Items related to The Battle of Britain: The Myth and the Reality
"A concise, penetrating account....This stirring book inspires an admiration for British courage."―New York Times Book Review
The battle of Britain pitted the Hurricanes and Spitfires of the Royal Air Force against the Messerschmitts of Hitler's Luftwaffe in the skies over England in 1940. It was immortalized in Churchill's words, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few," but it has since been debunked by revisionists as an inconclusive and even strategically flawed encounter for the British. In this assessment of the battle, Richard Overy restores the historical balance. He delivers shrewd judgments on the critical elements for both sides, from strategy to leadership, command organization, communications, and training to the technology of fighters, bombers, and radar. Overy shows that even if the popular myth overshoots the mark, the significance of the battle remains undiminished in the light of realistic judgments. A necessary battle, it marked the end of Germany's string of victories, forestalled a German invasion, and kept Britain in the war. Tables and maps"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review:
The Battle of Britain, Winston Churchill famously remarked, was the "finest hour" of the Royal Air Force, which battled Hitler's Luftwaffe in the skies above England for a few tense weeks. That storied episode, which historian Richard Overy deems a stalemate rather than a decisive triumph, has been layered with legends, one being that the RAF's determined resistance was the key factor in repelling an impending Nazi invasion. It now appears that that was never a real possibility. Another legend was that the RAF was badly outnumbered and outgunned. In fact, as Overy details, the German and British air forces were fairly evenly matched, and the RAF sustained fewer losses than it delivered.
About the Author:
Overy's slender, well-written study of the Battle of Britain celebrates the very real accomplishments of the RAF and, its revisionism aside, acknowledges that the Battle of Britain was a true turning point in the history of World War II. Overy holds that one of its most important results was to lead influential Americans to urge that the United States take Britain's side, a fact that would soon be realized. More important, though, the Battle of Britain kept England in the war at a time when many politicians and citizens sought some accommodation with the Nazi regime. It galvanized popular opposition to Hitler, replacing uncertainties and disagreements with "a greater sense of purpose and a more united people." --Gregory McNamee
Richard Overy is the author of RAF, Why the Allies Won, The Battle of Britain, and The Dictators, winner of the Wolfson History Prize. He is one of our foremost authorities in modern history and military history. He is professor of history at the University of Exeter in England.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherW. W. Norton & Company
- Publication date2002
- ISBN 10 0393322971
- ISBN 13 9780393322972
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages192
- Rating
Buy New
Learn more about this copy
US$ 16.01
Shipping:
US$ 2.64
Within U.S.A.
Other Popular Editions of the Same Title
Top Search Results from the AbeBooks Marketplace
Stock Image
The Battle of Britain: The Myth and the Reality
Published by
W. W. Norton & Company
(2002)
ISBN 10: 0393322971
ISBN 13: 9780393322972
Used
Softcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: Good. Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00069552795
Buy Used
US$ 7.41
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Battle of Britain
Published by
Norton & Company, Incorporated, W. W.
(2002)
ISBN 10: 0393322971
ISBN 13: 9780393322972
Used
Softcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: Good. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Seller Inventory # GRP102616841
Buy Used
US$ 7.41
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Battle of Britain: The Myth and the Reality
Published by
W. W. Norton & Company
(2002)
ISBN 10: 0393322971
ISBN 13: 9780393322972
Used
Paperback
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.5. Seller Inventory # G0393322971I3N00
Buy Used
US$ 7.84
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Battle of Britain: The Myth and the Reality
Published by
W. W. Norton & Company
(2002)
ISBN 10: 0393322971
ISBN 13: 9780393322972
Used
Paperback
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.5. Seller Inventory # G0393322971I3N00
Buy Used
US$ 7.84
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Battle of Britain: The Myth and the Reality
Published by
W. W. Norton & Company
(2002)
ISBN 10: 0393322971
ISBN 13: 9780393322972
Used
Paperback
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.5. Seller Inventory # G0393322971I4N00
Buy Used
US$ 7.84
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Battle of Britain: The Myth and the Reality
Published by
W. W. Norton & Company
(2002)
ISBN 10: 0393322971
ISBN 13: 9780393322972
Used
Paperback
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.5. Seller Inventory # G0393322971I4N00
Buy Used
US$ 7.84
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Battle of Britain: The Myth and the Reality
Published by
W. W. Norton & Company
(2002)
ISBN 10: 0393322971
ISBN 13: 9780393322972
Used
Paperback
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.5. Seller Inventory # G0393322971I3N00
Buy Used
US$ 7.84
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Battle of Britain: The Myth and the Reality
Published by
W. W. Norton & Company
(2002)
ISBN 10: 0393322971
ISBN 13: 9780393322972
Used
Paperback
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.5. Seller Inventory # G0393322971I3N00
Buy Used
US$ 7.84
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Battle of Britain: The Myth and the Reality
Published by
W. W. Norton & Company
(2002)
ISBN 10: 0393322971
ISBN 13: 9780393322972
Used
Softcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: Good. Signs of wear and consistent use. Seller Inventory # 3IIT5H003PFP_ns
Buy Used
US$ 3.85
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Battle of Britain: The Myth and the Reality
Published by
W. W. Norton & Company
(2002)
ISBN 10: 0393322971
ISBN 13: 9780393322972
Used
Paperback
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!. Seller Inventory # S_395323223
Buy Used
US$ 4.54
Convert currency