War in the West (Axis Triumphant Book 1)

completed reading the Kindle version of Brian Clarke's "War in the West (Axis Triumphant) and I really struggle to remember a worse book.
Table of contents

The RN's Mediterranean fleet is lured out unknowingly from Alexandria and every ship is sunk by the Stukas.

With no access to oil the shipping lanes are too dangerous with Condors based mid-Atlantic the RAF cannot get into the air, and the Royal Navy is sunk by air attack or the U-boats waiting outside ports. Heydrich persuades the Japanese to attack the European imperial possession in the Far East by promising to split Asia with them and offer them everything they need in return for one promise: They also indicate that the Americans are reading Japanese codes. Churchill is assassinated by a small squad of paras under Skorzeny. Lord Halifax immediatley sues for peace. The Germans take all of Africa, the Caribbean and eventually Canada.

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Russia, whose armed forces have been purged once again through false German intelligence, goes down in weeks against a four-pronged assault: The story ends with the USA falling apart. The Japanese have California taken forcibly or peacefully is not stated, as it appears another 3 states will leave the union as they have large Japanese populations ; several states are run by the Bund along with help from the Irish-Americans, and will invite German troops in to help maintain control.


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Heydrich sets a new target, using JKR's phrase about putting a German on the moon Dec 13, Location: Sounds like the premise out-Sealions Sealion. The Kiat I'm going to Nixonland! Aug 16, Location: The Left side of the State. Sounds more like poetic license than serious work.

Hitler’s War / The Axis POV Ep 2 Western Front / Monte Cassino

As I read, I was thinking "perhaps this guy is being a bit harsh, per-". Dave Howery laughs at your pain Joined: Jun 21, Location: Aug 9, Location: Well, whether his work is good or bad he is selling books. Going by the sales rank as of today probably 8 copies daily. Mind you, for an obviously self-pubbed work in a niche genre without a big name's backing that's actually a decent number.

I'd be happy if I got back into that region again. In this sweeping narrative history, the first of three volumes, British historian and contrarian James Holland deploys deep research, incisive Much of what we think we know about World War II is steeped in myth rather than fact. In this sweeping narrative history, the first of three volumes, British historian and contrarian James Holland deploys deep research, incisive analysis, and a profound sense of humanity to revise and enhance our understanding of one of the most significant events in history.

It is commonly held that at the outset of war, Germany had the best army in the world, and that Britain barely managed to hold out against it until the Americans declared war and overwhelmed Nazi military prowess with economic might. But the picture looked much different in In advance of its Polish offensive, Germany was short on resources, tanks, and trained soldiers.

Meanwhile, Britain and France had more men in uniform than Germany and considerably greater naval power, and Britain was the richest country in Europe with a massive empire at its disposal. Beginning with the lead-up to the outbreak of war in and ending in the middle of on the eve of the Nazi invasion of Russia, The War in the West, Volume I covers the war on several levels, from fascinating tactical revelations—blitzkrieg, Holland argues, is a myth—to the personal stories of a German U-boat captain, a French reserve officer, a son-in-law of Mussolini, an American construction tycoon, and civilians across the war zone.

This is a major history, destined to generate significant scholarly debate and reader interest. Hardcover , pages. The War in the West 1. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about The War in the West , please sign up. Lists with This Book. An outstanding account of the War in the West James Holland has avoided repetition of previous accounts of this period and delivered a fascinating and thought provoking book that covers not just the political, but also the economic and social aspects.

For example did you know that at the outbreak of war the Germans has different types of truck and An outstanding account of the War in the West For example did you know that at the outbreak of war the Germans has different types of truck and different types of trailer obviously making the provision of parts and repairs a nightmare. However the book is not just about numbers and Holland has unearthed some never before seen personal accounts that really add to our knowledge.

For example he has accounts from Dutch and Belgian soldiers who are often neglected in favour of the campaign in France. This is a thought provoking book that challenges many preconceptions about the war and comes to some controversial conclusions. I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. View all 4 comments. Jul 18, Mark rated it it was amazing. Given the mountain of books that have been written about the Second World War, it is difficult to imagine that there is anything new to say in the subject.

Yet for some time now a growing critique of the long-received wisdom has emerged, one that brings a new understanding to the factors that shaped the conflict and its outcome. James Holland's book ranks among the contributors to this critique. The first of a projected three-volume study of the war in Europe, he addresses the familiar narrative Given the mountain of books that have been written about the Second World War, it is difficult to imagine that there is anything new to say in the subject.

The first of a projected three-volume study of the war in Europe, he addresses the familiar narrative of the first 22 months of the war and offers some provocative yet convincing explanations for how events developed in the way that they did. Holland makes it clear at the start of the book that his focus is on "operational history," or the effort to turn ideas and goal of the strategists into battlefield realities.

War in the West (Axis Triumphant) | Alternate History Discussion

This is a focus often missing from surveys of the war, and its use here provides for some reconsiderations of received ideas about the war. Here Germany's Wehrmacht is not the sleek, modern, panzer-driven force, but a mainly horse-drawn army that relies on a good deal of risk-taking and bluff.

By contrast Germany's enemies, particularly the British, enjoy far more modern equipment and a greater edge in terms of their forces. This disparity helps to highlight the command failings, especially those of the French, which contributed to the Allied debacle in Yet the Germans themselves made numerous mistakes, many of which contributed to the prolongation of the conflict and set the stage for their defeat in the war. An accomplished writer, Holland provides readers with an analytical narrative of the war that is both readable and interesting.

While better editing could have cut down on some of the repetitions and sloppy errors, these are minor complaints given the overall quality of the book. It's one that everybody interested in the conflict should read, both for the arguments Holland makes and the overall enjoyability of the book. Sep 04, Linda Morelli rated it it was amazing. An established military historian, James Holland provides yet new insights into the circumstances leading to the outbreak of WWII in Europe. What makes this narrative informative and revealing, is the way that Holland weaves into the narrative the multifaceted aspects of nations at war.

Breaking away from the usual, but narrow military and political view of why WWII occurred, Holland presents a complex picture from all sides of the impact of decision makers, personal accounts by combatants and citizens, economic drivers, the role of technology, the Battle of the Atlantic, key political decisions and the various military campaigns that in sum was the War in the West - Italy is rarely treated with the attention and role it played during this phase of WWII.

Holland also provides some myth breaking views, such as Great Britain arming itself well before Germany's invasion of Poland and that, in many respects, Great Britain was more economically powerful than Nazi Germany when the war broke out. Full review can be found at: Jan 19, Omar Ali rated it it was amazing. Our school library had a multi-volume history of the second world war and I read it at least twice because I had nothing better to do, and the habit has stuck.. By now, these are the books I read to have a good time.

This one was good, though i skipped most of the "personal anecdotes" about lower level personnel doing their job. Every new book adds some new perspectives on why this or that old myth should now Our school library had a multi-volume history of the second world war and I read it at least twice because I had nothing better to do, and the habit has stuck.. Every new book adds some new perspectives on why this or that old myth should now be discarded.

This one is focused on making sure you realize how inefficient German war production was in the early years and how the German army was not the mechanized modern behemoth of propaganda. And that once Hitler had started the war, he pretty much had to invade everybody because otherwise Germany was going to be strangled to death by her enemies' superior access to resources and the Royal Navy's command of the seas. I didnt realize that for all the stories of fighter command and it's genuine heroics, it was the Luftwaffe pilots who flew the crazier number of sorties per day during the battle of Britain.

What if Hitler had allowed Donitz to build all the U-boats he wanted instead of wasting precious resources on his surface fleet? We will never know, but it is a thought.. And being British, he does want to make sure you know that Britain was the more efficient armament manufacturer and innovator in Europe, and consistently outproduced and out-innovated Germany in the early years of the war. The RAF was badly stressed, but so was the Luftwaffe.. How America outproduced everyone ten times over is hardly news. Still, the fact that Kaiser built shipyards faster than many countries can make ships is the story chosen to illustrate this amazing performance and it IS impressive.

Een mooie mix van politiek, herinneringen van gewone mensen en soldaten, militaire geschiedenis en memoires van politici. Hoe alles met alles samenhangt, van voedselvoorziening tot olievoorraden en militaire tenues. Dat het niet zo fout had hoeven gaan en waarom. En dat Koningin Wilhelmina destijds de rijkste vrouw op aarde was en een eskader Spitfires kocht.

Aanrader voor als je een compleet overzicht wilt lezen over de eerste jaren van de Tweede Wereldoorlog in West-Europa en Noord-Afrika zo Een mooie mix van politiek, herinneringen van gewone mensen en soldaten, militaire geschiedenis en memoires van politici. Aanrader voor als je een compleet overzicht wilt lezen over de eerste jaren van de Tweede Wereldoorlog in West-Europa en Noord-Afrika zonder in droge feiten te verdwalen.

May 07, Mark rated it really liked it. This first volume of The War in the West was very entertaining. It is very well written and written in a way that really engages your interest. I have read a number of books about World War II, including overall general histories and about specific parts of the war. This volume is high on the list of the best. The author interplays the events of the first part of the war before the invasion of the Soviet Union with the personal experiences of individuals either caught up in the war someway or in This first volume of The War in the West was very entertaining.

The author interplays the events of the first part of the war before the invasion of the Soviet Union with the personal experiences of individuals either caught up in the war someway or in the armed forces of one of the nations at war or soon to enter the war. The title makes it look like it is going to focus on Germany during the years to But that is not the case. It pretty much gives equal treatment to events and people in the United States as well as in Britain and Germany.

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The book also goes into the decision making as to various parts of the war and battles in a way that I haven't experienced before in any of the books on the war I have read. I learned a lot of things I didn't know before. Another aspect of the author's premise appears to be that the early victories of Germany were not inevitable, that Britain and France had a lot going for them at the start of the war in the west. History seems to be inevitable from hindsight. His premise is that Germany was not that strong when the war commenced. Yes, they had large numbers of soldiers, but very few mechanized divisions.

Poland was not a true test. Germany also had limited access to resources essential to maintaining the war. This, of course, increased, as Germany invaded countries in central and eastern Europe and down into Greece. But, the author points out, even this was not enough to sustain a long war, making the attack on the Soviet Union almost essential.

Germany needed the vast resources of the Soviet Union to succeed in its war against Britain. Despite the loss of the battle in France and having to evacuate their expeditionary force from the shores of Dunkirk, Britain was, according to the author, still very much a formidable force in opposing Nazi Germany. Hitler grew very exasperated when Britain refused to even negotiate.

War in the West (Axis Triumphant)

It was an unknown factor in his plans, and which, as we know, led to his downfall and the complete destruction of Germany. I very much enjoyed this first volume by James Holland of the War in the West and am looking forward to his next volume, continuing a very readable history of tremendous events that occurred in our world in the very recent past.

Sep 12, Jonathan rated it it was amazing Shelves: After the hundreds of books that I've read on the Second World War, I was confident that I didn't have that much more to learn on the topic, and I was pleasurably proved wrong by James Holland and his first volume of the war in the west 9which, it should be noted, includes the war at sea and in North Africa. Important subjects such as Britain's true economic strength and access to the world's resources, the agricultural policies of the countries involved it turns out that the Brits had a huge After the hundreds of books that I've read on the Second World War, I was confident that I didn't have that much more to learn on the topic, and I was pleasurably proved wrong by James Holland and his first volume of the war in the west 9which, it should be noted, includes the war at sea and in North Africa.

Important subjects such as Britain's true economic strength and access to the world's resources, the agricultural policies of the countries involved it turns out that the Brits had a huge advantage over the Germans because their number one farm animal was the sheep rather than the pig , the differences in military organizations there probably never has been a worse-organized and commanded modern military branch than the Luftwaffe in WWII , and many more made this book an enlightening as well as enjoyable read.


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I am looking forward to the next volume with baited breath. May 07, Rob Thompson rated it really liked it Shelves: Is there anything new to say about WWII? Given the huge amount of books that have been written about the Second World War, it is difficult to imagine that there is anything new to say in the subject. Yet for some time now a growing critique of the long-received wisdom has emerged.

This is one that brings a new understanding to the factors that shaped the conflict and its outcome. An established military historian, James Holland provides yet new insights into the circumstances leading to the outbreak of Second World War in Europe. Holland argues that blitzkrieg as we know it is a myth and reveals that the picture looked much different in Meanwhile, France had more men in uniform than Germany, and Britain had the best navy in the world. Holland pays careful attention to the operational level of the war often overlooked in previous histories, making The Rise of Germany more than just military history, but also social political, and economic history sure to generate significant scholarly debate and reader interest.

The War in the West: Volume 1: The Rise of Germany, 1939-1941

This is a well researched and superbly written account of the years skewers a number of myths about the early years of the Second World War. The next two volumes should be unmissable. Sep 01, Charles rated it it was amazing. New Generation of Historian Examines First 20 months of WWII in Europe With this book, which is readable, well researched, and advances a fresh perspective, author James Holland has established himself as a World War II historian able to tap and interpret material unavailable to a previous generation.

This is well-trod period covered by talented historians, many of whom are British as is Holland but who are 20 to 50 years older. We now know that on May 27, , this was a close-run thing, with Lord Halifax urging peace feelers, two other newly-appointed coalition cabinet members remaining silent, and Churchill as Prime Minister having to persuade his predecessor, Neville Chamberlain, that any wavering of purpose was a bad idea. With the declassification of documents over the last 70 years, along with access to Russian and other archives, it is easier now to unearth new material and gain new perspectives.

Holland has taken full advantage of newly available material and his list of sources is impressive. While Britain did not have the capacity to fight Germany in a land war in Europe, as long as it could maintain the sea lanes for supply of food and other war materials, and outproduce the Nazis in the production of aircraft, any attempt to invade Britain was doomed to catastrophic failure. Contrary to Nazi propaganda and the image produced by the Blitzkrieg, the German Army was overwhelmingly horse-drawn.

Only 15 of the 54 German divisions that attacked Poland were mechanized and the ratio had not improved in fact declined on the eve of the German invasion of the Soviet Union. Britain and France had more tanks, and better tanks, and more aircraft than Germany. But Germany knew how to deploy its resources better. Tactically, the Germans understood the importance of concentration of strength in offense and the coordination of armor, infantry, artillery and close-support air power.

Holland also credits German leadership in radio technology which enabled the combat arms to communicate with one another. By contrast, the French in particular were geriatric in leadership, unimaginative, slow to understand what was happening on the battlefield, and when the magnitude of the crisis began to dawn on the generals they had little ability to communicate and coordinate a battlefield response.

Holland argues that the successes Germany initially achieved in Poland and France produced overconfidence that would come back to haunt the Nazis. These victories were short, quick battles over a territory of no more than miles. The mobile portion of the German army was a hollow spear point, relying upon marching troops and horse-drawn artillery to catch up.

This would be a disastrous disadvantage when invading a country the size of the Soviet Union, whose armies were able to retreat a thousand miles or more from an invading force. In Russia the Germans were never able to catch up and achieve envelopment. German supply lines were extended ever further into enemy territory, taxing resources to the breaking point and providing opportunity for the Soviets to counterattack.

They could see the German bombers coming and tactically deploy fighters accordingly. Even at the height of the Blitz, the British were building aircraft faster than the Germans were shooting them down. Since the battles were over friendly territory, many British pilots bailed out safely and lived to fly another day. Both Hitler and Churchill were impulsive leaders, tempted to micro-manage, who could be deaf to well-reasoned military advice. For Germany, one such side show was the North African campaign.

Similarly, Hitler found himself sending tanks and troops to Greece to bail out Mussolini, just weeks before they would have been used in the Russian invasion. The first such disaster was in Norway, where too few troops were given too big a job, and little thought had been given to sustaining the force against German counterattack.

Commonwealth troops defending Egypt and the Suez Canal were weakened by a decision to send a force to attack Italian forces in Ethiopia. When Hitler invaded Greece, without sufficient planning Churchill similarly ordered troops from Egypt. The result was another ignominious withdrawal in which troops and equipment were left behind. Britain by no means had the power to defeat Germany, but Holland argues that Germany did not have the capacity to successfully cross the channel and defeat Britain.

Left unexplored is how long that stalemate could have lasted, and whether the equilibrium would have changed in favor of one side or the other, because the imminent attack on Russia altered the war.