Thread: Recommended WWII Readings

If You Survive – George Wilson

Serenade to the Big Bird – Bert Stiles

Goodbye, Darkness – William Manchester

Midway – Mitsuo Fuchida and Masatake Okumiya What sets this apart from the other accounts of Midway (besides being co-authored by the leader of the Pearl Harbor raid) is that it was written in the early 1950’s before the success of the US comint program against the Japanese became public knowledge. It makes for an interesting perspective on the battle.

The Forgotten Soldier- the best memoir I've ever read. Some question its authenticity, but several Grossdeutschland officers have been contacted and all agree that the book is authentic, with a few minor technical errors. That being said, a truly harrowing experience to read about. I first read it in 7th grade, and it changed my outlook on war.

Others-

Ghost Soldiers, Blood Red Snow, Sniper on the Eastern Front, The Blonde Knight of Germany (excellent book), Band of Brothers

For the Atlantic Theatre:
Hitler's U Boat War Vol. 1 & 2 by Clay Blair

Originally Posted by astralis

for a broad overview of the war, a great, great book is:

Amazon.com: A War To Be Won: Fighting the Second World War: Books: Williamson Murray,Allan R. Millett

it includes a lot of new information gleaned from the opening of the imperial japanese and russian archives.

astralis,thank you for recommending this book.My kids got it for me on Father's Day and I just started it yesterday,so far it is very,very good.

I'll throw in one from Australia that anyone interested in WW2 should read:

'A Bastard of a Place: The Australians in Papua' by Peter Brune

This covers battles on the Kokoda Track & beyond that were not just vital to Australia, but to the whole course of the war in the Pacific. Though the book focusses largely on the Australians, several of the battles were fought alongside American forces & all were fought with MacArthure as Supreme Commander. Happens to be exceptionally well written too.

Read a book some years ago now, can`t recall the author, it was called CHICKENHAWK, an account of a Huey pilot from basic training through his tour of Vietnam, it was very good,

The Forgotten Soldier, now theres a blast form the dark ages,

And a very interesting account, by two mercs, who served in Biafra, called FIREPOWER

Originally Posted by Bob Jones

An account, by Staurt Hamilton MC, who sadly passed away to the Green fields recently, of his time with the,
8th Royal Tank Regiment,
in the Westen Desert 1941-1942,
Palestine, Syria, Egypt, 1943-1944,
and Italy 1944-1945
Its called Armoured Odyssey

The way he describes the constant threat of daily death in a matter of fact way just makes you keep turning the page,

Bob dont forget Sven Hassle ? ok ok ok incommmmmmmmmmmming

Excellent good old Sven, liked reading Douglas Reeman to, with his stiff upper lip British Naval types

shameless,

astralis,thank you for recommending this book.My kids got it for me on Father's Day and I just started it yesterday,so far it is very,very good.

glad to see you like it! your kids apparently have got good taste in selecting books for father's day

it certainly puts a new perspective to the war. do tell me what you think when you've finished.

Originally Posted by Bob Jones

Read a book some years ago now, can`t recall the author, it was called CHICKENHAWK, an account of a Huey pilot from basic training through his tour of Vietnam, it was very good,

Agreed. I think the Author had the surname Mason. Can't recall his forename(s). I could taste fear when reading that book, it was so obviously genuine. It said more about the Vietnamese war than many a history book.