Recommended reading on the British Empire 1919-1945

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Paul_G_Baker
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Re: Recommended reading on the British Empire 1919-1945

#31

Post by Paul_G_Baker » 20 Mar 2015, 21:19

Churchill's books.
Paul

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Attrition
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Re: Recommended reading on the British Empire 1919-1945

#32

Post by Attrition » 22 Mar 2015, 09:07

Michael Dorosh wrote:Marc Milner lectured at The Military Museums in Calgary just before Christmas about his new book, Stopping the Panzers, which features a couple of dramatic new interpretations of the 3rd Canadian Division's role in Normandy.

He has dug into the COSSAC plans and his interpretation is that 3rd Cdn Div was intended from the start not to take offensive action, but to assist the British at Caen, by stopping the major German armoured counter-attack on the main beaches. An analysis of German units, terrain, etc. all indicated that the most likely response would be a tank attack on the beach. For this reason, the division was given equipment to meet this goal. Historians have - Milner argues - ignored this basic function of the division. Look at the fact their artillery was doubled in size and self-propelled. Compare the fact that Canadian divisions landed with American self-propelled 105s while the Americans came ashore with towed guns and one is pointed to the realization that their expected function was somewhat different.

While the Battle of Normandy is presented as a series of disasters in conventional histories, i.e. C.P. Stacey's Official History of the Canadian Army, Milner feels the Canadians actually performed their role well. The 12th SS Panzer Division came at them head on, only to be stopped in their tracks. This is exactly what the 3rd Canadian Division was expected to do according to this new interpretation of the planning documents.

A secondary discussion is the role that 1st Canadian Army played in deception operations such as FORTITUDE. He noted that Patton wasn't identified as the head of the fictitious FUSAG until after D-Day, but when McNaughton was sent home before D-Day, the fact that 1st Canadian Army was changing leaders became headline news in German military circles. Milner admits he hasn't been able to research this angle thoroughly and hopes someone else will pick up the strands and explore it more deeply.

The book's website is: http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/milsto.html

November 2014
400 pages, 56 photographs, 9 maps, 6-1⁄8 x 9-1⁄4
Modern War Studies
Cloth ISBN 978-0-7006-2003-6, $34.95(s)
Ebook ISBN 978-0-7006-2049-4, $34.95

http://www.canadianmilitaryhistory.ca/w ... t-2012.pdf


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Re: Recommended reading on the British Empire 1919-1945

#33

Post by Knouterer » 23 Mar 2015, 15:17

Paul_G_Baker wrote:Churchill's books.
I can't resist quoting the fellow politician who said: "Winston wrote a great big book about himself and called it The Second World War" :wink:
"The true spirit of conversation consists in building on another man's observation, not overturning it." Edward George Bulwer-Lytton

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Re: Recommended reading on the British Empire 1919-1945

#34

Post by gambadier » 02 May 2015, 13:44

If you are interested in artillery then British Artillery in WW2 is for you, although the site http://nigelef.tripod.com/ covers a bit more than this.

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Re: Recommended reading on the British Empire 1919-1945

#35

Post by Andy H » 08 May 2015, 17:48

Paul_G_Baker wrote:Churchill's books.
Hi Paul

'Churchill's Empire' by an associate of mine, Professor Richard Toye is a great read.

Regards

Andy H

PS: A book awaiting review is the fine looking Fight or Flight by Martin Thomas, which details Britain's & France's
retreat from Empire, post 1945.

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Re: Recommended reading on the British Empire 1919-1945

#36

Post by Sheldrake » 15 Jul 2015, 18:57

Gunners at War explains the part the Royal Artillery played in WW2. Dispels myths and introduces you to new heroes such as Hatchett Jack Parham and Jack Bazeley
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gunners-War-Tac ... 0853680299

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Re: Recommended reading on the British Empire 1919-1945

#37

Post by USS ALASKA » 18 Apr 2016, 17:16

From the author of The Rules of the Game: Jutland and British Naval Command' I would like to submit 'British Seapower and Procurement Between the Wars: A Reappraisal of Rearmament' by G. A. H. Gordon

http://www.amazon.com/British-Seapower- ... ge_o07_s00

The reviews found at the above listed site are on point

Cheers,
USS ALASKA

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Re: Recommended reading on the British Empire 1919-1945

#38

Post by Attrition » 18 Apr 2016, 17:48

I read that a while back and considering the subject, found it very interesting.

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Re: Recommended reading on the British Empire 1919-1945

#39

Post by USS ALASKA » 19 Apr 2016, 15:31

Indeed sir - not as exciting as a book on naval battles but necessary to understand the "...how did they get there...' preliminaries.

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Re: Recommended reading on the British Empire 1919-1945

#40

Post by USS ALASKA » 20 Apr 2016, 15:20

If you have any interest in the WWII era Royal Navy, D. K. Brown's trio of Warrior to Dreadnought: Warship Design and Development 1860-1905 / The Grand Fleet: Warship Design and Development, 1906-1922 / Nelson to Vanguard: Warship Design and Development 1923-1945 are invaluable in understanding RN ships from their requirements, restrictions, designs, procurement, building, and service.

In fact, anything this man wrote is worth the time and effort.

Drawback? Some of his volumes are a little pricy...

Cheers,
USS ALASKA

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Re: Recommended reading on the British Empire 1919-1945

#41

Post by Attrition » 20 Apr 2016, 18:27

Thanks, My interest is mainly WWI Western Front with a modest interest in everything else but I'll keep a lookout for 2nd hand ones.

Just had a quick look here http://ethos.bl.uk/Home.do and there's a few you might like.

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Re: Recommended reading on the British Empire 1919-1945

#42

Post by USS ALASKA » 21 Apr 2016, 20:50

Cool website - thank you sir!

USS ALASKA

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Andy H
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Re: Recommended reading on the British Empire 1919-1945

#43

Post by Andy H » 18 Aug 2016, 21:05

USS ALASKA wrote:If you have any interest in the WWII era Royal Navy, D. K. Brown's trio of Warrior to Dreadnought: Warship Design and Development 1860-1905 / The Grand Fleet: Warship Design and Development, 1906-1922 / Nelson to Vanguard: Warship Design and Development 1923-1945 are invaluable in understanding RN ships from their requirements, restrictions, designs, procurement, building, and service.

In fact, anything this man wrote is worth the time and effort.

Drawback? Some of his volumes are a little pricy...

Cheers,
USS ALASKA
Hi Alaska

In addition to Brown's numerous tomes on RN, one must also add the great tomes done by Friedman which are even more pricey.

Regards

Andy H

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Re: Recommended reading on the British Empire 1919-1945

#44

Post by Graham Clayton » 04 Sep 2016, 06:29

Terry Jones and Steven Carruthers "A Parting Shot - Shelling of Australia by Japanese Submarines 1942"
A thorough and detail account of the shelling of Sydney and Newcastle after the midget submarine attack in Sydney Harbour.

http://www.insidehistory.com.au/2013/01 ... ines-1942/
"Air superiority is a condition for all operations, at sea, in land, and in the air." - Air Marshal Arthur Tedder.

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Andy H
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Re: Recommended reading on the British Empire 1919-1945

#45

Post by Andy H » 01 Sep 2018, 19:10

Hi

Its been a while since I posted anything in here and so many books have been read without comment, so hopefully this little selection may help.

The Royal Navy in Eastern Waters by Boyd is simply epic in its analysis of the RN in the Far East.

Rising Sun Falling Skies by Cox a very enjoyable fast paced read about the RN/USN and Dutch naval issues come 1941/42 in the Pacific etc.

Persian Gulf Command by Jackson, a much needed commentary on the British/Allied response to the threats posed to its position in the Gulf area.

Congress Buys a Navy Pedisch, a must for those interested in how the USN became what it was.

Cry Havoc by Maiolo, discusses how the arms race drove the world to war in '39

Regards

Andy H

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