An interesting book about how one small German village experienced the rise and fall of National Socialism from the end of World War I to 1952.
What maAn interesting book about how one small German village experienced the rise and fall of National Socialism from the end of World War I to 1952.
What makes this book unique is that by providing the experience of a village tucked in the Alps, the account is quite intimate as the lives of the villagers are so intertwined. What the book also illustrates is that the line between being a member of the Nazi party or not was clearly much more complicated than being a good or bad person. Simple, innocuous, everyday activities and conversations suddenly involved deliberate thought to avoid life-threatening consequences. How each villager managed to cope and survive are unique and interesting. However, the book doesn’t judge; readers are simply provided the stories and left to draw their own conclusions and put themselves in the positions of the individuals presented.
The small village serves as a microcosm of what happened all over Germany during that time. I found it amazing how this scenic little village unknown to me prior to reading this book has experienced so much. Eye-opening and well-chronicled throughout, the book clearly shows how small towns and everyday people are affected by national politics and war....more
I can see why this book was chosen as a source for the storyline of the upcoming Hanks/Spielberg mini-series focusing on the 8th AIr Force in World WaI can see why this book was chosen as a source for the storyline of the upcoming Hanks/Spielberg mini-series focusing on the 8th AIr Force in World War II. Frank Murphy has written a superbly-detailed account of his experiences as a navigator of a B-17 � participating in 21 missions over enemy territory. Akin to the “Band of Brothers�-like storyline, we are given a full account of the training involved in producing the bomber crews, as well as the combat they experienced.
While I still feel the Stackpole book “Savage Sky� by George Webster is the most gripping tale of war on a B-17 over Europe from a combat perspective, Murphy’s account provides readers with a broader view, especially since he spent almost 2 years in a POW camp. Unlike most wartime memoirs, Murphy’s family plight during his time abroad is a steady undercurrent through the entire book and I can see it as being the main reason why this particular book was probably chosen as the source for the upcoming miniseries (hopefully, I’ll see if my guess is correct very soon).
One of the biggest attributes of this book, outside the author’s experiences is the painstaking amount of historical detail pertaining to missions, planes (down to serial numbers), aircrews, etc.. At times, these particulars tend to disrupt the reading flow as the small notes can occupy half of one page and part of another, but they always add critical clarity.
One thing that hits readers from the start is the fact that Frank Murphy is yet another shining example of that “Greatest Generation�. A 20 year college student, volunteering for service in the Air Corps, a navigator on board one of the most sophisticated machines of its time and facing war for over 2 consecutive years � one of the millions who willingly put their young lives at stake for a higher calling....more
A well-written book that illustrates Operation Barbarossa (history’s largest invasion) as a self-inflicted bloodletting for the seemingly invincible GA well-written book that illustrates Operation Barbarossa (history’s largest invasion) as a self-inflicted bloodletting for the seemingly invincible German war machine.
An accumulation of personal accounts neatly tied-together by the author’s smooth narrative presents a visceral image of how miserable and futile the invasion of the Soviet Union truly was. A compelling read that details how the harsh Russian environment and the dogged and unpredictable nature of its military seemed to lure the Wehrmacht into a web it would never escape.
Jonathan Trigg does a great job telling the history with the personal accounts giving insight to the invaders� plight. No stone is left unturned in this book as we are presented with the campaign’s barbaric nature and Germany’s failure to understand its enemy, terrain, climate and logistics.
A balanced read. One of the better modern books on understanding Operation Barbarossa that has sparked my interest in reading his other “through German eyes� books....more
Interesting Analysis That Covers Both Sides of the Issue �
This book was reviewed as part of Amazon's Vine program which included a free copy of the bInteresting Analysis That Covers Both Sides of the Issue �
This book was reviewed as part of Amazon's Vine program which included a free copy of the book.
The United States� use of the atomic bomb in World War II is yet another issue that solidifies World War II as one of the most important events in human history. The destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is still a sensitive and controversial subject matter to this day. 140 DAYS TO HIROSHIMA does an excellent job of illustrating the lead-up to the bombs being dropped from both the Japanese and American perspective.
David Dean Barrett wastes no time setting the scenario for readers. Starting with the massive American firebombing raids that destroyed Tokyo, we are given an idea as to how both American political and military leadership came to the decision to ultimately use an atomic weapon to avert the horrendous casualty estimates associated with the plan to invade Japan (Operation Olympic). While the American perspective is interesting (and covered thoroughly by other books), it’s the countering view of how the Japanese leadership reacts/responds to events that makes this book such a worthy read. This view of events leading up to (and after) the bombs being dropped not only makes it quite clear how the difficult decision to use the weapons was made, but how the rift within the Japanese hierarchy almost resulted in more cities being vaporized.
I like how Barrett chronologically organizes the book with each chapter title including a countdown of days until the first atomic bomb is dropped. Even though we know the historical sequence of events, it still creates a “clock-ticking to doomsday� feel that generates a sense of pressure while reading. It’s hard not to read about the Japanese leadership’s actions without getting a “if you only had a hint of what was coming� sense of doom.
The book clearly details that the ultimate decision to use the bomb was not impulsive. Barrett illustrates the complexities associated with the decision of using the secret new weapon from America’s political and military point of view. The uncertainty of the weapons� ultimate effectiveness and the fact that the closer the war approached Japan’s homelands, the more fanatical the Japanese fought, and this certainly presented a potentially catastrophic casualty rate if Japan was to be invaded. Compounding the issue was that Harry Truman was just inaugurated as President following FDR’s death in office and was forced to face the monumental decision of using the bomb almost immediately. The whole American scenario plays-out with a sense of controlled-chaos as all those involved in the decision-making process never universally agreed on any single source/study accounting for the bomb’s likely effectiveness or the human cost involved with invading Japan � it was essentially a high-stakes guessing-game. There was even the thought of using the bombs tactically with the invasion plan where bombs would be dropped on cities with American troops going in shortly afterward. This further illustrates that the science behind this type of weaponry was still in its infancy stages. It’s hard to fathom such a grave decision being made today and I found it amazing to see the thoughtful, thorough, mature and deliberate manner in which leaders made such a serious and deadly determination based on so many hypothetical scenarios � especially considering up to a million American lives were estimated to be at stake.
The parallel Japanese perspective is as diverse as it is interesting. Readers will get a clear view of how Japanese leadership generally put saving the image of Japanese culture ahead of its citizens at all costs. We see the rift between those who wished to prolong the war to the bitter end versus those who wanted to end it. So much turmoil during those 140 days: coup attempts, suicides, assassination plots, futile desires to keep the Soviet Union out of the war and the desire to turn millions of Japanese citizens into suicidal warriors. While the Americans letter-bombed Japan with warnings of the use of a destructive new weapon, Japan’s leaders are made to appear more concerned about their righteous image to the people than their well-being. If anything, readers may see Hirohito as being more complicit in Japan’s war crimes than western media alluded him to be � as he is the only head of an Axis power to not only survive the war but retain his leadership position.
I found 140 DAYS TO HIROSHIMA to be a concise and well-sourced presentation of a complex and controversial subject matter. Providing perspectives from both sides of the issue makes this book an excellent resource to understand the gravity of the situation at that time by generating a fly-on-the-wall view of how issues were presented, how decisions were made and reactions to the results of those decisions. While the countdown starts 140 days before the Hiroshima bomb being dropped, chapters also account for the days afterward all the way to Japan’s surrender. Barrett also reserves a chapter at the end that details the post-war lives of all significant individuals.
I would certainly recommend 140 DAYS TO HIROSHIMA to anyone seeking a well-rounded view of this chapter in history. The author presents his well-sourced research in a readable manner that flows without getting bogged-down in minutia and the book never gets boring. ...more
The attention to detail is impressive, but makes for a tedious read. The Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission(s) are not necessarily the focal point of the The attention to detail is impressive, but makes for a tedious read. The Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission(s) are not necessarily the focal point of the book, but they definitely summarize the issues the USAAF faced in its daylight bombing campaign in 1943, as well as the Luftwaffe’s response.
The book also does a good job “setting the table� for both sides by detailing aircraft, weaponry and tactics. A direct, concise and neutral approach to the subject matter. Well illustrated with photos and beautiful combat artwork....more
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