On September 7; 1940; the long-feared and anticipated attack by the German Luftwaffe plunged London into a cauldron of fire and devastation. This compelling book recreates that day in all its horror; using rich archival sources and first-hand accounts; many never before published. Eminent historian Peter Stansky weaves together the stories of people who recorded their experiences of the opening hours of the Blitz. Then; exploring more deeply; the author examines what that critical day meant to the nation at the time; and what it came to mean in following years. Much of the future of Britain was determined in the first twelve hours of bombing; Stansky contends. The Blitz set in motion a range of responses that contributed to ultimate victory over Germany and to a transformation of British society. The wave of terror; though designed to quash morale; instead inspired stoicism; courage; and a new camaraderie. The tragic London bombing can reveal much of relevance to our own violent times; Stansky concludes: both the effectiveness of modern terror and its ultimate failure are made powerfully clear by the events of September 7; 1940.
#740243 in Books 2007-06-12Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.20 x .40 x 5.50l; .54 #File Name: 0300123159208 pages
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