Hitler’s Terror Weapons: The Price of Vengeance - Brossura

Irons, Roy

Brossura

ISBN 10: 0007112637 ISBN 13: 9780007112630

Casa editrice: Collins, 2003

Riassunto

Did Hitler’s use of unproven exotic weapons cost him the war? Were they worth the price? What effect did the V weapons have on Allied plans, morale and supplies? Roy Irons also investigates Hitler’s thirst for revenge following 1918 and his dread when Russian victories and Allied bombing began to shadow the Third Reich.

Roy Irons' fascinating book investigates whether Hitler's campaign would have been a greater success if he had put fewer resources into experimental weapons of revenge such as the V-2 rocket and the V-1 Doodle-bug. Enormous resources were poured into these experimental projects, often inspired by Hitler's thirst for revenge after the collapse of Germany in 1918 and his dread of a recurrence when Russian victories and allied bombing began to cast grim and ever-growing shadows over the Third Reich. He considers such questions as what effect the bombardment really had on London's morale and on Allied supplies through the port of Antwerp? Were these weapons really worth the price? With a foreword by Professor Richard Overy and fascinating images from the Imperial War Museum and Public Record Office, this is a unique account of this key element of the Second World War.

Su questo libro

L'autore:

Roy Irons was born in Seven Kings, London. He was educated at Cooper's Company's School and, forty years later, at King's College London, where he took a degree in War Studies and History. Roy lives in Coulsdon, Surrey with his wife Erica and daughter Rebecca. He is currently undertaking a research degree at King's College London.

Dalla quarta di copertina:

‘In March 1936 General Baron Wernher Von Fritsch (1880-1939), the Commander in Chief of the German Army, was persuaded to visit Kummersdorf. There he was subjected to a treatment to which many high ranking Germans would succumb. He was introduced to rocketry by lectures illustrated with coloured drawings and diagrams, and then exposed, successively, to test bed demonstrations of 650lb, 2200lb and 3500lb thrust engines. To the 56 year old ex-staff officer, whose early years had not seen powered flight, it was an experience of impressive and seductive grandeur’ ... This saw the start of Hitler’s production of the V-1 ‘Doodle-bug’ and the V-2 rocket –Vergeltungswaffe or ‘Vengeance Weapons.’

The engines of the V-2 used liquid oxygen and alcohol to propel it, with a thrust of 56,000lbs, to an altitude of 55 miles and a velocity of 3,500 miles per hour. With a range of up to 220 miles, it was able to strike far behind the front lines. Amongst other secret ‘exotic’ terror weapons Germany produced 6,500 V-2’s between 1944-45. London, Antwerp, Paris, Luxembourg, Brussels and Liege were its targets.

Roy Irons fascinating illustrated investigation discusses whether Hitler’s campaign was prompted by his fear of a collapse of morale as Russian victories and allied bombing began to cast grim and ever growing shadows over the Third Reich. Were the effects on British morale worth the price Germany paid and was Hitler’s own thirst for retribution satisfied?

With a forward by Professor Richard Overy and fascinating photography from the Imperial War Museum and the Public Records Office, this is a unique insight into Hitler’s war of terror.

Su questa edizione

• Editore: Collins
• Data di pubblicazione: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0007112637
• ISBN 13: 9780007112630
• Rilegatura: Copertina flessibile
• Numero di pagine: 224