The British in WWII [antikvár]

INTRODUCTION The Second World War was the largest and costliest conflict in human history. Its scale was genuinely global, leaving almost no part of the world unaffected. At its end the political geography of the world was transformed and the stage set for the emergence of the modern states' system. In terms of cost of life Britain suffered a loss of 240,000 military personnel and 65,000 civilians, with countless others left with debilitating injuries. While the loss of military life was considerably less than that of the First World War, the toll on civilian life was unprecedented. This war left no part of British life unaffected. From Chamberlains sombre declaration of war on 3 September 1939 to the jubilant victory celebrations of 8 May 1945, this book follows the fortunes of the British army, navy and air force as they fought heroically alongside their allies to overcome the might of the Axis powers. All theatres of warfare are examined. From the first years of the war in Europe which saw the British and French allies being driven back towards the Channel coast as the German armies conquered much of Europe; to the African desert and jungle of the Far East, which saw the Japanese conquering the British territories of Burma and Singapore taking thousands of British nationals, both military and civilian, prisoner; to the later years which saw the tide of war turn in the Allies favour when victory in the desert in late 1942 paved the way for the re-conquest of the Mediterranean in 1943. June 1944 saw the D-Day landings and the eleven month campaign which took forces from the beaches of Normandy to the heart of Germany.