Recommended reading on the British Empire 1919-1945

Paul_G_Baker · Post by **Paul_G_Baker** » 20 Mar 2015 20:19

Churchill's books.

Attrition · Post by **Attrition** » 22 Mar 2015 08:07

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

Knouterer · Post by **Knouterer** » 23 Mar 2015 14:17

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"

gambadier · Post by **gambadier** » 02 May 2015 12:44

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.

Andy H · Post by **Andy H** » 08 May 2015 16:48

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.

Sheldrake · Post by **Sheldrake** » 15 Jul 2015 17:57

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

USS ALASKA · Post by **USS ALASKA** » 18 Apr 2016 16:16

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

Attrition · Post by **Attrition** » 18 Apr 2016 16:48

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

USS ALASKA · Post by **USS ALASKA** » 19 Apr 2016 14:31

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

USS ALASKA

USS ALASKA · Post by **USS ALASKA** » 20 Apr 2016 14:20

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

Attrition · Post by **Attrition** » 20 Apr 2016 17:27

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.

USS ALASKA · Post by **USS ALASKA** » 21 Apr 2016 19:50

Cool website - thank you sir!

USS ALASKA

Andy H · Post by **Andy H** » 18 Aug 2016 20:05

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

Graham Clayton · Post by **Graham Clayton** » 04 Sep 2016 05:29

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/

Andy H · Post by **Andy H** » 01 Sep 2018 18:10

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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