James Holland

Much of what we think we know about World War II is steeped in myth rather than fact. For seven decades, we have looked at this cataclysmic conflict in much the same way, particularly when it comes to the war in the western theater. In this sweeping narrative history, the first of three volumes, British historian and contrarian James Holland deploys deep research, incisive analysis, and a profound sense of humanity to revise and enhance our understanding of one of the most significant events in history. It is commonly held that at the outset of war, Germany had the best army in the world, and that Britain barely managed to hold out against it until the Americans declared war and overwhelmed Nazi military prowess with economic might. But the picture looked much different in 1939: In advance of its Polish offensive, Germany was short on resources, tanks, and trained soldiers. Meanwhile, Britain and France had more men in uniform than Germany and considerably greater naval power, and Britain was the richest country in Europe with a massive empire at its disposal. Hitler was bluffing when he called for the wholesale destruction of Poland, but his bet that Western Europe wouldn't get involved turned out to be fatally wrong. Beginning with the lead-up to the outbreak of war in 1939 and ending in the middle of 1941 on the eve of the Nazi invasion of Russia,The War in the West, Volume I covers the war on several levels, from fascinating tactical revelations—blitzkrieg, Holland argues, is a myth—to the personal stories of a German U-boat captain, a French reserve officer, a son-in-law of Mussolini, an American construction tycoon, and civilians across the war zone. This is a major history, destined to generate significant scholarly debate and reader interest.

The Rise of Germany, 1939-1941

Brothers in Arms

On the 75th anniversary of D-Day, a new history of the momentous Normandy campaign with fresh insights from award-winning historian James Holland

D-Day and the Epic 77-day Battle for France, a New History

Normandy '44

In the second volume of his acclaimed new history of the Second World War, James Holland examines the momentous turning points of 1941-1943: Hitler's invasion of Russia; America's entry into the conflict; the devastating Thousand Bomber Raids over Germany; the long struggle in the deserts of North Africa; and the defeat of the U-boats in the crucial Battle of the Atlantic. As in his first volume, Germany Ascendant, he interweaves his account of the well-known events of the period with the personal stories of individuals caught up in them - on all sides. Through interviews, letters, diaries and reports, he allows us to see the war not just from the perspective of politicians, military commanders and strategists, but also through the eyes of civilians bombed out of their homes, resistance members stranded in the frozen Norwegian winter, sailors risking their lives in the Atlantic convoys, German aces striving for supremacy in the air, and ordinary soldiers battling for survival in the scorching sands of Libya. He also looks behind the scenes at the all-important 'machinery' of war: the manufacturing, farming and vital supply lines that underpinned the entire conflict and ultimately determined its course. From the battle fronts on land, sea and air, to the streets, fields and factories of Britain, America and Germany, he paints a dramatic and compelling portrait of these pivotal years when the tide began to turn. Combining his own research with only recently accessible archive material, Holland looks afresh at this cataclysmic conflict, reassessing long-held views and challenging conventional assumptions. The result is ground-breaking history that redefines the war in the West and makes us think again about the events that shaped our modern world.

The Fall of Germany 1941-43

The War in the West - A New History

This book uses new research and perspectives to provide a fresh account of the 1943 bombing raid on three major dams in Germany.

The Race to Smash the Dams, 1943

Dam Busters

the biggest air battle of World War II

Big week

'If Hitler fails to invade or destroy Britain, he has lost the war,' Churchill said in the summer of 1940.He was right.The Battle of Britain was a crucial turning point in the history of the Second World War. Had Britain's defences collapsed, Hitler would have dominated all of Europe and been able to turn his full attention east to the Soviet Union. The German invasion of France and the Low Countries in May 1940 was unlike any the world had ever seen. It hit with a force and aggression that no-one could counter and in just a few short weeks, all in their way crumbled under the force of the Nazi hammer blow. With France facing defeat and with British forces pressed back to the Channel, there were few who believed Britain could possibly survive.Soon, it seemed, Hitler would have all of Europe at his feet. Yet Hitler's forces were not quite the Goliath they at first seemed, while her leadership lacked the single-minded purpose, vision and direction that had led to such success on land.Nor was Britain any David.Thanks to a sophisticated defensive system and the combined efforts of the RAF, Royal Navy as well as the mounting sense of collective defiance led by a new Prime Minister, Britain was not ready to roll over just yet. From clashes between coastal convoys and Schnellboote in the Channel to astonishing last stands in Flanders, and from the slaughter by the U-boats in the icy Atlantic to the dramatic aerial battles over England, The Battle of Britain tells this most epic of stories from all sides, drawing on extensive new research from around the world. In so doing, it paints a complete picture of that extraordinary summer - a time in which the fate of the world truly hung by a thread.

Five Months that Changed History May--October 1940

The Battle of Britain

Codenamed Operation Husky, the assault on Sicily on 10 July 1943 remains the largest amphibious invasion ever mounted. That day, over 160,000 Allied troops were dropped from the sky or came ashore to begin the fight for Europe. The subsequent thirty-eight-day Battle for Sicily was one of the most dramatic of the entire war, involving daring raids by special forces, deals with the Mafia, attacks across mosquito-infested plains and perilous assaults up almost sheer faces of rock and scree. Made worse by virulent disease and extreme heat, the Allies also had to fight their way across an island of unforgiving landscape and limited infrastructure against a German foe who would not give up. Victory would signal the beginning of the end of the War in the West. From here on, the noose began to tighten around the neck of Nazi Germany. The coalition between the United States and Britain finally came of age. And it was a crucial dry run for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy on D-Day a year later.

A Times Book of the Year

Sicily '43

The Brutal Battle for Italy 1943

Savage Storm

Keith Burns

Spanning six years between 1939 and 1945, and costing the lives of over 60 million people, the Second World War is the greatest conflict in human history. While 300 million people saw combat around the globe, total war left no human life unaffected and would change the world for ever.
From the great cities of Europe to the jungles of Burma, from the deserts of North Africa to the remote islands of the South Pacific and the freezing waters of the Arctic, war touched every continent and ocean on the planet. And from the Blitzkrieg to the atom bomb, the fighting fuelled new technological development on land, at sea and in the air at a ferocious pace. Our future was forged by war.
Combining compelling personal stories with a clear and accessible appreciation of the strategic and operational battle for supremacy between the Allies and the Axis powers, bestselling historian James Holland weaves an irresistible narrative, while over 250 illustrations by acclaimed artist Keith Burns, commissioned specially for the project, bring events in The Second World War:
An Illustrated History to life with stunning drama and dynamism,
Over five years in the making, their groundbreaking collaboration has produced a unique and unforgettable account of the most extraordinary events the world has ever seen.

An Illustrated History

The Second World War 

The First Assault on Fortress Europe

Allies Strike Back, 1941-1943

Describes the key role that the island of Malta played during World War II as the staging area for the largest amphibious invasion in history, detailing the events of the siege that marked a turning point in the war.

An Island Under Siege 1940-43

Fortress Malta

A Pair of Silver Wings

A Year of War, 1944--1945

Italy's Sorrow

'James Holland is a master' BBC History It was to be the battle to end the air war once and for all. During the third week of February 1944, the combined Allied air forces launched their first-ever round-the-clock bomber offensive against Germany. The aim was to smash the main factories and production centres of the Luftwaffe and at the same time draw the German fighter force up into the air and into battle. Big Weekis the knife-edge story of bomber against flak gun and fighter, but also, crucially, fighter against fighter. Following the fortunes of pilots and aircrew from both sides, this is a blistering narrative of one of the most critical periods of the entire war. Big Week was the largest air battle ever witnessed, but it has been largely forgotten - until now.

The Biggest Air Battle of World War II

Big Week

"August, 1942. North Africa. The desert war hangs in the balance. Although their retreat has finally been halted, morale in the British Army is at rock bottom. When the commander of the Eighth Army, General Gott, is killed, it seems that foul play is at work. An impenetrable Axis spy circuit could be compromising any hope the Allies have of stemming the Nazi tide. Jack Tanner, recovering from wounds in a Cairo hospital, is astonished to receive a battlefield commission which will propel him into a very different world when he returns to action. Fit once more, he finds himself facing the full onslaught of Rommel's latest offensive. Hellfire sees Tanner fighting his way through his most dangerous adventure yet, taking him to one of the decisive clashes of the entire war- the Battle of Alamein"--Back cover.

Hellfire

'James Holland is a master' BBC History It was to be the battle to end the air war once and for all . . . During the third week of February 1944, the combined Allied air forces based in Britain and Italy launched their first-ever round-the-clock bomber offensive against Germany. The aim was to smash the main factories and production centres of the Luftwaffe and at the same time draw the German fighter force up into the air and into battle. Officially called Operation ARGUMENT, this monumental air assault was very quickly became known simply as Big Week. In the six months up to its launch, for the Allies, the bomber war was not turning out as planned. Raids by the US Eighth Air Force and the RAF deep into Germany were being decimated and falling far short of its purpose. With D-Day drawing ever-closer, that was a massive problem. The Allies needed clear skies to invade. The clock was ticking inexorably. Yet the Luftwaffe was also in crisis. Short of resources, of fuel, and on properly trained pilots, the strain on those still flying was immense, their losses severe. And despite the chaos of their leadership, they were achieving far more than should have been reasonably expected against the superior numbers of the Allied planes. Big Week is the knife-edged story of bomber against flak gun and fighter, but also, crucially, fighter against fighter, as the stakes rose higher and higher. Following the fortunes of pilots, aircrew and civilians from both sides, this is a blistering narrative of one of the most critical periods of the entire war, one that culminated in the largest air battle ever witnessed. It is also one that has been largely forgotten, but which has been brilliantly brought back to life by award-winning historian, James Holland.

»James Holland…är en av de bästa.» Antony Beevor »Boken är synnerligen realistisk och skildrar krigets brutala verklighet. Jag får associationer till Linnas Okänd soldat.» Ölandsbladet Det är maj 1941 och Jack Tanner är stationerad på Kreta för att kämpa under Storbritanniens fana. Än en gång är han indragen i en hård kamp. Han har dessutom gjort sig ovän med den orubbliga grekiska kaptenen Alopex, som har svurit att döda honom. Och när tyskarna invaderar är den brittiska styrkan riktigt illa ute. Med Tanner i spetsen försöker de driva tillbaka tyskarna för att kunna fly ön. Men snart inser de reträttens faktum och för att komma undan med livet i behåll måste de ta sig över öns förrädiska berg. Och den enda som kan hjälpa dem är den svurne fienden Alopex… Uppdrag Nemesis är den tredje boken i serien om krigshjälten Jack Tanner. Uppdrag Nemesis är en actionfylld sidvändare med högt tempo. Den är underhållande, välskriven och full av historiska detaljer som ger god inblick i det krigskaos som utspelade sig på den grekiska ön Kreta i andra världskrigets mitt 1941. Författaren James Holland har lagt ner mycket arbete på att Uppdrag Nemesis ska vara historiskt korrekt: verkliga händelser finns med, karaktärerna slåss med rätt typ av vapen etc. Dessa element förstärker spänningen och gör också att Tanner och övriga karaktärer utvecklas på ett naturligt och trovärdigt sätt.

Jack Tanner del 3

Uppdrag Nemesis

The second book in a masterful new history of World War II in the West

James Holland

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