Browse Results

Select your format based upon: 1) how you want to read your book, and 2) compatibility with your reading tool. To learn more about using Bookshare with your device, visit the Help Center.

Here is an overview of the specialized formats that Bookshare offers its members with links that go to the Help Center for more information.

• Bookshare Web Reader - A customized reading tool for Bookshare members offering all the features of DAISY with a single click of the "Read Now" link.
• DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) - A digital book file format. DAISY books from Bookshare are DAISY 3.0 text files that work with just about every type of access technology that reads text. Books that contain images will have the download option of ‘DAISY Text with Images’.
• BRF (Braille Refreshable Format) - Digital Braille for use with refreshable Braille devices and Braille embossers.
• MP3 (MPEG audio layer 3) - Provides audio only with no text. These books are created with a text-to-speech engine and spoken by Kendra, a high quality synthetic voice from Ivona. Any device that supports MP3 playback is compatible.
• DAISY Audio - Similar to the DAISY option above; however, this option uses MP3 files created with our text-to-speech engine that utilizes Ivonas Kendra voice. This format will work with Daisy Audio compatible players such as Victor Reader Stream and Read2Go.
• EPUB - A standard e-book format that can be read on many tools, such as iBooks, Readium or others.
• Word - Accessible Word output, which can be unzipped and opened in any tool that allows .docx files

Unconventional Warfare

An international crime ring rooted in China is distributing raw materials for weapons of mass destruction. Severely battered by counterstrikes, Stony Man suffers casualties in a battle to halt the sale of nuclear material, which is fast becoming a personal race against death.

Unconventional Warfare from Antiquity to the Present Day

The contemporary issue of terrorism - not to mention the rebellions and insurrections ongoing around the globe - is one of the signature problems of the modern world. This proposed collection of essays will be the first to address these issues conceptually in a range of historical periods and places, from a variety of analytic perspectives. The advantage of this approach is that it affords an opportunity to gain a more complete understanding of the dynamics of such conflicts and to establish the current and historical parameters of these hybrid forms of war. While modern political discourse shifts easily between sets of valorising and delegitimising discourses in relation to non-conventional conflicts and combatants, using loaded terminology like 'terrorist' or 'freedom fighter', the individuals who are thus described all engage in unconventional warfare. This has often been characterised as small war, in distinction to 'big' war or conflicts between regular armies. This type of conflict, whether pitting paramilitary or guerrilla groups against each other or against conventional forces, is almost certainly the original form of warfare and it has throughout history continued to play a hugely important, if frequently underestimated or ignored, role in the conflicts which shaped the world.

Unconventional Warfare In The American Civil War

Considering the history of unconventional warfare in the United States, and specifically, during the Civil War, it begs the question: Did the Confederacy's strategy to engage in unconventional warfare significantly contribute to its conventional strategy? Two assertions remain most accepted by historians and military personnel. The first prevailing opinion is that the Confederacy's use of unconventional warfare was ineffective and negatively affected the overall campaign. The second opinion is that the South's unconventional efforts yielded unparalleled success and prolonged the war. To evaluate the impact of the Confederacy's unconventional campaign plan, the methodology of this study addresses several subordinate questions: Did the Confederacy adopt an unconventional war strategy as part of its overall strategy? How did conventional military leaders apply unconventional warfare? What effects did unconventional warfare have on conventional operations? Was unconventional warfare at the tactical level linked to operational and strategic level objectives?

Unconventional Warfare in South Asia, 1947 to the Present (Critical Essays on Warfare in South Asia, 1947 to the Present)

Unconventional war is an umbrella term which includes insurgencies, counter-insurgencies, terrorism and religious conflicts. Insurgencies and communal conflicts have become much more common in this region since 1947, and more people have died in South Asia due to unconventional wars than conventional warfare. The essays in this volume are organized in two sections. While the first section deals with insurgencies, counter-insurgencies and terrorism; the second section covers the religious aspects of the various intra-state conflicts which mar the multi-ethnic societies of South Asia.

Unconventional Weapons and International Terrorism: Challenges and New Approaches (Political Violence)

In recent years, senior policy officials have highlighted increased signs of convergence between terrorism and unconventional (CBRN) weapons. Terrorism now involves technologies available to anyone, anywhere, anytime, deployed through innovative solutions. This indicates a new and more complex global security environment with increasing risks of terrorists trying to acquire and deploy a CBRN (Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear) attack. This book addresses the critical importance of understanding innovation and decision-making between terrorist groups and unconventional weapons, and the difficulty in pinpointing what factors may drive violence escalation. It also underscores the necessity to understand the complex interaction between terrorist group dynamics and decision-making behaviour in relation to old and new technologies. Unconventional Weapons and International Terrorism seeks to identify a set of early warnings and critical indicators for possible future terrorist efforts to acquire and utilize unconventional CBRN weapons as a means to pursue their goals. It also discusses the challenge for intelligence analysis in handling threat convergence in the context of globalisation. The book will be of great interest to students of terrorism studies, counter-terrorism, nuclear proliferation, security studies and IR in general.

Undaunted: The Real Story of America's Servicewomen in Today's Military

As she did so provocatively with military spouses in Army Wives, Tanya Biank gives us the inside story of women in today's military--their professional and personal challenges from the combat zone to the home front... Since 9/11, more than 240,000 women have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan--more than 140 have died there, and they currently make up fourteen percent of the total active-duty forces. Despite advances, today's servicewomen are constantly pressed to prove themselves, to overcome challenges men never face, and to put the military mission ahead of all other aspects of their lives, particularly marriage and motherhood. In this groundbreaking, insider's look at the women defending our nation, Tanya Biank brings to light the real issues--of femininity, belonging to an old boys' club, veiled discrimination, dating, marriage problems, separation from children, questions about life goals, career trajectories, and self-worth--that servicewomen are facing by focusing on four individual stories. Brigadier General Angela Salinas, the Marine Corps' first Hispanic female general, faces the challenge of commanding an all-male institution. Second Lieutenant Bergan Flanagan finds herself on the frontlines in Afghanistan, serving in the same military police company as her husband. As a marine drill instructor, Sergeant Amy Stokley demands the very best from the recruits at Parris Island. And Major Candice O'Brien deals with deployment to Afghanistan, with two young children and a strained marriage back home. Undaunted is the story of these courageous trailblazers--their struggles, sacrifices, and triumphs in the name of serving the country they love.

Undefeated: From Basketball to Battle

“A provocative, arresting, put-you-there account of a forgotten 1940s Army basketball team that we now realize shouldn’t be forgotten” (Lars Anderson, New York Times–bestselling author).In 1943, the West Point basketball team, the Cadets, had only managed a 5-10 record, and for the 1944 season, coach Ed Kelleher’s hopes of reversing Army’s fortunes rested on his five starters. They consisted of three seniors—team captain “Big Ed” Christl, John “Three Star” Hennessey, and class president Bobby Faas—and two juniors, Dale Hall and Doug Kenna.As the new season opened in January of 1944, Kelleher’s strategy paid handsome dividends. By the end of January, West Point was 6–0; by the end of February, the team boasted a 13-0 record. Of course, during those weeks, it only took a glance at the newspaper headlines to be reminded that there were far bigger contests than intercollegiate basketball afoot in the winter of 1944. The world was at war. The US Army needed its finest on the front line more than on the court, and the three seniors were soon destined for other battles . . .In the years that followed, the Army’s basketball team would never again have a chance to play in the NCAA tournament, and in the modern era, few remember West Point’s perfect 1944 season. Although West Point’s home basketball court is named the Edward C. Christl Arena, and the National Invitational Tournament’s trophy is named after his coach, Edward A. Kelleher, too few people fully appreciate why. But after reading Undefeated, they will.“Hoosiers meets Band of Brothers.” —Col. Scott Maytan

Undefeated

Based on exclusive interviews with more than thirty survivors, Undefeated tells the courageous story of the outnumbered American soldiers and airmen who stood against invading Japanese forces in the Philippines at the beginning of World War II, and continued to resist through three harrowing years as POWs. Bill Sloan, "a master of the combat narrative" (Dallas Morning News), captures the valor, fortitude, and agony of the American defenders of the Philippines. Abandoned by their government, the men and women of the U.S. garrison battled hopeless military odds, rampant disease, and slow starvation to delay the inevitable surrender of the largest American military force ever. For four months they fought toe to toe against overwhelming enemy numbers--and forced the Japanese to pay a heavy cost in blood for every inch of ground they gained on the Bataan peninsula. After the surrender came the infamous Bataan Death March, where up to eighteen thousand American and Filipino prisoners died or were murdered as they marched sixty-five miles under the most hellish conditions imaginable. Rather than picturing these defenders as little more than helpless victims of a powerful and sadistic enemy--as have most previous books about the Philippine campaign--Undefeated tells the full story of the remarkable courage and indomitable will that cost the Japanese invaders thousands of casualties on Bataan and Corregidor. Interwoven throughout this gripping narrative are the harrowing personal experiences of dozens of American soldiers, airmen, and Marines. Sloan also provides vivid portraits of the officers who led the American forces, such as General Douglas MacArthur, who escaped to Australia as the situation on Bataan worsened, and General Jonathan Wainwright, who succeeded him as top U.S. commander in the Philippines and himself became a prisoner of the Japanese. Undefeated chronicles one of the great sagas of World War II--and celebrates a resounding triumph of the human spirit.

Under a Darkening Sky: The American Experience In Nazi Europe: 1939-1941

A vivid social history of the American expatriate experience in Europe between 1939 and 1941, as the Nazi menace brings a shadow over the continent, heralding the storms of war. A poignant and powerful portrait of Europe in the years between 1939 and 1941—as the Nazi menace marches toward the greatest man-made catastrophe the world has ever experienced—Under A Darkening Sky focuses on a diverse group of expatriate Americans. Told through the eyes and observations of these characters caught up in these seismic events, the story unfolds alongside a war that slowly drags a reluctant United States into its violent embrace. This vibrant narrative takes these dramatic personalities and evokes the engagement between Europe and a reluctant America from the September 3rd, 1939—when Britain declares war—through the tragedy of Pearl Harbor in December 1941. In a distinctively energetic storyline, Robert Lyman brings together a wide range of encounters, conversations, and memories. It includes individuals from across the social spectrum, from Josephine Baker to the young Americans who volunteered to fight in the RAF, as part of the famous “Eagle Squadrons.” Hundreds of young Americans—like the aces James Goodison, Art Donahue, and the wealthy playboy Billy Fiske, who was the first American volunteer in the RAF to die in action during the Battle of Britain—smuggled themselves into Canada so that they could volunteer for the cockpits of Spitfires and Hurricanes, as they flew against the deadly Luftwaffe over ever-darkening skies in London.

Under a Spitfire Sky: A heartwarming and romantic WW2 saga

Can they find love in the darkest days of war?It's 1944, and Florence is a talented engineer in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, patching up planes to make sure that the brave Spitfire pilots of Cottisbourne airbase return safely day after day.When she befriends the new squadron leader - shy, handsome Siegfried - it seems that romance might blossom under the war-torn skies. But Florence is nursing a broken heart and a terrible secret, which might destroy her one chance of happiness...Meanwhile, a new plane is being developed that could turn the tide of the war, but Florence fears there is traitor is in their midst, putting Siegfried - and the whole country - in terrible danger. Can Florence save her Spitfire boys, and her own heart?This romantic, exciting World War II saga is perfect for fans of Kate Hewitt, Jenny Holmes and Annie Murray

Under a War Torn Sky

When Henry Forester is shot down during a bombing run over France, the World War II pilot finds himself trapped behind enemy lines. In constant danger of discovery by German soldiers, Henry begins a remarkable journey to freedom. Relying on the kindness of strangers, Henry moves from town to town -- traveling by moonlight, never asking questions, or even the names of the people who help him along the way. Through his journey, Henry gains an understanding of the French and their struggle; and of his own place in a war that will change the face of Europe forever.

Under a War-Torn Sky (Under A War-torn Sky Ser. #2)

Wounded and alone behind enemy lines, a young pilot must find his way to freedom in this gripping, beloved novel When Henry Forester is shot down during a bombing run over France, the World War II pilot finds himself trapped behind enemy lines. In constant danger of discovery by German soldiers, Henry begins a remarkable journey to freedom. Relying on the kindness of strangers, Henry moves from town to town--traveling by moonlight, never asking questions, or even the names of the people who help him along the way. Each day brings him closer to home, yet every step in enemy territory invites new dangers.Even as Henry fights for his own life, he quickly grows to realize the peril that surrounds all of the French people, and to admire the courage of the freedom fighters who risk death to protect him. Suspenseful and achingly true, this critically-acclaimed and deeply beloved novel explores the heartbreak of war, the strength of human spirit, and one young man's struggle to protect the things he loves.

Under Attack (Kidnapped From Ukraine #1)

This gripping, accessible novel by celebrated Ukrainian Canadian author Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch follows two sisters as they struggle to survive the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. 12-year-old twin sisters Rada and Dariia Popkova couldn’t be more different. Dariia is outgoing and chatty while Rada is a quieter and artsy. But what they have in common is their love for each other and their home. The family lives in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which is attacked by the Russians on Feb 24th, 2022.The attack separates the family -- Dariia is with her mom and Rada with her dad. Dariia and her mother are then separated by Russian officials and Dariia is sent to live with a Russian family. As the war rages around them, the sisters and their family must overcome unimaginable hardships. But they will learn how powerful hope is in the face of disaster.

Under False Flags: A Novel

Forced into the brutal Battle of the Bulge of 1944, two soldiers on opposing sides find the courage to desert a war gone sour.For both American GI Wendell Lett and German seaman Holger Frings, the relentless bloodbath of World War II has become a treacherous prison and a curse. Just as Wendell Lett meets Heloise, a wise Belgian woman who offers him a chance of deliverance from the physical and emotional carnage of war, he is pushed into a reckless false flag mission. At the same time behind enemy lines, Frings becomes a forced volunteer for a similar German operation that takes him to a breaking point. The two enemies' destructive fates collide in the surprise Ardennes counteroffensive-the 1944 Battle of the Bulge-and both have to finally confront the war that betrayed them.As Lett tries to find his way back to his beloved Heloise, he and Frings team up to desert their savage overseers while the battles rage around them. In Under False Flags, the absurdity of war is brought to brutal light as each side-whether friend or foe-attempts to disguise their cannon fodder in enemy uniform. This is a gritty war tale that turns conventional notions of valor, heroism, and prestige on its head.

Under False Flags (The Wendell Lett Novels)

Forced into the Battle of the Bulge, two soldiers on opposing sides find the courage to desert when their honor is betrayed in this WWII thriller.Belgium, 1944. For both American GI Wendell Lett and German seaman Holger Frings, the relentless bloodbath of World War II has become a prison and a curse. Just as Lett meets a Belgian woman who offers him deliverance from the toll of combat, he is pushed into a reckless false flag mission. At the same time, Frings is conscripted into a similar operation that takes him to the breaking point. Their fates collide in the surprise Ardennes counteroffensive known as the Battle of the Bulge. As Lett tries to find his way back to his beloved Heloise, he and Frings team up to desert their savage overseers while the battle rages around them. In Under False Flags, the absurdity of war is brought to brutal light as each side attempts to disguise their cannon fodder in enemy uniform. Under False Flags is the prequel to The Preserve, the second book featuring Wendell Lett.

Under Fire

This book follows a squad of French volunteer soldiers on the front in France after the German invasion. The book opens and ends with broad visions shared by multiple characters. The anecdotes are episodic in nature, each with an individual chapter title. In contrast to many war novels which came before it, Under Fire describes war in gritty and brutal realism.

Under Fire: The Story Of A Squad (Casemate Classic War Fiction #4)

The original translation of one of the first World War I novels—at first criticized for its harsh realism but now celebrated as a classic. Set in early 1916, Under Fire follows the point of view of an unnamed foot soldier in a squad of French volunteers on the western front. It combines soaring, poetic descriptions with the mundane, messy, human reality of soldiers living in their own filth. Gradually, names and features are given to the men who emerge from the mud, from the dignified leader, Corporal Bertrand, to the ebullient Volpatte and the obsessive Cocon. Intermingled with details of how the men navigate daily life in the putrefied atmosphere of the trenches is a political, pacifist argument about this war and war more generally. Caught up in events they cannot control, the soldiers go through their daily routines: foraging for food, reading letters from wives and mothers, drinking, fighting in battle, and, in harrowing scenes for which the novel is noted, discovering dead bodies in advanced stages of decomposition. Through it all, they talk about the war, attempting to make sense of the altered world in which they find themselves.Under Fire (originally published in French as Le Feu) drew criticism at the time of its publication for its brutal detail, but went on to win the Prix Goncourt, a prestigious literary award that Henri Barbusse—a World War I soldier who wrote from vivid, painful experience—shares with renowned authors such as Marcel Proust and Marguerite Duras. Here, the original translation by William Fitzwater Wray, which first appeared in 1917, captures both the intensity of the story and the essence of the era. A glossary is also provided.

Under Fire: The Story of a Squad

Under Fire: The Untold Story of the Attack in Benghazi

The New York Times bestselling inside account of the attack against the U.S. diplomatic and intelligence outposts in Benghazi, Libya.On the night of September 11, 2012, the American diplomatic mission at Benghazi, Libya, came under ferocious attack by a heavily armed group of Islamic terrorists. The prolonged firefight, and the attack hours later on a nearby CIA outpost, resulted in the deaths of four Americans, including the American ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, the Information Officer, Sean Smith, and two former Navy SEALs, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty, working for the Central Intelligence Agency.After the fall of Qaddafi, Benghazi was transformed into a hotbed of fundamentalist fervor and a den of spies for the northern half of the African continent. Moreover, it became the center of gravity for terrorist groups strategically situated in the violent whirlwinds of the Arab Spring. On the eleventh anniversary of the 9/11 attacks against the United States, a group of heavily armed Islamic terrorists had their sights set on the U.S. diplomatic and intelligence presence in the city.Based on the exclusive cooperation of eyewitnesses and confidential sources within the intelligence, diplomatic, and military communities, Fred Burton and Samuel M. Katz reveal for the first time the terrifying twelve-hour ordeal confronted by Ambassador Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, his Diplomatic Security (DS) contingent, and the CIA security specialists who raced to rescue them.More than just the minute-by-minute narrative of a desperate last stand in the midst of an anarchic rebellion, Under Fire is an inspiring testament to the bravery and selflessness of the men and women who put their country first while serving in one of the most dangerous regions in the world.

Under Fire: A Love Over Duty Novel (The Love Over Duty Novels #1)

“Fantastic characters, scorching sexual tension, and non-stop action make this one of my favorite reads this year!”—New York Times bestselling author Laura KayeRITA nominee Scarlett Cole’s Under Fire pairs a hot Navy SEAL with a medical researcher who finds herself in too deep.Hot, hard-bodied Sixton Rapp is a former SEAL who’s raring to begin his brand-new civilian life. He and his Navy “brothers” start a security firm that offers the kind of services only a team of military-trained professionals can provide. But nothing prepared Six for his new client: an innocent woman on a mission to improve thousands of lives. . . unless someone takes hers first.Dr. Louisa North knows time is against her as she tries to create a “miracle” medical treatment for a disease with no known cure, until she creates a sample so powerful that the wrong people want to use it as a chemical weapon. At first, Six is unwilling to accept Louisa as his client. But soon he realizes that the danger is real and that there’s much more to this plain-Jane scientist…including a burning passion between them that neither of them can resist. And now that an enemy is on Louisa’s trail, Six will do whatever it takes to protect her—or die trying."Cole is a genius at weaving together heart-racing, suspenseful moments with scorching intimacy and real characters." - USA Today

Under Fire (Corps #9)

Griffin takes his Marine heroes to Korea, in the biggest Corps novel of them all.Through eight books, Griffin's bestselling chronicle of the Marine Corps has proven itself to be one of the country's most enduring and popular series. Now, Griffin leaves World War II behind and thrusts his readers deep into the heart of the Korean War.June 1, 1950: Captain Ken McCoy's report on probable North Korean hostilities meets with so much bureaucratic displeasure that not only is it promptly suppressed, but McCoy himself is kicked out of the Corps. At least two outfits, however, are not impressed by such infighting: the fledgling CIA, which promptly hires McCoy, and the North Koreans, who on June 25th invade across the 38th parallel. Immediately, veterans scattered throughout military and civilian life are called up, many with only 72 hours' notice. Fleming Pickering and his daredevil son Malcolm, Ed Manning, George Hart, Jack Stecker, Jake Dillon, Ernie Zimmerman - for them and their sweethearts and wives, names such as Inchon, Pusan, and the Choisin Reservoir will acquire a new, bloody reality, and Korea will become not only a new battlefield...but their greatest challenge of all.Filled with the crackling realism, adventure, and rich characters that are his hallmarks, Under Fire is further proof, as Tom Clancy says, that "W.E.B. Griffin is a storyteller in the grand tradition."

Under Fire in the Dardanelles: The Great War Diaries & Photographs of Major Edward Cadogan

Edward Cadogan kept a record of his war in words and photographs. His baptism by fire in Gallipoli made a profound effect on him but, as the situation deteriorated and casualties mounted, he became highly critical of the plan and the leadership. His front line experiences are balanced by his contact with senior commanders. Wounded and clearly in poor health he was fortunate to survive. After the ignominious withdrawal, Cadogan soldiered on in Egypt and Palestine increasingly disenchanted with the conduct of the War. His descriptions of conditions at the Front are complemented by his interest in family affairs at home.This compilation is not only superb military history but a unique piece of social commentary.

Under His Wings: How Faith on the Front Lines Has Protected American Troops

An Instant #1 New York Times BestsellerIn this celebration of faith and freedom, Fox News Co-Host Emily Compagno shares first person accounts that show the profound role belief in God has played in the lives of U.S. military servicemembers as they served in combat from World War I to today—commemorating the courage, camaraderie, spirit, and sacrifice of America’s heroes.In this moving and evocative collection, Emily Compagno explores the enduring role faith has played in the lives of American soldiers during wartime. Descending from a long line of respected Navy and US Army veterans, Compagno offers unique insight into the importance of faith during times of hardship. She shares stories from generations of servicemen along with her own experience visiting American troops in Iraq and Kuwait when she was a cheerleader for the Oakland Raiders.From World War I to current conflicts in the Middle East, Under His Wings blends the historical with the personal, featuring first-hand accounts from veterans whose religious beliefs emboldened them to persevere as they faced their own mortality on the fields of battle.Each chapter is highlighted by a range of fascinating stories, including celebrity visits to the frontlines with the USO—from Marilyn Monroe to President Ronald Reagan—, as well as heartfelt letters between soldiers and their loved ones and treasured family photographs.Following the massive success of Modern Warriors, Faith Still Moves Mountains, and All American Christmas, this moving Fox News book is both an homage to the spirit of prayer and a heartfelt thank-you to our troops. Sure to become a treasured keepsake, Under His Wings is an inspiring reminder of the power of faith that will uplift the spirit through the holidays and beyond, for years to come.

Under Indifferent Skies

A historical saga that follows three siblings through the Armenian genocide and beyond: “A novel to remember.” —La StampaThis absorbing novel from a multiple award-winning author recounts the story of the Armenian genocide and other twentieth-century occurrences, ranging from the shores of the Mediterranean to the frozen Siberian coast, from the plush palazzi of Venice to the cruel Soviet concentration camps as it follows the lives of two twin brothers, Mikaèl and Gabrièl, and their younger sister, Rose. Exploring the historical events of the last century that shook the very foundations of humanity, Under Indifferent Skies is full of suspense and unexpected narrative twists while evoking universal emotions and tackling collective aspects of our existence—primordial instincts like survival, the experience of motherhood, the bond of blood ties, the need to belong, the quest for a purpose in life. Above all, it is a story of resilience and hope, a story of faith in a supreme force that governs the Cosmos that inexorably renders justice in the end.

Under Occupation: A Novel

From &“America&’s preeminent spy novelist&” (The New York Times) comes a fast-paced, mesmerizing thriller of the French resistance fighters working secretly and bravely to defeat Hitler. Occupied Paris, 1942. Just before he dies, a man being chased by the Gestapo hands off a strange-looking document to the unsuspecting novelist Paul Ricard. It looks like a blueprint of a part for a military weapon, one that might have important information for the Allied forces. Ricard realizes he must try to get the diagram into the hands of members of the resistance network. As Ricard finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into anti-Nazi efforts and increasingly dangerous espionage assignments, he travels to Germany and along the escape routes of underground resistance safe houses to spy on Nazi maneuvers. When he meets the mysterious and beautiful Leila, a professional spy, they begin to work together to get crucial information out of France and into the hands of the Allied forces in London.