Gathers testimony of pilots and others who flew daylight bombing missions over Nazi-occupied Europe

Product Description: Volume 4 of We Were Eagles reaches the climax of the daylight bomber war which saw the Eighth Air Force B-17s and B-24s push back the boundaries and huge fleets of bombers penetrate further into the diminishing Reich. The war dragged on and it was obvious hostilities would not end by Christmas 1944...read more

Product Description: In 1940, 28-year-old Jack Elworthy left New Zealand to fight in Europe, not to return for seven years. This is the story of his remarkable war, including the time he spent as an unofficial U.S. soldier. On mainland Greece, he got away just as the Nazis rolled in...read more

Product Description: In times of war . . . in times of peace . . . in times of sweeping social change . . . a leader for all seasons . . .Whether scaling the seemingly insurmountable cliffs of Pointe du Hoc with his advance assault troops during the Normandy invasion, restoring integrity to the Texas Land Office, or overseeing transitions in an academic institution with hallowed traditions during a time of contentious cultural change, James Earl Rudder (1910–1970) forged a legacy of wartime gallantry and peacetime leadership that commands continuing respect...read more

Product Description: This compliation of facts, overview analysis, and primary sources gives an in-depth look at World War II in Europe and North Africa.

Product Description: On 4 July 1942, American airmen flew in US-built bombers against a German target for the first time. It was a small operation involving six US crews in Boston medium bombers, but was nonetheless a harbinger of things to come. The first heavy bombardment group of B-17s had crossed the Atlantic in June 1942, another arriving by 1 August, marking the first steps in the massive build-up of B-17s and B-24s that would be based in Britain as part of the Eighth Air Force...read more

Product Description: Story of the early years of the U.S. Eighth Air ForceDramatic firsthand descriptions of World War II in the airThe U.S.'s first encounters with the Luftwaffe and Nazi air defenses

General George C. Marshall, chief of staff of the U.S. Army during World War II, faced the daunting task not only of overseeing two theaters of a global conflict but also of selecting the best generals to carry out American grand strategy. Marshall and His Generals is the first and only book to focus entirely on that selection process and the performances, both stellar and disappointing, that followed from it. Stephen Taaffe chronicles and critiques the background, character, achievements, and failures of the more than three dozen general officers chosen for top combat group commands—from commanders like Dwight Eisenhower and Douglas MacArthur to some nearly forgotten.Taaffe explores how and why Marshall selected the Army's commanders. Among his chief criteria were character (including "unselfish and devoted purpose"), education, (whether at West Point, Fort Leavenworth, or the Army War College), and striking a balance between experience and relative youth in a war that required both wisdom and great physical stamina. As the war unfolded, Marshall also factored into his calculations the combat leadership his generals demonstrated and the opinions of his theater commanders. Taaffe brings into sharp focus the likes of Eisenhower, MacArthur, George Patton, Omar Bradley, Walter Krueger, Robert Eichelberger, Courtney Hodges, Lucian Truscott, J. Lawton Collins, Alexander "Sandy" Patch, Troy Middleton, Matthew Ridgeway, Mark Clark, and twenty-five other generals who served in the conflict. He describes their leadership and decision-making processes and provides miniature biographies and personality sketches of these men drawn from their personal papers, official records, and reflections of fellow officers.Delving deeper than other studies, this path-breaking work produces a seamless analysis of Marshall's selection process of operational-level commanders. Taaffe also critiques the performance of these generals during the war and reveals the extent to which their actions served as stepping stones to advancement.Ambitious in scope and filled with sharp insights, Marshall and His Generals is essential reading for anyone interested in World War II and military leadership more generally.

Product Description: Author of such classic wartime novels as Birdy and A Midnight Clear, William Wharton was one of the most acclaimed writers of his generation. However, he was also a very private man—he wrote under a pseudonym and rarely gave interviews—so fans and critics could only speculate how much of his work was autobiographical and how much was fiction...read more

Product Description: Using narrative accounts and new insights this book catalogues the dramatic and firsthand oral testimonies of the US Army Air Corps' bomber crews of the newly created Eighth Air Force that became stationed in East Anglia in 1942. It begins with shock of the unannounced Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and how it affected the young men who were destined to fly and fight in Europe...read more

Many nations played a role as belligerents on the Allied side in World War II. Many were in the thick of combat and made grave national sacrifices--yet general histories mention them only briefly or omit their story entirely. The assisting troops are given their due in this unique, comprehensive and readable history. Included are chapters about land and sea troops from such countries as Fiji, Trans-Jordan, Luxembourg, Brazil, Iran, Nigeria, as well as Maori, Assyrians, Gurkhas, Free Poles, and others. Knowing the lines drawn 40 years ago between sides will enable anyone to understand better national enmities and relations today.

Product Description: Following the success of Volume 1, acclaimed military aviation author Steve Darlow brings together another collection of stories telling of the extreme bravery, heroism and sacrifice of the men who fought the European air battle during World War Two...read more