Airborne in 1943

September 24, 2018
In this meticulously researched work, British journalist Wilson (Blood and Fears) lays out an exacting reconstruction of the aerial campaign of 1943, in which the Allies took “war home to the enemy as never before in the history of Germany or the world.” Wilson doesn’t skimp on detail in this yearlong narrative of the missions, triumphs, failures, and losses that made up the Allied assault on Germany’s cities, in a bold reversal of the earlier events of WWII. Precisely detailed military actions during such campaign milestones as the Battle of the Ruhr and the Battle of Berlin are interspersed with personal recollections (of such participants as rear gunner Sgt. Albert Bracegirdle, wireless operator Pilot Officer Dennis Bateman, and bomb aimer Sgt. Len Bradfield) to create a vivid, complex picture of this phase of the war, with an eye toward remembering those involved as increasingly unappreciated heroes. This is a solidly written, engaging military history. Agent: Jessica Purdue, Orion.

October 1, 2018
A densely detailed, chronological, frequently gruesome account of British bomber operations against Germany in 1943.In that year, writes journalist Wilson (Blood and Fears: How America's Bomber Boys of the Eighth Air Force Saved World War II, 2017), bomber crews "who made up only 7 percent of Britain and her empire in uniform yet took 25 percent of the total fatalities, dropped nearly four times the tonnage compared to that dropped by the Eighth Air Force. The tonnage of the USAAF, who suffered so much in Europe's fight, would leap the following year." The author has mined the archives and interviewed dozens of elderly survivors, so his accounts of perhaps 100 missions are rich in anecdotes as well as nuts-and-bolts technical descriptions, fireworks, blunders, courage, and death. Wilson disagrees with historians who denounce the massive air strikes of World War II. He denies that they were revenge for the Blitz because Allied airmen were already believers in strategic bombing. He also takes a dim view of postwar research that concluded the bombing was ineffective, agreeing that it was less effective than enthusiasts predicted but no more so than, say, the Italian campaign. The author admits that German war production increased throughout 1943, but he also points out that bombing made it increasingly expensive and inconvenient; air defenses required several million men, immense resources, and the majority of Luftwaffe planes that would have been better employed in Russia. Wilson's vivid picture of the inaccuracy of nighttime bombing does not prevent him from emphasizing damage to industries from each attack--unlike most authors, who focus mostly on civilian casualties.This record of essentially all 1943 British air operations will appeal to military buffs more than general readers, who may prefer three Martin Middlebrook masterpieces on missions from that year: The Battle of Hamburg, The Peenemünde Raid, and The Berlin Raids.

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November 15, 2018

Wilson's (Blood and Fears) authoritative and fascinating book documents RAF Bomber Command's achievements in 1943 against German positions, recollected by former airmen. The author details the formation of the aircraft unit No. 617 Squadron, known as the Dambusters, their role in this theater, along with their complex training methods, as they attacked multiple dams, resulting in catastrophic flooding in Germany. Wilson accurately describes the devastation of the city of Hamburg and the incremental destruction of Berlin as well as details of raids over Kassel, Mannheim, and Hanover. Within a year, the cities in Adolf Hitler's industrial power base in Ruhr were decimated. Revelations of interest include insight into German civilian life under bombardment, aerial battle tactics used by the command, and a heartfelt description of one crew's final minutes aboard a bomber. The author dismisses the early belief that Germany's defeat was won mainly through aerial bombing but posits that the command's dedication and sacrifices were significant factors in the war's outcome. VERDICT A fitting historical tribute to the soldiers whose invaluable memories inspired this remarkable account. Highly recommended for U.S., European, military, and aviation historians, as well as general readers.--John Carver Edwards, formerly with Univ. of Georgia Libs.

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2018
Wilson (Blood and Fears, 2017) presents another detailed history of WWII air campaigns. Here he focuses on the Allies' air assaults against the Third Reich during the pivotal year 1943, with particular emphasis on the RAF's invaluable contribution. Wilson presents each raid's strategic significance, lays out the number of aircraft dispatched to the target, the number lost, and the damage done to the Nazi war effort. He uses personal stories from brave airmen who risked their lives and coped with the constant threat of death or imprisonment. His approach is based on the expectation that the reader already has a good understanding of the period and is seeking a work that fills in all the specifics about these deadly aerial combat missions that are often glossed over. Wilson pays special attention to the technological and tactical evolution on both sides and challenges the popular understanding that bombing had little effect on German morale or war production. Airborne in 1943 is just the book to hand history buffs committed to knowing everything about WWII.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)