Index, ill, maps, p.584.non-fictionArmageddon tells the story of the climactic months of the Second World War, the destruction of Hitler's Germany. Max Hastings has researched archives in four countries and interviewed 170 witnesses to piece together a saga that is at once fascinating military history and the greatest human tragedy of the twentieth century." "This book follows Max Hastings's earlier acclaimed studies of the Second World War, including Overlord and Bomber Command, in examining a great sweep of history with massive research and a host of new insights." "Armageddon embraces the fates of more than a hundred million people, men and women, old and very young, from the tragic teenage fanatics who died in the ruins of Hitler's Reich to the British 'Tommies' who simply yearned to finish a painful job and go home. Few books on the Second World War have so vividly brought together the story of the battlefields, east and west, with the decisions of the generals and the impact of great events upon ordinary soldiers and civilians.world war 1939-1945 - battles - germany, world war 1939-1945 - history

non-fictionThe men and ships of the New Zealand Shipping company and their participation in the British Merchant Navy during WWII. Includes details of the company's ships lost through enemy action, including the Turakina, victim of the German raider Orion in the Tasman Sea in August 1940 which was the first of the company's ships lost. Also covers the sinking of the Rangitane and Cambridge, as well as the salvage of the Hororata and the Battle of the Atlantic with the Essex in the Malta Convoy. keith oliver, ww2, merchant navy, new zealand shipping company, turakina, rangitane, hororata

Index, bibliography,ill, maps, p.192.non-fictionThe battles of the Waffen-SS in various theatres are described in detail.waffen ss - history, world war 1939-1945 - armed forces - germany

Index, bibliography, notes, ill, maps, p.528.non-fictionhis sequel to D-DAY opens at 00:01 hours, June 7, 1944 on the Normandy Beaches and ends at 02:45 hours, May 7, 1945. In between comes the battles in the hedgerows of Normandy, the breakout of Saint-Lo, the Falaise gap, Patton tearing through France, the liberation of Paris, the attempt to leap the Rhine in operation Market-Garden, the near-miraculous German recovery, the battles around Metz and in the Huertgen Forest, the Battle of the Bulge, the capture of the bridge at Remagen and, finally, the overunning of Germany. From the enlisted men and junior officers, Ambrose draws on hundreds of interviews and oral histories from those on both sides of the war. The experience of these citizen soldiers reveals the ordinary sufferings and hardships of war. They overcame their fear and inexperience, the mistakes of their high command and their enemy to win the war. operation overlord, world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - europe

Index, ill, p.368non-fictionToday it is almost forgotten that the D-Day landings of 6 June 1944 did not bring a single, isolate victory. As this masterly book reminds us, that first foothold on enemy shores was won at enormous cost, and for two months afterwards a fierce battle raged for the control of Caen. Using the personal accounts of those who took part in the fighting, both Allied and German, and of the French civilians caught up in the conflict, McKee brilliantly reconstructs the bitter struggle that ravaged Normandy throughout the summer of 1944 before the Allied position in Europe was finally secured.world war 1939-1945 - campaigns france, d-day - normandy

Bibliography, ill, maps, p.304.non-fictionThis book describes the battles on the Eastern front in 1944 which resulted in the destruction of Army Group Centreworld war 1939-1945 - campaigns - soviet union, operation bagration

Index, ill, p.137.non-fictionFirst published to acclaim in 1992, this book deals with the exploits of Bomber Command during their offensive against German Industry in the Ruhr during World War II. The author begins by describing the role of Bomber Command and goes on to define the Ruhr area and its great importance in terms of industrial output to the Germans. The author provides the statistics for bombers dispatched, the number, which actually got to the targets and those, which never made it for one reason or another. Air Battle of the Ruhr is a complete overview of a major aspect of the air war against mainland Germany.bombimg - ruhr region - germany, world war 1939-1945 - aerial operations - britain

Ill, maps, p.135.non-fictionA contemporary account of the German invasion of Crete and the involvement of Australian forces in it.world war 1939 – 1945 – campaigns – greece, campaigns - crete - australia

Index, notes, ill, maps, plans, p.702.non-fictionReginald Jones was nothing less than a genius. And his appointment to the Intelligence Section of Britain's Air Ministry in 1939 led to some of the most astonishing scientific and technological breakthroughs of the Second World War. In Most Secret War he details how Britain stealthily stole the war from under the Germans' noses by outsmarting their intelligence at every turn. He tells of the 'battle of the beams'; detecting and defeating flying bombs; using chaff to confuse radar; and many other ingenious ideas and devices. Jones was the man with the plan to save Britain and his story makes for riveting reading. world war 1939 – 1945 – secret service – britain, world war 1939 – 1945 – science and technology

Index, bib, ill, , maps, p.208.non-fictionGermany attempts to strangle Britain--U-boats--Bismarck--convoys--Allied counterattack. world war 1939-1945 - naval operations, world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - atlantic ocean

Ill, p.159.non-fictionThe battle of the Ruhr in 1945world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - germany, germany - defeat - 1945

Ill, p.159.non-fictionThe concluding battles of World War Twoworld war 1939-1945 - campaigns - germany, fall of berlin

Ill, p.159.non-fictionAn account of the difficulties facing British troops in Germanyworld war 1939-1945 - campaigns - germany, world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - western europe

Ill, p.159.non-fictionThe battle of Kursk - The last offensive battle of the German army in Russiaworld war 1939-1945 - campaigns - russia, battle of kursk

Ill, p.159.non-fictionThe battle at the gates of Moscow in 1941 resulting in a German defeatworld war 1939-1945 - campaigns - russia, battle for moscow

Ill, p.159.non-fictionThe battle Stalingrad in 1942/1943 resulting in a catastrophic German defeatworld war 1939-1945 - campaigns - russia, battle for stalingrad

Ill, p.190.non-fictionMore than 450 photographs present a superb visual record of World War Two - the great convoy battles fought between aircraft, U-boats and escorts; the battles with the German raiders; desperate struggles in the icy seas of the Arctic; great naval-air battles in the Pacific; the vast amphibious operations that brought the Allies to grips with the enemy on land; and much more. For the six years between 1939 and 1945, naval action was seen on every ocean of the world. This sea war was on a unique scale - it had never been seen before, has not been experienced since and surely will never be witnessed again. This pictorial history brings together images from international archives and personal collections to demonstrate the diversity and drama of these years, to portray the atmosphere experienced by the mariners in this most unforgiving battlefield of all, and to provide an unprecedented visual record of this most event filled period of naval history.world war 1939 – 1945 –naval operations, world war 1939-1945 - naval operations - pictorial works

Index, ill, maps, p.172.non-fictionThe story of a failed attempt by allied troops to outflank the German stronghold of Cassinobattle of cassino 1944, world war 1939-1945 - new zealand participation

Index, bib, ill, maps, p.350.non-fictionThe invasion of Crete by German airborne forces in 1941 world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - crete, parachute troops - history

Index, ill, maps, p.193.non-fictionBy the summer of 1940, the overwhelming might of the German air force had triumphed over Poland, Norway, France, Holland and Belgium. As the fighters and bombers of the Luftwaffe amassed on the north west coast of Europe, they had no reason to believe that the heavily outnumbered squadrons of the Royal Air Force (RAF) would prove any more difficult to overcome than their earlier opponents. However, these illusions of invulnerability were soon to be shattered in whirling combats over southern England in the conflict that would be known as the Battle of Britain.world war 1939-1945 - aerial operations - britain, battle of britain

The Atlantic Star was instituted in May 1945 to honour those who took part in the Battle of the Atlantic and was intended primarily for award to those who served in shipping convoys and their escorts and anti-submarine forces, as well as to those who served on fast merchant ships which sailed alone. The Battle of the Atlantic took place between 3 September 1939 and 8 May 1945, as German U-boats attacked convoys transporting vital supplies from America and the Colonies to Britain. Warships of the Royal Navy and aircraft of the Royal Air Force escorted these convoys, hunted the U-boats and, despite some notable successes by the U-boats, eventually won a comprehensive victory in the Atlantic. Group of three World War Two medals awarded to J Pritchard Merchant Navy: Atlantic Star, Pacific Star and Australian Service Medal 39-45.atlantic, merchant navy, world war two, wwii

Ill, p.156.non-fictionAn account of the battle of wits between the German and British secret servicesworld war 1939-1945 - secret service - britain, world war 1939-1945 - secret service - germany

Index, ill, maps, p.261.non-fictionAnalysis of six decisive battles fought by the German armed forces in World War Two as described by the generals involved.world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - germany, germany - history - military