by James Holland
New York: St. Martin’s / Macmillan, 2021. Pp. xxvi, 712.
Illus., maps, gloss, notes, biblio., index. $$27.99, paper. ISBN: 125000215X
The Battle of Britain in Context
This is an extremely thorough and mostly complete examination of the Battle of Britain. (Mr. Holland skips Italy’s contribution to the battle, which, though small at 170 aircraft, was still there.) Unlike most books about the Battle, this one covers the events leading up to it including the invasion of France, the evacuation at Dunkirk, and even the aircraft development programs in Germany and Great Britain.
In the process of telling the story of the Battle of Britain, Holland includes a great deal of biographical material and anecdotes covering people who were of major significance on the world stage as well as the ordinary folks effected by the war. He also gives adequate coverage of the naval war that the Germans inflicted on Britain in preparation for their proposed invasion of Britain, Operation Sea Lion.
The Battle of Britain is just a very good book that gives so much more than a dry background or statistics. It’s well worth your time if you have an interest in WWII, air warfare, or military strategy.
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Our Reviewer: Mike O’Brien has been a Gamer since high school. He is currently the Cat Herder in Chief of the Miniature Wargaming Society of Sacramento California. He volunteers for several of the Northern California gaming conventions, usually as the Director of Small Things. He games, and researches, periods ranging from Ancient through Modern.
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Note: The Battle of Britain is also available in audio- and e-editions.
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