New Release Books on WW2 Showing 301-350 of 3,289

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I picked up copies of these two books today, brand new but on special:


by Mintauts Blosfelds

by Tom Renouf

[Jim]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "I picked up copies of these two books today, brand new but on special:


[bookcover:Stormtrooper on the Eastern Front: Fighting with Hitler's Latvian SS] by Mintauts Blosfelds

[bookcover:Black Wat..."

Looks like a couple of decent finds there.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Both a bit different Jim. I might try and read "Black Watch" first chance I get but who knows when that will be!

[Jim]

I hear ya! I'm so far behind my heirs will have to catch up for me.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Ah, good to leave them something to remember you by!

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Here is a new title due out very soon that sounds quite interesting and a bit different:


by Tim Brady
Description:
The largest amphibious invasion force ever to cross the Atlantic Ocean set sail from Virginia for North Africa in November 1942. Operation Torch was the true beginning of the liberation of Europe since control of Northwestern Africa — Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia -- gave the Allies a base on the Mediterranean for the coming invasion of southern Europe. The prime objectives of the Moroccan invasion, headed by General George Patton, were the port city of Casablanca and an airfield 60 miles northeast of the city, which had the only concrete runways in the region. Unfortunately, the field was located a dozen miles up a shallow, twisting Moroccan river that wound its way down from the Atlas Mountains to the Atlantic. Patton needed five hundred tons of highly volatile airplane fuel and nine hundred tons of bombs delivered to that Moroccan airport to supply his planned air campaign against Casablanca, but he faced a major challenge: the river was too shallow for any available transport ship in the entire Allied fleet. As the clock ticked down on the invasion, the War Department searched every harbor and cove in the Atlantic and only at the last moment turned up the Contessa, a salt-caked, rust-stained Honduran-registered civilian freighter that had spent most of her undistinguished career hauling bananas and honeymooners from New Orleans to the river port harbors of the Caribbean. But at least she would be capable of hauling heavy cargo in shallow waters.

Twelve Desperate Miles tells the incredible story of the Contessa’s role in the opening salvo of World War II. This unremarkable ship, crewed by seamen from twenty-six different nations and eighteen sailors pulled from the Norfolk County jail, became the focus of the first invasion of the war as it was rushed to Virginia at the insistence of George Patton and quickly retrofitted for war. Too late to join the safety of the massive convoy sailing for Africa, the Contessa set out on her own through the U-Boat-infested waters of the Atlantic to the shores of Morocco, where she faced her final and most daunting challenge: the twelve mile voyage up the shallow and well-defended Sebou River, carrying an explosive cocktail of gasoline and bombs in her holds.

In Twelve Desperate Miles, veteran history writer Tim Brady chronicles one of the great untold stories of the war. This surprising and entertaining account of the baptism of American forces on the Western Front is a mix of Moroccan intrigue, portraits of some of the great figures of the war (Patton, Eisenhower, Marshall, General Lucian Truscott) at its outset, snapshots of the daily workings of the colorful crew of a merchant ship, along with a thrilling account of the invasion of French Morocco. Twelve Desperate Miles offers a unique and fascinating picture of the war in its opening moments.

Reviews:
"Tim Brady's yarn of the Contessa and her role in one of the most crucial episodes in WWII will delight military buffs and those looking for a well-written page turner. Highly recommended." – Alex Kershaw, (author of The Bedford Boys and The Longest Winter)

"[A] tension-filled, exciting story of the invasion and the Contessa’s role in it. This is an excellent recounting of an obscure but important episode of World War II." – Booklist

"An entertaining story of individual heroism, which Brady surrounds by an equally entertaining account of the North African invasion, the largest amphibious operation in history at the time." – Kirkus Reviews

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Here is another history book by Osprey that may interest some of the members here:


by Nicholas Best
Description:
April 1945. The mutilated bodies of Mussolini and his mistress hang by their heels in Milan while a hostile crowd whistles and jeers. Desperate to avoid the same fate, Adolf Hitler leaves orders for his own body to be burned after his death. With the Russian Army closing in on Berlin and his world crashing in to flames, Germany's doomed leader would never allow his enemies the satisfaction of desecrating his corpse. This is the story of an immensely exciting few days, but it is also a snapshot of the whole world at the end of an extraordinary week. Nicholas Best tells a compelling tale of the men and women from all around the world who experienced the final chaotic days of World War II. Fast-paced, at times brutal and at others poignant, this page-turner of a book recreates the dying days of the Axis powers as the Allied armies closed in on Berlin.

[Jim]

I picked up a few good titles at the thrift shop yesterday:

, , , , and . I paid about $12 for the lot.

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Well done champion bargain hunter

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Looks like some damn good books there Jim!

[Nicole]

I concur...well done. Wouldn't be able to get 5 for $12 at any of our used book stores.

I did however buy 12 more books today to add to the floor pile (yay for gift certificates and used book stores). Le grand sigh. Not all were WWII related, but did get the following:



by Nathan Greenfield

by Ronald H. Spector

by Max Hastings

byEugene B. Sledge

by John Wukovits

by Norman Davies

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Another great batch of books there Nicole! I recently ordered & received a copy of; "The Damned", it should be a good book to read. I see you have both books for the group read as well!

[Nicole]

Thanks! I believe most of them were your recommendations. :)

Yes, ordered both. My big race is in June and no races in July, just base training for some small races in August, so figured why not. I bought them on sale and might have time to read both for the group read.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I hope you can at least squeeze one in but two would be great :)

[Jim]

Nicole wrote: "I concur...well done. Wouldn't be able to get 5 for $12 at any of our used book stores.

I did however buy 12 more books today to add to the floor pile (yay for gift certificates and used book s..."

That book on Tarawa looks particularly interesting.

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

Jim wrote: "I picked up a few good titles at the thrift shop yesterday:..."

Well done, Jim. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption alone would have been worth the price.

[Jim]

Mike wrote: "Jim wrote: "I picked up a few good titles at the thrift shop yesterday:..."

Well done, Jim. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption alone would have been worth the pr..."

It was definitely on my " to get " list

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Hi Jim,

The book; "One Square Mile of Hell: The Battle for Tarawa" is a pretty damn good book, I'm sure you would enjoy it!

by John Wukovits

[Jim]

Well, you haven't steered me wrong yet. It's going on the "to get" list.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

HiJim,

If you can't find a copy of "One Square Mile of Hell", these two books are just as good. The first book is my favourite title on the battle of Tarawa:

by Joseph H. Alexander

by Michael B. Graham

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I've just stumbled across this book and wondering if anyone here has read it before:

by Wilson A. Heefner
Description:
On July 11, 1943, General Lucian Truscott received the Army's second-highest decoration, the Distinguished Service Cross, for valor in action in Sicily. During his career he also received the Army Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Purple Heart. Truscott was one of the most significant of all U.S. Army generals in World War II, pioneering new combat training methods—including the famous “Truscott Trot”— and excelling as a combat commander, turning the Third Infantry Division into one of the finest divisions in the U.S. Army. He was instrumental in winning many of the most important battles of the war, participating in the invasions of North Africa, Sicily, Anzio, and southern France. Truscott was not only respected by his peers and “dogfaces”—common soldiers—alike but also ranked by President Eisenhower as second only to Patton, whose command he took over on October 8, 1945, and led until April 1946.

Yet no definitive history of his life has been compiled. Wilson Heefner corrects that with the first authoritative biography of this distinguished American military leader. Heefner has undertaken impressive research in primary sources—as well as interviews with family members and former associates—to shed new light on this overlooked hero. He presents Truscott as a soldier who was shaped by his upbringing, civilian and military education, family life, friendships, and evolving experiences as a commander both in and out of combat.

Heefner’s brisk narrative explores Truscott’s career through his three decades in the Army and defines his roles in key operations. It also examines Truscott’s postwar role as military governor of Bavaria, particularly in improving living conditions for Jewish displaced persons, removing Nazis from civil government, and assisting in the trials of German war criminals. And it offers the first comprehensive examination of his subsequent career in the Central Intelligence Agency, where he served as senior CIA representative in West Germany during the early days of the Cold War, and later as CIA Director Allen Dulles’s deputy director for coordination in Washington.

Dogface Soldier is a portrait of a man who earned a reputation for being honest, forthright, fearless, and aggressive, both as a military officer and in his personal life—a man who, at the dedication ceremony for the Anzio-Nettuno American cemetery in 1945, turned away from the crowd and to the thousands of crosses stretching before him to address those buried there. Heefner has written a definitive biography of a great soldier and patriot.

Reviews:
"Heefner sheds much new light in this fine work of original scholarship. Dogface Soldier may well be the most important military biography since Carlo D’Este’s well- received portrait of Eisenhower." - John C. McManus, (author of The 7th Infantry Regiment: Combat in an Age of Terror)

“Lucian Truscott has long been thought of as one of the U.S. Army’s most competent commanders, yet, until now, he has fallen into relative obscurity. Wilson Heefner brings Truscott back to life with a first-rate biography that is richly researched and very engaging. Well done!” — Mitchell A. Yockelson, (author of Borrowed Soldiers: Americans Under British Command, 1918)

"Wilson Heefner has produced a well crafted, deeply researched account of the military career of Lucian K. Truscott, Jr., a World War II division, corps, and army commander, and arguably the U.S. Army's most proficient combat commander in that conflict. That Truscott was a noted horseman, an accomplished writer, and briefly a senior manager with the Central Intelligence Agency during the early Cold War makes Heefner's biography all the more interesting reading." — Timothy K. Nenninger, (author of The Leavenworth Schools and the Old Army: Education, Professionalism, and the Officer Corps of the United States Army, 1881–1918)

"At last, a biography and a subject worthy of each other! Heefner’s exhaustive archival research reveals the life of one of the most important but least known generals of World War Two, General Lucian Truscott. Critically, the author does not finish his account of the general’s life with the end of public glory in 1945. Great events were stirring, and Truscott continued to be part of them. He served as the senior CIA officer in postwar Germany at the height of the Cold War, and Heefner has been able to uncover many new details of this period in the general’s life. The author integrates these key roles of Truscott’s career into a seamless whole—the story of a life devoted to service.” — Caroline Cox, University of the Pacific, (author of A Proper Sense of Honor: Service and Sacrifice in George Washington’s Army)

“Instead of churning out another biography on Eisenhower or Patton, Heefner once again has written a masterful biography on a lesser known—but nonetheless important—American commander in World War II. Dogface Soldier stands alongside his biographies of Edwin D. Patrick and Walton H. Walker, men who may not be household names but contributed significantly to Allied victory. Truscott earned the respect of such figures as Dwight D. Eisenhower and George C. Marshall, and now Heefner explains what made Truscott worthy of that trust. Historians and military professionals are in debt to Heefner.” — Kevin C. Holzimmer, author of General Walter Krueger: Unsung Hero of the Pacific War

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I'm also been interested in acquiring a copy of this book, has anyone read it here and can offer their views on it being a good or a bad purchase?

by Flint Whitlock

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "I've just stumbled across this book and wondering if anyone here has read it before:

[bookcover:Dogface Soldier: The Life of General Lucian K. Truscott Jr.] by Wilson A. Heefner
Description:
On J..."

This looks very good Rick - added to my my TBR

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

I've not read it and have these two by him that remain as yet unread too:

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I've also got "The Fighting First" to read as well!

I took a chance and ordered a copy, it's received some good readers reviews everywhere I looked.

by Flint Whitlock

I suppose it will tie in nicely with "The Fighting First", eh!

by Flint Whitlock

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I also ordered a copy of this book:



by Egbert Kieser

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "I've also got "The Fighting First" to read as well!

I took a chance and ordered a copy, it's received some good readers reviews everywhere I looked.

[bookcover:If Chaos Reigns: The Near-Disaster ..."

I'll be interested in your views once you get around to it (if that's before me) :)

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Will let you know Geevee :)

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I picked these three titles up today from my poor old over-worked mail box:

by Craig W. Luther

by Bill Sloan

by Susan Ottaway

[Jim]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "I picked these three titles up today from my poor old over-worked mail box:

[bookcover:Blood and Honor: The History of the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitler Youth " 19431945] by Craig W. Luther

[b..."

Look like you've found a few more good ones Rick.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Yeah, I can't wait to get stuck into them, Blood and Honor is first on the list!

[Ian]

Just added Eisenhower: In War and peace by Jean Edward Smith - new this year - to my TBR pile.

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

I have it on my TBR too Ian and it certainly looks a good read.

[John]

My first book of this year's Book Drive is , a 1945 edition. A $2 special!

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Nice buy, would you believe John that the movie was on TV last night over here in Australia, is that serendipitous or what?

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Hi Ian, looks like an interesting book on Ike. I only just finished reading a very good account of Ike, Bradley & Patton that may also interest you:

by Jonathan W. Jordan

[Jim]

John wrote: "My first book of this year's Book Drive is , a 1945 edition. A $2 special!"

Great find!

[Nicole]

Had the day off so went wandering around the used bookstores and picked up these 2 which look interesting.

bySaburo Ienaga

by Howard Blum

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Nice buys Nicole! I've got a copy of "The Brigade" but of course I haven't read it yet :)

[Nicole]

Shocking! I think under Resource we should put the link to your book list. :)

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

:)

[Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces]

Added The Brigade: An Epic Story of Vengeance, Salvation & World War II to TBR. Looks very good.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I'm sure that our partners are going to crack soon and start taking out vengeance on those who entice their loved ones with all these books :)

[Jim]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "I'm sure that our partners are going to crack soon and start taking out vengeance on those who entice their loved ones with all these books :)"

Mine will start with you, Rick! ;)

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

I think we should share the pain around Jim :)

[Jim]

Got my copy of today. I'm ready for our group read.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Great news Jim, it should be a great read and hopefully we will have fun dicussing it as a group, I can't wait :)

[Nicole]

Jim wrote: "Got my copy of [bookcover:All Hell Let Loose: The World at War 19391945] today. I'm ready for our group read."

I got mine as well...both actually!

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

More good news!

:)

[Wade]

Soldiers of Destruction by Charles W Sydnor JR.-I know some have read this 1977 work---i can get one of those standard website 5 star reviews(by those selling this book) However i would like to hear what OUR contributors have to say (if any)..i-hold the group opinions in very high regard. Thanks.