Best WW2 Related Book You Have Read

I highly recommend Pilote de guerre by Antoine de Saint Exupery.
very beutiful!

 

Welcome to the forum Dazed.

Tell us a little about yourself.

 

My current favorite is Bodyguard of Lies by Anthony Cave Brown. It deals with the secret war fought by spies, codebreakers and scientists during WW II. It also goes in to great detail about the deception plans that were created to convince Hitler that the Normandy invasion was merely a diversion. A long book but well worth the read.

Another favorite is Peter Townsends' Duel of Eagles, which covers his introduction to flying and experience as a squadron leader during the BoB. It gives a human face to the battle as he also includes the stories of the men he met in combat.

 

"Cameos of War" by Sapper

 

thanks spidge!

I´m young swede . Been very interested by ww2 since watched the battle of britain( the movie that is) at a very early age( think I was 10). So I have no first hand knowledge or any relatives with experience from the war( the fighting that is).
I haven´t even served in the armed forces. My knees cant take low tempratures, very bad if you gona join the swedish army.......

 

Originally posted by dazed@Aug 5 2005, 12:46 AM
thanks spidge!

I´m young swede . Been very interested by ww2 since watched the battle of britain( the movie that is) at a very early age( think I was 10). So I have no first hand knowledge or any relatives with experience from the war( the fighting that is).
I haven´t even served in the armed forces. My knees cant take low tempratures, very bad if you gona join the swedish army.......
[post=37277]Quoted post[/post]

Welcome aboardf dazed and hope you stay around to join in the activities

 

Dazed, welcome to the crew, and thank you for your interest in the war. You'll enjoy it here!

 

Originally posted by dazed@Aug 5 2005, 10:46 AM
thanks spidge!

I´m young swede . Been very interested by ww2 since watched the battle of britain.


I must admit to having watched it more than once myself.

 

Originally posted by dazed@Aug 4 2005, 05:46 PM
thanks spidge!

I´m young swede . Been very interested by ww2 since watched the battle of britain( the movie that is) at a very early age( think I was 10). So I have no first hand knowledge or any relatives with experience from the war( the fighting that is).
I haven´t even served in the armed forces. My knees cant take low tempratures, very bad if you gona join the swedish army.......
[post=37277]Quoted post[/post]

I saw Battle of Britain at age six, and while I didn't understand most of what was going on in the movie, it created a lifelong desire to know more about the people and events of WW II.

I know a little about the Swedish Airforce in WW II, but would be interested in knowing more about events there in WW II.

 

Yeah Dac I´d love to give info about sweden during ww2. But should perhaps do this in another forum?

 

Has anyone read THE FORGOTTEN DEAD written by KEN SMALL.

It tells of one of the biggest mistakes in WW2 regarding many American soldiers losing their lives in Exercise Tiger.
Why 946 American servicemen died off the coast of Devon in 1944.

I met and had a chat with the author in 1992 and he was dedicated in his quest to find out the truth of what happened all those years before.

Try Amazon if you are interested.

Cheers Maywalk.

 

Originally posted by Maywalk@Aug 8 2005, 08:27 PM
Has anyone read THE FORGOTTEN DEAD written by KEN SMALL.

It tells of one of the biggest mistakes in WW2 regarding many American soldiers losing their lives in Exercise Tiger.
Why 946 American servicemen died off the coast of Devon in 1944.

I met and had a chat with the author in 1992 and he was dedicated in his quest to find out the truth of what happened all those years before.

Try Amazon if you are interested.

Cheers Maywalk.
[post=37436]Quoted post[/post]

There is also Hoyt Edwin P. The Invasion before Normandy - the Secret Battle of Slapton Sands, Hale, London, 1985

 

'The Forgotten Dead' and the building of the memorial at Slapton Sands were a labour of love for Ken Small and he deserves great credit for keeping the memory of the disaster alive. However, the 'conspiracy theory' elements which have become attached to the story have been comprehensively disproved.

 

I would have to site all the WWII books by Stephen Ambrose as being top notch

If you like to read bits and pieces of someone else's books and don't mind a healthy dose of flag-waving his books are great!

 

never forgetting there are two sides in every war,i think you should try to see the conflict from the other sides point of view even if you think it's wrong.anyway

Bravo! Well said! ...I don't think you will ever get an ACCURATE picture of the war unless you do read books from the other side!! Soldiers are well known to exagerrate enemy casualties,newsmen of the day were notorious for making up totally false and sometimes ridiculous stories. Government propaganda machines were the biggest tellers of tall tales.

I'd like to put a book up as a 'must read' in my humble opinion . 'Flying Fort' by Martin Caiden is an excellent history of the B-17 bomber! Very unbiased, and double checks his facts with enemy stats, this fella has done his homework it seems. If you are a B-17 fan, I would say it's a 'must-have' book! He also has one of the neatest WWII stories I've ever heard! A YB-40 Gunship is sent out to hunt an Italian Ace who is flying a captured P-38, and.... I won't spoil the story

 

Originally posted by Mark Hone@Aug 9 2005, 02:25 AM
'The Forgotten Dead' and the building of the memorial at Slapton Sands were a labour of love for Ken Small and he deserves great credit for keeping the memory of the disaster alive. However, the 'conspiracy theory' elements which have become attached to the story have been comprehensively disproved.
[post=37445]Quoted post[/post]

Nothing secret about it. During the war, it was kept secret, but as early as 1950, it was in the US Army's Official History, "Cross Channel Attack."

 

All of you are aware of the excellent web-site covering this sad mission yes ? I helped with German documentation via S-boot archivs.

 

Carlo D'Este's Bitter Victory is the best WW2 book I have read. Although Husky only lasted 38 days it is a facinating story, well told, by a master of WW2 military history. A complete campaign in 666 pages.

 

Originally posted by sapper@Aug 4 2005, 07:03 PM
"Cameos of War" by Sapper
[post=37264]Quoted post[/post]

Is it currently in print and available?

 

Originally posted by colinhotham@Aug 14 2005, 05:45 AM
Carlo D'Este's Bitter Victory is the best WW2 book I have read. Although Husky only lasted 38 days it is a facinating story, well told, by a master of WW2 military history. A complete campaign in 666 pages.
[post=37726]Quoted post[/post]

Yes, it is an outstanding book, and it makes you realize that the Patton-Monty race and rivalry was mostly in Monty's head. Also that the Germans pulled off a masterful delaying action in saving their troops.

D'Este is a fantastic writer.