- Table View
- List View
Daesh: Islamic State’s Holy War (History Of Terror Ser.)
by Anthony Tucker-JonesAnthony Tucker-Jones is only too familiar with the modern architects of terror. For the past decade and a half he has worked as the terrorism and security correspondent for the highly respected intersec The Journal of International Security. During that time he has written extensively on al Qaeda and Daesh. This book draws on his experience to assess Islamic States brutal Holy War that has brought terror and mayhem to the four corners of the globe.The emergence of terror group Islamic State, or Daesh, has created one of the greatest threats to global security in the twenty-first century. Spawned from the conflicts in Iraq and Syria, it carved out an Islamic caliphate straddling both failed countries. Since then it has wantonly despoiled world heritage sites, engaged in regional genocide and conducted regular terror attacks against capital cities across the world, killing irrespective of race, color, creed, gender or age.Like its predecessor, al Qaeda, Daeshs most potent and insidious weapon is franchise terrorism. It has inspired clutches of deadly wannabee terrorists who have carried out a wave of what can be best described as war crimes, killing innocent civilians. In this perceptive assessment Tucker-Jones highlights how the West has become caught up in what is essentially a civil war between Shia and Sunni Islam, with deadly results.
Daffodil Girls: Stories of Love, Loss and Friendship from the Women Behind Our Heroes
by Kitty DimblebyEver wondered what it is like to support a loved one in the armed forces? Army wife and journalist Kitty Dimbleby reveals stories of life, love and loss from the women behind the front line. For every brave soldier putting their life on the line for Queen and country, there is a second, more subtle sort of heroism at work back at base in Britain. Daffodil Girls is the story of the women behind the soldiers of The 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh. Granted unprecedented access into this most private of communities, writer Kitty Dimbleby brilliantly brings to life the lot of a military wife, as she follows these women through the cycle of a regiment's tour of duty: the preparation for departure, the six long months of action and the emotional reunion. Insightful, humorous and deeply moving in turn, Daffodil Girls captures the unique bond of friendship and indomitable spirit that is forged in such circumstances - the extraordinary world of the heroines behind our army heroes.
Dagger 22: U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations in Bala Murghab, Afghanistan
by Michael GolembeskyThe sequel to New York Times bestseller Level Zero HeroesLevel Zero Heroes, Michael Golembesky's bestselling account of Marine Special Operations Team 8222 in Bala Murghab, Afghanistan, was just the beginning for these now battle-hardened special operations warriors.The unforgiving Afghan winter has settled upon the 22 men of Marine Special Operations Team 8222, callsign Dagger 22, in the remote and hostile river valley of Bala Murghab, Afghanistan. The Taliban fighters in the region would have liked nothing more than to once again go dormant and rest until the new spring fighting season began. No chance of that--this winter would be different.Along with Afghan and International Security Forces (NATO), the Marines of Dagger 22 continued their fight throughout the harsh winter to shape the battlefield before the Afghan ground began to thaw. From one firefight to the next, the noose began to tighten around the village of Daneh Pasab and the Taliban command cell operating there. On April 6, 2010, a ground force consisting of U.S. Army Special Forces, Afghan Commandos and Marine Corps special operations conducted a night assault to destroy the heavily entrenched Taliban force, breaking their grip on the valley and stopping the spring offensive before it even began.But nothing in Bala Murghab comes easily as combat operations wear on the operators of Dagger 22 as they lean on each other once again in order to complete their mission in one of the most brutal environments on earth.
Dagger Key: And Other Stories
by Lucius ShepardLucius Shepard is a grand master of dark fantasy, famed for his baroque yet utterly contemporary visions of existential subversion and hallucinatory collapse. In Dagger Key, his fifth major story collection, Shepard confronts hard-bitten loners and self-deceiving operators with the shadowy emptiness within themselves and the insinuating darkness without, to ends sardonic and terrifying. The stories in this book, including six novellas, are:"Stars Seen Through Stone" - in a small Pennsylvania town, mediocrity suddenly blossoms into genius; but at what terrible cost?"Emerald Street Expansions" - in near-future Seattle, echoes of the life of a medieval French poet hint at either reincarnation or a dire conspiracy."Limbo" - a retired criminal on the run from the Mafia encounters ghosts, and much worse, on the shores of a haunted lake."Liar's House" - in the grip of the legendary dragon Griaule, destiny is a treacherous and transformative thing."Dead Monty" - a small-time New Orleans criminal ventures outside his proper territory, and poker and voudoun conspire to bring him down."Dinner at Baldassaro's" - a gang of immortals debates the future in an Italian resort, only for events to outrun any of their expectations. "Abimagique" - a glib college loser falls in love with a witch, becoming an involuntary part of a world-saving - or world-destroying - magical ritual."The Lepidopertrist" - a small boy on a Caribbean island witnesses the creation of preternatural beings by a Yankee wizard..."Dagger Key" - off the coast of Belize, the ghost of a famous pirate seems to control a spiral of murder and intrigue; or is someone else responsible?
Dagger's Edge: A Brute Force Novel (Brute Force #2)
by Lora Leigh#1 bestselling author Lora Leigh is back—with a vengeance—in her latest novel of passion and intrigue, Dagger's Edge, featuring the men of Brute Force.Ivan Resnova wants nothing more than to escape his hard, brutal past. Starting over is not so easy once you’ve been a powerful crime boss but now, instead of being punished for his alleged crimes, Ivan fears that the one woman he can’t forget is in danger of paying the price. Crimsyn “Syn” Delaney thought the danger she’d faced was over, and that she could resume her life. She never imagined it would return with a vengeance and throw her back into Ivan’s world. But when an attempt is made on her life, she needs Ivan more than ever to keep her safe—even if she is in danger of falling deeply and dangerously in love. . .“Leigh’s books can scorch the ink off the page.”—RT Book Reviews
Daggers Drawn: The Real Heroes of the SAS & SBS
by Mike MorganMike Morgan presents 25 stories about the larger-than-life exploits of the SAS and SBS in World War II, supported by a selection of rare archive and action shots. Some stories are previously unpublished.
Dahlia Black
by Keith ThomasFor fans of World War Z and the Southern Reach Trilogy, a suspenseful oral history commemorating the five-year anniversary of the Pulse—the alien code that hacked the DNA of Earth’s population—and the response team who faced the world-changing phenomenon. <p><p>Voyager 1 was a message in a bottle. Our way of letting the galaxy know we existed. That we were out here if anyone wanted to find us. Over the next forty years, the probe flew past Jupiter and Saturn before it drifted into the void, swallowed up by a silent universe. Or so we thought… <p><p>Truth is, our message didn’t go unheard. Discovered by Dr. Dahlia Black, the mysterious Pulse was sent by a highly intelligent intergalactic species that called themselves the Ascendants. It soon becomes clear this alien race isn’t just interested in communication—they are capable of rewriting human DNA, in an astonishing process they call the Elevation. <p><p>Five years after the Pulse, acclaimed journalist Keith Thomas sets out to make sense of the event that altered the world. Thomas travels across the country to interview members of the task force who grappled to decode the Pulse and later disseminated its exact nature to worried citizens. He interviews the astronomers who initially doubted Black’s discovery of the Pulse—an error that critics say led to the world’s quick demise. Thomas also hears from witnesses of the Elevation and people whose loved ones vanished in the Finality, an event that, to this day, continues to puzzle Pulse researchers, even though theories abound about the Ascendants’ motivation. <p><p>Including never-before-published transcripts from task force meetings, diary entries from Black, and candid interviews with Ballard, Thomas also shows in Dahlia Black how a select few led their country in its darkest hours, toward a new level of humanity.
Daikon: A Novel
by Samuel Hawley&“Thrilling…Builds to a pulse-pounding climax. The result is the most imaginative take on Hiroshima since Edwin Corley&’s The Jesus Factor.&” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) &“A riveting tale about war, intrigue, love, and perseverance.&” —John Grisham • &“I could not look away. This novel is storytelling at its finest.&” —Karl Marlantes • &“Spellbinding…A breathtaking chain reaction that unleashes the true power of the novel.&” —Adam Johnson • &“Extraordinary…Daikon will sweep you away.&” —Jess Walter • &“Exhilarating…I loved this book, and you will love it too.&” —Arthur Golden A sweeping and suspenseful novel of love and war, set in Japan during the final days of World War II, with a shocking historical premise: three atomic bombs were actually delivered to the Pacific—not two—and when one of them falls into the hands of the Japanese, the fate of a couple that has been separated from one another becomes entangled with the fate of this terrifying new device.War has taken everything from physicist Keizo Kan. His young daughter was killed in the Great Tokyo Air Raid, and now his Japanese American wife, Noriko, has been imprisoned by the brutal Thought Police. An American bomber, downed over Japan on the first day of August 1945, offers the scientist a surprising chance at salvation. The Imperial Army dispatches him to examine an unusual device recovered from the plane&’s wreckage—a bomb containing uranium—and tells him that if he can unlock its mysteries, his wife will be released. Working in secrecy under crushing pressure, Kan begins to disassemble the bomb and study its components. One of his assistants falls ill after mishandling the uranium, but his alarming deterioration, and Kan&’s own symptoms, are ignored by the commanding officer demanding results. Desperate to stave off Japan&’s surrender to the Allies, the army will stop at nothing to harness the weapon&’s unimaginable power. They order Kan to prepare the bomb for manual detonation over a target—a suicide mission that will strike a devastating blow against the Americans. Kan is soon confronted with a series of agonizing decisions that will test his courage, his loyalty, and his very humanity. An extraordinary debut novel that is the result of twenty-seven years of work by its author, Daikon is a gripping and powerfully moving saga that calls to mind such classics as Cold Mountain and From Here to Eternity. It is set amid the chaos and despair of the world&’s third largest city lying in ruins, its population starving and its leadership under escalating assault from without and within. Here is a haunting epic of love, survival, and impossible choices that introduces a singular new voice on the literary landscape.
Daikon: A Novel
by Samuel Hawley&“Thrilling…Builds to a pulse-pounding climax. The result is the most imaginative take on Hiroshima since Edwin Corley&’s The Jesus Factor.&” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) &“A riveting tale about war, intrigue, love, and perseverance.&” —John Grisham • &“I could not look away. This novel is storytelling at its finest.&” —Karl Marlantes • &“Spellbinding…A breathtaking chain reaction that unleashes the true power of the novel.&” —Adam Johnson • &“Extraordinary…Daikon will sweep you away.&” —Jess Walter • &“Exhilarating…I loved this book, and you will love it too.&” —Arthur Golden A sweeping and suspenseful novel of love and war, set in Japan during the final days of World War II, with a shocking historical premise: three atomic bombs were actually delivered to the Pacific—not two—and when one of them falls into the hands of the Japanese, the fate of a couple that has been separated from one another becomes entangled with the fate of this terrifying new device.War has taken everything from physicist Keizo Kan. His young daughter was killed in the Great Tokyo Air Raid, and now his Japanese American wife, Noriko, has been imprisoned by the brutal Thought Police. An American bomber, downed over Japan on the first day of August 1945, offers the scientist a surprising chance at salvation. The Imperial Army dispatches him to examine an unusual device recovered from the plane&’s wreckage—a bomb containing uranium—and tells him that if he can unlock its mysteries, his wife will be released. Working in secrecy under crushing pressure, Kan begins to disassemble the bomb and study its components. One of his assistants falls ill after mishandling the uranium, but his alarming deterioration, and Kan&’s own symptoms, are ignored by the commanding officer demanding results. Desperate to stave off Japan&’s surrender to the Allies, the army will stop at nothing to harness the weapon&’s unimaginable power. They order Kan to prepare the bomb for manual detonation over a target—a suicide mission that will strike a devastating blow against the Americans. Kan is soon confronted with a series of agonizing decisions that will test his courage, his loyalty, and his very humanity. An extraordinary debut novel that is the result of twenty-seven years of work by its author, Daikon is a gripping and powerfully moving saga that calls to mind such classics as Cold Mountain. It is set amid the chaos and despair of the world&’s third largest city lying in ruins, its population starving and its leadership under escalating assault from without and within. Here is a haunting epic of love, survival, and impossible choices that introduces a singular new voice on the literary landscape.
Daily Life During The Indian Mutiny: Personal Experiences Of 1857 [Illustrated Edition]
by John Walter Sherer[Illustrated with over one hundred maps, photos and portraits, of the battles, individuals and places involved in the Indian Mutiny]Even a long experience of Indian and the customs of the Indians could have prepared John Sherer for the tumultuous events of the Indian Mutiny of 1857. A tax collector and magistrate, who first arrived in India in 1846, Sherer was posted to the North-West provinces when the Sepoy Revolt started. His experiences as narrated here form an interesting counter point to the military narratives that were written on the engagements of the mutiny. He and his fellow non-combatants and administrators were thrown to the wind as all the official British authorities attempted to put down the revolt. Widely lauded when the book was first published in 1910, it is a must for anyone interested in the Indian Mutiny."Mr Sherer gives a graphic account of the events he witnessed in the terrible times of the Mutiny. He has done right to publish the letters sent to him by Sir James Outram and others; they speak for themselves."--Glasgow Herald."It throws an interesting sidelight on those troublous times from a civilian non-combatant's point of view."--Pall Mall Gazette."Full of exciting adventure, with the added charm of actual personal experience. Written in a vigorous and picturesque style."--Bookseller."Mr Sherer's narrative is full of good stories, and he has done well to republish it in its present form."--Publishers' Circular."This publication will be interesting, instructive, and useful to the younger generation, as throwing a few sidelights on a momentous episode in our national history, and enabling them to estimate in some degree the anxiety, sorrow and horror which moved the nation in thrills and pulsations."--Shooting Times.
Daisies are Forever
by Liz TolsmaIn the final days of Nazi Germany, the strength of one woman&’s heart will determine the fate of a family.Prussia, 1945The fall of the Third Reich is imminent. As the merciless Red Army advances from the East, the German people of Prussia await the worst.Among them is twenty-year-old Gisela Cramer, an American living in Heiligenbeil with her cousin Ella and their ailing grandfather. When word arrives that the Russians will invade overnight, Ella urges Gisela to escape to Berlin—and take Ella&’s two small daughters with her.The journey is miserable and relentless. But when Gisela hears the British accent of a phony SS officer, she poses as his wife to keep him safe among the indignant German refugees. In the blink of an eye, Mitch Edwards and Gisela are Herr and Frau Josep Cramer.Through their tragic and difficult journey, the fabricated couple strives to protect Ella&’s daughters, hoping against hope for a reunion. But even as Gisela and Mitch develop feelings beyond the make–believe, the reality of war terrorizes their makeshift family.With the world at its darkest, and the lives of two children at stake, the counterfeit couple finds in each other a source of faith, hope, and the love they need to survive.&“Tolsma isn't afraid to detail the horrors of war as she depicts how tragedies can be obstacles to one's Christian beliefs.&” —Romantic Times, 4-star review&“[Daisies Are Forever] is a compelling and fast-paced tale about the atrocities and tremendous losses endured by those marked forever by World War II. Recommended for fans of Rosamunde and Robin Pilcher, Kate Morton, and historical romances.&” —Library Journal&“Excellent storytelling, accurate historical reporting and gritty, persevering characters make this WWII-era novel a must-read.&” —CBA Retailers + ResourcesIncludes Reading Group Guide
Dak To: The 173rd Airborne Brigade in South Vietnam's Central Highlands
by Edward F. MurphyTheir officers and senior noncoms were drawn from the U.S. Army's elite. An all-volunteer unit of paratroopers, the "Sky Soldiers," men of the 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate) were MACV's "fire brigade," rushed to stem the tide wherever the fighting was heaviest. In 1967 the attention of General Giap and his North Vietnamese Army (NVA) focused on a small mountain hamlet in the Central Highlands called Dak To. From June to November 1967, in the hills and valleys surrounding Dak To, the 173d fought some of the bloodiest battles of the entire Vietnam War.
Dakota Meltdown
by Elle James24/7For investigator Brenna Jensen, snowy Riverton, North Dakota, was the ideal home-until it became the target of a serial killer. Not even FBI hotshot Nick Tarver could keep her from trailing the maniac who taunted her, shadowed her every move. Brenna was anything but comfortable with Nick, her bodyguard in black leather. The sexy lawman challenged her wounded heart. But as the snow melted and the body count rose, Nick’s arms became her only refuge. For Brenna had uncovered the hit list-and her name was next....
Dale Brown's Dreamland #1: Dreamland
by Dale Brown Jim DefeliceHidden in the Nevada desert is America's most advanced aerospace-weapons testing facility. Dreamland is the place where the nation's top minds come to develop artillery and aircraft that push beyond the cutting edge. And where the Air Force's top guns come to test them--on the front lines of a new era in warfare.... The fiasco of a spy's infiltration has the Pentagon looking for an excuse to close Dreamland down. To clean up the mess--and save Dreamland from the congressional chopping block--Lt. Colonel Tecumseh "Dog" Bastian is sent in. He's just the guy to shake things up...and does when a situation erupts in Somalia. Into a hotter-than-hot war zone, he sends his own daughter--the pilot of a Megafortress bomber--and a high-tech, unmanned flight system that could make or break the future of Dreamland....
Dale Brown's Dreamland #6: Armageddon
by Dale Brown Jim DefeliceUSAF Captain Breanna Stockard is training Brunei pilots to fly the EB-52 Megafortress. But when an attempted kidnapping threatens a major arms deal, Breanna and her husband, Major Jeff "Zen" Stockard, must uncover a plot that could mean Armageddon.
Dale Brown's Dreamland: End Game (Dreamland Thrillers #8)
by Dale Brown Jim DeFeliceAn experimental weapon must be deployed to save a US ally from terrorists in the New York Times–bestselling author’s military techno-thriller.India is the latest target of radical Islamic jihadists. The world watches as tensions escalate between the uneasy giant and its longtime nemesis Pakistan—with China waiting in the wings, eager to flex its military might. The only hope of avoiding a nuclear showdown is found inside a top-secret military facility deep in the Nevada desert . . . Dreamland is where the future of high-tech warfare is conceived and constructed. Now its masterminds are charged with the task of locating the mysterious source of the terror and ending it—swiftly and permanently.Every technological wonder in their arsenal is utilized—from an awesome new hybrid Navy destroyer to robot Flighthawks. But the fate of the region and the world will depend on the newest brainchild of the Dreamland team: an unproven instrument of ultimate power code-named End Game.
Dale Brown's Dreamland: Razor's Edge (Dreamland Thrillers #3)
by Dale Brown Jim DeFeliceThe hunt is on for a mystery weapon shooting down American planes over Iraq in the New York Times–bestselling author’s high-tech military thriller series.Hidden in the Nevada desert is Dreamland—a top-secret research center developing experimental artillery and aircraft that push beyond the cutting edge. It is also home to Whiplash—a covert team of special forces trained to deploy the high-tech weapons in extreme situations. Whiplash’s latest mission begins when a series of American planes are shot down over Iraq in mysterious circumstances. There is no way that conventional weapons could have executed the deadly efficient strikes. Can the Iraqis have developed a laser capable of causing such mayhem? Fearing a major international crisis, the President sends a call out to Dreamland. Within hours, some of the most sophisticated aircraft in the world are heading for the Gulf, with orders to track down the mystery weapon—and destroy it.
Dale Brown's Dreamland: Retribution (Dreamland Thrillers #9)
by Dale Brown Jim DeFeliceThe elite Dreamland team faces their most deangerous mission as terrorists plot a massive nuclear attack on American soil in this military techno-thriller.Dreamland, a top-secret military facility in the Nevada desert, is where high-tech innovations are developed to keep America safe from its enemies. After defusing threats across the globe, the team must now use its stealth, raw nerve, and technology to stop a terror from striking at home. With more than two dozen nuclear devices unaccounted for, the global masters of terror have set a catastrophe in motion: a surprise attack more deadly than Pearl Harbor and 9/11 combined. If the nation is to survive, Lieutenant Colonel Tecumseh “Dog” Bastian and his crew will have to reach deep into their cutting-edge arsenal. And they’ll have to do it short-handed—because two of Dreamland’s best and bravest have been lost at sea.
Dale Brown's Dreamland: Satan's Tail (Dreamland Thrillers)
by Dale Brown Jim DeFeliceNew York Times–Bestselling Authors: When terrorists take to the sea, America attacks from the air . . . In the Nevada desert, the high-tech future of warfare is being built at a top-secret military facility called Dreamland . . . As extremist Islamic pirates, armed and supported by a powerful Saudi terrorist, prey on civilian vessels in the Gulf of Aden, America aggressively answers with serious muscle—a next-generation littoral warship with a full range of automated weapons systems that the enemy has dubbed “Satan's Tail.” But unforeseen technological problems—combined with the suicidal tendencies of a fanatical foe—mean support is needed from above, and a pair of Dreamland’s awesome Megafortresses and their Flighthawk escorts are dispatched to the war zone. However, bitter professional rivalries threaten to damage, perhaps even destroy, the mission, as a vengeful opponent takes advantage of the disruption to strengthen his outlaw navy and set its sights horrifically high—raising the stakes in a battle the U.S. and the world simply cannot afford to lose.Acclaim for Dale Brown“When a former pilot turns his hand to writing thrillers you can take their authenticity for granted. His writing is exceptional and the dialogue, plots and characters are first-class.” —Sunday Mirror“Few novelists can craft an aerial battle scene more strategically.” —Publishers Weekly“Brown puts us into the cockpits of wonderful machines and gives us quite a ride . . . authentic and gripping.” —The New York Times
Dale Brown's Dreamland: Strike Zone (Dreamland Thrillers #5)
by Dale Brown Jim DeFeliceIn this military thriller, the Dreamland team must track down a new super-weapon shockingly similar to its own bleeding edge technology.An Asian war that would have escalated into a nuclear nightmare has been halted, thanks to the raw courage, unparalleled skill, and total commitment of the Dreamland force. But an analysis of radar data has revealed the presence of an unknown super-weapon in the area: a robot warplane with terrifying capabilities, dubbed the “ghost clone.” Though seemingly related to Dreamland’s own U/MF Flighthawk, no one knows where this fearsome instrument of destruction originated. And a rogue nation possessing a squadron of them could wreak unimaginable havoc on an unsuspecting free world. Now nothing less than a brazen, brilliantly conceived deception will lure the ghost clone out of hiding—and only a daring strike on enemy soil can avert a tomorrow too terrible to consider . . . if it isn’t already too late.
Dam Buster: Barnes Wallis: An Engineer’s Life
by Richard Morris'A stunningly good and surely definitive biography of one of the most fascinating British engineers ever to have lived' JAMES HOLLANDBarnes Wallis became a household name after the hit 1955 film The Dam Busters, in which Michael Redgrave portrayed him as a shy genius at odds with bureaucracy. This simplified a complicated man. Wallis is remembered for contributions to aviation that spanned most of the 20th century, from airships at its start to reusable spacecraft near the end. In the years between he pioneered new kinds of aircraft structure, bombs to alter the way in which wars are fought, and aeroplanes that could change shape in flight. Later work extended to radio telescopy, prosthetic limbs, and plans for a fleet of high-speed cargo submarines to travel the world's oceans in silence. For all his fame, little is known about the man himself - the confirmed bachelor who in his mid-30s fell hopelessly in love with his teenage cousin-in-law, the enthusiast for outdoor life who in his eighties still liked to walk up a mountain, or the rationalist who dallied with Catholic spiritualty. Dam Buster draws on family records to reveal someone thick with contradictions: a Victorian who in his imagination ranged far into the 21st century; a romantic for whom nostalgic pastoral and advanced technology went together; an unassuming man who kept a close eye on his legacy.Wallis was last in a line of engineers who combined hands-on experience with searching vision. Richard Morris sets out to locate him in Britain's grand narrative.
Dam Buster: Barnes Wallis: An Engineer’s Life
by Richard Morris'A stunningly good and surely definitive biography of one of the most fascinating British engineers ever to have lived' JAMES HOLLANDBarnes Wallis became a household name after the hit 1955 film The Dam Busters, in which Michael Redgrave portrayed him as a shy genius at odds with bureaucracy. This simplified a complicated man. Wallis is remembered for contributions to aviation that spanned most of the 20th century, from airships at its start to reusable spacecraft near the end. In the years between he pioneered new kinds of aircraft structure, bombs to alter the way in which wars are fought, and aeroplanes that could change shape in flight. Later work extended to radio telescopy, prosthetic limbs, and plans for a fleet of high-speed cargo submarines to travel the world's oceans in silence. For all his fame, little is known about the man himself - the confirmed bachelor who in his mid-30s fell hopelessly in love with his teenage cousin-in-law, the enthusiast for outdoor life who in his eighties still liked to walk up a mountain, or the rationalist who dallied with Catholic spiritualty. Dam Buster draws on family records to reveal someone thick with contradictions: a Victorian who in his imagination ranged far into the 21st century; a romantic for whom nostalgic pastoral and advanced technology went together; an unassuming man who kept a close eye on his legacy.Wallis was last in a line of engineers who combined hands-on experience with searching vision. Richard Morris sets out to locate him in Britain's grand narrative.
Dam Busters: Canadian Airmen and the Secret Raid Against Nazi Germany
by Ted BarrisIt was a night that changed the Second World War. The secret air raid against the hydroelectric dams of Germany’s Ruhr River took years to plan, involved an untried bomb and included the best aircrews the RAF Bomber Command could muster—many of them Canadian. The raid marked the first time the Allies successfully took the war inside Nazi Germany. It was a mission that became legendary. On May 16, 1943, nineteen Lancaster bombers filled with 133 airmen took off on a night mission code-named Operation Chastise. Hand-picked and specially trained, the Lancaster crews flew at treetop level to the industrial heartland of the Third Reich and their targets—the Ruhr River dams—whose massive water reservoirs powered Nazi Germany’s military industrial complex. Each Lancaster carried an explosive that, when released just sixty feet over the reservoirs, bounced like a skipping stone to the dam, sank and exploded. The raiders breached two dams and severely damaged a third. The resulting torrent devastated power plants, factories and infrastructure a hundred miles downstream.Every one of the 133 airmen on the mission understood that the odds of survival were low. Of the nineteen bombers outbound, eight did not return. Operation Chastise cost the lives of fifty-three airmen, including fourteen Canadians. Of the sixteen RCAF men who survived, seven received military decorations. Based on personal accounts, flight logs, maps and photographs of the Canadians involved, Dam Busters recounts the dramatic story of these young Commonwealth bomber crews that were tasked with a high-risk mission against an enemy prepared to defend the Fatherland to the death.
Dam Busters: The True Story of the Inventors and Airmen Who Led the Devastating Raid to Smash the German Dams in 1943
by James HollandThe story of the British-made bombs, Upkeep and Highball, successfully dropped on Nazi dams “has never been told in such depth before” (Daily Mail, UK). The night of May 16, 1943: Nineteen specially adapted Lancaster bombers take off from an RAF airfield in Lincolnshire, England, each with a huge nine-thousand-pound cylindrical bomb strapped underneath it. Their mission: to destroy three hydroelectric dams that power the Third Reich’s war machine. It was a suicide mission from the outset. First the men had to fly extremely low, at night, and in tight formation over miles of enemy-occupied territory. Then they had to drop with pinpoint precision a complicated spinning cylindrical bomb that had never before been used operationally. More than that, the entire operation had to be put together in less than ten weeks in order to hit the dams when water levels were still high enough for the bombs to be effective. The visionary aviation engineer Barnes Wallis hadn’t even drawn up plans for his concept when the bouncing bomb was green-lighted. What followed was an incredible race against time that, despite numerous setbacks, became one of the most successful and significant bombing raids of all time. “Holland has delved into the new trove” of declassified documents “to shed light on this weapons program, the politics of its development and the eventual mission” (The Wall Street Journal). “An impeccably researched work in the style of a fast-paced techno-thriller.” —Publishers Weekly “Extremely detailed but never dull . . . Holland offers a definitive, nuts-and-bolts history.” —Kirkus Reviews “A well-written study of engineering and invention operating under great pressure. . . . For all World War II history buffs.” —Library Journal, starred review
Damage Control (Bloodlines)
by M. Zachary ShermanWhen a C-119 cargo plane crashes behind enemy lines in mountainous terrain, the American survivors are stranded with no chance of rescue. Facing a brutal environment, dwindling resources, and an attack by enemy forces, Corporal Tony Donovan realizes their only hope is doing the impossible: repairing one of the several destroyed Jeeps that was their cargo, utilizing a hodgepodge of remnants from the wreckage, to escape alive.