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Big Week

The Biggest Air Battle of World War Two

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Big Week

By: James Holland
Narrated by: Charles Armstrong
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About this listen

During the third week of February 1944, the combined Allied air forces launched their first-ever round-the-clock bomber offensive against Germany.

The aim was to smash the main factories and production centres of the Luftwaffe and draw the German fighter force up into the air and into battle. Officially called Operation ARGUMENT, this monumental air assault very quickly became known simply as Big Week.

Following the fortunes of pilots, aircrew and civilians from both sides, Big Week is a blistering narrative of one of the most critical periods of the entire war, one that culminated in the largest air battle ever witnessed.

©2018 James Holland (P)2019 Soundings Military War Air Force Aviation US Air Force

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All stars
Most relevant
As usual James Holland delivers. What makes his books better than others is that they are written in a story telling way - it’s not stuffy nor full of fact after mind numbing fact. The characters are brought to life.

The only bug bear for me is the narrator. He reads well, but his pronunciation of certain words make me want to tear the few remaining flecks of hair I have left on my head. For example, his continual pronunciation of “Fock Wulf” as opposed to Fokker, over and over, is ridiculous! Surely someone was on hand to correct him? And pronouncing the Dutch town of Twente as “Twent” sent me over the edge! Poor skills.

Superb account

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Holland produces a work which as manages to successfully cover the decisions taken in strategic warfare along with the individual human costs. The former in the stark fearful logic of war, the latter with painful clarity of the ordeals suffered on both sides.
There are many worthy books on the WWII air war over the skies of Europe, this one stands with the better ones, and I would recommend for anyone wishing to learn of the motivations at all levels.
There have been some reviews dealing with pronunciation and delivery, I would suggest you simply concentrate on the facts unfolded here; the facts that war is not romantic nor clinical, there is a human costs, then these little niggling criticisms will fade away. (pronunciation of a word here and there....who cares?)
This is an account of the Reality of War. Remember that.

A vivid account

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My great uncle died on the 24 Feb 1944 in a Lancaster during Big Week. I visited his grave in France this summer. Wow. What a book. It bring to life the sacrifices on those young men who gave so much. TYVM James Holland.

Movingly brilliant and humbling

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An interesting historical resource of the bombing campaign of Big Week.
Sad loss of life of young men on both sides of the conflict.
Overwhelming resources and manufacturing won the day in the end.

A well reported and read history

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James has a talent for giving details of WW2 that flows in story form. Interesting insight into what the bomber boys and fighter pilots had to deal with. would recommend this book

typical James Holland work,

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