England and the Sitzkrieg - 3+
586137
It's just before the outbreak of WWII and King Edward VIII sits on the British throne, having gone through with his coronation after the l936 death of Wallis Simpson.  His country is divided on whether to resist the aggression of Hitler's Germany, with a sizable number of wealthy and anti-semitic Brits trying their hardest to keep their country from any conflict.  When war is finally declared after the Nazi invasion of Poland, no serious military action takes place for several months and the battle for England's soul heats up.  So we have a promising alternative fictional history loaded with promising characters, many of them actual period figures of the time populating an important, but often well-reported moment in time.

Unfortunately "The Windsor Faction" is one of those peculiar novels where a really good author, using credible period language in narrative and dialogue still doesn't get to where he wants to go because his characters are too often vacuous, unpleasant, self-satisfied and disconnected from reality.  Starting with the character of the King (who clearly did everyone on the Allied side by actually abdicating and leaving the scene in 1937), these people are truly and unrelentingly stupid and selfish.  As chronicled in this book, their antiwar sentiments are completely unconvincing (not a one points to the devastation to Britain caused by WWI) and their anti-semitism voiced like uneducated children.  Yet these characters are mostly the educated elite of the time.  Poor England to have take on a monstrous war with this lot trying to sabotage the effort well into the Fall of France in 1940.  The heating up of the war of words mentioned never does get more than tepid and excitement rarely raises its desirable head. Rumors and letters to The Times are the weapons of choice in this battle.

What kept the novel from being a total loss for me was author D.J. Taylor's skill with language.  He often successfully channels E.M. Forster and Evelyn Waugh and there are some entertaining riffs--often narrative that keep the reader (me at least) from throwing in the towel.
2936107
It's no longer fresh news that the king of England who abdicated, Edward VIII, was somewhat enamoured of the Nazis.
But Morton, in his slightly tabloidy style, brings some new aspects to how Edward and his divorcee wife were wooed by Hitler in the decade leading to World War II and during its first few years.
Yet, nothing is made certain. There is still room for the palace spin doctors to try to discredit the idea that someone from the British royal family could be so disloyal.
It's a fascinating read for those interested in the complexities of European politics of the 1930s, well-referenced, racy in style.
It is made all the more intriguing by recent publication of photographs purportedly showing the future Queen Elizabeth trying a Nazi salute when she was a child.
There may be more yet to reveal from what amounts to a very long-term and successful campaign to bury embarrassing history.
52683
Too little, too late is Mike Embree's account of the German portion of the 1866 Austro-Prussian war which marked the eclipse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire as the pre-eminent power in German affairs and began the transition to Prussian dominance. Physically the book is a handsome hardback, weighing in at a slim 200 or so pages and illustrated with period etchings and maps.

In it, Embree chronicles the brief campaign against Austria and the smaller German powers, the fruitless victory of the Hanoverian army at Langensalza* and the defeat of the Hessians and the Bavarians. The book begins with a potted history of the period, outlining the strategic situation in broad strokes, but swiftly changes to the author's strong suit, drilling down into the detail with copious reference to primary sources.

The situation in brief is as follows, in the aftermath of the Napoleonic wars, the German states banded together along with Prussia and Austria to form a loose union to prevent any recurrence of French aggression. This union was dominated by Austria and the conflict arose when Prussia seeking to wrest control of the union from that state, provoked a war in order to unseat Austria.

The composition of the opposing armies, including those of a bewildering array of minor German states (some of which barely rise to the strength of a brigade) are described in detail. The rest of the book is devoted to an operational history of this brief conflict, which lasted barely six weeks. The prose is a model of clarity and leaves the reader in no doubt as to what is occurring, though one complaint I would have would be the maps. Maps are a persistent thorn in the side of those who write (and read) operational histories  how many? Where to put them? And in how much detail?

The maps are fine and are clear, but they are all located (along with some uniform plates) in the centre of the book, rather than situated with the text which refers to them. They are also not appropriately referenced in the text, so that the reader has to puzzle out what map refers to which action based on the name of the action rather than a page number. A small point, but one that stands out in a publication as slick as this one.

What strikes me about Too little, too late is how contemporary it seems. Austria and her allies are constantly undone by Prussian hybrid warfare, with the canny Prussians using a mixture of diplomacy, threats, misinformation and lightning manuevre to unhinge and ultimately destroy the allied forces. The author neatly describes that mixture of traditional warfighting and diplomatic cunning in a way that makes the overall picture clear to the reader, illustrating the complexities without getting lost in the weeds.

But for all the Austrian disasters, the Prussians do not escape some criticism and the difficulties of controlling independently minded commanders whose tactical decisions are imperiling the strategic vision - a problem any leader can relate to.

Ultimately, this book is the best English language treatment of the campaign currently available and will be of interest to the historian and the wargamer, who will appreciate the wealth of detail on orders of battle.

*ground which the author has covered before in a pamphlet available from the Continental Wars Society.

Note: In the interests of full disclosure, Mike is a friend of mine.  I asked him if there was a general history that might be a good companion to this more specialised volume. He recommended "The Campaign of 1866 in Germany", the official Prussian staff history as probably the easiest and least controversial.
3247413
I enjoyed the story - for Americans, it is a nice change in point of view from the more familiar American/British historical fiction. This novel is written from a Norwegian perspective - what happened when Germany invaded Norway, details involving the occupation and ongoing resistance movement, and some perspective of 'ordinary' Germans caught up in the war but not necessarily supportive of Hitler and the Nazis. The author went to some lengths to provide accurate historical details that give the novel depth. The characters are ordinary people caught up in world events that disrupt every aspect of their lives.

Since I initially wrote the review I have learned that this is the first of a trilogy of novels. The second is now available, and takes up the story where this one left off. Initially I felt the end of this novel with no epilogue to explain what happened to the characters was too abrupt and caused me to give the novel 3 stars. Since readers can begin this novel now with the knowledge that this is a trilogy, I recommend this book and the subsequent story as a very good and entertaining wartime romance novel. If the reader is intrigued and left hanging at the end of this story, Stones Don't Speak is the second one - read on to find how the continued hardships of the war impact the protagonists.
502786
It's a long slog, but well worth it. There are many histories of this period dealing with the military aspects. This book has extensive coverage of the politics of the period as well, who got along with whom, etc. (Most of them didn't get along with each other.) The book starts before Munich and Chamberlain and mentions those in government who were willing to appease and later sue for a negotiated settlement to the conflict.  It also covers the home front, the extent that the British government was willing to let the war effort impinge on the civilian economy. I am looking forward to the next volume which will cover the remainder of the war and up through 1947.
1451248
I really enjoyed this book not only for the battle reports, but also gave insight to geopolitical ideas of the time.  The common thread I noticed from all who were able to observe the English Channel, was the amount of vessels that the Allies brought to bear.  I think that the feeling of "Oh s***!" must've permeated the German soldiers.
4403205
This book is not a dramatic retelling of the battle. It is concerned with what went on behind the scenes. It discusses the reasoning of the German commanders concerning an invasion of England and their plans behind the air attack. It's pretty enlightening to see how each side was pretty mistaken about what the other side thought or would do. There are quite a bit of authorities quoted for the author's premises. The newest thing to me was the fact that not all Brits pulled together about resisting the German aggression. The documentation about that reads about like the way people do now in both Britain and the U.S. This is an inside look at the entire campaign of the Battle of Britain and the events leading up to it. There are some things that were new to me and I think would be new to most readers. It's a good writing job and a good research job.
3665511
Good American/English journalism. Gets every perspective. Written just a decade or so after the war, so seething a bit with anti-nazism. Relationship with Heinrici, the field marshal in charge of the Oder Defense, is the highlight of the book.

The stories are really the meat of the book. The author interviewed various people and then wrote short stories about their experience. This seems a little foreign for someone searching for a "nothing but the facts" perspective (i.e. see "Siege of Budapest"), but it's effective.

Overall, the highlights are the description on the lead-up to the battle and Heinrici's nearly successful defense of the Oder. The description of surrounding deployments leading up to the siege, Wenck's 12th army and his rescue of 9th army, Mantueffel 5th Panzer Core falling back into the city with tanks for the final defense, army group Steiner and his remnants from the Courland pocket, who were unable to attack the flanks of the Russian siege, the flight of "the Golden Pheasants"- all these movements are explained in terms of the general disintegration of Germany. It is a surprise that any units fought at all. An interesting deference is give to the brutality of the SS in Berlin, with an interesting story of a red-haired SS man who ran around killing mutineers, defending against the Russians, and dying painfully in a hospital from multiple bullet wounds to the stomach. Finally, good mention of the Berlin Flak-towers, which is actually how google introduced me to this book.

The book becomes a bit too rushed as the Soviets "closed the noose." I also felt there was a bit too much time spent on the American drive through Germany. Even though this played an important role, I didn't find it as interesting.

Overall, a must read for anyone interested in the battle. I struggled between "4 stars" and "5 stars", ultimately I gave it benefit, since I am surprised how much I retained from the book (must be the story-telling).
4272397
Oswald and his brother, Oswiu have spent most of their lives in exile in a monastery on the isle of Iona. When news arrives that their uncle the King is dead, the man who killed their father, they are unsure howor ifit will affect them. Abbot Segene convinces Oswald to take his rightful place as ruler and lead the people of Northumbria and spread the ways of the new religion. Will he succeed or will the Old Ways win out? Will Oswiu stand by him and succeed in avoiding unnecessary bloodshed?

The book took a bit to get started but after a bit I was hooked. I did not read the first book in the series (Edwin: High King of Britain 2014) but there is no need as it was able to stand alone. There is a recap in the front that sets the scene within the historical context. Oswald was a real King, briefly mentioned by Bede in Ecclesiastical History of the English People, however Edoardo Albert does a stellar job filling in his story. English history is a favorite of mine so I enjoy when an author can tell a story AND keep it historically accurate. I enjoyed his book , it was not fast paced but the story gained momentum and left me wanting more. 3.75 stars
1055838
In the first half of Vol. 2, 'Their Finest Hour', Churchill covers the Battle of France. As new Prime Minister he sets up his Coalition Government to fight the 'common cause' and prepare for the War.  Germany was already in France and the Western Front was under attack.  The Belgian Government was striving to remain neutral and soon all was being lost in the 'deluge of disaster'.  The Germans broke the Maginot line and soon the Battle of France was lost.  There was the successful deliverance of the British Expeditionary Force at Dunkirk and the preparations to defend the home front.

The second half deals with the Battle of Britain with Hitler preparing for 'Operation Sea Lion'.  In order for the invasion of England to be successful, Germany first had to control the air. London and various areas were shaken but neither the spirit nor the Country destroyed.  Italy was on the move, in the Mediterranean, and invading the African coast.  The Battle of Britain was won and the RAF had 'Their finest Hour', but the War was far from over.  This volume covers the timeline of May 10, 1940 to Jan. 5, 1941.

It should be noted and remembered that England stands in a different position militarily than France.  England is a small, ancient, insular island that has withstood many centuries of assaults and attempted invasions.  So when Hitler and his forces sought to make the same attempt, not only the RAF and the Royal Navy but history was standing against them.  Also it wasn't just England alone that was fighting.  It was also their devoted Commonwealth, Dominions and Empirical Attachments that were involved in the war.  England was pulling resources from all over their Empire.  For instance, Australia and New Zealand were fighting on the African coast and in Greece.

America, under FDR, was moving closer to the war with the Lend-Lease Act and Japan was watching in the wings.  Hilter was changing his war direction and moving into the Eastern Front.  Stalin was changing his alliance with Hitler and moving closer to Britian and the United States.  The impact and weight of the World's destiny was in the balance and starting to slowly shift.  Nothing was yet certain and U-Boat packs still prowled the ocean.

This is another of those 'deserves to be read' books.  Churchill fills in the volume with his correspondence and hindsight.  It is good to read and become acquainted with Churchill's thoughts and this fateful time, in history, so that hopefully there will be no repeating of these terrible events.  Well worth adding to the Library.
1767949
"Stalemate" marks the third book in a truly unique and interesting series, examining "what if Stalin had attacked the Allies once Germany was defeated in 1945?".

In this book we cover the war from the beginning of September, 1945 through the end of October.  The massive Soviet onslaught has begun to grind to a halt as the Allies bring their airpower to bear with massive effect and troops up and down the lines run out of supplies.  The battle lines begin to stabilize throughout Europe as both sides begin to catch their breath a bit, while the Pacific War heats up with the transfer (thanks to the Soviets) of much captured German equipment to the Japanese.  Both sides begin to think longer term as the Soviets come to grips with the fact that the war won't be a quick knockout and the Allies realize they're going to have to make use of every resource available--which includes many German and Nazi armies.

This book continues to provide an excellent depiction of the horrors of war with people butchered in sometimes creative ways.  There's more scheming this time as there's more political manuevering, especially on the Soviet side where Stalin is rightfully displeased his generals failed to provide him a quick victory.

As before the book suffers MIGHTILY from either having no editor or a cursory one, which makes sense as the first three were basically written together.  Nearly every other page has some kind of grammar or spelling error and the pacing is a bit uneven at times.  Characterization gets a bit more attention (possibly because so many other characters have been killed off by now) and new ones are introduced without being too clunky.  The maps remain virtually useless and I found myself referring to online guides often to better understand the logistics.  Supposedly there are better maps online at the author's web site; while I'm sure this is true and it's quite laudable it's also thoroughly inadequate.)

One MAJOR complaint I have so far is with the absolute non-appearance of General George S. Patton.  Patton was both the Allies' greatest combat general and the one who was insistent that precisely this kind of war was a real danger, yet we're two months into the battle with nary a mention of him anywhere.  That's just sloppy IMO; not sure why Patton is being ignored.

Note that at the end of this book the author outlines his plans for the series.  He's listing six books in total and while that's laudable I don't see how it's likely at his current pace of roughly 3 weeks per book.  But it's good to know he's got a plan, and he's got a website dedicated to discussion of the series and dissemination of status about how new books are coming along.

But as before the good greatly outweighs the bad here.  This series is HIGHLY recommended for any and all alternate history fans, for fans of military fiction, and people who just like good meaty stories.  There are some problems with editing and the lack of useful maps is particularly galling, but this book is a LOT of fun.  You won't regret it.
3230008
I recommend this book without reservation.  The author's long life coincided almost exactly with the 20th century, and this reissue, written during and set in the England of World War II, still speaks to us today.
  A 12-year-old German boy, Max Eckermann, is taken to England against his will by patriots fleeing occupied Norway.  Before the first chapter has ended, an English airman, Dymory Ingleford, has identified Max as his brother Tony, who was kidnapped as a toddler by a childless German woman.
  Placed with Dym's family, Max's stubborn loyalty to his German citizenship pits him against his loving, but unsympathetic hosts.  While the conflict centers on Max and Dym, Savery brings us back over and over to ordinary English citizens cheerfully doing their bit during the darkest hours of the war.  Rationing, refugee housing, and wide-spread destruction, not to mention intermittant air attacks, remind us when this is taking place
  In choosing to personify the "German evil" as "blind obedience to ones nationality" rather than by, say, the horrors of the holocaust (not fully realised when Savery wrote), the book allows us to remain sympathetic with Max, while still retaining bite and relevancy.
  Be warned that Savery is a Christian writer.  Her faith is not obtrusive; nevertheless, it is there.
3179384
William E. Dodd, a professor of history at the University of Chicago, has become the United States ambassador to Germany. His timing couldn't have been much worse.

World War I has ended, and Germans are in the process of rebuilding their country. At the same time, a power-hungry man named Adolf Hitler is poised to place himself at the head of the new Germany. This is the dawn of the Nazi stranglehold.

In late spring of 1933, Ambassador Dodd packs up his family, along with his suitcases and old Chevrolet, and the four of them board a ship for the journey across the Atlantic. He takes with him fond memories of his earlier years in Leipzig, where he once studied and germinated a love for the German people. Now he hopes to instill that love in his daughter Martha, his son Bill, and his wife Mattie.

Dodd exudes a professorial air and frugality, qualities that his detractors point to in arguing against his suitability for the diplomatic post. In contrast, Martha is nearly his polar opposite. She has a carefree attitude with a somewhat blatant disregard for proprieties. What she shares with her father is a belief in Hitler's sincerity when he claims to be working toward world peace. While the ambassador takes his duties seriously, his adult children enjoy what Berlin has to offer in the way of entertainment. Martha's favorite pastime seems to be stealing men's hearts, for she gathers scores of them, including some highly placed in the Nazi party. At one time, a few even looked at her as an ideal companion for Hitler, and her sympathies would seem to bolster that view.

But soon Dodd finds that he cannot dismiss the obvious. An uneasy feeling sets in, along with an increasing realization of Germany's blind descent into Hitler's world. It becomes a perfect storm of personalities and circumstances. German President Hindenburg's impending death has allowed Hitler to make a devil's deal to ensure his absolute power. An atypical tyrant, Hitler's unassuming demeanor --- in the beginning --- has people underestimating him. But as his power grows, so does his rage and the frequency of his tantrums.

Dodd thinks it perplexing that few people find Hitler's extreme views unsettling. The slow condemnation of the Jews has little overt opposition. Even Dodd exhibits an initial reticence to quell the swelling tide of anti-Semitism. Hitler has men such as Goebbels, Goring and Himmler advising him. As the reports --- many of which are false --- progressively frustrate him, his frenzy escalates to the bursting point. He explodes with brutality, ordering "the purge," a spate of arrests and executions carried out to eradicate enemies of the government. No trials were held. Men and women were simply killed at Hitler's whim.

Hitler's rise was subtle and insidious. Under the guise of rebuilding after World War I and with assurances of adhering to the Treaty of Versailles, Germany lulled the world into a false sense of security and trust. IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS covers William Dodd's tenure as ambassador in Berlin, which was cut short by his own enemies back home. Had he been allowed to stay, he might have changed the course of America's involvement in World War II. But with Hitler as his adversary, it seems unlikely. You decide.

Erik Larson tackles this outstanding period of history as fully and compellingly as he portrayed the events in his bestseller, THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY. With each page, more horrors are revealed, making it impossible to put down. IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS reads like the true thriller it is.

  --- Reviewed by Kate Ayers
4922866
The author argues that Germany blundered its way into confrontation, then belatedly discovered the slope was rather slippery. While centering on the Kaiser, it also explores the other actors in his inner circle. While there were no page numbers on the Kindle version, it seemed more the length of an article in a scholarly journal than a full length book. But sometimes it's refreshing for WWI not to drag on interminably!
3960189
When Churchill came to power, Great Britain had an empire. When he left power, the whole empire had disappeared. Something clearly went wrong in Britain and it is probably a bit too self-serving to assume all of the decline was the result of decisions taken by foreign powers. It is indeed very likely that Churchill played a considerable role in the decline. This book explores such a role.

To the extent that the first world war already set the stage for the second world war, Churchill's actions during the first war are important to scrutinise. Buchanen looks at both of the world wars and tries to understand the different choices Britain faced at different points in time. This is very lively and entertaining reading.

You don't need to agree with everything the author says to get value out of reading this book. I fact checked many of the details in the book and they seem to be correct. History is never black and white and Buchanan clearly makes a valiant attempt in presenting a more nuanced story about the causes of the second world war. Just explaining the war by referring to Hitler as a madman is just to simplistic. Buchanan catalogues at least ten serious mistakes committed by Britain. He is writing in a very matter of fact way.

Some reviewers have complained that Buchanan only quotes historians and not primary sources. That is a correct observation, but I do not see the problem. The value of this book is in the narrative being told. The quotations are there to support the narrative. The book does not contain detailed new historical revelations, but what is contain is a new story; a new way to put the pieces together.

Buchanan has a very engaging writing style so please do not dismiss this book because you do not like the author. It is still worth reading even if you do not agree with everything the author says
2601076
Enjoyable read, occasionally the pace slows and the material seems to lack spark - but this is only rarely an issue. This book is a treasure-trove of daily war diary entries for the entire unit plus Reschke's own experiences.

No bibliography OR index, but full victories and losses for JG 301/302 (tiny print tho! lol)

"Reader" asked me some questions in a comment that I only just got around to answering, so I thought I'd paste in my reply, as it provides more detail on the book. Please excuse the conversational tone...

QUESTION: "What's going on when it seems to lack spark? How are the illustrations (photos)? Is it presented in diary format or like a traditional autobiography? Thanks!!"

MY RESPONSE: "...yeah - the book reads like too much of a unit diary at times, devoid of actual meat and substance of Reschke's activities during the periods in question. When it happens (material lags), it's more obvious owing to the format, which is chronological, literally like an actual diary w/ date entry sub-headings like: "22-23 November 1943"; "25 November 1943"; ... and not much text in some sub sections. Or he's writing about other fliers in the unit active those days - but seemingly w/o the benefit of having been w/ them (as if he was getting it from official unit records as sources but w/o talking w/ the others or reviewing their own diaries if available. I'm not sure about this, however, and actually didn't check the bibliography - oh wait, that's because there wasn't one. d'oh... No index either. wtf?).

Iirc, I experienced the boringness more in the beginning of the book, which actually led me to put it down for a long while, and not pick it up again until almost by accident. Then it was much better (or maybe I was just in a better place? idk). The BEST part of the book though is the emtire CHAPTER (nine) on the TA-152H-1! THAT made for really interesting reading and had some great images. And now that I remember, I think I only bought this b/c of the Ta 152H material, as I was a little mad at the time for Luftwaffe books and trying to avoid reality by delving deep into exotic German warbird lol..

The production quality of the book is very high - it's super-solid, w/ high-gloss paper and excellent image quality (some are small but most are good size for the page layout). Great binding. Awesome dust jacket."
907635
A must read for anyone interested in this period.

Most of the time I don't bother reviewing books as there already is a pretty good review. However for this one I had to add my delight with the book.

I first studied the First World War for my GCSE. I was given the 'general' version of the events: Germany was anxious to obtain some colonies for itself, and when the assassination took place in Sarajevo it encouraged Austria to go to war.

I don't know why I never challenged that view; probably, like most people, my historical interests were more focused on the actual wars. I prided myself on my knowledge and objectivity - well, not anymore!

You can see that Clark has really done his best to arrive at the truth, substantiating all his claims with related sources. He scrutinises each country involved, the political climate, the people in charge, what they considered, what they didn't, etc. This makes the book not an easy read, it took me a few days to get through it (and I read fairly fast) but it is really worth it all.