Men fought for their country, then for their sanity and dignity. Everyone who played a part in what happened is now dead. It is safe to tell what really happened. True courage is facing danger when you are afraid, surviving in the circus of World War II.
The books was recently reviewed by renowned war story author Rona Simmons:
“One of the best books I have read in a long time.
Martin Campbell’s account of three sailors labeled cowards, dodgers, malingerers and a basket of assorted other labels is mesmerizing. The fictional trio, Clarence, Duncan, and Marco are sailors in arctic convoys during WWII but find themselves struck with a malady described as Sailor’s heart–-the loss of interest in the battle and then the will to fight or the will to live. Sentenced to “rehabilitation” in a Royal Navy hospital, with the goal of returning the men to battle, they are left to the mercy of doctors who carry out unseemly experiments for fame and fortune. But the story is more than a story. Campbell bases his work in a solid underlayment of fact. His research is impeccable.

Propelled by Campbell’s distinct voice, the pages turn themselves, and just as you think you have found a stopping point, Campbell devilishly tosses in a sentence like, “...during the two years he served before it all went wrong” or “It was the two days of constant rain that did it, finally.” You ask yourself, what went wrong, and what did the rain do? And then you keep reading.

Ultimately the men must find their own paths to rehabilitation and their struggles are palpable. I am reminded of Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, with its Nurse Ratched but lacking a Chief Bromden, leaving the reader to join the men’s search for kernels of hope.
And, oh yes, I can see this on the big screen.”


message 2764: by Jerome (new)

Jerome Otte | 811 comments A September release:

Black Snow Curtis LeMay, the Firebombing of Tokyo, and the Road to the Atomic Bomb by James M. Scott by James M. Scott
Description:
Seven minutes past midnight on March 9, 1945, nearly 300 American B-29s thundered into the skies over Tokyo. Their payloads of incendiaries ignited a more than 1,800-degree firestorm that liquefied asphalt and vaporized thousands; sixteen square miles of the city were flattened and more than 100,000 men, women, and children were killed.

Black Snow is the story of this devastating operation, orchestrated by Major General Curtis LeMay, who famously remarked: “If we lose, we’ll be tried as war criminals.” James M. Scott reconstructs in granular detail that horrific night, and describes the development of the B-29, the capture of the Marianas for use as airfields, and the change in strategy from high-altitude daylight “precision” bombing to low-altitude nighttime incendiary bombing. Most importantly, the raid represented a significant moral shift for America, marking the first time commanders deliberately targeted civilians―which helped pave the way for the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki five months later.


message 2765: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 20068 comments Jerome wrote: "A September release:

Black Snow Curtis LeMay, the Firebombing of Tokyo, and the Road to the Atomic Bomb by James M. Scott by James M. Scott
Description:
Seven minutes past midn..."


Yep, that's one to keep an eye-out for!


message 2766: by Colin (new)

Colin Heaton (colin1962) | 2011 comments Jerome wrote: "A September release:

Black Snow Curtis LeMay, the Firebombing of Tokyo, and the Road to the Atomic Bomb by James M. Scott by James M. Scott
Description:
Seven minutes past midn..."

That mission is also in my book, Above the Reich, which has LeMay's complete first person interview that I conducted.


message 2767: by Marc (new)

Marc | 1759 comments Jerome wrote: "A September release:

Black Snow Curtis LeMay, the Firebombing of Tokyo, and the Road to the Atomic Bomb by James M. Scott by James M. Scott
Description:
Seven minutes past midn..."


Since I've enjoyed several other books by this author, I'll definitely grab this one!


message 2768: by Jerome (new)

Jerome Otte | 811 comments An October release:

Command How the Allies Learned to Win the Second World War by Al Murray by Al Murray
Description:
Al Murray's passion for military history and the Second World War in particular has always been a duel passion with his comedy and was brought to the fore with several acclaimed and award winning television shows and the recent huge success of his podcast We Have Ways of Making You Talk which he hosts fellow bestselling military author James Holland. The podcast has built up a loyal, nationwide fanbase and has given birth to its own annual three-day festival. In his first serious narrative book, Command showcases Al Murray's passion for this pivotal period in the Twentieth Century, as he writes an engaging, entertaining and sharp analysis of the key allied military leaders in the conflict.

Command highlights the performance and careers of some of the key protagonists who commanded armies, as well as the lesser-known officers who led divisions, regiments and even battalions for the British, Commonwealth and United States of American armies. By showcasing each combat commander across every theatre of operations the allies fought in, Murray tells the story of how the Western Allies rebounded from early shocking defeats (Dunkirk and Pearl Harbor) to then victories (El Alamein and D-Day) in its efforts to defeat the Axis forces of Nazi Germany and Japan, and what that tells us about the characters and the challenges that faced them. Command will be the book all fans of Second World War History will want to buy who appreciate a true enthusiast of the genre who has something new and compelling to say.


message 2769: by Jerome (new)

Jerome Otte | 811 comments A November release:

To Save An Army The Stalingrad Airlift by Robert Forsyth by Robert Forsyth
Description:
Stalingrad ranks as one of the most infamous, savage and emotive battles of the 20th century. It has consumed military historians since the 1950s and has inspired many books and much debate. This book tells the story of the operation mounted by the Luftwaffe to supply, by airlift, the trapped and exhausted German Sixth Army at Stalingrad in the winter of 1942/43. The weather conditions faced by the flying crews, mechanics, and soldiers on the ground were appalling, but against all odds, and a resurgent and active Soviet air force, the transports maintained a determined presence over the ravaged city on the Volga, even when the last airfields in the Stalingrad pocket had been lost.

Yet, even the daily figure of 300 tons of supplies, needed by Sixth Army just to subsist, proved over-ambitious for the Luftwaffe which battled against a lack of transport capacity, worsening serviceability, and increasing losses in badly needed aircraft.

Using previously unpublished diaries, original Luftwaffe reports and specially commissioned artwork, this gripping battle is told in detail through the eyes of the Luftwaffe commanders and pilots who fought to keep the Sixth Army alive and supplied.


message 2770: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (last edited Feb 21, 2022 06:42PM) (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 20068 comments Two very interesting books Jerome, thanks for the notifications.


message 2771: by Dimitri (new)

Dimitri | 1413 comments 2x TBR. Probably due for 2032.


message 2772: by Jerome (new)

Jerome Otte | 811 comments A November release:

Taking Berlin The Bloody Race to Defeat the Third Reich by Martin Dugard by Martin Dugard
Description:
Fall, 1944. Paris has been liberated, saved from destruction, but this diversion on the road to Berlin has given the Germans time to regroup. The American and British armies press westward, facing the enemy time and again in the Hurtgen Forest, during the Market-Garden invasion, and at the Battle of the Bulge, all while American general George Patton and British field marshal Bernard Montgomery vie for supremacy as the Allies' top battlefield commander.

Meanwhile, the Soviets begin to squeeze Hitler's crumbling Reich from the east. Led by Generals Zhukov and Konev, the Red Army launches millions of soldiers, backed by tanks, artillery, and warplanes, against the Germans, leaving death and scorched earth in their wake, pushing the Wehrmacht back toward their fatherland. As both the Anglo-American alliance and the Soviets set their sights on claiming the capital city of Nazi Germany, Churchill seeks to ensure Britain's place in a new world divided by Roosevelt's America and Stalin's Soviet Union.

With a sweeping cast of historical figures, Taking Berlin is a pulse-pounding race into the final, desperate months of the Second World War and toward the fiery destruction of the Thousand-Year-Reich, chronicling a moment in history when allies become adversaries.


message 2773: by Jerome (new)

Jerome Otte | 811 comments A September release:

Bridge to the Sun The Secret Role of the Japanese Americans Who Fought in the Pacific in World War II by Bruce Henderson by Bruce Henderson
Description:
After Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. military was desperate to find Americans who spoke Japanese to serve in the Pacific war. They soon turned to the Nisei--first generation U.S. citizens whose parents were immigrants from Japan. Eager to prove their loyalty to America, several thousand Nisei--many of them volunteering from the internment camps where they were being held behind barbed wire--were selected by the Army for top-secret training, then were rushed to the Pacific theater. Highly valued as expert translators and interrogators, these Japanese American soldiers operated in elite intelligence teams alongside Army infantrymen and Marines on the frontlines of the Pacific war, from Iwo Jima to Burma, from the Solomons to Okinawa.

Bruce Henderson reveals, in riveting detail, the harrowing untold story of the Nisei and their major contributions in the war of the Pacific, through six Japanese-American soldiers. The role of the U.S. Nisei soldiers was so far-reaching, General MacArthur said that because of their efforts, "never in military history did an army know so much about the enemy prior to engagement." After the war, these soldiers became translators and interrogators for war crime trials, and later helped to rebuild Japan as a modern democracy and a pivotal U.S. ally.


message 2774: by Jerome (new)

Jerome Otte | 811 comments Another:

Half American The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad by Matthew F. Delmont by Matthew F. Delmont
Description:
Over one million Black men and women served in World War II. Black troops were at Normandy, Iwo Jima, and the Battle of the Bulge, serving in segregated units and performing unheralded but vital support jobs, only to be denied housing and educational opportunities on their return home. Without their crucial contributions to the war effort, the United States could not have won the war. And yet the stories of these Black veterans have long been ignored, cast aside in favor of the myth of the “Good War” fought by the “Greatest Generation.”

Half American is American history as you’ve likely never read it before. In these pages are stories of Black heroes such as Thurgood Marshall, the chief lawyer for the NAACP, who investigated and publicized violence against Black troops and veterans; Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., leader of the Tuskegee Airmen, who was at the forefront of the years-long fight to open the Air Force to Black pilots; Ella Baker, the civil rights leader who advocated on the home front for Black soldiers, veterans, and their families; James Thompson, the 26-year-old whose letter to a newspaper laying bare the hypocrisy of fighting against fascism abroad when racism still reigned at home set in motion the Double Victory campaign; and poet Langston Hughes, who worked as a war correspondent for the Black press. Their bravery and patriotism in the face of unfathomable racism is both inspiring and galvanizing. In a time when the questions World War II raised regarding race and democracy in America remain troublingly relevant and still unanswered, this meticulously researched retelling makes for urgently necessary reading.


message 2775: by Derek (new)

Derek Nudd | 278 comments Jerome wrote: "A September release:

Bridge to the Sun The Secret Role of the Japanese Americans Who Fought in the Pacific in World War II by Bruce Henderson by Bruce Henderson
Description:
A..."

In the meantime I can recommend The Anguish of Surrender: Japanese POWs of World War II by Ulrich Straus and The History of Camp Tracy: Japanese WWII POWs and the Future of Strategic Interrogation by Alexander D Corbin. Straus, in particular, is excellent on the way the Nisei managed to bridge the cultural chasm between US and Japanese citizens.


message 2776: by Derek (new)

Derek Nudd | 278 comments Jerome wrote: "Another:

Half American The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad by Matthew F. Delmont by Matthew F. Delmont
Description:
Over one million Black..."

My book Armageddon Fed Up With This touched on the story of Leroy Henry, a Black GI posted to Britain before D-Day who was convicted of raping a local woman and sentenced to death. Neighbours believed his story and raised a petition in his favour, which achieved national exposure and swelled to over 35,000 signatures. General Eisenhower, who must have had other calls on his time, reviewed the evidence and quashed both sentence and conviction. Henry re-joined his unit, survived the war and returned to the States - I'm afraid I don't know anything about his subsequent life. A (sadly too rare at the time) example of justice overturning racism.


message 2777: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 20068 comments Interesting to see that in September this year there will be two new books on Admiral Nimitz being released. I already have a copy of the Craig L. Symonds' book on order.

Mastering the Art of Command Admiral Chester W Nimitz and Victory in the Pacific by Trent Hone Mastering the Art of Command: Admiral Chester W Nimitz and Victory in the Pacific by Trent Hone

Nimitz at War Command Leadership from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay by Craig L. Symonds Nimitz at War: Command Leadership from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay by Craig L. Symonds


message 2778: by Dimitri (new)

Dimitri | 1413 comments 'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Interesting to see that in September this year there will be two new books on Admiral Nimitz being released. I already have a copy of the Craig L. Symonds' book on order.

[bookcover:Mastering the ..."


Symonds eh? say no more ! :-)


message 2779: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 20068 comments That's what I said Dimitri :)


message 2780: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 20068 comments This new release is due out in a few months (July) and may be of some interest to a few group members:

Bomb Group The Story of the 381st Bomb Group (H), Eighth Air Force, Usaaf and Its Part in the Allied Air Offensive by Paul Bingley Bomb Group: The Story of the 381st Bomb Group (H), Eighth Air Force, Usaaf and Its Part in the Allied Air Offensive by Paul Bingley
Description:
In February 1942, a reconnaissance party of United States Army Air Forces officers arrived in England. Firmly wedded to the doctrine of daylight precision bombing, they believed they could help turn the tide of the war in Europe. In the months that followed, they formed the Eighth Air Force - an organization that grew at an astonishing rate. To accommodate it, almost seventy airfields were hastily built across the eastern counties of England.

At the heart of the Eighth Air Force were its bombardment groups, each equipped with scores of heavily armed, four-engine bombers. These Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and Consolidated B-24 Liberators were soon punching through the enemy's defences to bomb targets vital to its war effort. They were crewed by thousands of young American airmen, most of whom were volunteers.

This book tells the story of just one "Bomb Group" - the 381st, which crossed the Atlantic in May 1943. Arriving at RAF Ridgewell on the Essex-Suffolk border, its airmen quickly found themselves thrown into the hazardous and attritional air battle raging in the skies over Europe.

Bomb Group follows the 381st's path from its formation in the Texan desert, to its 297th and final bombing mission deep into the heart of Hitler's Third Reich. It is the remarkable story of one group and the part it played in the strategic bombing campaign of "The Mighty Eighth."


message 2781: by Bryan (new)

Bryan Craig | 100 comments 'Aussie Rick' wrote: "That's what I said Dimitri :)"

Yep, count me in to read this one!

Nimitz at War Command Leadership from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay by Craig L. Symonds


message 2782: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 20068 comments Good to hear Bryan :)


message 2783: by BA (new)

BA Rae | 124 comments Just saw this received a good review in "Publishers Weekly" (March 7, 2022). Due to be released in May.
Resistance The Underground War Against Hitler, 1939-1945 by Halik Kochanski
Resistance: The Underground War Against Hitler, 1939-1945


message 2784: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 20068 comments BA wrote: "Just saw this received a good review in "Publishers Weekly" (March 7, 2022). Due to be released in May.
Resistance The Underground War Against Hitler, 1939-1945 by Halik Kochanski
[book:Resistan..."


Uh-oh, looks like one to keep an eye out for. Thanks for the notification BA although my wife won't be too happy with you! :)


message 2785: by Jerome (new)

Jerome Otte | 811 comments A September release:

Mastering the Art of Command Admiral Chester W. Nimitz and Victory in the Pacific by Trent Hone by Trent Hone
Description:
Mastering the Art of Command is a detailed examination of Admiral Chester W. Nimitz's leadership during World War II. It describes how he used his talents to guide the Pacific Fleet following the attacks on Pearl Harbor, win crucial victories against the forces of Imperial Japan, and then seize the initiative in the Pacific. Once Nimitz's forces held the initiative, they maintained it through an offensive campaign of unparalleled speed that overcame Japanese defenses and created the conditions for victory. 

As a command and operational history, Mastering the Art of Command explores how Nimitz used his leadership skills, command talents, and strategic acumen to achieve these decisive results. Hone recounts how Nimitz, as both Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet (CINCPAC) and Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Ocean Areas (CINCPOA), revised and adapted his organizational structure to capitalize on lessons and newly emerging information. Hone argues that Nimitz--because he served simultaneously as CINCPAC and CINCPOA--was able to couple tactical successes to strategic outcomes and more effectively plan and execute operations that brought victory at Midway, Guadalcanal, the Marshall Islands, the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.  

As a study of leadership, Mastering the Art of Command uses modern management theories, and builds upon the approach in his award-winning Learning War. Trent Hone explores the challenge of leadership in complex adaptive systems through Nimitz's behavior and causes us to reassess the inevitability of Allied victory and the reasons for its ultimate accomplishment. A new narrative history of the Pacific war, this book demonstrates effective patterns for complexity-informed leadership by highlighting how Nimitz maintained coherence within his organization, established the conditions for his subordinates to succeed, and fostered collaborative sense-making to identify and pursue options more rapidly. Nimitz's "strategic artistry" is a pattern worthy of study and emulation, for today's military officers, civilian leaders, and managers in large organizations.    ​


message 2786: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 20068 comments I saw that new release Jerome but I had already ordered Craig L. Symonds' book on the subject :)


message 2787: by Colin (new)

Colin Heaton (colin1962) | 2011 comments Hello all:

I have been asked, and agreed, so I will be doing a live Zoom show broadcast today, Sat. March 12 at 1400 (2 pm) EST, which is 2000 (8 pm) Central European and South African time, and 11:00 am Pacific. We will discuss Marseille, the book and pending limited TV series. I do not know if this link works for listeners. I will also place the link on the Facebook and Linkedin locations.

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84467246902...


message 2788: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 20068 comments This new release may be of interest to some group members; "Red Bull - A History of the 34th Infantry Division in the Second World War: Volume 1 - Mobilization to Tunisia" by Robert Noel Stokes.


Red Bull - A History of the 34th Infantry Division in the Second World War Volume 1 - Mobilization to Tunisia by Robert Noel Stokes Red Bull - A History of the 34th Infantry Division in the Second World War: Volume 1 - Mobilization to Tunisia by Robert Noel Stokes
Description:
The story of the US Army National Guard's 34th "Red Bull" Infantry Division from mobilisation through to their bitter but victorious fight at Hill 609 in Tunisia. The US Army National Guard's 34th 'Red Bull' Infantry Division was mobilised gainst the complex backdrop of the United States' lack of readiness for modern war before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. After training, the 34th ID would be deployed in early 1942 to the United Kingdom as the first US division sent overseas, before participating in Operation TORCH and the capture of Algiers. Shocking engagements with Axis forces led to early traumatic defeats in Tunisia, battles that ultimately transformed the division's men into the killer soldiers they needed to become. Their mettle would be tested when they won the the bitter fight at Hill 609, where the Red Bull broke the Axis defensive line in Tunisia, resulting in the destruction of two Axis armies and the Allied conquest of the North African shore. For the first time, almost 80 years after Nazi forces in Italy surrendered to the Allies, the complete story of the US Army National Guard's 34th "Red Bull" Infantry Division during WWII is finally told. The Division comes to life through a narrative based on original papers, declassified documents, and personal accounts of the soldiers themselves as they changed from green troops to veteran destroyers of the Third Reich. With constant focus on what happened to the men on the battle line, this book vividly sets forth major battles and little-known events of the Red Bull's brutal introduction to war and its heroic metamorphosis into an effective combat organisation, within the context of Allied strategy and leadership.


message 2789: by Manray9 (last edited Mar 16, 2022 10:32PM) (new)

Manray9 | 4792 comments 'Aussie Rick' wrote: "This new release may be of interest to some group members; "Red Bull - A History of the 34th Infantry Division in the Second World War: Volume 1 - Mobilization to Tunisia" by Robert Noel Stokes.


..."


Minnesota, Iowa, and Dakotas National Guard troops. Some of the division's elements go back to the Civil War.


message 2790: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (last edited Mar 17, 2022 05:48PM) (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 20068 comments A new Australian release covering the famous battle or Isurava during the campaign in New Guinea, 1942:

The Battle for Isurava Fighting in the clouds of the Owen Stanley 1942 by David W. Cameron The Battle for Isurava: Fighting in the clouds of the Owen Stanley 1942 by David W. Cameron
Description:
Within 24 hours of the Japanese invasion of northern New Guinea at Gona in July 1942, the Australian militiamen of ‘B’ Company, 39th Battalion, spent four weeks fighting a delaying action against a crack Japanese force outnumbered by three to one. By mid-August, the rest of the battalion had arrived, and these men took up a position at Isurava, in the heart of the cloud covered mountains and jungles of the Owen Stanley Range.

At Isurava, this small militia force of the 39th Battalion now numbering around 300 men was determined to make a stand against a crack Japanese force of the 144th Regiment and supporting elements, numbering at least 1500. Then on the day the Japanese launched their attack, to the great relief of these militiamen, reinforcements from the 2nd AIF who had fought with great distinction in the Middle East began to arrive in the afternoon having spent days struggling up the track from Port Moresby. Even so, the Australians were still outnumbered, as the Japanese also received reinforcements, and unlike the Japanese, the Australians had no supporting artillery or medium machineguns.

The battle for Isurava would be the defining battle of the Kokoda Campaign and has rightfully been described as Australia’s Thermopylae. It was here that Australia’s first Victoria Cross in the Pacific war was awarded when the Japanese conducted several ferocious attacks against the Australian perimetre. Private Bruce Kingsbury led an Australian counterattack, rushing forward sweeping the Japanese positions with his Bren gun, saving he situation when all seemed lost — he was killed leading the charge. Another two men were also nominated for the VC during the fighting at Isurava.

The outnumbered and poorly equipped Australians managed to hold back the Japanese advance for almost a week; only then did these battle scared and weary men begin a month long fighting withdraw towards Ioribaiwa Ridge just north of Port Morsby. However, their sacrifice provided time for the Australian 25th Brigade to be brought forward — finally forcing the Japanese to withdrawal just as they glimpsed the lights of Port Morseby.


message 2791: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 20068 comments This book may or may not have already been mentioned; "Smashing Hitler's Guns: The Rangers at Pointe-du-Hoc, D-Day 1944" by Steven J. Zaloga.

Smashing Hitler's Guns The Rangers at Pointe-du-Hoc, D-Day 1944 by Steven J. Zaloga Smashing Hitler's Guns: The Rangers at Pointe-du-Hoc, D-Day 1944 by Steven J. Zaloga
Description:
Written by one of the world's leading experts on D-Day, Smashing Hitler's Guns is a ground-breaking new history of the legendary Rangers' attack on Pointe-du-Hoc.

The Ranger attack on the German gun batteries at Pointe-du-Hoc in the early morning hours of D-Day is the stuff of legend. The gun batteries were strategically positioned between the two American D-Day landing beaches, and were considered the main threat to the Operation Neptune landings. In spite of the confusion and chaos of the June 6, 1944 mission, the Rangers succeeded in scaling the 100-foot cliffs, but the guns were nowhere to be found. Spreading out in all directions, a Ranger team managed to find and spike the guns at their hidden location south of Pointe-du-Hoc. For two days, this small force fought off repeated German attacks, until an American relief force finally arrived on 8 June, by which time more than half the Rangers were casualties.

The heroic Ranger mission at Pointe-du-Hoc has indeed become a sacred legend, and as a result there are many unexplored controversies. This new book on this famous raid takes a fresh and comprehensive look at the attack on Pointe-du-Hoc, examining the creation of the German gun battery, the initial Allied intelligence assessments of the threat, and the early plans to assault the site. The forgotten Allied bombing attacks on Pointe-du-Hoc are detailed, as well as the subsequent Allied intelligence investigations of the results. While most accounts of Pointe-du-Hoc are based on the published US Army history, the author has tracked down the long-forgotten original, unedited report in the archives that contains a number of curious changes from the better-known and widely accepted version. Little-known interviews of the Rangers who took part in the mission also shed fresh light and a significant number of German records provide the enemy perspective of the battle for control of the guns.


message 2792: by Dimitri (new)

Dimitri | 1413 comments 'Aussie Rick' wrote: "This book may or may not have already been mentioned; "Smashing Hitler's Guns: The Rangers at Pointe-du-Hoc, D-Day 1944" by Steven J. Zaloga.

[bookcover:Smashing Hitler's Guns: The Rangers at Poin..."


TBR. If only every editor'd stop adding "Hitler" to WWII titles...


message 2793: by Lee (new)

Lee | 237 comments Unfortunately, it's a "truth" that adding Hitler to the title will boost book sales.


message 2794: by Tim (new)

Tim Mercer | 112 comments Too true


message 2795: by Colin (new)

Colin Heaton (colin1962) | 2011 comments In every book I write related to WW II Germany I stress the words "Hitler" and "Nazi" not be used in the titles, and so far I have been successful.


message 2796: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 20068 comments Colin wrote: "In every book I write related to WW II Germany I stress the words "Hitler" and "Nazi" not be used in the titles, and so far I have been successful."

Nicely done Colin!


message 2797: by Dipanjan (new)

Dipanjan Datta (papudips) | 45 comments Bose The Untold Story of an Inconvenient Nationalist by Chandrachur Ghose

Netaji, Azad Hind Sarkar & Fauj Removing Smokescreens 1942-47 by Kapil Kumar

These two are latest books on the Indian nationalist leader Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose who had built Indian National Army and fought in Imphal Kohima Front along with the imperial Japanese army against the British Indian army.


message 2798: by Manray9 (new)

Manray9 | 4792 comments Dipanjan wrote: "Bose The Untold Story of an Inconvenient Nationalist by Chandrachur Ghose

Netaji, Azad Hind Sarkar & Fauj Removing Smokescreens 1942-47 by Kapil Kumar

These two are latest books on the I..."


Thanks, Dipanjan. Chandrachur Ghose's book added to my TBR.


message 2799: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 20068 comments Two very interesting books, thanks for posting the details Dipanjan.


message 2800: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 20068 comments I'm not too sure if I have seen this new release mentioned yet; "Fly Boy Heroes: The Stories of the Medal of Honor Recipients of the Air War Against Japan" by James H Hallas.

Fly Boy Heroes The Stories of the Medal of Honor Recipients of the Air War Against Japan by James H Hallas Fly Boy Heroes: The Stories of the Medal of Honor Recipients of the Air War Against Japan by James H Hallas
Description:
On the morning of December 7, 1941, Chief Aviation Ordnanceman John W. Finn, though suffering multiple wounds, continued to man his machine gun against waves of Japanese aircraft attacking the Kaneohe Bay Naval Station during the infamous Pearl Harbor raid. Just over three years later, as World War II struggled into its final months, a B-29 radioman named Red Erwin lingered near death after suffering horrific burns to save his air crew in the skies off Japan. They were the first and last of thirty U.S. Navy, Army, and Marine Corps aviation personnel awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions against the Japanese during World War II. They included pilots and crewmen manning fighters and dive bombers and flying boats and bombers. One was a general. Another was a sergeant. Some shot down large numbers of enemy aircraft in aerial combat. Others sacrificed themselves for their friends or risked everything for complete strangers.

Who were these now largely forgotten men? Where did they come from? What inspired them to rise “above and beyond”? What, if anything, made them different? Virtually all had one thing in common: they always wanted to fly. They came from a generation that revered the aces of World War I, like Eddie Rickenbacker, the civilian flyer Charles Lindbergh, and the lost aviator Amelia Earhart—and then they blazed their own trail during World War II.


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