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Showing 1 - 20 of 20 matches in All Departments
"As combat veterans and high commanders know, logic is often a stranger in wartime." —William B. Breuer, in The annals of World War II are mined with captivating cases of strange coincidences, ominous premonitions, and baffling mysteries. Now, William Breuer's painstaking research has yielded over 100 fascinating historical accounts, including: The mysterious fire on the Normandie . . . Who really was behind the eerily efficient destruction of the famed ocean liner? The ominous "Deadly Double" advertisement in The New Yorker . . . Was it a coded leak to Japanese and German spies announcing the upcoming bombing of Pearl Harbor? The botched Nazi kidnapping of the Duke of Windsor . . . How did a serendipitous series of events save the duke from Hitler's grasp (and the Allied forces from a crippling strategic setback)? The curious sinking of the Tang . . . How did this deadliest of U.S. submarines come to meet such an unexpected and mysterious end? "Anyone interested in twists of fate should find this book fascinating." —Library Journal "While away a few hours or spend a few minutes at a time enjoying this collection of inexplicable, mysterious, and strange tales." —Nashville Banner
A rare treat for World War II history buffs and fans of the strange, absurd, and unexplained Acclaimed military historian William Breuer takes readers on a trip through the looking glass to acquaint them with the weirder side of World War II. Featuring a cast of characters including double- and triple-agents, femme fatales, fearless leaders, and men at arms, "The Spy who Spent the War In Bed" is a collection of seventy concise, vividly rendered tales of war, ranging from laugh-out-loud funny, to inspiring, to just-plain-bizarre. For instance, there's the one about how reputed Irish Republican Army members in New York conned Nazi intelligence out of a small fortune. There's also a thrilling account of how four American newsmen bagged an entire German platoon. And there's the haunting tale of the ""Mystery Plane,"" an experimental aircraft that took off on a short test flight over England one sunny afternoon in 1938 and simply vanished into a cloudless summer sky. This book draws on personal interviews, official archives, and declassified documents, as well as the vast literature on World War II.
A rare treat for World War II history buffs and fans of the strange, absurd, and unexplained Acclaimed military historian William Breuer takes readers on a trip through the looking glass to acquaint them with the weirder side of World War II. Featuring a cast of characters including double- and triple-agents, femme fatales, fearless leaders, and men at arms, The Spy who Spent the War In Bed is a collection of seventy concise, vividly rendered tales of war, ranging from laugh-out-loud funny, to inspiring, to just-plain-bizarre. For instance, there’s the one about how reputed Irish Republican Army members in New York conned Nazi intelligence out of a small fortune. There’s also a thrilling account of how four American newsmen bagged an entire German platoon. And there’s the haunting tale of the "Mystery Plane," an experimental aircraft that took off on a short test flight over England one sunny afternoon in 1938 and simply vanished into a cloudless summer sky. This book draws on personal interviews, official archives, and declassified documents, as well as the vast literature on World War II. William B. Breuer (Cleveland, TN) is the author of more than twenty-five books.
Critical acclaim for William B. Breuer "A first-class historian." Top Secret Tales of World War II "A book for rainy days and long solitary nights by the fire. If there were a genre for cozy nonfiction, this would be the template." "Perfect for the curious and adventure readers and those who love exotic tales and especially history buffs who will be surprised at what they didn’t know. Recommended for nearly everyone." Daring Missions of World War II "The author brings to light many previously unknown stories of behind-the-scenes bravery and covert activities that helped the Allies win critical victories." Secret Weapons of World War II "Rip-roaring tales . . . a delightful addition to the niche that Breuer has so successfully carved out."
Critical acclaim for William B. Breuer
Critical Acclaim for Secret Weapons of World War II
Critical Acclaim for Secret Weapons of World War II "Breuer has produced yet another collection of rip-roaring tales. . . . A delightful addition to the niche that Breuer has so successfully carved out." "It is Breuer’s portrayal of the competition for technological superiority between the Allies and the Nazis that grabs the reader and shows the significance of each wartime discovery and invention." In the fast-paced, suspenseful Secret Weapons of World War II, noted military historian William Breuer chronicles the clandestine battle that occurred between the brilliant scientists and codebreakers of the Allies and the Axis powers. Re-creating the covert missions, hoaxes, spying, conspiracies, and electronic sleuthing, Breuer deftly uncovers the spectacular feats of the fascinating men and women who determined the outcome of the war–providing an unprecedented look at the least-known operations and plots conducted by both sides.
Critical Acclaim for TOP SECRET TALES of World War II "A book for rainy days and long solitary nights by the fire. If there were a genre for cozy nonfiction, this would be the template."–Publishers Weekly "Perfect for the curious and adventure readers and those who love exotic tales and especially history buffs who will be surprised at what they didn’t know. Recommended for nearly everyone."–Kirkus Reviews This war was fought by soldiers out of uniform. Stealth and ingenuity were their weapons. Victory was their only code of conduct. In Top Secret Tales of World War II, noted military historian William Breuer documents espionage–in all its forms–as it evolved in the hands of both Allied and Axis agents of intelligence and counterintelligence. Here you’ll find riveting tales of patriotism and treachery, subversion and sabotage, kidnappings and assassinations, and bribes and blackmailing–with frequently startling revelations about the secret wars behind both the battlefields and the headlines.
Critical acclaim for William B. Breuer "A first-class historian."–Wall Street Journal For Top Tales of World War II "As evidenced time and again by the prolific Breuer, WWII continues to be a source of absorbing espionage tales. . . . This is a book for rainy days and long solitary nights by the fire. If there were a genre for cozy nonfiction, this would be the template."–Publishers Weekly "A perfect book for the curious and adventure readers and those who love exotic tales and especially history buffs who will be surprised at what they didn’t know. Recommended for nearly everyone."–Kirkus Reviews For Secret Weapons of World War II "Rip-roaring tales . . . a delightful addition to the niche that Breuer has so successfully carved out."–Publishers Weekly
Critical acclaim for William B. Breuer ""A first-class historian.""
--The Wall Street Journal Vendetta ""A wealth of insights.""--Los
Angeles Times Book Review Unexplained Mysteries of World War II
""Anyone interested in twists of fate should find this book
fascinating."" --Library Journal Feuding Allies ""A valuable
resource . highly recommended.""--Booklist
Critical acclaim for William B. Breuer "A first-class historian." —The Wall Street Journal Vendetta! "A wealth of insights."—Los Angeles Times Book Review Unexplained Mysteries of World War II "Anyone interested in twists of fate should find this book fascinating." —Library Journal Feuding Allies "A valuable resource … highly recommended."—Booklist
Winston Churchill once remarked that the secret warfare waged in World War II equaled "the most fantastic inventions of romance and melodrama." William Breuer vividly confirms that assessment with these compelling accounts of Allied and Axis intelligence throughout World War II. Here are riveting tales of patriotism and treachery, saboteurs, sleepers, and moles, giving fresh perspectives on the best-known interceptions and deceptions of the war—the breaking of the German code Enigma and the Japanese code Purple, Operation Overlord’s successful disguise of the D-Day invasion— as well as little-known feats of civilian bravado in the face of danger. Meet Sidney Cotton, a British businessman and aviator who took the Luftwaffe’s General Albrecht Kesselring aloft for a test flight at a German air show and then coolly snapped valuable reconnaissance photographs after handing the controls over to the Nazi officer. Shadow the covert armada that shipped the foundation of Great Britain’s financial security—including $2.5 billion in gold—from London to the Bank of Canada in Ottawa, without suffering a single loss from U-boats at the height of the Battle for the Atlantic. Discover how U.S. taxpayers footed the bill for a successful Nazi propaganda effort that was documented in the Congressional Record, published by the Government Printing Office, and mailed on a congressman’s postal privileges. Witness a German military spy so inept he carried his World War I medals on his mission, and another so bold that he advertised for industry secrets in the pages of Popular Aviation magazine. He paid twenty dollars each for the numerous—and significant—replies that poured in. Drawn extensively from personal interviews, private correspondence, trial records, and declassified documents from official archives, this engrossing volume provides detailed, frequently startling revelations about the secret wars fought behind the battlefields—and the headlines—of World War II. This war was fought by soldiers out of uniform. Stealth and ingenuity were their weapons. Victory was their only code of conduct."Gentlemen do not read each other’s mail."—Henry L. Stimson Henry L. Stimson, the U.S. Secretary of War under President Franklin Roosevelt, was in for a rude shock as the military forces of Germany and Japan armed themselves for their assault on the world. Men at war not only read each other’s mail; they forged it whenever possible. In Top Secret Tales of World War II, noted military historian William Breuer documents espionage—in all its forms—as it evolved in the hands of both Allied and Axis agents of intelligence and counter-intelligence. He reveals the acts of subversion and sabotage, the bribes, blackmailings, kidnappings, assassinations, grand deceptions, and bizarre assaults that were conducted in the name of victory at all costs. Focusing on the fascinating characters that played key roles in these pivotal incidents, Breuer brings a fresh dimension to the war’s most notorious acts and provides new insights into missions conducted in such deep shadow they nearly eluded the history books as well as they did the enemy’s detection.
As combat veterans and high commanders know, logic is often a
stranger in wartime. --William B. Breuer, in
Praise for The Great Raid on Cabanatuan "An exciting narrative presented by a first-rate storyteller." —Publishers Weekly Acclaim for Feuding Allies "An absorbing look at the impact of Alliance politics on the outcome of WW II." —Kirkus Reviews
From the critically acclaimed author whom The Wall Street Journal called "a first-class historian," here is a riveting account of one of the most spectacular rescue operations in history. On January 30, 1945, American troops staged a successful raid on Cabanatuan, a notorious Japanese POW camp where thousands of prisoners had been tortured and died. Based on interviews with the heroes who survived the raid, this book brings to life in electrifying detail the dramatic events that took place on that historic day. Praise for William B. Breuer and his books "A first-class historian." —The Wall Street Journal "Fast-paced, detailed, and satisfyingly dramatic." —World War II Magazine on Devil Boats "Another smasher by Breuer, who specializes in thrilling reports of WWII spycraft and warfare." —Kirkus Reviews on Race to the Moon "Vivid . . . skillfully written." —Los Angeles Times on Retaking the Philippines "Brings to life how airborne soldiers survived, how the human will prevails . . . against overwhelming enemies, tactical failures, and even death."—The New York Times on Geronimo: American Paratroopers in World War II Early on the morning of January 28, 1945, a small detachment of volunteers under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Henry A. Mucci, leader of the 6th Ranger Battalion, embarked from their base in the Philippines on the most audacious rescue operation ever undertaken. Their objective: Penetrate thirty miles behind enemy lines and liberate 511 POWs from Cabanatuan, the notorious Japanese POW camp where thousands of American prisoners had been brutally tortured and killed. Little did Mucci's Rangers know when they got under way that morning that over the next few days and nights they would be making history. Written by acclaimed military historian William B. Breuer, The Great Raid on Cabanatuan is a riveting account of that rescue mission and the gallant soldiers who carried it out against overwhelming odds. Based largely on interviews with the heroes who survived the operation, and featuring twenty-eight previously unpublished photographs—many of them taken while the raid was in progress—it brings to life in electrifying detail the dramatic events that took place on the night of the raid, January 30, and during the harrowing days that followed. In sketching out the many roads that led to Cabanatuan, Breuer brilliantly combines oral history with dramatic narrative to bring to life some of the most spectacular events of the war in the Pacific. We relive the hellish battles for Bataan and Corregidor, where in 1942 American and Filipino soldiers fought bravely to hold back the Japanese invasion force. We experience firsthand the horrors of the Bataan Death March on which tens of thousands of prisoners lost their lives en route to Cabanatuan. And we learn of the American underground and guerilla operations in the Philippines during the Japanese occupation from the men and women behind them, including Margaret Utinsky, leader of "Miss U's underground," and Claire Phillips, the glamorous lounge singer turned spy- master. A gripping chronicle of one of the most harrowing rescue missions ever undertaken as told in all its gritty detail by the heroes who made it happen, The Great Raid on Cabanatuan is both a first-class piece of military scholarship and a thrilling adventure story.
1960. As the Cold War reaches its height, so does postwar prosperity, and the American people celebrate their optimism by electing as president the young, charismatic John F. Kennedy. Just 90 miles from the United States, the Cuban people are celebrating the rise of Fidel Castro, their own young and charismatic populist leader who overthrew Batista's oppressive regime. Around the world, a rising tide of Communism is absorbing one country after another. President Kennedy, vowing to keep Communism out of the Western Hemisphere, knows he must confront Castro. It will mean not only testing his own resolve, but maintaining a precarious balancing act. Kennedy cannot allow the United States to be seen as weak, yet he cannot be too aggressive and risk nuclear annihilation. How then to weaken Castro's grip on Cuba--without forcing a showdown between the United States and the Soviet Union?With the aid of his attorney general, his younger brother Robert, the new president, in effect, declares a secret war against Fidel Castro, enlisting the CIA and Cuban refugees. During the next few years, the Kennedys and Castro engage in the most dangerous and covert duel of the Cold War, a fierce vendetta that will take the world to the brink of nuclear confrontation.Now, in this powerful, eye-opening new book, William B. Breuer reveals the startling truth behind the Cuban crisis of the early 1960s. From the Bay of Pigs to Guantanamo Bay and the October '62 missile crisis, Breuer exposes how John and Robert Kennedy worked together to expand the clandestine, sometimes illegal activities to eliminate Castro. Vendetta! is a riveting account of recent history, complete with spies, saboteurs, guerrillas, murder plots, and kidnappings, told in the hard-hitting, dramatic style that has won the author critical acclaim as a chronicler of military intrigue.Based on new firsthand interviews with many of the people who directed and participated in the Kennedys' secret war, Vendetta! includes candid recollections from a host of government officials who are talking about these events for the first time, among them, W. Raymond Wannall, former assistant director of the FBI, and Theodore Shackley, the CIA official who directed the covert actions from Miami. As this fascinating chapter of modern day intrigue unfolds, we are swept into the middle of the action, from tense conferences in the Oval Office to terrifying encounters at Guantanamo Bay, where American-backed forces stood outnumbered and surrounded by Cuban troops. Vendetta! is William B. Breuer at his very best--real-life espionage, political fact and folly, thrilling adventure, and intrigue.Critical Acclaim for William B. BreuerSHADOW WARRIORS""Absorbing . . . with colorful yarns . . . as suitable for serious students of history as for fans of cloak-and-dagger mayhem, military style."" --Publishers Weekly""An engrossing tale of unsung heroes and high-risk missions . . . penetrates the little-known espionage, propaganda, and guerrilla operations of the Korean War."" --Kirkus ReviewsFEUDING ALLIES""A valuable resource . . . highly recommended."" --Booklist
Critical acclaim for William B. Breuer "A first-class historian." Top Secret Tales of World War II "A book for rainy days and long solitary nights by the fire. If there were a genre for cozy nonfiction, this would be the template." "Perfect for the curious and adventure readers and those who love exotic tales and especially history buffs who will be surprised at what they didn’t know. Recommended for nearly everyone." Daring Missions of World War II " The author brings to light many previously unknown stories of behind-the-scenes bravery and covert activities that helped the Allies win critical victories." Secret Weapons of World War II "Rip-roaring tales . . . a delightful addition to the niche that Breuer has so successfully carved out."
Despite the mighty invasion force the Americans and British mustered in England in early 1944, a top Allied general warned: If the Germans have even a 48-hour advance notice of the time and place of the Normandy landings, we could suffer a monstrous catastrophe For his part, Adolf Hitler planned to inflict such a massive bloodbath on the invaders that the Allies would agree to a negotiated peace with Nazi Germany. "Hoodwinking Hitler" is an action-packed, you-are-there account about a colossal and incredibly intricate deception scheme created and implemented by ingenious and diabolical minds, machinations intended to bamboozle the Germans on true Allied invasion plans. Facets of the global chicanery included electronic spoofing, double agents, diplomatic deceit, whispering campaigns, femmes fatales, camouflage, strategic feints, the French underground, murder plots, phony military installations, misleading bombing raids, sabotage, propaganda, traps, fake codes, and kidnap schemes. On D-Day, June 6, 1944, the Allies gained total surprise, mostly because of what Winston Churchill called the greatest hoax in history. But not until two months later, when the Allies broke out of Normandy, did the deception scheme pass into history. By that time, ultimate Allied victory in Europe was assured.
American women have had a sterling tradition of courage, sacrifice, and dedication in support roles in the armed services in times of war, and as spies, guerrilla leaders, and frontline correspondents. Most of their heroics and deeds have largely gone unreported, even though many have been killed in the line of duty, died of diseases or accidents, or suffered as prisoners of war.^L ^L Focusing on human drama, this riveting book tells vividly of women's achievements in uniform going back to World War I. It also relates in compelling style the heated controversy over sending women into combat, a dispute that contributed to the suicide of Admiral Jeremy Boorda in 1996. The Gulf War of 1991 saw 37,000 women serve in uniform who, like their predecessors, performed admirably and demonstrated courage under fire. This war and the subsequent Tailhook scandal renewed the call by feminist groups and their supporters in Congress to have the military remove, once and for all, the restrictions barring women from direct combat. While some saw this struggle as a quest for equality and opportunity in uniform, others fought just as vigorously to keep women out of combat. The 1990s saw women assigned to ships, to aircraft, and to jobs previously denied them due to an easing of the long-standing combat restrictions. This resulted in a nationwide debate which, many allege, contributed to the suicide of Admiral Jeremy Boorda in 1996.^L ^L Allowing women to serve in the military during wartime has been a subject of controversy since World War I, when, for the first time in history, thousands answered the same patriotic call to duty as the men and volunteered. Unlike the men, however, these pioneers were targets of gossip and branded as camp followers by some. Since that time, some 3.5 million American women have served their country as spies, nurses, guerrillas, or war correspondents. Many of these volunteers were wounded or died in the line of duty, others suffered as prisoners of war-all with little or no recognition. During World War II, the military actively recruited women to fill support roles in an effort to free more able-bodied men for combat duty. This resulted in the creation of women's branches of the armed services, which enabled women to take on even greater challenges and more diversified roles than previously allowed. These new organizations included:^L WAACs-later WACs (Army)^L WAVEs (Navy)^L SPARs (Coast Guard)^L Marine Corps Women's Reserve^L WASPs (ferrying airplanes)^L These groups attracted more than 350,000 volunteers. The tradition of volunteering continued on through conflicts in Korea and Vietnam, and each time, American women met their challenges with honor and distinction.^L^L ^IWar and American Women^R brings to life the compelling story of the ordinary and extraordinary women who served their country in times of war. Their largely unreported and unacknowledged acts of heroism are vividly recounted by an author whose style has been described by ^IThe New York Times^R as vintage Hemingway.
Race to the Moon is a suspenseful thriller about the 30-year clash between the United States and the Soviet Union to be the first to put a man on the moon. This true account is heavy with intrigue, espionage, and controversy. Beginning with a 1961 pledge by President John F. Kennedy to plant the Stars and Stripes on the lunar surface by the end of the decade, the story flashes back to the first days of World War II. At that time, England was tipped off by a high Nazi official that the Third Reich was developing revolutionary long-range rockets. This same source clandestinely provided documents that shocked British scientists: The Germans were 25 years ahead of England and the United States in rocket development! And then, in September 1944, 60-foot-long V-2 rockets, for which there was no defense, began raining down on London, causing enormous destruction and loss of life. Even while the fighting was still raging in Germany in the spring of 1945, a handful of young U.S. Army officers scored a colossal coup: They connived to steal 100 of the huge V-2s that had been found in an underground factory. They were dismantled and slipped by train out of Germany, destination White Sands, New Mexico. Then began a no-holds-barred search for German rocket scientists in the chaos of a defeated Third Reich, with the Americans and British on one side and the Russians on the other. Within weeks of the close of the war, Wernher von Braun and 126 of his rocket team members were corraled, shipped to the United States, and began working secretly on missile development. At the same time, the Soviets literally kidnapped other German rocket scientists and sent them to Russia to continue their space work. In the years ahead, Wernher von Braun and his German rocket team, nearly all of whom became naturalized citizens of the United States, collaborated with American scientists to overcome enormous space achievements by the Soviets--and bungling by Washington politicians--to send Neil Armstrong scampering about on the moon in 1969.
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