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Operation Sealion

Leo McKinstry

'Superbly written and gripping' Daily Express

The thrilling true account of Hitler's first defeat.

In the summer of 1940 the Nazi war machine was at its zenith. France Denmark Norway and the Low Countries were all under occupation after a series of lightning military campaigns. Only Britain stood in the way of the complete triumph of Nazi tyranny. But for the first time in the war Hitler did not prevail.

The traditional narrative of 1940 holds that Britain was only saved from German conquest by the pluck of RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain. The image of Dad's Army recruits training with broomsticks is a classic symbol of the nation's supposed desperation in the face of the threat from Operation Sealion as the German plan for invasion was code-named.

Yet as Leo McKinstry details the British were far more ruthless and proficient than is usually recognised. The brilliance of the RAF was not an exception but part of a pattern of magnificent organisation. In almost every sphere of action such as the destruction of the French naval fleet or the capture of German spies Britain's approach reflected an uncompromising spirit of purpose and resolution. Using a wealth of primary materials from both British and German archives Leo McKinstry provides a ground-breaking new assessment of the six fateful months in mid-1940 beginning with Winston Churchill's accession to power in May and culminating in Germany's abandonment of Operation Sealion.

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  • Classification : History
  • Pub Date : JUN 4, 2015
  • Imprint : John Murray
  • Page Extent : 512
  • Binding : PB
  • ISBN : 9781848547049
  • Price : INR 1,150
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Leo McKinstry

Leo McKinstry has been a successful, high-profile writer for almost three decades, winning praise for his fluent style, his range of subjects and his diligent research. He is the author of twelve non-fiction books, including a trilogy on the RAF during the Second World War, several football and cricket biographies, two of which won the WHSmith Sports Book of the Year awards, and a study of the 19th century Liberal Prime Minister Lord Rosebery, which was named as the Channel Four Political Book of the Year in 2006. He is also a national newspaper journalist. Since 2005 he has been a twice-weekly columnist on the Daily Express, while he has been a feature writer on the Daily Mail for 27 years. His articles have also appeared in the Daily Telegraph, Independent, The Spectator, The Oldie, New Statesman and The Cricketer.

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