Up to beevors usual standard, this is an excellent overview of an aspect of ww2 i knew next to nothing. Buy the second world war first edition by beevor, antony isbn. The fall of berlin 1945 antony beevor pdf by scrapacaruk issuu. Jun 11, 2002 beevor s stalingrad 1998 is the most meticulously researched and detailed account of the biggest and most important battle of world war ii, and perhaps of western history. Sir antony james beevor, frsl born 14 december 1946 is an english military historian.
Now, in his newest and most ambitious book, he turns his focus to one of the bloodiest and most tragic events of the twentieth century, the second world war. Reissue by acclaimed historian antony beevor vividly bringing to life the epic struggles that took place in second world war crete. The bestselling author of the battle of arnhem and dday vividly reconstructs the epic wwii struggle for crete reissued with a new introduction. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read crete. Though a victory, the battle of crete saw these forces sustain such high losses that they were not used again by the germans. With the massive scope of world war ii, however, beevor certainly had his work cut out for him, yet there is no doubt that he delivered with the second world war. Little did they know that the british, using ultra intercepts, had already laid a careful trap. Weighing in at 880 pages it provides a comprehensive, well considered and well written account of a truly momentous set of events in world history. It should have been the first german defeat of the. Its mammoth, coming in at nearly 800 pages, and has a bibliography thats a treasure trove for any historian of world war ii. Praise for crete 1941 few battles in world war ii can surpass crete for high drama, both on land and sea. The battle for crete was one of the most dramatic battles of the second world war. Beevor has been a visiting professor at the school of history, classics and archaeology at birkbeck, university of london and at the university of kent. Jul 08, 2018 read the fall of berlin 1945 pdf by antony beevor penguin books a tale drenched in drama and blood, heroism and cowardice, loyalty and betrayal.
The germans had no idea of the size of british and commonwealth forces on the island and in fact they very nearly lost the battle. Now, in his newest and most ambitious book, he turns his focus to one of the bloodiest and most tragic events of the 20th century, the second world war. The battle for crete is the most contested event in new zealands military history. The military history of greece during world war ii began on 28 october 1940, when the italian. They had no idea that the british, using ultra intercepts, knew their plans and had laid a carefullyplanned trap. Published on jul 30, 2012 our guest is military historian and author antony beevor. The second world war by antony beevor washington post. I have always wanted to read a book which gives a clear and accurate view of the second world for. Antony beevors story of crete, its capture, occupation, resistance and eventual withdrawal of the occupiers is as brilliantly researched and thrillingly told as his other books about the second world war and events in spain and france before and after the war. Currently reading antony beevors the second world war. Ardennes 1944 is a book that plays very much to beevors strengths, combining the view from the top with the view from below and vividly portraying the dark realities of military combat. The ardennes is the latest of beevor s books on the campaigns of the second world war.
Crete was an extraordinary battle because it was the very first time a major island had actually been assaulted by paratroopers and, in fact, captured by paratroopers, the only time, ever. The germans expected their airborne attack on crete in 1941 a unique event in the history of warfare. Reissue with a new introduction by acclaimed historian antony beevor vividly bringing to life the epic struggles that took place in second world war crete synopsis the germans expected their airborne attack on crete in 1941 a unique event in the history of warfare to be a textbook victory based on tactical surprise. However, the second world war had made me revise this view. It saw the germans make largescale use of paratroopers during the invasion. He is the author of crete the battle and the resistance, which won a runciman prize, paris after the liberation, 19441949 written with his wife artemis cooper, stalingrad, which won the samuel johnson prize, the wolfson prize for history, and the hawthornden prize for literature, and berlinthe downfall, which. Retired exregular army officer from the 11th hussars. The battle of stalingrad was not only the psychological turning point of world war ii. Anthony beevor, in his history of wwii, contends that in 1945.
Listen to crete 1941 audiobook by antony beevor and james. The battle for normandy,which received the royal united services institute westminster medal. List of books and articles about world war ii naval. Crete was a campaign unique in many respects, not the least of which was its ferocity. The germans expected their airborne attack on crete in 1941 a unique event in the history of warfare to be a textbook victory based on tactical surprise. The second world war is handsomely produced and generously priced but its oddities and imbalances suggest that beevor has not had the editorial support that even a writer of his talents. Lessons for europe from the second world war historian antony beevor s new book uncovers telling details about the 20th centurys greatest conflict, beginning with the unlikely story of a. Stalingrad, winner of the samuel johnson prize, the wolfson prize for history, and the hawthornden prize for literature.
Prizewinning historian and bestselling author antony beevor. Crete as a site during the second world war fascinates me, particularly in regard tp the people themselves. The conquest of greece was completed in may with the capture of crete from the air. It began on the morning of 20 may 1941, when nazi germany began an airborne invasion of crete. This first cca of the 20172018 academic year will explore that revolutions. Pritzker military library presents antony beevor the. The downfall 1945 also by beevor which does include. Overview the battle for crete nzhistory, new zealand. Below you will find the table of contents along with a list of the names mentioned in the book. The book also tends to be fairly opinionated such as making character judgements about key actors during the war. Over 12 days in may 1941 a mixed force of new zealanders, british, australian and greek troops desperately tried to fight off a huge german airborne assault. His bestknown works, the bestselling stalingrad and berlin the downfall 1945, recount the world war ii battles between the soviet union and germany.
Their courage under a regime that was hateful and cruel has been written about frequently and this book fleshed out the bones of the resistance. Not because beevor s writing is flawed far from it. Beevors book is a pleasure to read and an example of intelligent, lively historical writing at its best. Others maintain that the long war, which began with the bolshevik coup detat of 1917, continued as a european civil war until 1945, or even lasted until the fall of communism in 1989. Antony beevor s general history of the second world war is a momentous achievement. Britain and france declared war on germany on sept. This is world war ii as tolstoy would have described it the great and the small. Greek and other allied forces, along with cretan civilians, defended the island. The battle of crete is considered one of the most sensational events os t he second world war in 1941.
Sep 28, 2010 antony beevor is the bestselling author of d day. Using the most uptodate scholarship and research, beevor assembles the whole picture in a gripping narrative that extends from the north atlantic to the south pacific and from the snowbound steppe to the north african desert. From antony beevor, the internationally bestselling author of dday and the. In this searing narrative that takes us from hitlers invasion of poland on september 1st, 1939 to vj day on august 14th, 1945 and the wars aftermath, beevor describes the conflict and. Book tvs peter slen interviews antony beevor in london about his research and writings on world war ii.
Over the past two decades, antony beevor has established himself as one of the world s premier historians of wwii. I found this book the first in antony beevor s justly celebrated histories of various campaigns of world war ii incredibly hard to read. The second world war began in august 1939 on the edge of manchuria and ended there exactly six years later with the soviet invasion of northern china. The controversies the battle for crete nzhistory, new. Some historians talk of a thirty years war from 1914 to 1945, with the first world war as the original catastrophe. Beevor has delivered another perfectly judged episode of the second world war, a worthy companion to the works that made his name. Younger historians have much to be grateful to him for, but new ways will have to be found of telling. Part of the larger greek resistance, it lasted from 20 may 1941, when the german wehrmacht invaded the island in the battle of crete. Beevor lists some of the accomplishment the xi flieger corps of the first two years of the war that sparked over confidence in student. Pritzker military library presents antony beevor the second world war tv episode 2012 on imdb. Over the past two decades, antony beevor has established himself as one of the worlds premier historians of wwii. The author, a retired british army officer with a number of good works on world war ii to his credit covering stalingrad, berlin, dday, and crete, among other campaigns, gives us an excellent synthesis of current scholarship on the war. The soviet role in world war ii antony beevor youtube. Crete 1941 the battle and the resistance unabridged.
The second world war by antony beevor 9781780225647. In this searing narrative, which takes us from hitlers invasion of poland on september 1st, 1939 to vj day on august 14th, 1945, and the wars aftermath, beevor describes the conflict and its. The best book we have got on crete, michael foot, observer. Freyberg, a retiree who was called back when the war started, was the co of the allied forces on crete, and made some mistakes. Luftlandeschlacht um kreta, also unternehmen merkur, operation mercury, greek.
The fateful siege this year marks the centenary of the russian revolution. The battle and the resistance by beevor, antony isbn. The book starts with the japanese invasion of manchuria in 1931, and covers the entire second world war ending with the final surrender of axis forces. The second world war by antony beevor, paperback barnes. The war in europe appeared completely divorced from the war in the pacific and china, and yet events on opposite sides of the world. He has published several novels, and his works of nonfiction include the spanish civil war. To me, beevor was primarily a raconteur of marvellous stories, with the biggerpicture historical narrative acting as lessimportant background wallpaper. Discover librarianselected research resources on world war ii naval history from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. Occasioni a prezzi bassi buoni regalo vendere aiuto. It should have been the first german defeat of the war, but a fatal. The bestselling author of stalingrad and dday vividly reconstructs the epic wwii struggle for crete reissued with a new introduction.
Our guest is military historian and author antony beevor. Military history of greece during world war ii wikipedia. Although filling the broadest canvas on a heroic scale, beevors the second world war. Acclaimed historian and bestselling author antony beevor vividly brings to life the epic struggles that took place in second world war crete reissued with a new introduction. His multiaward winning books have included stalingrad and the fall of berlin 1945. The book may be a little large to carry with you but it is certainly an excellent way to prepare your next trip to crete and get an appetite. It is a superb addition to the canon which has taken us from stalingrad to normandy in 1944 and the final gruesome battle for berlin, not forgetting the masterly singlevolume history of the entire war. I found this book the first in antony beevors justly celebrated histories of various campaigns of world war ii incredibly hard to read. The attack, known as operation mercury involved 14,000 fallschirmjager paratroops, 15,000 mountain troops supported by over 1,000 aircraft of all types. Crete 1941 the battle and the resistance unabridged by antony beevor. In fact, the englishman beevor is far more negative about these two men than the irishamerican historian cornelius ryan was in his bestselling book about the arnhem debacle, a bridge. Beevor, formerly of the 11th hussars, writes about that battle with a soldiers eye and a historians insight.
The nature of the battle, with a relatively clear sequence of events leading to an unfavourable outcome, lends itself to disputation over who was responsible for the mistakes that allowed the germans to gain control of the vital airfield at maleme and to hold it against the subsequent counterattack. A regular officer in the 11th hussars, he served in germany and england. He is the author of crete the battle and the resistance, which won a runciman prize, paris after the liberation, 19441949 written. The book crete the battle and the resistance by antony beevor was published in 1994 by westview press. The battle and the resistance ebook written by antony beevor. He is the author of crete the battle and the resistance, which won a runciman prize, paris after the liberation. Nazi germany expected its airborne attack on crete in 1941 to be a textbook victory based on tactical surprise. The second world war is a narrative history of world war ii by british historian antony beevor. Despite suffering appalling casualties, the parachutists and gliderborne troops who led the invasion. The second world war is an honourable attempt to fashion the legacy that beevor merits. Battle of crete 1941 world war 2, photos mike hotel apartments. Antony beevor, author, the second world war youtube. The battle of crete was fought from may 20 to june 1, 1941, during world war ii 1939 to 1945.
Crete 1941 is a 2005 documentary film featuring eyewitness accounts from survivors of the battle for crete during world war ii. Apr 04, 2015 war history documentaries recommended for you 1. To read the interview with antony beevor, click on the subject headings on the right. Sep 12, 2005 a new paperback edition is welcome for two reasons. Antony beevor served as a regular officer in the 11th hussars in germany. He discusses his newly released historical narrative, the second world war. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. This never glamourises the war and it plays down the propaganda and the myths. A masterful and comprehensive chronicle of world war ii, by internationally bestselling historian antony beevor. The second world war antony beevor offers a comprehensive view of world war ii, from the viewpoint of ordinary people thrust into an international conflict that goes much deeper than most ever learn about. The second world war by antony beevor overdrive rakuten.
In this searing narrative that takes us from hitlers invasion of poland on september 1st, 1939 to vj day on august 14, 1945 and the war s aftermath, beevor. Antony beevor was educated at winchester and sandhurst. Beevor talks about the origins of the conflict spanning. Jul 27, 2012 the second world war by antony beevor little, brown. Feb 23, 2017 considering the huge losses the soviets suffered in taking berlin, they were wary of what a defeated germany could do, let alone what the combined allied armies france was also back in the game, albeit with american equipment right down to th. In this book, he wisely chooses to put the battle of crete in a larger context, beginning with the illfated british expeditionary force to greece and its. World war, 19391945 underground movements greece crete. On 20th may 1940 the germans launched a daring air assault to capture the greek island of crete. Beevor brilliantly shows, at all levels, that wwii defies easy generalization.
One doesnt have to be a ww2 junkie to like this book. He achieved a critical and popular success with his stalingrad that is without equal in britain for a history book in recent times, and his books on the battle for berlin, d day and the second world war followed in the same vein. He has published several popular histories on the second world war and the 20th century in general. Publication date 1991 topics world war, 19391945 campaigns greece crete. List of books and articles about world war ii online. It highlights the final act of the german greek war. They have been praised for their vivid, compelling style, their treatment of the ordinary lives of combatants and civilians and the use of newly disclosed documents from soviet archives. The second world war by antony beevor little, brown.
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