***Newly Published – To See Our “Top 20 Must Read WWII Books of 2018” click here***
You’ll want to make sure you put these new 2017 releases* on your wishlist!
Shadow Warriors of World War II: The Daring Women of the OSS and SOE
Of necessity, the stories of undercover agents tend to remain hidden until years after the fact. A great deal of heroism and sacrifice is made in wartime that is largely unknown until later, and is at times never known. While most of the stories of secret agents focus on the majority of men who did this dangerous work, this book looks to the unique challenges, risks and tasks of women working in secret to stop the Nazis and should make for a fascinating read in 2017.
The Lost Eleven: The Forgotten Story of Black American Soldiers Brutally Massacred in WWII
While groups of African-American servicemen like the Tuskegee Airmen have finally gotten coverage of their brave exploits in recent years, lesser known stories involving African-Americans remain hidden. Though the armed forces remained officially segregated until 1948, when Black soldiers had a chance to serve, their bravery was often legendary. This book looks at the massacre of the 333rd Artillery Battalion during the Battle of the Bulge and their gallant stand against a vicious enemy.
His Father’s Son: The Life of General Ted Roosevelt, Jr.
Readers who have tackled Rick Atkinson’s brilliant Liberation Trilogy will have come to admire General Ted Roosevelt Jr. While many are aware of the exploits and gallantry of his father, Ted Roosevelt Jr. has been a lesser known Roosevelt who nonetheless seems to have inherited the adventurous and uncompromising traits of his father, US President Teddy Roosevelt. As one of the more colorful characters in Atkinson’s series, it’s understandable why this unique figure deserves a book of his own.
Britain’s Wartime Evacuees: The People, Places and Stories of the Evacuations Told Through the Accounts of Those Who Were There (Voices from the Past)
Author Gillian Mawson continues her excellent work on uncovering the previously unknown stories of the evacuees from parts of the UK during the war. This promises to be another great book about the emotional and turbulent lives of the families and children who were caught up in the chaos. Add this to your 2017 “to be read” pile today!
Stalin’s Maverick Spy: The Story of a British Super-Agent in World War II
While more infamous Soviet spies like Kim Philby are well known and have had tomes written about their exploits and treachery, some of the most intriguing stories come from those who never disclosed their activity until much later in life or even through documents discovered after death. Told by the family of the agent and with a critical yet somewhat understanding view of the protagonist this certainly looks to be a great espionage read for 2017.
Dispatches from the Pacific: The World War II Reporting of Robert L. Sherrod
Anyone who has watched History Channel specials on World War II in the Pacific will undoubtedly be familiar with the name “Robert Sherrod”. His war writing and coverage was unsurpassed in that theater as he found himself in some of its fiercest battles. While a few books have been released previously that contain his coverage on Tarawa and other specific campaigns, this should prove an interesting first-hand collection of his dispatches and one that any WW2 history buff should add to their library.
The 900 day Siege of Leningrad was one of the most tragic and harrowing episodes of the war. People routinely starved to death and were faced with choices and moral dilemmas that few can even begin to image. This book contains first hand testimony in an effort to understand how human beings found it possible to survive in the very worst circumstances while keeping their basic morality intact. This should provide useful insight into one of the morally perilous predicaments of war.
As with 2016, the year 2017 will see a number of 75 Year Anniversaries. One of the most well known is Guadalcanal. Released in August on the anniversary of the beginning of the battle, this book will serve as a timely reminder for the importance of Guadalcanal and a tribute to the the bravery exhibited there. It remains one of the key moments in the Pacific War that began the defeat of the Japanese and the end of the war.
How did seemingly ordinary, everyday people become effective cogs in the Nazi war machine – killing executing and brutalizing their neighbors and former associates? It’s a question that is asked time and again but seldom results in easy answers. Still the question is always worth exploring in an effort to understand how this happened. It remains one if the most intriguing morally disturbing aspects of the war and its exploration continues to help ensure that it never happens again. This book promises to be a useful addition to that ongoing conversation.
First hand accounts of the war from surviving veterans are increasingly important as dwindling numbers remain to tell their stories. One such account is this 2017 release that looks at the relatively unknown combat mission that occurred between the dropping of the bombs on Hiroshima & Nagasaki and the Japanese surrender. It is always intriguing to learn about those who died in the very last days of the war in battles that have long since been forgotten.
Norway 1940: Chronicle of a Chaotic Campaign
One of the lesser known early campaigns of the war, the battle in Norway was a foreshadowing of the chaos to come. Allied armies experienced for the first time the Nazi tactic of rapidly moving troops into neutral territory with no warning with a speed that later became known as Blitzkreig: a rapid sweep through countries with superior air power and equipment. This looks to be an informative and detailed account of an important but often overlooked early episode in the war.
With the movie Dunkirk coming to theaters this July, there is bound to be a renewed interest in this last, desperate stand to stem the tide of the Nazi juggernaut. This book in particular promises to give the reader an inside look at the role of the “big ships” in rescuing remnants of the British Expeditionary Force. This is the year to know your Operation Dynamo history!
Their Backs against the Sea: The Battle of Saipan and the Largest Banzai Attack of World War II
At first blush the Battle of Saipan may not be seen as that significant. This is likely because a land battle in Japan was never required. However if Hiroshima and Nagasaki had never happened, then the occupation of Saipan would be critical to any eventual Allied landing that would take place on the Japanese mainland. This looks to be a great read about a lesser known battle and can only help enhance our knowledge of the war.
Churchill and Orwell: The Fight for Freedom
Ideology played a vital role in the Second World War. Well-known author Thomas E. Ricks brings us a biography of two men whose different anti-totalitarian views shaped the world we live in today. This book could not come at a better time as the world that came about as a result of these anti-totalitarian perspectives faces new crises daily. Definitely put this one on your wish list!
Stopping Hitler: An Official Account of How Britain Planned to Defend Itself in the Second World War
This batch of previously classified reports from Chiefs of Staff promise to shed light on the internal workings of those responsible for the defense of Britain from the Nazi invasion that never happened, Operation Sea Lion. Nonetheless that preparation allowed for a robust if not always successful defense against the Blitz and later the V1 and V2 rockets. This promises to be an informative read.
MacArthur’s Spies: The Soldier, the Singer, and the Spymaster Who Defied the Japanese in World War II
Despite the title this book promises to be more than just an espionage thriller. It includes a look at Americans who participated in the Filipino resistance during the Japanese occupation of Manila. While MacArthur’s triumphant return to the Philippines has been widely told, the tale of these lesser known heroes and heroines who prepared the groundwork for the eventual liberation of Manila in 1945 remains largely unknown. This eye-opening read deserves to have a place on your reading list in 2017.
Spinning History: Politics and Propaganda in World War II
Coming at a time when mass radio communication was burgeoning but information could still be somewhat controlled, propaganda during World War II, whether from the Axis or the Allies, really came of age during this time. In a unique spin on the topic, the author looks at propaganda from the major powers through the lens of theater. In a world where spin is king, it is useful to take a step back and look at its modern origins in the Second World War.
Whether as innocent observers caught in the cross fire, pressed into military service or made into a meal for the starving, animals seldom fare well in the hell of war. This book looks at an unknown story from the beginning of the war when Britons, a nation of animal-lovers, voluntarily euthanized household pets in a supposed effort to stop the animals from suffering. It’s a story that deserves to be heard, no matter how uncomfortable for the modern reader, and can help us understand mass behavior when confronted with unprecedented fear and anxiety.
The Malmedy Massacre: The War Crimes Trial Controversy
As one of the most well known massacres against US troops in WW2 combat, the story of the Malmedy Massacre has been told many times as an example of not only the violation of the rules of warfare by the Nazis, but the brutal disdain that they held for fellow soldiers and utter disrespect for human decency whether on or off the battlefield. What is lesser known is that all those who perpetrated this infamous act and were charged with death or life in prison were eventually released. Why? That is something this book, with new research and insight, will attempt to answer.
The Book Thieves: The Nazi Looting of Europe’s Libraries and the Race to Return a Literary Inheritance
The Nazis not only plundered and pilfered the most famous artwork in Europe but many do not know that along with burning books they actually stole a great deal of books with the intent of studying their contents for information to use against the owners of those books. After the war, most ended up in the public libraries. The author tells the story of how to this day librarians are still trying to return books to the families from which they were stolen. A must read for 2017!
*All dates are US release dates for physical books. For eBooks or releases in the UK and other countries, check Amazon as it may already be available elsewhere.
