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'If Hitler fails to invade or destroy Britain, he has lost the war,' Churchill said in the summer of 1940. He was right. The Battle of Britain was a crucial turning point in the history of the Second World War. Had Britain's defences collapsed, Hitler would have dominated all of Europe and been able to turn his full attention east to the Soviet Union. The German invasion of France and the Low Countries in May 1940 was unlike any the world had ever seen. It hit with a force and aggression that no-one could counter and in just a few short weeks, all in their way crumbled.
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Within days of the D-Day landings, the 'Das Reich' 2nd SS Panzer Division marched north through France to reinforce the front-line defenders of Hitler's Fortress Europe. Veterans of the bloodiest fighting of the Russian Front, 15,000 men with their tanks and artillery, they were hounded for every mile of their march by saboteurs of the Resistance and agents of the Allied Special Forces. Along their route they took reprisals so savage they will live forever in the chronicles of the most appalling atrocities of war.
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Gripping, balanced, multifaceted
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By January 1968, despite an influx of half a million American troops, the fighting in Vietnam seemed to be at a stalemate. Yet General William Westmoreland, commander of American forces, announced a new phase of the war in which "the end begins to come into view". The North Vietnamese had different ideas. In mid-1967, the leadership in Hanoi had started planning an offensive intended to win the war in a single stroke.
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Colditz - the dreaded POW camp was supposed to be impregnable. It was the German fortress from which there was no escape. It had been escape-proof in the 1914-18 war and was to be again in the Second World War, according to the Germans... This is the true story that has passed into legend: the story of the incredible courage and daredevil ingenuity of those who refused to admit defeat - those who burrowed, leapt and ran their way to freedom.
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Extremely good listening
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Bismarck entered service in the summer of 1940. She was well-armed, with eight 15-inch guns as well as a powerful array of lighter weapons, while her armored protection earned her the reputation of being unsinkable. This claim was finally put to the test in May 1941, when she sortied into the Atlantic and fought the legendary battle of the Denmark Strait, destroying HMS Hood, the pride of the Royal Navy. Bismarck was now loose in the North Atlantic.
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Grand & Inspiring.
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A stunning look at World War II from the other side.... From the turret of a German tank, Colonel Hans von Luck commanded Rommel's 7th and then 21st Panzer Division. El Alamein, Kasserine Pass, Poland, Belgium, Normandy on D-Day, the disastrous Russian front - von Luck fought there with some of the best soldiers in the world. German soldiers. Awarded the German Cross in Gold and the Knight's Cross, von Luck writes as an officer and a gentleman.
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'Allo 'Allo
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Together We Stand: North Africa 1942-1943
- Turning the Tide in the West
- By: James Holland, John Nicholl - abridger
- Narrated by: Tim Pigott-Smith
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
- Abridged
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By June 1942, Britain had reached her lowest ebb. Her military command was in tatters, her armies beaten, and in the Middle East it seemed all might be lost. Her new ally, America, had only fledgling armed forces and was severely under-trained, yet it was this alliance of the weary combatant and naïve newcomer, coming together for the first time in North Africa, that would eventually bring about the defeat of Nazi Germany.
Summary
This is a unique single-volume history of the road to El Alamein - 'the end of the beginning' - and the bloody battle that followed...It was the British victory at the Battle of El Alamein in November 1942 that inspired one of Churchill's most famous aphorisms: 'it is not the end nor is it the beginning of the end, but it is the end of the beginning'. And yet the true significance of this iconic episode remains unrecognised. In this thrilling historical account, Jonathan Dimbleby describes the political and strategic realities that lay behind the battle, charting the nail-biting months that led to the victory at El Alamein in November 1942.
Drawing on official records and the personal insights of those involved at every level, Dimbleby creates a vivid portrait of a struggle which for Churchill marked the turn of the tide - and which for the soldiers on the ground involved fighting and dying in a foreign land.
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What listeners say about Destiny in the Desert
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- Mr. T. P. Quinn
- 18-05-20
A great overview
A very good overview of the campaign in North Africa. It is not the most comprehensive history book, but still contains lots of detail. A gripping read. The book focuses on the British offences against Rommel in Egypt and Libya, that lead up to the battles of El-Alamein, and the diplomatic negotiations that lead to Operation Torch. However, it’s worth pointing out that the book gives very few details about the American campaign in Morocco, and the six months after El-Alamein are rushed over very quickly. It also lacks any background to the countries the events take place in, and features very few Arab characters. It does not explain the stories of how Britain, France and Libya developed a colonial interest in North Africa, it does not give much information on the local politics of the area, or tell us what the native population thought of the Europeans while they were there. I would also say that the writer falls short of decisively answering perhaps the most crucial question: was Operation Torch a good idea, and was it the fastest and most effective way of winning the war? For me, this still remained uncertain by the end of the book.
3 people found this helpful
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- Panda
- 29-04-20
For Lovers of History
This is an excellent history of the battle in the desert, it's fast paced and doesn't bore you, Recommended!
1 person found this helpful
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- postage
- 27-04-20
Excellent history of a impotent campaign
as well read as you could hope for and an insightful view 8nto an area of the war I was not familiar with well worth a listen
1 person found this helpful
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- J H
- 23-07-17
I hoped for a book more like FitSimmons Tobruk. The naval and air war are left out. There are some repetitions of quotes.
Narration was somewhat flat and moist sounding. Too geopolitical. Too little about the air war
1 person found this helpful
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- scott barry
- 22-01-21
A must read for WW2 enthusiast.
this has 2 be the most interesting battle of the whole war for me and I've read about all the European battles 2 date. even tho the scale of this battle is small in comparison 2 many others during the war this battle set the tone for which way this war was going 2 end. the drama of it is 2nd 2 none just because both side's looked 2 be clearly winning at different time's and as a Brit reading it u can really feel the scense of dismay of the public and Churchil at the time. A must read for enthusiast of WW2 no matter where you're nationality lies, so many countries are represented in this battle.
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- Mr S.R. Buckley
- 10-01-21
Masterful account of a complex stage of WW2
A very enjoyable and informative account of a crucial period in the defeat of the Axis forces in WW2. Joined the many dots that existed for those of us with a limited knowledge of the actions fought in the Western desert, other than a series of names, both people and places. I recommend the book, for both its content and narration.
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- Janbo127
- 13-12-20
Destiny in the desert
J. Dimbleby, holds up the family traditions of journalism, professionalism and thoroughness. Showing the desert conflict from all sides, the main protagonists flaws and all. In my opinion, well worth the listen, bringing that theatre of the Second World War to life, recounting serving soldiers bitter memories in vivid colours.
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- rich
- 09-12-20
Fantastic
I can’t praise this book enough. Brilliantly written and read. It’s pitched just right to give a strategic and tactical view of the African/Mediterranean front as well as the political battle behind it. An excellent view point from all sides I highly recommend this book to anyone interred in military or political history
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- Paul486
- 30-11-20
Informative and balanced historical insight.
I purchased this book as my grandfather fought in the desert campaigns and I wanted to learn about those campaigns. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the author's narration. I liked the way that there was enough detail to inform and enlighten without bogging us down with the minutiae of every strategic decision. I now have a better understanding of the struggles of the soldiers involved and why and how the battles were fought.
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- Amazon Customer
- 26-07-20
Excellent
Jonathan Dimbleby does a first class job in educating those that may not be familiar with this important part of World War 2. For those that were familiar he entertained. Although the story is not his, as that belongs to history his presentation was perfect.
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- Torbjörn
- 19-11-12
Destiny in the Desert review
What did you love best about Destiny in the Desert?
The detail and elaborating discussions regarding the different commanders thoughts and historians previous thoughts about there actions. Allot off information regarding UK's situation in world and Churchill's need for a second front.
What did you like best about this story?
It had a good tempo with short diversions from the time axis.
What three words best describe Jonathan Dimbleby’s performance?
Good narration
If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
History in the desert