The Battle of Britain
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The Battle of Britain
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Narrated by:
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Al Murray
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By:
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James Holland
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
This audio edition includes an exclusive Q&A between James Holland and Al Murray.
'If Hitler fails to invade or destroy Britain, he has lost the war,' Churchill said in the summer of 1940. He was right. The Battle of Britain was a crucial turning point in the history of the Second World War. Had Britain's defences collapsed, Hitler would have dominated all of Europe and been able to turn his full attention east to the Soviet Union.
The German invasion of France and the Low Countries in May 1940 was unlike any the world had ever seen. It hit with a force and aggression that no-one could counter and in just a few short weeks, all in their way crumbled under the force of the Nazi hammer blow. With France facing defeat and with British forces pressed back to the Channel, there were few who believed Britain could possibly survive. Soon, it seemed, Hitler would have all of Europe at his feet.
Yet Hitler's forces were not quite the Goliath they at first seemed, while her leadership lacked the single-minded purpose, vision and direction that had led to such success on land. Nor was Britain any David. Thanks to a sophisticated defensive system and the combined efforts of the RAF, Royal Navy as well as the mounting sense of collective defiance led by a new Prime Minister, Britain was not ready to roll over just yet.
From clashes between coastal convoys and Schnellboote in the Channel to astonishing last stands in Flanders and from the slaughter by the U-boats in the icy Atlantic to the dramatic aerial battles over England, The Battle of Britain tells this most epic of stories from all sides, drawing on extensive new research from around the world. In so doing, it paints a complete picture of that extraordinary summer - a time in which the fate of the world truly hung by a thread.
©2020 James Holland (P)2020 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about The Battle of Britain
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 29-05-20
The perfect combination
James Hollands writing and and Al Murrays reading It just works. Deeply researched and perfectly presented. Get this
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- HGJohn
- 03-08-20
Puts the Battle of Britain in its proper context
By starting with the invasion of France and by also covering the Battle of the Atlantic, this book covers far more than just the air war over Southern England. The book tells the whole story of the spring summer and early autumn of 1940 and is much the better for it.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Andrew Connolly
- 31-07-20
Excellent recounting of the BoB
I really enjoyed the book - made more interesting by the use of many points of view, personal and national.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Martin
- 07-07-21
Thoroughly researched and brilliantly narrated
I am a big James Holland fan and Al Murray is passionate about WW2 history, so this was always going to be a pleasures to listen to.
Some reviews don’t like that the book starts way before May 1940, with a full run down on the BEF in France, leading up to Dunkirk, but this is essential in setting the scene.
A great listen. Burma next…
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Bligh
- 14-10-21
Heavy but fascinating
I found I could only take about an hour a day. It was exhaustive. The research brilliant , the pace breathless. So I Had to stop to let the details sink in. Tying in the battle of France , Dunkirk, Fighter Command and then the battle over England was masterful. Why the RAF in France didn't seem to work well with the Army followed by the part played by Bomber Command at night over Western Europe during the Battle of Britain was all new to me. Super.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Bev
- 02-02-23
it's as if you were there
By the end of the book it feels like I was actually part of it
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- paul carley
- 22-02-23
Fantastic recount of history.
Another fantastic account of history, expertly narrated. Recommended whole heartedly to any one with an interest in WW2.
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- Rob Thorpe
- 24-07-20
Excellent
A very interesting and well rounded take on the BoB. James's depth of information gathering knows no bounds as he digs deeper into both sides of the story than previously done in similar books.
He tells a story from each person and brings it to life with incredible descriptive graphics that make you feel as if you were there.
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- Nogbad the bad
- 19-06-20
Highly Enjoyed this
Excellent book first class narration held me captivated from start to end James Holland is up there with our best historians
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- Robert Bailey
- 20-12-20
The whole picture
This is not just a book about the frantic fighting over southern England in the heady days of 1940. It covers the build-up of the war from the retreat from Dunkirk, lt covers the army navy and airforce.
It gives the reader a complete picture of what went on in that summer and is absolutely superb
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