“They carried the most valuable cargo ever brought to our shores.â€â€”JAMES PHINNEY BAXTER III; Office of Scientific Research and Development “The first cavity magnetron is displayed in the Science Museum as one of the most important technological objects of the twentieth century. As Stephen Phelps reveals in this much needed book; the United Kingdom’s decision to share its secrets with the United States was a key turning point in the Second World War.â€â€”JOHN LIFFEN; Curator; Science Museum; London In August 1940; a German invasion of Britain looked inevitable. Luftwaffe bombers were pounding British cities; France had surrendered; and the Low Countries were under German control. Although sympathetic to Britain’s plight; the United States remained staunchly neutral. Unknown to the rest of the world; Britain’s brightest scientific and military minds had been working on futuristic technology for a decade; including radar and jet propulsion. While the great value of radar to locate and identify objects at long distance and at night or in bad weather was appreciated; at the time it was thought that practical radar required a room-sized device for generating an effective signal. Now; suddenly; British scientists had something extraordinary—the cavity magnetron; a generator hundreds of times more powerful than any other in use and small enough to be held in the hand. With the British economy and industry reeling from the war; Winston Churchill gambled on an unorthodox plan: a team of scientists and engineers would travel under cover to the United States and give the still-neutral Americans the best of Britain’s military secrets. It was hoped that in exchange the United States would provide financial and manufacturing support—which might even lead to their official entry into the war. The Tizard Mission; named for its leader Sir Henry Tizard; steamed across the Atlantic carrying a suitcase-sized metal deed box. Designed to sink in the event the ship was torpedoed by a U-boat; the box contained details of the Whittle jet engine; research for an atomic bomb; and a precious cavity magnetron. The Americans proved to be astonished; receptive; and efficient: Bell Telephone produced the first thirty magnetrons in October 1940; and over a million by the end of the war. With this device; both warships and aircraft could carry war-winning radar. But Britain did not only give America military secrets; these same technologies would produce a fortune for postwar commercial industries; with the magnetron being the key component to the microwave oven. In The Tizard Mission: The Top-Secret Operation That Changed the Course of World War II; Stephen Phelps reveals how the Tizard Mission was the turning point in the technological war; giving Britain the weapons it desperately needed and laying the groundwork for both the Special Relationship and much of the United States’s postwar economic boom; an effect that still resonates today.
#43891 in Books Adventure Publications Inc. 2004-08-03Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 5.96 x .57 x 4.46l; .60 #File Name: 159193060X296 pages
Review
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful. FantasticBy a customerI bought this field guide as a present; and when it arrived; I was extremely pleased with it. It is easy to navigate and a quick aid in identifying birds; since many are most easily identified by color. It is the right size for a field guide; small enough to store without taking up much space but big enough to handle easily. I am impressed immensely by this guide because of its layout; with the left page being a color picture of the male bird (female and/or juvenile in smaller box on that page)and on the opposing page a description. A lot of field guides have hand drawn pictures; which are utterly unhelpful in identification; but this guide is terrific; which makes sense because it is by a wildlife photographer who understands the importance of detail. The fact page opposite the picture is wonderful too; not overloading the reader with information. It tells you basic information; such as nesting behavior and sounds. It does a great job of being concise while stilling being completely informative. There's also a picture of Ohio that is color coated that signifies when the bird is in Ohio (i.e. migration; summer....). It is a wonderful book that I can't say enough good things about.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great bookBy AmatoI ordered this book for my son and family who relocated to Ohio. I have this same book at home and use it constantly to identify and read facts about the birds that come to my feeders. I use post-it bookmarkers on the pages so I can refer back to the bird. And it bookmarks how many birds come to my yard throughout the seasons.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Makes bird identification a breezeBy KateI love this guide book! It uses real photograph instead of artist's drawings which is a great help. I love the way the book is set up as well. The birds are divided by colors. When you see a bird; all you need to do is note the main color and flip to that section of the book to start looking for it. It is divided into ten sections; black ;black and white; blue; brown; gray; orange; red; white and yellow. There is also information and tips in the introduction regarding bird watching strategy; migration; nests and range guide. This guide contains 111 common Ohio birds. More than perfect for the bird watching hobbiest! The book is also small enough to tuck into your coat pocket; purse or daypack! Did I already say I love this book?
