Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany

Book Description

Masters of the Air is the deeply personal story of the American bomber boys in World War II who brought the war to Hitler's doorstep. With the narrative power of fiction, Donald Miller takes readers on a harrowing ride through the fire-filled skies over Berlin, Hanover, and Dresden and describes the terrible cost of bombing for the German people.

Fighting at 25,000 feet in thin, freezing air that no warriors had ever encountered before, bomber crews battled new kinds of assaults on body and mind. Air combat was deadly but intermittent: periods of inactivity and anxiety were followed by short bursts of fire and fear. Unlike infantrymen, bomber boys slept on clean sheets, drank beer in local pubs, and danced to the swing music of Glenn Miller's Air Force band, which toured U.S. air bases in England. But they had a much greater chance of dying than ground soldiers. In 1943, an American bomber crewman stood only a one-in-five chance of surviving his tour of duty, twenty-five missions. The Eighth Air Force lost more men in the war than the U.S. Marine Corps.

The bomber crews were an elite group of warriors who were a microcosm of America -- white America, anyway. (African-Americans could not serve in the Eighth Air Force except in a support capacity.) The actor Jimmy Stewart was a bomber boy, and so was the "King of Hollywood," Clark Gable. And the air war was filmed by Oscar-winning director William Wyler and covered by reporters like Andy Rooney and Walter Cronkite, all of whom flew combat missions with the men.

The Anglo-American bombing campaign against Nazi Germany was the longest military campaign of World War II, a war within a war. Until Allied soldiers crossed into Germany in the final months of the war, it was the only battle fought inside the German homeland.

Strategic bombing did not win the war, but the war could not have been won without it. American

airpower destroyed the rail facilities and oil refineries that supplied the German war machine. The bombing campaign was a shared enterprise: the British flew under the cover of night while American bombers attacked by day, a technique that British commanders thought was suicidal.

Masters of the Air is a story, as well, of life in wartime England and in the German prison camps, where tens of thousands of airmen spent part of the war. It ends with a vivid description of the grisly hunger marches captured airmen were forced to make near the end of the war through the country their bombs destroyed.

Drawn from recent interviews, oral histories, and American, British, German, and other archives, Masters of the Air is an authoritative, deeply moving account of the world's first and only bomber war.

Customer Reviews:

A "must read" for all those interested in WW II........2007-10-10

This monumental work covers the bomber war in Europe in a more complete way than any other book I have read including anything the great Martin Caidin has written. Mr. Miller tells the story from the perspectives of the tail gunners, waist gunners, radiomen, bombadiers, navigators, co-pilots and pilots as well as the generals who devised the strategys. All aspects of the war are covered from the original construction of the air bases to airplane maintenance to training to missions to time-off at local village pubs. Unlike other books, this one covers the POWs and their horrendous plight especially as the war is winding down and the Nazis more them from location to location ahead of the advancing Allies. Miller also includes stories about Capt. Tibbets of Hiroshima fame and a fascinating story of Chuck Yeager's escape from occupied Europe through Spain and his subsequent return to combat, something almost never allowed because re-patriated flyers knew too much about the french underground that would jeapordize lives if they were shot down a second time. Also of interest was information about what happened to crewmen who elected to land in "neutral" Switzerland in wounded ships. I recommend this book highly.

Masters of the Air.......2007-09-11

A marvelous story about the WW II air war over Europe. Full of interesting details and descriptions. I have shared it with friends that did their 35 missions, and they concur.

The Story of the "Mighty Eighth".......2007-09-08

This well-written and exhaustively researched book chronicles the rise of the American Eighth Air Force from its early days in England to VE Day in 1945.

At the outset of the war, the British believed that night bombing was the best way to attack German cities and industry. However, once America entered the war, they chose a philosophy different from that of the British. The Americans believed that daylight precision strategic bombing was the only way to defeat the Germans. The British, on the other hand, still favored nighttime area bombing. This difference of opinion between the Americans and British was never really settled, but by combining the "round the clock" attacks of American planes during the day and British planes at night, the Germans faced an unending stream of planes and bombs.

When the Eighth flew their first mission in the fall of 1942, they could barely muster thirty planes, but at the end of the war, they were putting up well over one thousand, with several hundred fighter escorts as well. The German Luftwaffe could not match these incredible numbers of planes, and, despite such tactics as underground production and introducing the world's first jet fighter, there was little they could do to stop the Allied bombing.

Differences also existed between the British and Americans regarding target selection. The British favored carpet bombing Germany's cities with little or no regard for civilian casualties. The Americans favored targeting German industry (synthetic oil production, ball bearings, and transportation hubs). The Americans believed that the systematic destruction of the German economy would bring about surrender quicker than the British belief of "terror attacks" designed to break the will of the German people.

An interesting point made by the author is whether or not strategic bombing was effective against the Germans. A preponderance of the evidence would suggest that the answer to this question is "yes", but there are some compelling counter-points made in the book.

This is a fine work of aviation history. The book is well-researched and is easy to read and understand. Every aspect of the Allied bomber offensive in Europe is covered in great detail. The author also includes many personal testimonials from the men who flew the B-17s and B-24s against the Germans. An interesting chapter is also devoted to the Swiss government and how they treated "captured" Allied fliers. The terrifying incendiary raid on Dresden as well as the horrific destruction of Berlin is also told in vivid detail.

I give this fine book my highest recommendation. If you're looking for information on the Eighth Air Force and the air war over Europe, this is the book to read.

Does anyone at Simon & Schuster proofread?.......2007-09-04

Mr. Miller's book includes not only substantial research into prior publications but very interesting research based on letters and interviews he's found on his own. It's a good book. But if you're a member of the word police you'll be annoyed by the many proofreading errors. Here's a sample: "In the heavily defended Ruhr, with its permanent cloud of industrial smoke, the number was only in ten." (p.54) Should have been "within ten miles." Some errors are so simple a spell checker would have caught them: (p.199) "spining" for spinning. And there are some factual errors as well. Miller attributes contrails to wingtips. They're created by engines. It's much easier to criticize than to write. Still, S&S should have, with the several editors listed in the acknowledgments, caught the errors. I have no idea whether they have been corrected in the paperback.

The Unsung Heroes of The Eighth Air Force.......2007-08-26

This is an overdue tribute to those young men who gave their lives, in great numbers, fighting the air war over Germany in WWII.To those who think WWII was fought without major tatical errors, this book will be a revelation. In tribute to the kids who lost their lives in this bloody effort, everyone should be required to read this story. If you thought that service in the Air Force was a cake walk read this book.

Turkey's Modernization: Refugees from Nazism and Ataturk's Vision

Average customer rating:

In depth information about a little known topic
WOWW
Highly recommended especially for college library, international studies and Turkish history shelves.
Compelling!
Refuge and its reward

Turkey's Modernization: Refugees from Nazism and Ataturk's Vision
Arnold Reisman
Manufacturer: New Academia Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Turkey | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

20th Century | World | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0977790886

Book Description

This book chronicles the story of a group of individuals caught at a crossroads and targeted in the cross fires of history. In 1933 events in their native Germanic lands presented them with a "Hobson's choice"-leave if you can or die! Their lives were saved because Turkey was discarding the society and culture inherited from the Ottomans' derelict and shattered empire while recognizing and addressing the need to modernize its society, culture, way of living, and system of higher education. Using a collection of third-party archival documents, cotemporaneous family and collegial correspondence, memoirs, oral histories, photos, and other surviving evidence Arnold Reisman documents the fears, the courage, the heartaches, and the determination of these brilliant people as well as their contributions to shifting established paradigms in several fields of knowledge. He also speculates about Turkey's inabilities to fully capitalize on these emigres' legacy. The book is intended for lay readers interested in history of the 20th Century, history of science, history of Turkey, the Holocaust, and in a case study of post-Islamic national development. "This book adds to our knowledge of an important aspect of the Holocaust, and of the behavior of Nation States in the modern world of woe and grief." - Sir Martin Gilbert, Winston Churchill's official biographer and a leading historian of the modern world. He is the author of The Holocaust: A History of the Jews of Europe During the Second World War. "This book should be on the 'must-read' list of books about World War II and the years preceding it." - Dr. Israel Hanukoglu, Former Science Adviser to the Prime Minister of Israel. Currently Professor and Chairman of the Department of Molecular Biology, College of Judea and Samaria, Ariel, Israel. "This book involves five major topics: science, history, politics, economics, and the arts. It is the earliest comprehensive essay in the English language, on the German Ã©migrÃ©s who, while taking refuge in Turkey after 1933, contributed to the modernization of its higher education, and to the implementation of research activities and social reforms." - Prof. Dr. Feza GÃ¼nergun, Chair for History of Science, Faculty of Letters, Istanbul University, Beyazit-Istanbul, Turkey.

Customer Reviews:

In depth information about a little known topic.......2007-02-02

This book is about the story of the German-Jewish professors that were displaced by the [..]and were invited to come to Turkey by Ataturk's government. About 150 of them came in the 1933-1938 time frame. Some stayed for a few years, many stayed for 10 years or more. Some have stayed until retirement.The book, about 470 pages long and illustrated with many photographs and other material, is a really well-researched investigation into * the world circumstances that made this episode possible* the individuals who arranged the mechanics of this immigration* the personal life stories of these very capable scholars* how they adapted to life in Turkey* how they impacted Turkey's university education and modernization* the nature of the support and non-support they received from the government and the people This was a subject I had fleeting knowledge about. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, which greatly enhanced my knowledge and understanding of the subject. It also provided yet another illustration of the vision and genius of Ataturk in making deft use of every opportunity to improve his nation. It triggered in my mind the thought that Turkey probably had a second similar opportunity at the time of the disintegration of the Soviet Union, when top tier scientists in select fields could have easily been induced to come to Turkey. Unfortunately, political cadres in charge at the time had nowhere near Ataturk's vision. I would highly recommend this book to everyone. It is very readable and has many details that our generation can relate to. An interesting trivia is that Einstein was one month away himself from coming to Turkey within these group of scholars, when he received an offer from Princeton.

WOWW.......2007-01-01

A fascinating read.

I am very involved with genealogy, so I really enjoyed the memoirs.

The structure of the book was different and refreshing.

Highly recommended especially for college library, international studies and Turkish history shelves........2006-12-10

Written by Arnold Reisman Ph.D., who has served as Visiting Scholar in Turkey at both Sabanci University and the Istanbul Technical University, Turkey's Modernization: Refugees from Nazism and Ataturk's Vision is enlightening true story of how the Turkish Government of Mustafa Kernal Atatuk and Ismet Inonu accepted German and Austrian Jews, and took advantage of these victims of racial prejudice and persecution to aid the Turkish Republic's progress in academic, scientific, and medical undertakings. Tracing the lasting impacts of builders, preservers, creators, social reformers, healers, and scientists, as well as the problems they encountered, the turbulence caused by World War II and their attempts to emigrate to the U.S., Turkey's Modernization is a fascinating parable of how Turkey capitalized upon the best and the brightest - as well as of its stumbling blocks, such as its cultural predispositions for encouraging talented scientists to be content as hired hands rather than strike out and forge new businesses. Highly recommended especially for college library, international studies and Turkish history shelves.

Compelling!.......2006-09-26

Arnold Reisman's book, Turkey's Modernization, was a history lesson of the best kind. I have read a number of books on the Nazi takeover of various countries. Yet, I had never experienced the joy of learning how Turkey welcomed those expelled from Germany.

In 1933, when Hitler came to power, he decided to dismiss all Jewish professors from German colleges and universities. Geniuses of technology, physics and the arts fled into Turkey's waiting arms and began its well-deserved modernization.

The "emigres" (renowned scientists, architects and artists) are responsible for some of the most magnificent structures in Turkey still standing today. These brave professors taught Turkish students and were revered by most in the country. Of course, they had to deal with jealousy from Turkish professors for a number of reasons. Some of the emigres were paid a higher salary and enjoyed various perks, yet this was all deserved. It certainly couldn't heal a people
who were devastated at having to leave their homes and families to chart an unknown territory. Yet, thank God they did! Hitler's lost was absolutely Turkey's gain!

These professors were too many to be named in this review. You must read this book in order to understand and celebrate the contributions of these refugees from Nazism. They were saviors to Turkey and the students they benefited.

Turkey's Modernization was a book I couldn't put down. It should be required reading for all who are history majors and any who can enjoy a story of lemons turned into lemonade.

Armchair Interviews says: Another unique view of history most do not know.

Refuge and its reward .......2006-09-25

The convergence of two historical developments are at the center of this book. First , is the rise of the Nazis to power in Germany. Second, is the creation of modern Turkey, and its effort to develop a first- rate set of academic institutions. This convergence meant that a number of leading German and Austrian academics were invited in the years 1933-1939 to teach and help establish their disciplines in Turkey. Among these are some figures of world - reputation including Erich Auerbach, the author of one of the greatest of all works of Literary Criticism, 'Mimesis' the leading figures of the 'Berlin Group' the philosopher Hans Reichenbach, the mathemitician aerodynamist and positivist philosopher Richard von Mises, the positivist philosopher Carl Hempl, the composer Paul Hindemith, the theatrical producer Carl Ebert,and the astrophysicist Findlay Freundlich. One of the first scientists and a major figure in expediting the whole process was the pathologist Philip Schwarz. All in all close to three - hundred distinguished academics and their family members made their way to Turkey during this time. The effect of their efforts amounted to nothing less than a total transformation of the higher education system in Turkey, in the sciences, humanities, and arts, but also in public health, library, legal, engineering and administrative practices.
Reisman provides a thorough documentation and often moving narrative of this process, including his telling of many of the individual stories of the academicians involved. In the background he provides an overall history of modern Turkey and brings this up - to- date even providing an explanation of the current situation of the academic world in Turkey and why the original reforms carried out by these academicians have not always had the results desired.
This is a large book impressively researched and very clearly and movingly written.
I could not recommend it more highly.

The Camp Men: The Ss Officers Who Ran the Nazi Concentration Camp System (Schiffer Military History)

Average customer rating:

Misleading descriptions and a disappointing book
for those who know about the subject but miss the photos
Disappointing Book
Outstanding Reference Work
Una grande ricerca

The Camp Men: The Ss Officers Who Ran the Nazi Concentration Camp System (Schiffer Military History)
French L. MacLean
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Military & Spies | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Prisoners of War | Military | History | Subjects | Books
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The Field Men: The Ss Officers Who Led the Einsatzkommandos - The Nazi Mobile Killing Units (Schiffer Military History)
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ASIN: 0764306367

Book Description

nside these pages you will meet over 960 infamous men Ð the officers of Nazi Germany's Totenkopf (Death's Head). You will encounter the 256 SS officers who worked at Dachau Ð the SS concentration camp that doubled as a training school for death. You will encounter twelve SS officers who served in Treblinka and the other very secret camps of Operation Reinhard Ð Heinrich Himmler's extermination plan for the Jews of Poland. And, you will confront the 161 SS officers who ran the largest killing center of all time Ð Auschwitz. These officers of the Death's Head, many of whom later served in the Waffen-SS, were not the bureaucrats who meticulously planned Adolf Hitler's Final Solution from behind a desk in Berlin, or those who quietly scheduled the trains that carried the victims to the camps. Quite the contrary; these men stood on the front-line of the Nazi war to exterminate the Jews Ð they poured the gas pellets, they conducted the gruesome medical experiments, they supervised the crematoria, they smelled the stench of death, they heard the screams, they ordered the guards to shoot. They were The Camp Men Ð and they were at the heart of darkness. The photographic section of the book, with well over one hundred photographs Ð a large portion previously unpublished Ð is the largest collection of photographs of SS camp personnel ever to appear in one work. The images come from the extensive files of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Berlin Document Center, Yad Vashem and many other institutional collections. There are additionally photographs from private sources, including almost twenty rare pictures from the Gross-Rosen camp kommandant's personal photograph album. , over 140 b/w photographs, maps, 8 1/2" x 11"

Customer Reviews:

Misleading descriptions and a disappointing book.......2007-09-14

Based on the initial description of this book and several of the reviews, I thought this was a book that would give in depth information about the SS officers and their roles in the concentration camps. Instead, most of the book consists of lists of officers with short biographical info. There are some very good pictures and some information, but the majority of the book is simply lists. Based on the initial description, I purchased this book for my students to use as a research tool to learn more about how the SS operated, their day to day lives, etc. I was extremely disappointed. Considering the price, I wish the description of the contents had been clearer. I would not have purchased the book.

for those who know about the subject but miss the photos.......2007-03-08

Disappointing Book.......2002-05-16

This was the first WW2 book I read that I was not happy with. The previous reviews gave a false impression as to the content of the book, which was the original reason for my purchase. The book is nothing more than a "directory" of names of those personnel that served in the camps---no pictures at all! The photo section was not impressive, except for several photos of Auschwitz-Birkenau. This would probably be better advertised as a history reference book, don't expect anything more than cold, hard facts here.

Outstanding Reference Work.......2000-08-18

Many books have been written about the Holocaust, SS and the Nazi regime in general. Where many of them fail is in referring to individuals as if the reader understands exactly where they fitted into the overall picture and is familiar with them.

If you have made more than a cursory journey through this fascinating and terrifying period this book is an essential source of reference.

The author has diligently uncovered, at the very least, the basic identity of virtually every individual who served in the concentration camp system. That many of them subsequently 'graduated' to front line service in the Waffen SS does not disguise the reality that they had camp 'pedigrees' - somewhat at odds with the popular 'we were only soldiers' cop out.

So next time a name, whether familiar or unfamiliar, crops up in a World War 2 oriented publication you are reading chances are you could reach for this book and find his ( or her!) personal details, service record, and maybe even a photograph.

Had this book been released shortly after 1945 I am certain it would have caused a great deal of discomfort to a number of individuals who subsequently covered themselves in shrouds of anonymity.

Una grande ricerca.......2000-03-04

Per gli appassionati i libri di French MacLean sono stati una rivelazione. In particolare, in questo "The Camp Men" viene fatta definitiva luce sui rapporti fra le SS impegnate nei campi e le Waffen SS e più in generale sulla storia personale di quanti offrirono la propria anima al folle incubo nazista (provenienza, studi, onoreficenze, stato di servizio). Il lavoro sulle fonti è denso e accurato, l'organizzazione dei dati è puntuale, le conclusioni sono semplici e dirette. Non si tratta di un libro di uno storico: direi che l'approccio è più archivistico o statistico. Ma questi dati sono talmente immediati che chiunque abbia un minimo di conoscenza della storia delle SS non potrà che riconoscere che di uno studio del genere si sentiva assolutamente bisogno. Altamente raccomandato assieme a "The Field Men" e a "The Cruel Hunters", sempre di French MacLean.

The Search for Major Plagge: The Nazi Who Saved Jews, Expanded Edition

Average customer rating:

Outstanding book
A story that needed telling, over and over
well researched and uplifiting
Deeply Moving Book Of The Triumph Of Good Against Evil
a real unknown hero

The Search for Major Plagge: The Nazi Who Saved Jews, Expanded Edition
Michael Good
Manufacturer: Fordham University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Holocaust | Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Jewish | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Lithuania | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0823224414
Release Date: 2006-10-01

Book Description

When The Search for Major Plagge was published last spring, the world finally learned about a unique heroÂ—and about one American doctorÂ's extraordinary journey to tell Karl PlaggeÂ's story.Part detective story, part personal quest, Michael GoodÂ's book is the story of the German commander of a Lithuanian work camp who saved hundreds of Jewish lives in the Vilna ghetto Â—including the life of GoodÂ's mother, Pearl. Who was this enigmatic officer Pearl Good had spoken of so often?After five years of researchÂ—interviewing survivors, assembling a team that could work to open German files untouched for fifty years, following every lead he could, Good was able to uncover the amazing tale of one manÂ's remarkable courage. And in April 2005 Karl Plagge joined Oskar Schindler and 380 other Germans as a Â“Righteous among Nations,Â” honored by the State of Israel for protecting and saving Jewish lives during the Holocaust.This expanded edition features new photographs and a new epilogue on the impact of the discovery of Karl PlaggeÂ—especially the story of 83-year-old Alfons von Deschwanden, who, after fifty years of silence, came forward as a veteran of PlaggeÂ's unit. His testimony is now part of this growing witness to truth.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding book.......2007-08-09

This is a remarkable book both for its deeply moving story and for its underlying message of how a day-to-day battle of moral choices can be waged with the strength of conviction. It begins with an existential question most people never have to ask and ends with the satisfying feeling of a debt repaid as completely as life can allow. I recommend this book to anyone.

A story that needed telling, over and over.......2007-03-15

The Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, located in Jerusalem is the largest holocause museum in the world. As you would expect it describes the terrible inhumanity the Germans imposed upon the jews and leaves you with a feeling of hoplessness. But in the museum there is one shining glory, the wall whereupon is inscribed the names of those considered to be 'Righteous among the Nations.' This term is used to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust in order to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis. There are people of all nationalities listed on the wall. Among the names are some 380 germans. Among these is the name Karl Plagge.

A low level officer in the Wehrmacht he commanded a military vehicle repair unit in Vilna, now Vilnius, Lithuania and he saved the lives of at least 250 jews, including the author's mother.

This is the story of Major Plagge, who as usual for heros would admit to no special courage.

well researched and uplifiting.......2006-03-09

a superb and engrossing investigation of a nazi who tried to protect jewish people from certain death by setting up a factory not unlike oscar schindler. the son of a survivor who always told the story of the mysterious major plagge who saved many tried to find this man and his motives. spellbinding and heartening unlike so many other holocaust stories.

Deeply Moving Book Of The Triumph Of Good Against Evil.......2005-08-28

There is so much evil when Governments attack their own people as has happened throughout history. The Nazi Government in Germany was especially evil as it attacked many millions of its own people and neighboring peoples. The Nazi Government which was, as is always the case in evil governments, run by a relatively few number of people with awesome power, was on a murderous rampage in Europe. A very few courageous people stood up in opposition. One of these people is Major Plagge. It is thrilling to read of his courage, bravery and success. Everyone should read this book. Hopefully, then more persons could stand up against evil governments before its too late. Why is it that of all the species on the Earth that Man is the most evil? It is because of the accumulation of power in the hands of a few people. That is always a recipe for disaster.

a real unknown hero.......2005-07-28

Dr. Good has written a wonderfull history that could be ficton, BUT IS NOT. The book casts a light on true heroism.

The Spies Who Never Were: The True Story of the Nazi Spies Who Were Actually Allied Double Agents

Average customer rating:

World War two spies

The Spies Who Never Were: The True Story of the Nazi Spies Who Were Actually Allied Double Agents
Hervie Haufler
Manufacturer: NAL Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Intelligence & Espionage | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Espionage | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0451217519

Book Description

In 1940, Hitler infiltrated England with spies to gather intelligence and disrupt Allied plans. But unbeknownst to the Germans, the entire network had been captured and "turned" into double agents who reported to the British while sending misinformation to the Germans about Allied defenses and strategy. Now, after decades of secrecy, comes the first complete account of the British network that ran this "phony war."

Readers will meet "Tricycle," the model for Ian Fleming's James Bond and "Tate," who so expertly deceived the Germans that he was awarded the Iron Cross. And the greatest double agent of all, who convinced the Germans he was their principal spy in the U.K.-even as he helped the Allies pull off the greatest deception in the history of warfare

Customer Reviews:

World War two spies.......2007-07-29

I liked the book. A well written story of how some agents of Germany were turned against them to provide false intelligence to the Nazis.
We need some of that in this day and age.

The Field Men: The Ss Officers Who Led the Einsatzkommandos - The Nazi Mobile Killing Units (Schiffer Military History)

Average customer rating:

very interesting photo section
Great Research!

The Field Men: The Ss Officers Who Led the Einsatzkommandos - The Nazi Mobile Killing Units (Schiffer Military History)
French MacLean
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Military & Spies | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Jewish | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Camp Men: The Ss Officers Who Ran the Nazi Concentration Camp System (Schiffer Military History)
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ASIN: 0764307541

Book Description

Two thousand nine hundred forty-five men lined up in four motorized columns immediately behind the German Army on June 22, 1941 as it prepared to launch Operation Barbarossa Ð the German attack on the Soviet Union Ð an attack designed to win the war. Their mission Ð for the glory of Greater Germany Ð was to butcher as many human beings as they could get their hands on Ð men, women and children who were at that very moment peacefully sleeping in their warm beds in dozens of large cities and scores of small hamlets from the Gulf of Finland to the Black Sea, and from the border with old Poland to the outskirts of Moscow. The field men of the Einsatzkommandos, the men of Bach and Beethoven, Grimm and Gutenberg Ð and now Hitler and Heydrich Ð were very thorough at what they did. Over the course of the next two years, by means of machine-guns, carbines, gas vans, explosives, rifle butts or ax handles, the field men would slaughter 1,300,000 people. The Field Men, a companion volume to MacLean's The Camp Men: the SS Officers Who Ran the Nazi Concentration Camp System, covers the entire gamut, from the organization of the units, to the SS officers who served in this scourge on the Eastern Front. Some 380 SS officers are described in full detail and extensively analyzed. The photographic section of the book contains over 175 photographs, while detailed maps show the locations for each unit throughout the campaign., over 175 b/w photographs and maps, 8 1/2" x 11"

Customer Reviews:

very interesting photo section.......2007-03-08

Consisting of a long section presenting (very abridged) cv's, and a photo section, the photos are what makes the tome valuable. These pictures aren't to be found elsewhere, and for those who are fond of reading facial features, they make for a very interesting journey into the heinous world of everyday neighbors turned mass murderers. The leaders of the Einsatzgruppen in particular were a crowd of often accomplished lawyers conversant in several languages, so their voyage into the abyss is all the more disturbing.

Not a few of the likenesses shown in this volume might have blended in at any Ivy League law school. Also, note a faint resemblance of one of the most bloodthirsty Einsatzgruppen leaders standing trial in Nuremberg, Paul Blobel, to the Unabomber. (Blobel having been the person who, driving with Albert Speer to Blobel's quarters near Kiev one night in 1941, passed through the Babiy Yar valley. According to Speer, the car headlights illuminated the earth erupting with eerie fog plumes the way the Yellowstone Park earth erupts. Blobel turned to Speer and remarked: "Here, my 30.000 Jews are resting.")

As more information related to the persons shown is to be found on the internet at a mouse's stroke, the cv section is basically just a starter, and could well have been done away with.

Great Research!.......2000-11-14

I'm a little surprised that a review of this excellent book has not been written sooner. French McLean has once again proven his ability to conduct archival research and translate it into a creative and effective reference tool for serious historians. I highly recommend this book--it is a jolt to the senses to see how mainly ordinary bureaucrats could be lured by the "system" into committing the massive-scale murders that they did. This is probably the first book of its kind to present that depth of insight into Heydrich's SD. Well done, French.

Average customer rating:

Thorough yet concise
Who's Reviewing What?
Not for academic pursuits...

Who's Who In Nazi Germany (Who's Who)
R. Wistrich
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Encyclopedia of the Third Reich
Death Dealer: The Memoirs of the SS Kommandant at Auschwitz
Resistance: The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
The Waffen SS: Hitler's Elite Fighting Force
Gestapo: Hitler's Secret Police

ASIN: 0415118883

Book Description

Who's Who in Nazi Germany looks at the individuals who influenced every aspect of life in Nazi Germany. The volume includes Nazi Party leaders; SS, Wehrmacht and Gestapo personalities; civil service and diplomatic personnel; and figures from other walks of life such as Goebbels, Hess and Eva Braun, Thomas Mann, Einstein and Brecht. Extensive biographical information is included on each figure, with a full analysis of his or her role and significance in Nazi Germany. All the information is presented in an accessible, easy-to-use A-Z layout, with a full glossary and bibliography at the end. Who's Who in Nazi Germany is a fascinating and indispensable source of reference for everyone interested in this pivotal period in 20th Century history.

Customer Reviews:

Thorough yet concise.......2005-09-03

Great as a supplemental research tool. Saved me a lot of time.

Who's Reviewing What?.......2005-08-20

I don't know which book the previous reviewer was reading, but it wasn't this one. Professor Wistrich's book is intended as a reference work, providing brief biographies of important or significant persons in Germany under the Nazi regime. It is not intended to provide a comprehensive biography of every member of the Nazi Party, nor to be a compendium of evil-doers, and it does neither. For example, it includes listings for Bertolt Brecht (playwright and poet), Otto Dix (German-expressionist painter), Albert Einstein (Nobel Prize-winning physicist), and Kathe Kollwitz (Socialist and painter)-- none of them Nazis. The big-name Nazis are there, but so are church leaders, artists, scientists, and business people, of a variety of political and ideological orientations, some of them offering active resistance to National Socialism.
The book is a biographical dictionary, providing a ready reference and point of departure for further research by the serious student. If I have a criticism, it is in some of those selected for inclusion-- a necessarily subjective decision, as the author acknowleges.
The previous reviewer's contention that Wistrich cites four of his own works in the bibliography again left me wondering what book he had read. In my copy, the author cites a grand total of ONE of his own works. Nor is the book the protracted drumbeat about how evil the Nazis were that the previous reviewer would have us believe it is, though failure to acknowledge the fact would be a falsification of history worthy of an ideologue-- not a historian.

Not for academic pursuits..........2001-01-21

If you want to discover that Nazis were very, very bad people, then this book is for you!

However, if you are writing a paper or piece of historical fiction, or if you simply want to gain understanding about the political underpinnings and society of Nazi Germany, then this wouldn't be a good choice.

This book only features the well-known Nazis, and is very general in scope. You definitely won't find anything new here if you are a history buff. If you need info on a particular influential Nazi, for example Gregor Ebner or Emil Strom, look elsewhere. Only brief (page-and-a-half or so) bios with lists of evil deeds are included--nothing about organizations, timelines, or political relationships. Nothing of any substance. I was very disappointed by the lack of info in this book, and feel somewhat cheated.(It took twenty days to arrive, too.)

This book seems to have suffered from the author's passion for the subject. In the bibliography, he cites four of his own previous books, which is bad form for a scholar. I can't imagine how this book could be useful to anyone except for those who need to be reassured that the bastards are still evil after all these years. Most of this book is hot air. One star (two if you need to be reminded that Nazis are not good Volks).

Flying Against the Wind: The Story of a Young Woman Who Defied the Nazis
Average customer rating:

Flying against the wind

Pretty silly if you ask me

Flying Against the Wind: The Story of a Young Woman Who Defied the Nazis
Ina R. Friedman
Manufacturer: Lodgepole Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Other Victims: First-Person Stories of Non-Jews Persecuted by the Nazis (Sandpiper)

ASIN: 1886721009

Customer Reviews:

Flying against the wind.......2001-04-25

hjdukxfj giojodizjgiojtdiujuiogjzrybh xghotiio itjihyjtiyrj itjgj iorjjo jgtioj itoj hitioj ithjrj j jiotjytjohjorjzslfroeiygj djoetj otrj gj igjhoitjrd dojty iyfjhioyrojhof ioyje ijhtiojygkojg igijohgijhiojity iotjhijigfjihdfhn hitfghjojhj giohtjhhjofjgjghkihjfoghj gjioho hgihjijoftrhj fhighojigfhj gfihjfiohjfoghj gfhjoflhjioj fihjiofjiohjfhjl iogjhfihjijtijtigkghjit

Pretty silly if you ask me.......1999-05-31

This is more of the culture of pity attempting to sanctify a woman deluded by her need for self-identity into a concept of differentness. There are no heroes here, only overblown symbols.

Commanders Of Auschwitz: The Ss Officers Who Ran The Largest Nazi Concentration Camp -1940-1945 (Schiffer History Book)

Average customer rating:

Well done listing of war criminals who served at the KZ Auschwitz

Commanders Of Auschwitz: The Ss Officers Who Ran The Largest Nazi Concentration Camp -1940-1945 (Schiffer History Book)
Jeremy Dixon
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Finally a single volume detailing the careers of the SS officers who served in the largest and most infamous of Hitler's concentration camps, Auschwitz-Birkenau. This volume begins with a brief history of the camp, then details briefly the different departments that made up the command structure of this camp. The book goes on to describe the evacuation and liberation of Auschwitz and some of the major trials before the author gives brief descriptions of what Auschwitz-Birkenau is like today.

The second part of the book is a biographical study of the SS officers in alphabetical order. The SS officers described inside this book are the commanders of the camp, the men with the power, some with power over life and death. Inside you will meet the commandants, Lagerführers, doctors, dentists, Gestapo officials, adjutants, administration leaders, and Sentry commanders. Some went on to fight at the front and won awards for bravery, others helped to save lives of the inmates, and others of course helped with the administration of the Holocaust.

The biographical detail of this book alone adds vast clarity to the gaps in biographical information in other books on Auschwitz. Inside are the details of 162 SS officers known to have served at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Along with over 130 b/w photographs, some rarely and some never published before is a detailed appendix and index.

Customer Reviews:

Well done listing of war criminals who served at the KZ Auschwitz.......2007-06-27

I recommend this book for everyone, who likes to know who and what charakters have served during the second world war in the concentration camp Auschwitz. I would say that before this book, you should be familiar with what in general has happened at Auschwitz to understand the crime which occured there. I have appreciated the authors detailled work. I would say it is a very objective book, that does not build on speculations.

Between the Lines: A German Boy Raised in Nazi Times Who Returns to His Homeland As an American Soldier in World War II.

Average customer rating:

Moving and fascinating memoir
Moving and fascinating memoir
A young man's spiritual journey through WWII
A gripping story.

Between the Lines: A German Boy Raised in Nazi Times Who Returns to His Homeland As an American Soldier in World War II.
Tom Frazier , and Delphine Frazier
Manufacturer: Regent Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

The story of a German boy raised in Nazi times who returns to his homeland as an American soldier in World War II, passionately believing in the ideals of his adopted country. It includes high adventure in the alps working with partisans while rescuing Allied soldiers behind enemy lines. Later in Germany, he confiscated many important documents and took photos of the frightful tragedies that involved his native land. This story is told with personal feelings about the nature of war and the decisions that are made about it both individually and collectively.

Customer Reviews:

Moving and fascinating memoir.......2002-07-29

A poignant and well-written memoir filled with humor and pathos. A young man's struggle with the philosophical and social conflicts of being a German fighting on the side of his adopted home, America. Frazier describes some interesting pre-war times in Berlin and then describes his wartime experiences with intelligence and passion. I highly recommend it.

Moving and fascinating memoir.......2002-07-29

A young man's spiritual journey through WWII.......2001-07-27

This is a unique and fascinating true story of a young man caught up in some of the darkest and most dramatic moments in history. Through his adventures, questions, and insights he demonstrates that life and even war can take us on a profound spiritual journey. Shakti Gawain, author of Creative Visualization and Living in the Light.

A gripping story........2001-07-22

I was gripped by it. It is a great contribution to the history of that era. Dramatically a young boy's story builds, from his childhood in Germany to his naturalization in the U.S. to his return to the Fatherland (as an American soldier), all the way to Dachau and beyond. What a sweep of history, to cover a huge swath of 1940's history in a single character's participation.

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