From the heroic troops at Dunkirk to the daring flights of the Night Witches, this fourth edition is a must-read for history enthusiasts.
HEROES OF WORLD WAR II
All About History Heroes of World War II
HEROIC LEADERS OF WWII • It is sometimes said that leaders in war tend to lead from the rear, but sometimes they find themselves in risky situations
BRAVE BATTLE COMMANDERS • World War 2 saw new ways of fighting, and those commanders who fought to win had to come up with new strategies
DARK SECRETS OF THE REAL FRENCH RESISTANCE • Under the oppression of Nazi occupation and the Vichy state, the fight for France was taken up by Frenchmen, women and foreigners alike
FORGOTTEN HEROES OF THE RESISTANCE • While de Gaulle was across the channel in the safety of London, these courageous individuals were slugging it out against the Waffen SS on the streets of France
THE MILICE: THE ANTI-RESISTANCE • A select few who took up arms on the side of the Wehrmacht
MAP OF VICHY AND FREE FRANCE • After the French forces’ capitulation at the hands of the Wehrmacht, the nation resembled a very different place
SOE AND THE RESISTANCE • The spies sent to help resistance groups “Set Europe Ablaze”
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT OF LA RÉSISTANCE • With the military out of the picture, the French freedom fighters were forced to use whatever firearms they could lay their hands on
OTHER EUROPEAN RESISTANCE MOVEMENTS • The French Résistance is perhaps the most famous, but other areas of Europe also took up arms against the Nazis
NANCY WAKE: THE WHITE MOUSE • The special agent who ran rings around the Nazis and ended up at the top of the Gestapo’s most‑wanted list
THE MIRACLE OF DUNKIRK • In May 1940, 340,000 Allied soldiers were saved from the full fury of the German blitzkrieg in an evacuation that kept Britain in the war, ready to fight another day
THE LAST LINE OF DEFENCE • While the courage of Britain’s fighter pilots secured victory in the skies, the ultimate threat of a German invasion was held at bay by the Royal Navy
ROYAL NAVY BASES OF WWII • From the shetlands to the south coast, these bases were some of the most important installations for the royal navy
THEIR FINEST HOUR • As Britain stood alone against Nazi Germany, young fighter pilots of the Royal Air Force defeated the vaunted Luftwaffe in the pivotal Battle of Britain
THE INDOMITABLE DOWDING SYSTEM • An air defence system developed in the 1930s enabled RAF fighters to win the Battle of Britain
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN • In 1940 the Luftwaffe attempted to destroy the RAF, but Britain was ready with several defensive measures
THE FORGOTTEN MANY • ‘The Few’ may have won the Battle of Britain, but they were just the tip of a vast machine. Hundreds of thousands of personnel on the ground made their every move possible
WAAFS AT WAR • The Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) formed in 1939. During the Battle of Britain it proved to be a vital part of the RAF
CASUALTIES
GROUND STAFF • Not all station personnel worked directly on keeping the aircraft flying, but they all played their part in keeping the fighter pilots fighting
DISCOVER THE PAST!
FORGOTTEN HEROES OF THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN • In the summer of 1940 Hitler was on the verge of becoming master of all of Europe. But the Royal Air Force stood between him and total victory
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN AT A GLANCE
ANATOMY OF A WWII RAF FIGHTER PILOT
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A BATTLE OF BRITAIN PILOT • From dawn until dusk every day for 16 weeks, Fighter Command’s pilots had to be ready to meet the german threat in the skies
GERMANY’S FIGHTER ACES • With 111 kills between them, the top three Luftwaffe...