Martin Middlebrook Book order

The First Day on the Somme covers in depth the most tragic and significant 24 hours of British military history.

In July 1943, a series of heavy bombing raids virtually destroyed the North German city of Hamburg. In one night alone, some 40,000 people were killed largely because of the terrible 'firestorm'. To this day controversy rages as to the morality of these attacks and their consequences. With his trademark thoroughness, Martin Middlebrook has delved deep into the archives to uncover the facts. As ever, he draws on copious eyewitnesses and participants - a total of 547 British, American and German. The testimonies of the Hamburg survivors are particularly revealing and harrowing providing a firsthand description of what it was like to be subjected to a prolonged and intense air attack. Paradoxically while Hamburg was arguably Bomber Command's greatest achievement it remains its - and Air Marshal Harris' - most criticized. Often overlooked was the USAAF's role and this together with the contribution to the failure of German air defenses of a new device, Window, are fully covered. Firestorm Hamburg is a masterly description of a major air campaign and the Author's aim of achieving a better understanding of the background, conduct and results is fully realized. He does not shirk from studying the moral dilemma.

Originally published: London: Allen Lane, 1976.

V polovině roku 1943 západní zpravodajské služby odhalily, že v Peenemünde na baltském pobřeží funguje výzkumná základna třetí říše, představující vážnou raketovou hrozbu pro spojence. Na příkaz Winstona Churchilla připravilo bombardovací velitelství Královského válečného letectva operaci HYDRA, která proběhla v noci ze 17. na 18. srpna 1943 s cílem oslabit tuto hrozbu. Autor analyzuje plánování, průběh a výsledky operace, do níž se zapojilo 596 britských bombardérů, a popisuje zážitky posádek RAF, luftwaffe a dalších pracovníků na základně. Úspěch náletu spočíval v pozdržení vývoje a výroby raket V–2, což vedlo k zhruba dvouměsíčnímu zpoždění pokusného programu. I když se nejednalo o rozhodující nálet, ukázal Němcům, že RAF může zasáhnout jakýkoli cíl v Německu, což oslabilo morálku mnohých. Autor také zmiňuje, že po válce americká armáda zajistila sto dokončených V–2 a zajala von Brauna a další klíčové vědce. Tito odborníci byli později zaměstnáni v USA, což přispělo k dosažení měsíčního programu.

Full of useful information and points of interest the book covers not just the WW1 battles but the full span of history.

On the night of 17-18 August 1943, RAF Bomber Command attacked a research establishment on the German Baltic coast. The site was Peenemunde, where Hitler's scientists were developing both the V-1 flying bomb and the V-2 rocket whose destructive powers could have swung the course of the War. The raid was meticulously planned and hopes were high.

On 10 December 1941 two Royal Navy capital ships were sunk off Malaya by air torpedo attack. They had not requested the air support that could have saved them and 840 men died. Taking full advantage of Second World War documents, the authors re-create not only what happened but also what it was like for the men involved.

"The book provides new light on the way the Argentine forces were organized for war, the plans and reactions of the commanders, the sufferings of the soldiers and the shame and disillusionment of defeat."--Back cover.

The Falklands War began when Argentinian troops invaded the Falkland Islands on 2 April 1982. Martin Middlebrook has sought out all the available evidence from documentary and personal sources on both sides and comes to some controversial conclusions about the conflict. His book, which contains material on the Exocet attacks on British ships, on the loss of HMS Coventry and the Sir Galahad tragedy, and on the controversial sinking of the General Belgrano, has been revised for this edition. Paced like the war itself, leading to a tense and stirring climax, this book will remain the definitive work on this recent and most unusual conflict.