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War is Hell:
A friend of mine was returning this book to its owner when I intercepted it. I have always been fascinated with the air war of WW2 and this book promised to give me a lot of insight into the air war over Europe. It did that in spades, almost to the point that I began to wonder if I really wanted to learn about all that went on, as the real history of this period is seriously depressing when one looks at the ravages of war on the scale of WW2. At times, I wondered if Miller had an ulterior motive in writing this book to make it a definitive anti-war account, but I have come to the conclusion that war is often such disorganized Hell that it makes that point by itself without any prodding from an author that is trying to tell about it. It is easy from the distance of time to romanticize the "bomber boys" of WW2, but there is little in those years that is truly romantic while there is much to admire about the bravery of those on both sides who waged the war with little expectation that they would live to see it's end. This is a sobering a review of the madness that was the air war in Europe told both interestingly and frankly as you are likely to find and it should be required reading by all who seek knowledge from those times.
Unvarnished history of the US Army's Eighth Air Force:
Donald Miller produced a well-documented and frequently harrowing account of the history of the US Army 8th Air Force, the first US Army unit to engage in combat with elements of Nazi Germany during WWII. When the vanguard of the 8th Air Force arrived in Britain the RAF was carrying out a night bombing campaign against targets in Nazi occupied Europe. In this book you will read about strategic and tactical differences of opinion between the RAF and leadership of the US Army 8th Air Force. The 8th came to Britain to join in the fight with Germany, but in a way that had never before been attempted - high-level, precision, daylight, strategic bombing designed to deliver a knock-out blow to the industrial and economic centers of Nazi occupied Europe. If you are like me, and have read different accounts of the war in Europe in WWII including accounts of the air war, you, like me, may have accepted the general conclusion that the daylight bombing campaign of the 8th was not only effective, but decisive. Miller's account, however, provides a rich and focused account of the risks, challenges, successes, and failures of the 8th which provide readers with a reason to revisit their opinions about the 8th's ability to carry out precision bombing. Miller uses many, many personal accounts from individuals who were members of flight crews, ground crews, and members of command staffs as he weaves his historical account of the 8th. I was repeatedly impressed, deeply impressed, by the heroism, grit, and determination of men who climbed again and again into bombers heading to the air war over continental Europe. Time and again I had to stop reading and re-read passages of the book out loud to my wife who was likewise awed by the terrible conditions of battle and inspired by the bravery of the men in those bombers. In the heading for this review I use the word "unvarnished." That's not because there is undue use of profanity, but because the account presented by Miller details the conditions encountered in the air: fighter attacks, flack, extreme cold, constant stress, and other challenges associated with the WWII bomber air war. The account is also "unvarnished" because of the direct and candid description of the challenges in carrying out precision bombing...which from many accounts was not as precise as we may have been led to believe. This book was outstanding. If you are interested in the military history of WWII in general, and of the air war in specific, then you will greatly enjoy this book. 5 stars all the way!
Greatest review of the 8th AAF I have ever read!:
I'm sure I have read over 50 books dealing with the 8th AAF but never one this indepth and far reaching and so filled with a roller coster of emotions. My father (Bombardier, 95th BG H) flew 25 missions (four over Berlin)and reading this put me right in the plane with him and at home with his crew and their feelings. What I never knew about the air crews interned and the Swiss was very revealing. So too was the background on the formation of the 8th and the strategy from start to finish. Having flown in a B-17 (EAA) I was able to put myself in a position to at least think I could feel some of the excitment of the aircraft during takeoff and landing as I read. It also gave me a greater understanding of what it must have been to be so cramped up during the missions. The interviews and research done for this book was fantastic and would serve as the basis for a great movie. I'm saddened more veterans of the 8th are not around to read this book and recall the good and bad of their missions and their impact on history. As I read I compared much of what was in the book about the 95th with the book left by my father, Contrails, the 95th Group which confirmed many actions described. I ordered three more copies of Masters of the Air for friends. (One of which flew the Polesti raid and was an original member of the 100th having served as a member of the RAF prior to our entry into the war). No other book I have ever read can come close to the enjoyment and education offered by this author. If you are truly interested in one of the most complete overviews of the European airwar as well as the 8th AF you cannot overlook reading this book!
Good one:
I think this is a very good book covering both the tactical level of the bomber boys and also the strategic level of Doolittle and up to Churchill. The book is very detailed and covers not only the well-known facts and aerial raids such as the Schweinfurt-Regenburg, but also about all sort of experience that an airman can expect to encounter on base and in midair. The only thing that is a little disappointing to me is the layout, which scattered articles all around the book, making it a little diffcult to follow. However, I believe this is a must read for general info about the aerial theater.
A Masterful Job:
One of the better books you will find on the 8th Air Force. The author covers every facet of the strategies and actual operations of the 8th. Even though the reader may not always agree with his conclusions and opinions, in most cases, the author makes a strong case in his favor. His compelling descriptions of the hardships the flight crews suffered makes the reader contemplate whether or not they could have performed those same tasks under those conditions. The later portion of the book does a fine job of covering the hardships of POWs towards the end of the war. This book is definitely a "keeper" and should find a favored spot in your library.
| Author: | Donald L. Miller | | Binding: | Kindle Edition | | Dewey Decimal Number: | 940.544973 | | Format: | Kindle Book | | Number Of Pages: | 688 | | Publication Date: | 2006-10-09 | | Release Date: | 2006-10-09 |
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