What if Germany had invaded the British Isles? "A distinguished contribution to the canon of alternate histories" ( Military History).If Britain Had Fallen is a fascinating contemplation of what it would have been like for Britain to live day to day under Nazi occupation. It discusses every phase of the scenario, from the German pre-invasion maneuvering and preparations, to the landing of troops, to the German seizure of power.What would h...

In Hitler’s Rockets Norman Longmate tells the story of the V-2, the technically brilliant but hated weapon, the ancestor and forerunner of all subsequent ballistic missiles. He reveals the devious power-play within the German armed forces and the Nazi establishment that so influenced the creation of the rockets. He shows through contemporary documents and protagonists’ accounts how the British intelligence skillfully pieced together often contradictory evidence as it sought to est...

Although nearly 90% of the population of Great Britain remained civilians throughout the war, or for a large part of it, their story has so far largely gone untold. In contrast with the thousands of books on military operations, barely any have concerned themselves with the individual's experience. The problems of the ordinary family are barely ever mentioned - food rationing, clothes rationing, the black-out and air raids get little space, and everyday shortages almost none at all.

The British Isles, it is often believed, have not been invaded for nearly a thousand years. In fact, as Norman Longmate reveals in this highly entertaining book (the successor to his acclaimed Defending the Island), foreign soldiers have landed on British soil on many occasions.In this definitive study of a long-neglected subject Norman Longmate make constant use of original sources, including contemporary eyewitness accounts. These are woven into an enthralling narrative, packed with fact...

In a brilliantly imaginative blend of military, social and diplomatic history, Norman Longmate retells our island story from the perspective of its defenders, in a narrative which stretches from the Celtic tribes who unsuccessfully fought against Ceasar to the great seabourne defence against the Armada of Philip of Spain.He has gone back to the original sources and investigated the original battlegrounds and weak spots in Britain's defences. But the real strength of his book is its...

A narrative history of the Home Guard from its creation in May 1940 to the end of the Second World War. The enduring popularity of the BBC TV series Dad's Army has focused attention on one of the strangest and least military armies ever formed - The British Home Guard. What started as an improvised band of volunteers had grown by 1942 into a conscripted, disciplined and well-equipped force with a strength of nearly two million men. Norman Longmate, an ex-member of the Home Guard and an aut...

An "utterly brilliant" and deeply researched guide to the sights, smells, endless wonders, and profound changes of nineteenth century British history ( Books Monthly, UK).Step into the past and experience the world of Victorian England, from clothing to cuisine, toilet arrangements to transport—and everything in between. A Visitor's Guide to Victorian England is "a brilliant guided tour of Charles Dickens's and other eminent Victorian Englishmen's...

The WWII historian's bracingly accurate analysis of what might have happened if Hitler ordered Operation Sea Lion to breech the shores of England.In June 1940, German troops gathered just across the English Channel, poised for the invasion of Britain. With France defeated and Britain cowed, Hitler seemed ready for his greatest gamble. In this compelling alternative history, the Germans launch the invasion that, in reality, was never more than a plan.Landing b...

The fascinating true story of a German bureaucrat who worked secretly with the Allies during World War II.In 1943 a young official from the German foreign ministry contacted Allen Dulles, an OSS officer in Switzerland who would later head the Central Intelligence Agency. That man was Fritz Kolbe, who had decided to betray his country after years of opposing Nazism. While Dulles was skeptical, Kolbe's information was such that he eventually admitted, "No single dipl...

" Wilkes makes the world of Jane Austen come to life . . . from travel to fashion, shopping, leisure, and, of course, finding a mate" ( Britain Express ).Immerse yourself in the vanished world inhabited by Austen's contemporaries. Packed with detail and anecdotes, this is an intimate exploration of how the middle and upper classes lived from 1775, the year of Austen's birth, to the coronation of George IV ...

Part of the CBC Massey Lectures SeriesIn History’s People internationally acclaimed historian Margaret MacMillan gives her own personal selection of figures of the past, women and men, some famous and some little-known, who stand out for her. Some have changed the course of history and even directed the currents of their times. Others are memorable for being risk-takers, adventurers, or observers. She looks at the concept of leadership through Bismarck and...

The future vs the past. F22 Raptors vs Zeros. Prince Harry (yes, that Prince Harry) vs Hitler and Stalin. Ten years ago a powerful Allied battle fleet was sucked into a wormhole and thrown back into World War Two. History was blown apart. The Soviet Union now controls half of Europe and supreme dictator Joseph Stalin reaches for a weapon to enslave or destroy the rest of the world. Only Harry can stop him.