Secret Weapons of World War II

by William B. Breuer

Overview

Critical Acclaim for Secret Weapons of World War II

"Breuer has produced yet another collection of rip-roaring tales. . . . A delightful addition to the niche that Breuer has so successfully carved out."
-Publishers Weekly

"It is Breuer's portrayal of the competition for technological superiority between the Allies and the Nazis that grabs the reader and shows the significance of each wartime discovery and invention."
-State Journal-Register, Springfield, Illinois

In the fast-paced, suspenseful Secret Weapons of World War II, noted military historian William Breuer chronicles the clandestine battle that occurred between the brilliant scientists and codebreakers of the Allies and the Axis powers. Re-creating the covert missions, hoaxes, spying, conspiracies, and electronic sleuthing, Breuer deftly uncovers the spectacular feats of the fascinating men and women who determined the outcome of the war-providing an unprecedented look at the least-known operations and plots conducted by both sides.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781630261641
Publisher:	TURNER PUB CO
Publication date:	02/01/2002
Pages:	254
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

William B. Breuer is a military historian and author of more than 25 books, 10 of which have been main selections of the Military Book Club. Books in his World War II series include Undercover Tales of World War II, Bizarre Tales of World War II, Secret Weapons of World War II, Unexplained Mysteries of World War II, and Daring Missions of World War II, and many more.

Table of Contents

Partial table of contents:
WAR BREAKS OUT.
German Invention Triggers Global Search.
Stealing America's Radar Secrets.
Charles Lindbergh Helps the "Moon Man".
An American Aids Japanese Nuclear Project.
A Hassle with British Bureaucrats.
Conjuring Up Wild Theories.
GREAT BRITAIN STANDS ALONE.
A Nation's Survival at Stake.
A Little Black Box of Secrets.
A Huge Mousetrap in the Sky.
Enigma Betrays the Italian Fleet.
Code Names Rebecca and Eureka.
England's "Kamikaze" Pilots.
THRUST AND COUNTERTHRUST.
Could Pearl Harbor Have Been Avoided?
The British Invade Washington.
The Century's Most Audacious Heist.
A Secret Move to a Secret Site.
A Nuclear Laboratory Explodes.
A Gathering of "Luminaries".
TURNING OF THE TIDE.
A Spectacular Rocket Feat.
Stealing German Weather Forecasts.
"I Fear We Are in the Soup!"
A Burglar Alarm at Gibraltar.
Feuds among Nazi Bigwigs.
A Plan to Poison the German Food Supply.
Bouncing Bombs and Dambusters.
BEGINNING OF THE END.
Protecting a Sacred Secret.
A Triumph for German Cryptanalysts.
"You Scare Hell Out of Me!"
A Soviet Plot Fizzles.
Hitler Counts on Wonder Weapons.
A Trainload of German Brainpower.
Japan's Secret Weapons Await Invasion.
Treachery at Los Alamos.
Notes and Sources.
Index.

Editorial Reviews

* "...a great not-so-little book which details a tremendous number of cunning stories from the shadowy military past..." (M2 Best Books, 23 July 2002)

From the Publisher

Once again scouring his seemingly inexhaustible personal archives, as well as public sources, popular historian Breuer has produced yet another collection of rip-roaring tales. With more than 20 books to his credit, Breuer (Unexplained Mysteries of World War II, etc.) employs a formulaic presentation of enticingly named stories--"Supersecret Station X," "A Plan to Poison the German Food Supply," among them--in short, punchy chapters grouped by theme. Written out of passion for its subject, this book reads like good pulp. "Bright Ideas for Winning the War" discloses some of the ludicrous battle tactics proposed by well-meaning armchair generals. "History's First Nuclear Spy," Walther Koehler, turns out to be not a double agent, but a triple. "Treachery at Los Alamos" shows how a box of Jell-O played a role in helping a network of spies steal nuclear secrets from the United States on behalf of the Soviet Union. A few of the stories hang unfinished; "Hitler Orders Lethal Gas Assault," but we never find out where the gas ends up after the attack is aborted. Still, this is a delightful addition to the niche that Breuer has so successfully carved out. Photos. (Oct.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Breuer's World War II thematic history series was published between 1999 and 2003, with individual titles costing $24.95. These Castle reprints offer the same volumes in hardcover for $9.99. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

A popular military history which focuses on the inventors, scientists, code makers, code breakers, and others who worked to give one side or the other the technological advantage in World War II. Among the many stories told are the efforts of physicists to develop the atomic bomb, failed attempts to develop a wire net launching system to snare Luftwaffe planes over England, and experiments with aircraft carriers. The stories told are generally brief and there is no over-arching narrative or conclusion. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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