Engineers of Victory: The Problem Solvers who Turned the Tide in the Second World War

Product Description

How, when it came down to it, did the Allies win the Second World War? How did they win the Battle of the Atlantic, blunt the Nazi blitzkrieg, work out how to land successfully on an enemy held shore on D-Day, and 'hop' across the islands of the Pacific to assault the Japanese mainland?

Here Paul Kennedy reveals the role of the problem-solvers and middle-men who made it happen - such as Major-General Perry Hobart, who invented the 'funny tanks' which flattened the D-Day beaches; or Captain 'Johnny' Walker, who worked out how to sink U-boats with a 'creeping barrage'. This book, by brilliantly answering the 'how' question, shows the conflict in an entirely new light.

'Consistently original . . . Like an engineer who pries open a pocket watch to reveal its inner mechanics, Kennedy tells how little-known men and woman at lower levels helped win the war . . . An important contribution to our understanding.' Michael Beschloss, The New York Times Book Review

'Compelling, lucid and original . . . Kennedy has produced a fresh perspective on the war' Nigel Jones, Sunday Telegraph

'His refreshing study . . . asks the right questions, disposes of clichés and gives a rich account of neglected topics.' David Edgerton, Financial Times

'Colourfully and convincingly illustrates the ingenuity and persistence of a few people who made all the difference.' Washington Post

'This first-rate book makes us reflect on the past and also leads us to think more deeply about the present and future.' Graham Farmelo, Times Higher Education