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Hitler versus Hindenburg
by Larry Eugene JonesHitler versus Hindenburg provides the first in-depth study of the titanic struggle between the two most dominant figures on the German Right in the last year before the establishment of the Third Reich. Although Hindenburg was reelected as Reich president by a comfortable margin, his authority was severely weakened by the fact that the vast majority of those who had supported his candidacy seven years earlier had switched their support to Hitler in 1932. What the two candidates shared in common, however, was that they both relied upon charisma to legitimate their claim to the leadership of the German nation. The increasing reliance upon charisma in the 1932 presidential elections greatly accelerated the delegitimation of the Weimar Republic and set the stage for Hitler's appointment as chancellor nine months later.
Hitler versus Stalin: Barbarossa to Moscow (Images of War)
by Nik CornishThis pictorial WWII history chronicles the epic drama of the Eastern Front, from Operation Barbarossa to the Battle of Moscow. The world was not prepared for the massive onslaught launched by Nazi Germany on the Soviet Union on June, 22nd, 1941. The scale of the invasion and the speed of the German advance forced the Red Army into a chaotic retreat toward Leningrad and Moscow as hundreds of thousands of soldiers were taken prisoner. But then came the Soviet&’s equally astonishing response. Despite all the predictions, the Red Army stemmed the Wehrmacht&’s advance, held the lines before Leningrad and Moscow, and mounted a counter-offensive that changed the course of the campaign and the outcome of the Second World War. These are the historic events that Nik Cornish portrays in this volume of rare wartime images portraying the war on the Eastern Front.
Hitler y el Holocausto
by Robert S. WistrichEl prestigioso historiador Robert S. Wistrich analiza la naturaleza apocalíptica del proyecto racial nazi, la escala paneuropea de colaboración en el exterminio masivo y la indiferencia de los aliados occidentales. El libro definitivo sobre el Holocausto, escrito por Robert Solomon Wistrich, la autoridad máxima en la materia. Con Hitler y el Holocausto se inaugura en México el regreso al mercado de la Colección de Historia Universal. El exterminio de seis millones de judíos durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial fue el acontecimiento más terrorífico de la historia del siglo XX. Este esclarecedor libro proporciona nuevas respuestas a la gran pregunta de por qué ocurrió el Holocausto bajo el régimen de Adolf Hitler. El prestigioso historiador Robert S. Wistrich explora la fatídica conjunción entre la política de Hitler basada en el mito racial, la larga tradición de antisemitismo, las revueltas sociales y los avances técnicos de la modernidad. En este vívido relato, Wistrich analiza con brillantez la naturaleza apocalíptica del proyecto racial nazi, la escala paneuropea de colaboración en el exterminio masivo y la indiferencia de los aliados occidentales, del Vaticano y de las iglesias cristianas ante la terrible situación de los judíos. Wistrich se alinea con las últimas teorías desarrolladas por historiadores que tratan de comprender por qué ocurrió el Holocausto y compone la visión más actualizada disponible de esta tragedia. www.megustaleer.com.mx
Hitler's Air Bridges: The Luftwaffe's Supply Operations of the Second World War
by Dmitry Degtev Dmitry ZubovMuch has been written about the famous fighters and bombers of the Luftwaffe which proved so successful in the invasion of Poland, the Battle of France, the Battle of Britain and in the early operations in Eastern Europe. Little attention, however, has been focused on the Luftwaffe’s transport aircraft which played a vital role in supplying German forces in every theatre. In early May 1940, the battle of Norway was nearing its climax, but General Eduard Dietl’s 3rd Jäger division was blocked by the Allies in the Narvik area. Only the Luftwaffe could provide effective assistance to the encircled troops. The special purpose groups KGr.zbV107 and KGr.zbV108 were ordered to supply the division by air. Transports delivered ammunition, food, and even boots for German sailors who found themselves on land. This was the first of a number of occasions in which the Luftwaffe’s transport Gruppen, often equipped with the slow, but reliable Junkers 52, created an ‘air bridge’ to supply troops cut off or surrounded by the enemy. The transport Gruppen had previously been involved in supporting the advance of German forces during the Polish campaign, this being followed by the capture of Denmark, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Greece. During Operation Barbarossa, German troops were dispersed over the vast expanses of Russia. It was a country without roads where the normal supply by trucks and trains to the troops was difficult and sometimes impossible. Often, it was only the Luftwaffe’s transport aircraft that kept the Germans fighting. But with Hitler’s insistence that there should be no retreat despite the overwhelming strength of the Soviet forces, his Germans armies found themselves surrounded and the Luftwaffe had to create air bridges to supply the beleaguered troops. Nowhere was this more evident than the Battle of Stalingrad, Göring having convinced Hitler that the Luftwaffe was capable of keeping the Sixth Army supplied. As the war increasingly turned against the Third Reich, air bridges were vital in supporting and maintaining its garrisons in places such as Demyansk, Holm, Korsun, Budapest, Breslau, and many others. Hitler’s Air Bridges presents the story of the Luftwaffe’s transport Gruppen more extensively and in greater detail than ever before.
Hitler's Air Defences
by Stephen WynnThe first Allied bombing raid on Berlin during the course of the Second World War, took place on 7 June 1940, when a French naval aircraft dropped 8 bombs on the German capital, but the first British raid on German soil took place on the night of 10/11 May 1940, when RAF aircraft attacked Dortmund. Initially, Nazi Germany hadn't given much thought about its aerial defences. being attacked in its 'own back yard' wasn't something that was anticipated to be an issue. Germany had been on the offensive from the beginning of the war and Hitler believed that the Luftwaffe was the much stronger air force. In addition, from 1939-1942, the Allied policy of aerial attacks on German soil was to hit targets with a distinct military purpose, such as munitions factories, airfields etc. This meant that the Germany military could focus where they placed their anti-aircraft batteries and had a very good idea of how many they would need. However, Germany's defensive capabilities were forced to improve as Allied raids on towns and cities increased in size and frequency. Fighter aircraft were included as part of anti-aircraft defences and flak units mastered the art of keeping attacking Allied aircraft at a specific height. This made it more difficult for them to identify their specific targets, and easier for German fighter aircraft to shoot them down before they could jettison their bomb loads. With the Allied tactic of ‘area bombing’, Germany's anti-aircraft capabilities became harder to maintain as demand increased. The longer the war went on, along with the increased Allied bombing raids, sometimes involving more than 1,000 bomber aircraft, so the worth and effectiveness of German air-defences dwindled.
Hitler's Air War in Spain: The Rise of the Luftwaffe
by Norman RidleyAlmost since the advent of warfare, civilians have suffered ‘collateral damage’, but the concept of Total War – a war without limits – only surfaced in the early part of the twentieth century. The idea of huge numbers of aircraft raining death upon defenceless cities was seen by many as not only barbaric but, in practical terms, quite unrealistic given the logistical challenges that would have to be overcome in order to put them into practice. Any complacency over the threat, however, was rudely shattered on 26 February 1935, when Adolf Hitler officially signed a decree authorizing the formation of the Luftwaffe. The third branch of Germany’s armed forces erupted on to the European military landscape. Its blustering claims of irrepressible air power sent waves of panic rippling through ministries of war throughout the world. Framing a realistic response to Hitler’s propaganda offensive proved to be problematic given the lack of detailed knowledge of not only the numbers, but also the true performance capabilities of his new generation of aircraft and the ways in which they had expanded the boundaries of war. It was, therefore, of huge interest to all modern military establishments when these machines were deployed during the Spanish Civil War which broke out in July 1936. Notwithstanding the limited scope of this conflict, it offered, for the participating nations, a testing ground for new machines and, for the interested observers, a window into the future of aerial warfare. When the Spanish Civil War was less than a year old it had already seen air power employed in most of the ways that it would be used in the Second World War. This not only included airlifting troops, reconnaissance, interdiction, close support and strategic bombing, but also the deliberate targeting of civilians as a means of achieving military objectives. This book looks at all the significant aerial engagements of the war and examines them against the background of the wider global context. In this way, the Spanish Civil War’s part in the evolution of air power is confirmed, as is the way in which its lessons were learned, or ignored, in the context of the much greater conflagration that was to come.
Hitler's Alpine Headquarters
by James Wilson&“A photographic history of the Nazi party&’s building works in Munich and in the Berchtesgaden and Obersalzberg . . . These postcards are fascinating&” (HistoryOfWar.org). Hitler&’s Alpine Headquarters looks at the development of the Obersalzberg from a small, long established farming community into Hitler&’s country residence and the Nazis&’ southern headquarters. Introducing new images and additional text, this book is a much-expanded sequel to the author&’s acclaimed Hitler&’s Alpine Retreat. It explains how and why Hitler chose this area to build a home and his connection to this region. New chapters focus on buildings and individuals of Hitler&’s inner circle not covered in the earlier book. The development of the region is extensively covered by use of contemporary propaganda postcards and accompanying detailed text, allowing the reader to view the subject matter as it was presented to the masses at that time. With over 300 images and three maps, and the opportunity to compare a number of &“then and now&” images, the story of Hitler&’s southern headquarters is brought to life through this extensive coverage. Two seasons as an expert tour guide specializing in the history of the region during the Third Reich period allowed the author to carry out his own detailed research. There is an interview with a local man, who, as a small boy was photographed with Hitler, together with comments gathered during a recent meeting with Rochus Misch who served on Hitler&’s staff. &“An interesting and captivating book. The author has given the material an excellent treatment and there are numerous period photographs which serve to show the subject in its &‘original&’ state.&” —Military Archive Research
Hitler's Alpine Retreat
by James WilsonA collection of Nazi propaganda shots, including &“rare images of Adolf Hitler socializing with children and supporters at his notorious Alpine hideaway&” (Daily Mail). Adolf Hitler became &“completely captivated&” by Berchtesgaden and the Obersalzberg when he first visited the area in 1923. In time, he bought Haus Wachenfeld and made the area his second seat of government. This meant major construction of the Berghof barracks, administrative buildings, airstrips and the famous &“Eagle&’s Nest.&” During the war massive tunnels were dug. Most were destroyed by allied bombing in April 1945. This original book tells the story of the area, and—in contemporary postcards and photographs—how it was transformed by Hitler and his henchmen (Goering, Goebbels and Borman).
Hitler's American Friends: The Third Reich's Supporters in the United States
by Bradley W. HartA book examining the strange terrain of Nazi sympathizers, nonintervention campaigners and other voices in America who advocated on behalf of Nazi Germany in the years before World War II.Americans who remember World War II reminisce about how it brought the country together. The less popular truth behind this warm nostalgia: until the attack on Pearl Harbor, America was deeply, dangerously divided.Bradley W. Hart's Hitler's American Friends exposes the homegrown antagonists who sought to protect and promote Hitler, leave Europeans (and especially European Jews) to fend for themselves, and elevate the Nazi regime. Some of these friends were Americans of German heritage who joined the Bund, whose leadership dreamed of installing a stateside Führer. Some were as bizarre and hair-raising as the Silver Shirt Legion, run by an eccentric who claimed that Hitler fulfilled a religious prophesy. Some were Midwestern Catholics like Father Charles Coughlin, an early right-wing radio star who broadcast anti-Semitic tirades. They were even members of Congress who used their franking privilege—sending mail at cost to American taxpayers—to distribute German propaganda. And celebrity pilot Charles Lindbergh ended up speaking for them all at the America First Committee.We try to tell ourselves it couldn't happen here, but Americans are not immune to the lure of fascism. Hitler's American Friends is a powerful look at how the forces of evil manipulate ordinary people, how we stepped back from the ledge, and the disturbing ease with which we could return to it.
Hitler's American Gamble: Pearl Harbor and Germany's March to Global War
by Brendan Simms Charlie LadermanA riveting account of the five most crucial days in twentieth-century diplomatic history: from Pearl Harbor to Hitler&’s declaration of war on the United StatesBy early December 1941, war had changed much of the world beyond recognition. Nazi Germany occupied most of the European continent, while in Asia, the Second Sino-Japanese War had turned China into a battleground. But these conflicts were not yet inextricably linked—and the United States remained at peace.Hitler&’s American Gamble recounts the five days that upended everything: December 7 to 11. Tracing developments in real time and backed by deep archival research, historians Brendan Simms and Charlie Laderman show how Hitler&’s intervention was not the inexplicable decision of a man so bloodthirsty that he forgot all strategy, but a calculated risk that can only be understood in a truly global context. This book reveals how December 11, not Pearl Harbor, was the real watershed that created a world war and transformed international history.
Hitler's American Model: The United States and the Making of Nazi Race Law
by James Q. WhitmanNazism triumphed in Germany during the high era of Jim Crow laws in the United States. Did the American regime of racial oppression in any way inspire the Nazis? The unsettling answer is yes. In Hitler's American Model, James Whitman presents a detailed investigation of the American impact on the notorious Nuremberg Laws, the centerpiece anti-Jewish legislation of the Nazi regime. Contrary to those who have insisted that there was no meaningful connection between American and German racial repression, Whitman demonstrates that the Nazis took a real, sustained, significant, and revealing interest in American race policies.As Whitman shows, the Nuremberg Laws were crafted in an atmosphere of considerable attention to the precedents American race laws had to offer. German praise for American practices, already found in Hitler's Mein Kampf, was continuous throughout the early 1930s, and the most radical Nazi lawyers were eager advocates of the use of American models. But while Jim Crow segregation was one aspect of American law that appealed to Nazi radicals, it was not the most consequential one. Rather, both American citizenship and antimiscegenation laws proved directly relevant to the two principal Nuremberg Laws—the Citizenship Law and the Blood Law. Whitman looks at the ultimate, ugly irony that when Nazis rejected American practices, it was sometimes not because they found them too enlightened, but too harsh.Indelibly linking American race laws to the shaping of Nazi policies in Germany, Hitler's American Model upends understandings of America's influence on racist practices in the wider world.
Hitler's Anti-Tank Weapons 1939–1945 (Images of War)
by Hans SeidlerThis illustrated WWII history captures the evolution of Nazi Germany’s anti-armor weaponry through rare archival wartime photos.Hitler’s Wehrmacht and SS units will be remembered for their aggressive Blitzkrieg tactics. But, as the war progressed, the Germans developed an impressive range of anti-tank warfare weaponry and munitions. Using many rare unpublished images, this Images of War book covers the full Nazi anti-armor capability. Also featured are the half-tracks and converted Panzers that pulled or mounted these weapons and carried observers and reconnaissance elements forward. Later hand-held anti-tank weapons came into service and were effective against Allied armor. The Panzerfaust, with its shaped charge warhead, became the first disposable anti-tank weapon in history. This comprehensive book shows this formidable range of weapons in action from Poland in 1939, through North Africa and the Eastern Front to the final collapse of the Third Reich in 1945.
Hitler's Arctic War: The German Campaigns in Norway, Finland and the USSR 1940–1945
by Chris Mann Christer JörgensenIn the past the German General Staff had taken no interest in the military history of wars in the north and east of Europe. Nobody had ever taken into account the possibility that some day German divisions would have to fight and to winter in northern Karelia and on the Murmansk coast. (Lieutenant-General Waldemar Erfurth, German Army). Despite this statement, the German Armys first campaign in the far north was a great success: between April and June 1940 German forces totaling less than 20,000 men seized Norway, a state of three million people, for minimal losses. Hitlers Arctic War is a study of the campaign waged by the Germans on the northern periphery of Europe between 1940 and 1945.As Hitlers Arctic War makes clear, the emphasis was on small-unit actions, with soldiers carrying everything they needed food, ammunition and medical supplies on their backs. The terrain placed limitations on the use of tanks and heavy artillery, while lack of airfields restricted the employment of aircraft.Hitlers Arctic War also includes a chapter on the campaign fought by Luftwaffe aircraft and Kriegsmarine ships and submarines against the Allied convoys supplying the Soviet Union with aid. However, Wehrmacht resources committed to Norway and Finland were ultimately an unnecessary drain on the German war effort. Hitlers Arctic War is a groundbreaking study of how war was waged in the far north and its effects on German strategy.
Hitler's Ardennes Offensive: The German View of the Battle of the Bulge
by Danny S. Parker"Hitler's Ardennes Offensive - known to the Germans as Wacht am Rhein and to the Allies as the Battle of the Bulge - was intended to turn the course of the war in Germany’s favor. The ferocity of the offensive took the Allies by surprise and it has gone down in history as one of the most significant campaigns of the war. Many accounts of the battle have tended towards the perspective of the Allied victors, lacking firsthand detail about German intentions and operations. This book, however, vividly recounts how Hitler and his generals perceived the progress and ultimate failure of their final great assault. In this impressive volume, historian Danny S. Parker has brought together many rare documents representing the views of all the major personalities within the German army headquarters. These include Oberstgruppenführer Josef Dietrich and Generalmajor Fritz Krämer, General Hasso von Manteuffel, Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel and others. Everything from preparations for the offensive, to attitudes during the campaign and after it was brought to a close are covered, providing a fascinating and invaluable record of the German perspective - essential for a balanced view of the battle."
Hitler's Ardennes Offensive: The German View of the Battle of the Bulge
by Danny S. Parker Dennis OliverIn this gripping, unusual volume, insight into the Battle of the Bulge is told through firsthand accounts by German officers. The battle, a major German offensive, caught the allied forces off-guard in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg and, lasting from December 1945?January 1945, had devastating consequences for both sides. There were eighty-nine thousand Americans casualties and between eighty thousand and one hundred thousand German ones. It was the largest and bloodiest battle fought by the Americans during the war?and, yet, in the end, an allied victory. There are Western accounts of the battle, but very little has been told from the German perspective. In Hitler’s Ardennes Offensive, acclaimed military historian Danny S. Parker has compiled together accounts by German officials who reveal how they perceived the battle, how they believe Adolf Hitler perceived it, and what, in their opinion, went wrong. The assessments featured include ones from Nazi leaders such as SS-generals Josef Dietrich and SS-Brigadeführer Fritz Krämer, and they are paired with nine rarely seen photographs and three maps. The images include a photograph of Josef Dietrich taken by Eva Braun, one of Adolf Hitler pouring over a map, and one of SS grenadiers pausing to enjoy captured American cigarettes. The maps show different parts of the German offensive. The unique volume was created after Parker spent twenty-five years studying World War II and conducting more than two hundred interviews on it. Released ten years ago in a limited print run, it is now, shortly after the seventieth anniversary of the battle, finally back in print. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history—books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
Hitler's Aristocrats: The Secret Power Players in Britain and America Who Supported the Nazis, 1923–1941
by Susan RonaldSusan Ronald, acclaimed author of Hitler's Art Thief takes readers into the shadowy world of the aristocrats and business leaders on both sides of the Atlantic who secretly aided Hitler and Nazi Germany.Hitler said, “I am convinced that propaganda is an essential means to achieve one’s aims.” Enlisting Europe’s aristocracy, international industrialists, and the political elite in Britain and America, Hitler spun a treacherous tale everyone wanted to believe: he was a man of peace. Central to his deception was an international high society Black Widow, Princess Stephanie Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst, whom Hitler called “his dear princess.” She, and others, conspired for Hitler at the highest levels of the British aristocracy and spread their web to America's wealthy powerbrokers.Hitler’s aristocrats became his eyes, listening posts, and mouthpieces in the drawing rooms, cocktail parties, and weekend retreats of Europe and America. Among these “gentlemen spies” and “ladies of mystery” were the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Lady Nancy Astor, Charles Lindbergh, and two of the Mitford sisters. They were the trusted voices disseminating his political and cultural propaganda about the “New Germany,” brushing aside the Nazis’ atrocities. Distrustful of his own Foreign Ministry, Hitler used his aristocrats to open the right doors in Great Britain and the United States, creating a formidable fifth column within government and financial circles.In a tale of drama and intrigue, Hitler’s Aristocrats uncovers the battle between these influencers and those who heroically opposed them.
Hitler's Armada: The Royal Navy and the Defence of Great Britain April–October 1940
by Geoff HewittHitler's Armada examines the aborted German invasion of 1940 in a fresh and original manner by looking past the myths and legends which have subsequently surrounded it, in order to arrive at significant new conclusions by referring back to the actual events.The book presents fascinating detail of Hitler's Operation SEALION and, by study of its weaknesses, demonstrates that control of the sea, not the air, was the critical factor. It also questions whether the traditional British view of the importance of the Battle of Britain as the key factor in the prevention of invasion is really tenable.The importance of the Royal Navy during this period, generally overlooked, is brought into sharp focus and, possibly for the first time, the actual dispositions of the Royal Navy anti-invasion forces are presented in detail. The author examines the relative strengths of the two sides drawing interesting conclusions about the inadequacies of the German resources particularly and their reliance on mine laying.The author discusses the conflict between air and sea power in the months leading up to the summer of 1940, concluding that, at this stage of the Second World war, air power was far from supreme.The findings of the author may be controversial, but the process by which they are reached strongly supports their validity.
Hitler's Armed SS: The Waffen-SS at War, 1939–1945
by Anthony Tucker-JonesThe Waffen-SS was one of the most formidable German military formations of the Second World War – feared for its tenacity and ruthlessness in battle, notorious for the atrocities it committed. As a distinct fighting force derived from the Nazi Party’s SS organization, it stood apart from the other units of the German army. Its origins, structure and operational role during the war are often misunderstood and the controversy still surrounding its conduct make it difficult today to get an accurate picture of its actions and its impact on the fighting. Anthony Tucker-Jones, in this concise and fluently written account, provides an absorbing and clear sighted introduction to it. He traces its development under Himmler from modest beginnings in the early 1930s as Hitler’s personal protection squad of elite soldiers to a force which eventually amounted to thirty-eight divisions. Towards the end of the war many Waffen-SS units were formed from foreign volunteers and proved to be of poor quality, but its premier panzer divisions thoroughly deserved their reputation as tough fighters. Through accounts of the Waffen-SS’s major battles on the Eastern Front, in Normandy and finally in defence of Germany, a detailed picture emerges of the contribution it made to the German war effort, especially when Hitler’s armies were in retreat. The parts played by the most famous Waffen-SS formations – Das Reich, Totenkopf, Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler among them – and their commanders – men like Dietrich and Hausser – can be seen in the wider context of the war and Germany’s defeat.
Hitler's Armies
by Chris McnabThe definitive work on Hitler's war machine charting its evolution from the formidable force which won stunning victories during the Blitzkrieg in 1940, to the hard campaigns it fought in the deserts of North Africa and the frozen wastelands of the Soviet Union to the eventual retreat to the Fatherland itself. Drawing upon Osprey Publishing's unique archive, this volume expertly weaves together the story of the development and deployment of Hitler's armies displayed alongside a stunning collection of original artwork and photographs to show the kit and equipment of the various land forces.
Hitler's Assassins
by Steve Matthews1938, as the world spirals towards war, Klara Koch is employed as Hitler's personal cook. While Germany reveres the image of the Fuhrer, Klara and the household staff are privy to the real Hitler – his secrets, his ailments and his addictions. As Klara observes those circling the Fuhrer, she realises that not all of them are his admirers. Hitler is right to be paranoid. This thoroughly researched and compelling story takes readers right up close and personal with Hitler as he spirals increasingly out of control in pursuit of his drug-fueled quest for world domination. This novel – the second volume in Steve Matthews&’ gripping Nazi trilogy – takes you on a journey through World War II in Nazi Germany as seen through Klara&’s eyes. It is a uniquely clever re-imagining of Hitler, his inner circle, and the absurdities and contradictions of his daily life.
Hitler's Atlantic Wall: Normandy (Battleground Normandy)
by Paul WilliamsThis highly informative book begins with an examination of the background to Germany's primary military objectives in relation to the western end of their self-styled 'Fortress Europe' including the early foundation of shore defences in northern France.In 1941, there was a switch in emphasis of the Atlantic Wall's role from attack to defence. Beach defences became more elaborate and the Nazi-controlled Todt Organisation began a massive building programme constructing new bunkers and reinforcing existing sites, using forced labour.Hitler appointed Rommel to formulate Germany's anti-invasion plans in early 1944. At the same time the Allies were making extensive studies of the fortifications and preparing for the challenge of overcoming this most formidable of obstacles.Using, in many cases, previously unpublished accounts of the soldiers on the ground this book follows Britain's 79th Armoured Division, Sir Percy Hobart's 'Funnies', as they utilised their unique weaponry in support of Allied efforts to ensure the success of the invasion. The author draws on British, American, Canadian and German sources.Hitler's Atlantic Wall Normandy also includes information on war cemeteries along with travel information and accommodation suggestions and a guide to the relevant museums.
Hitler's Atlantic Wall: Pas de Calais (Battleground Normandy)
by Paul WilliamsThis well-illustrated book describes the massive effort that the occupying Nazi forces put into the construction of the Eastern section of the Atlantic Wall. While the D-Day invasion was unaffected by the fortifications in this area, they still posed a significant threat. This came from the mighty gun batteries (such as Batteries Todt and Lindemann) that threatened Channel shipping and the South Coast of England, and, while isolated from the main Allied advance, the Festung ports of Calais, Boulogne and Dunkirk were denied to Allied use. This was of major strategic significance as the lines of supply were becoming ever longer and more vulnerable.Using rare archive material, this book takes the reader on a fascinating journey along the coast that Hitler was wrongly convinced would be the site of the Allied landings. Hitlers Atlantic Wall Pas de Calais tells the history of how and why the giant batteries were built, the origins of their weaponry and the ingenious engineering and military operations that defeated them finally.
Hitler's Atomic Bomb: History, Legend, and the Twin Legacies of Auschwitz and Hiroshima
by Mark WalkerWho were the German scientists who worked on atomic bombs during World War II for Hitler's regime? How did they justify themselves afterwards? Examining the global influence of the German uranium project and postwar reactions to the scientists involved, Mark Walker explores the narratives surrounding 'Hitler's bomb'. The global impacts of this project were cataclysmic. Credible reports of German developments spurred the American Manhattan Project, the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and in turn the Soviet efforts. After the war these scientists' work was overshadowed by the twin shocks of Auschwitz and Hiroshima. Hitler's Atomic Bomb sheds light on the postwar criticism and subsequent rehabilitation of the German scientists, including the controversial legend of Werner Heisenberg and Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker's visit to occupied Copenhagen in 1941. This scientifically accurate but non-technical history examines the impact of German efforts to harness nuclear fission, and the surrounding debates and legends.
Hitler's Atrocities Against Allied PoWs: War Crimes of the Third Reich
by Philip D. Chinnery“A chilling description of the ordeals that captured men and women were put through by the Third Reich regime and their Italian allies.” —Daily MailSeventy years ago, the Nuremberg Trials were in full swing in Germany. In the dock were the leaders of the Nazi regime and most eventually received their just desserts. But what happened to the other war criminals?In June 1946, Lord Russell of Liverpool became Deputy Judge Advocate and legal adviser to the Commander in Chief for the British Army of the Rhine in respect of all trials held by British Military Courts of German war criminals. He later wrote:“At the outbreak of the Second World War, the treatment of prisoners was governed by the Geneva Prisoner of War Convention of 1929, the Preamble of which stated that the aim of the signatories was to alleviate the conditions of prisoners of war.“During the war, however, the provisions of the Convention were repeatedly disregarded by Germany. Prisoners were subjected to brutality and ill-treatment, employed on prohibited and dangerous work, handed over to the SD for ‘special treatment’ in pursuance of Hitler’s Commando Order, lynched in the streets by German civilians, sent to concentration camps, shot on recapture after escaping, and even massacred after they had laid down their arms and surrendered.”Tens of thousands of Allied prisoners of war died at the hands of the Nazis and their Italian allies. This book is for them lest we forget.“A sobering and harrowing book, detailing many forgotten crimes committed against POWs who should have been offered the protection of the Geneva Convention, but tragically were not.” —Recollections of WWII
Hitler's Attack U-Boats: The Kriegsmarine's WWII Submarine Strike Force
by Jak P. Showell“A definitive introduction by a highly recognized authority who writes beautifully and clearly.” —Naval Historical FoundationThe fact that German submarines almost managed to cut off Britain’s vital imports during the First World War hadn’t been forgotten by Hitler—and when, in 1935, he repudiated the Treaty of Versailles, Britain, magnanimously, signed an Anglo-German Naval Agreement. This allowed the Germans to build their submarine strength up to one third of the Royal Navy’s tonnage.When war broke out in 1939, German U-boats went quickly into action, but with only four years of production and development, the main armament of these submarines was considerably weaker than equivalent boats in other navies and many other features, such as living conditions, were also significantly inferior. Yet, the German U-boat onslaught against British merchant ships in autumn 1940 was highly successful because the attacks were made on the surface at night and from such close range that a single torpedo would sink a ship.Soon, though, Allied technology was able to detect U-boats at night, and new convoy techniques, combined with powerfully armed, fast modern aircraft searching the seas, meant that by 1941 it was clear that Germany was losing the war at sea. Something had to be done. The new generation of attack U-boats that had been introduced since Hitler came to power needed urgent improvement. This is the story of the Types II, VII, and IX that had already become the ‘workhorse’ of the Kriegsmarine’s submarine fleet and continued to put out to sea to attack Allied shipping right up to the end of the war. The Type II was a small coastal boat that struggled to reach the Atlantic; the Type VII was perfectly at home there, but lacked the technology to tackle well protected convoys; while the Type IX was a long-range variety modified so it could operate in the Indian Ocean.This book by the renowned Kriegsmarine historian explores these attack U-boats at length, including details of their armament, capabilities, and crew facilities; the story of their development and operational history; and just what it was like to operate such a vessel.