Big Week: Six Days that Changed the Course of World War II

Big Week: Six Days that Changed the Course of World War II

by Bill Yenne
Big Week: Six Days that Changed the Course of World War II

Big Week: Six Days that Changed the Course of World War II

by Bill Yenne

Paperback(Reprint)

$17.00 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM
    Qualifies for Free Shipping
    Choose Expedited Shipping at checkout for delivery by Wednesday, April 3
  • PICK UP IN STORE
    Check Availability at Nearby Stores

Related collections and offers


Overview

In just six days, the United States Strategic Air Forces changed the course of military offense in World War II. During those six days, they launched the largest bombing campaign of the war, dropping roughly ten thousand tons of bombs in a rain of destruction that would take the skies back from the Nazis . . .

The Allies knew that if they were to invade Hitler’s Fortress Europe, they would have to wrest air superiority from the mighty Luftwaffe.

The plan of the Unites States Strategic Air Forces was extremely risky. During the week of February 20, 1944—and joined by the RAF Bomber Command—the USAAF Eighth and Fifteenth Air Force bombers took on this vital mission. They ran the gauntlet of the most heavily defended air space in the world to deal a death blow to Germany’s aircraft industry and made them pay with the planes already in the air. In the coming months, this Big Week would prove a deciding factor in the war.

Both sides were dealt losses, but whereas the Allies could recover, damage to the Luftwaffe was irreparable. Thus, Big Week became one of the most important episodes of World War II and, coincidentally, one of the most overlooked—until now.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780425272244
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date: 02/04/2014
Edition description: Reprint
Pages: 320
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range: 18 Years

About the Author

Bill Yenne is the author of many works of military fiction and nonfiction including Aces High, as well as histories of America’s great aviation companies. He is a contributor to encyclopedias of both World Wars, and has appeared on the History Channel.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction xiii

Prologue 1

1 The Birth of an Idea 9

2 The War Will Be an Air War 15

3 America Prepares for the Air War 20

4 Going to War 25

5 The House of Mystery on Berkeley Square 39

6 A Steep Learning Curve 49

7 Creating Substance from Promise 64

8 Defining the Mission 73

9 Pointblank 81

10 Going Deep at Great Cost 95

11 Black Week 110

12 Grasping for a Turning Point 125

13 Operation Argument 136

14 Before Sunday's Dawn 147

15 Sunday, February 20 154

16 A Wing and a Prayer 169

17 Monday, February 21 177

18 Tuesday, February 22 185

19 Wednesday, February 23 197

20 Thursday, February 24 204

21 Friday, February 25 218

22 All Roads Led to Overlord 227

23 Against the Wall 239

24 Total Collapse 248

Epilogue 261

Selected Acronyms 275

Bibliography 277

Index 286

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Well-written and fast-paced, this will be compelling to specialists and general readers alike.”—Kirkus Reviews

From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews