Secret Weapons of World War II

by William B. Breuer Narrated by Fred Sanders

Overview

Here are the extraordinary tales behind the ingenious weapons and technological wizardry that determined the outcome of the war. From radar, huff-duff (high-frequency direction finding), invisible radio beams, electronic-guidance systems, homing devices, and submarine-detection equipment, Breuer deftly exposes the gargantuan efforts employed by both adversaries and the fascinating details of the high-stakes warfare waged behind the well-known scenes of combat. Re-creating the covert missions, plots, hoaxes, spying, conspiracies, and electronic sleuthing, Breuer goes beyond the famous military leaders and statesmen to give an entirely fresh and startling perspective of the Second World War.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

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.

Library Journal

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.

Booknews

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)

From the Publisher

* "...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)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940177074672
Publisher:	Dreamscape Media
Publication date:	08/04/2020
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

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