A new assessment of the British and Commonwealth contribution to the defeat of Japan in the Pacific. The monumental struggle fought against Imperial Japan in the Asia/Pacific theater during World War II is primarily viewed as an American affair. While the United States did play a dominant role, the British and Commonwealth forces also made major contributions—on land, at sea and in the air, eventually involving over a million men and vast armadas of ships and aircraft. It was a difficult a...

Offers a comprehensive, meticulously researched account of the British and Commonwealth armies’ global campaigns and impact during World War II.The British army emerged from World War I as the world’s premier fighting force. This same army, following two decades of government neglect, entered World War II pitifully small compared to its main rivals and wholly unprepared for the tasks at hand. Despite its sorry state of readiness, the army dutifully went forward to ...

A complete history of naval combat in the Mediterranean and North African campaigns throughout WWII.In the early summer of 1940, the Kingdom of Italy joined with Nazi Germany by challenging Britain for dominance in the Mediterranean region. With France on the verge of collapse and Britain facing imminent invasion, the Italians seized upon a rare opportunity to re-establish control. Heavily outnumbered, the British Mediterranean Fleet and its ground and air forces br...

A complete history of the prolonged and colossal conflict waged by the British and their subsequent American partners against the combined forces of Italy, Germany and Vichy France in the Mediterranean and Middle East.For three millennia the Mediterranean Sea served as the center of western civilization and the scene of many colossal wars and naval battles. In the early summer of 1940, this ancient body of water again played host to a new and extensive conflict as ...

The monumental struggle fought against Imperial Japan in the Asia/Pacific theater during World War II is primarily viewed as an American affair. While the United States did play a dominant role, the British and Commonwealth forces also made major contributions. It was a difficult and often desperate conflict fought against a skilled and ruthless enemy that initially saw the British suffer the worst series of defeats ever to befall their armed forces. Still, the British persevered and slowl...

For three millennia the Mediterranean Sea served as the center of western civilization and the scene of many colossal wars and naval battles. In the early summer of 1940, this ancient body of water again played host to a new and extensive conflict as the Kingdom of Italy challenged Britain for dominance within the region. With France on the verge of collapse and Britain facing the prospect of imminent invasion, the Italians hoped to re-establish control over the Mediterranean. The only thi...

For four centuries the British realm depended on sea power to defend itself against a myriad of threats. The Royal Navy established itself as the "Sovereign of the Seas," helping transform a small island nation into the center of a global empire. But Britain's maritime services faced an unprecedented challenge during World War II, and the survival of the nation was at stake.The Longest Campaign tells the epic story of British sea power in the Second World War. It is a comp...