Secret Weapons of WWII
In Secret Weapons of World War II, first-class historian, William Breuer, chronicles the clandestine battles that occurred between the brilliant scientists and codebreakers of the Allies and the Axis powers.

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 flesh and startling perspective of the Second World War.

In Secret Weapons of World War II, you will:

-Attend a meeting where Winston Churchill launches the idea of a giant mousetrap in the sky that would snare Luftwaffe bombers.

-Meet the young genius in the British Secret Service and the scientist who hatched Operation Jay, an intricate hoax that bamboozled German scientists and ended Germany's devastating long-range bombing campaign.

-Shadow former American schoolteacher Frank Rowlett as he and his small team of scientists crack the Japanese diplomatic code called Purple, now known as the greatest success in the history of the United States intelligence.

-Witness the curious-looking truck known as "secret weapon that was shipped in from Mars" that later played a crucial role in the outcome of the war.

Packed with more than seventy riveting tales, Secret Weapons of World War II displays Breuer's signature blend of dynamic storytelling and meticulous detail.
1127016997
Secret Weapons of WWII
In Secret Weapons of World War II, first-class historian, William Breuer, chronicles the clandestine battles that occurred between the brilliant scientists and codebreakers of the Allies and the Axis powers.

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 flesh and startling perspective of the Second World War.

In Secret Weapons of World War II, you will:

-Attend a meeting where Winston Churchill launches the idea of a giant mousetrap in the sky that would snare Luftwaffe bombers.

-Meet the young genius in the British Secret Service and the scientist who hatched Operation Jay, an intricate hoax that bamboozled German scientists and ended Germany's devastating long-range bombing campaign.

-Shadow former American schoolteacher Frank Rowlett as he and his small team of scientists crack the Japanese diplomatic code called Purple, now known as the greatest success in the history of the United States intelligence.

-Witness the curious-looking truck known as "secret weapon that was shipped in from Mars" that later played a crucial role in the outcome of the war.

Packed with more than seventy riveting tales, Secret Weapons of World War II displays Breuer's signature blend of dynamic storytelling and meticulous detail.
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Secret Weapons of WWII

Secret Weapons of WWII

by William Breuer
Secret Weapons of WWII

Secret Weapons of WWII

by William Breuer

Hardcover

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Overview

In Secret Weapons of World War II, first-class historian, William Breuer, chronicles the clandestine battles that occurred between the brilliant scientists and codebreakers of the Allies and the Axis powers.

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 flesh and startling perspective of the Second World War.

In Secret Weapons of World War II, you will:

-Attend a meeting where Winston Churchill launches the idea of a giant mousetrap in the sky that would snare Luftwaffe bombers.

-Meet the young genius in the British Secret Service and the scientist who hatched Operation Jay, an intricate hoax that bamboozled German scientists and ended Germany's devastating long-range bombing campaign.

-Shadow former American schoolteacher Frank Rowlett as he and his small team of scientists crack the Japanese diplomatic code called Purple, now known as the greatest success in the history of the United States intelligence.

-Witness the curious-looking truck known as "secret weapon that was shipped in from Mars" that later played a crucial role in the outcome of the war.

Packed with more than seventy riveting tales, Secret Weapons of World War II displays Breuer's signature blend of dynamic storytelling and meticulous detail.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780785835516
Publisher: Chartwell Books
Publication date: 12/20/2017
Pages: 256
Product dimensions: 6.40(w) x 9.40(h) x 1.10(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

Introduction 1

Part 1 War Breaks Out

German Invention Triggers Global Search 5

Stealing America's Radar Secrets 10

History's Most Important Letter 12

A U.S. Foundation Funds Nazi Research to "A Bunch of Crazy Scientists" 21

Charles Lindbergh Helps the "Moon Man" 23

An American Aids Japanese Nuclear Project 25

Supersecret Station X 26

Aspirins Foil the Luftwaffe 28

A Plan to Light Up the United Kingdom 32

Is a Death Ray Feasible? 33

A Hassle with British Bureaucrats 37

Conjuring Up Wild Theories 38

Part 2 Great Britain Stands Alone

A Nation's Survival at Stake 43

A Little Black Box of Secrets 46

A Huge Mousetrap in the Sky 50

Americans Break the Purple Code 52

The Mystery Truck from Mars 56

Churchill's Agonizing Decision 59

Duel of the Radio Beams 62

Enigma Betrays the Italian Fleet 63

Code Names Rebecca and Eureka 64

A Dying Genius "Sinks" the Bismarck 67

Cryptographic Sleuths Silence the Red Orchestra 72

A Miraculous Escape from Denmark 77

Bright Ideas for Winning the War 80

Operation Jay: An Intricate Hoax 81

England's "Kamikaze" Pilots 86

Part 3 Thrust and Counterthrust

Could Pearl Harbor Have Been Avoided? 91

The British Invade Washington 92

A Scheme to Bomb New York 94

Five U.S. Scientists Killed 94

Mystery of the Vanishing U-Boats 96

The Germans' Four-Poster Beds 98

The Century's Most Audacious Heist 102

A Secret Move to a Secret Site 105

Poking Out Britain's "Eyes" 106

A Plan to Turn Hitler Feminine 109

Geniuses in a Dungeon 113

A Test Goes Up in Smoke 120

Goering an "Honorary Scientist" 121

A Nuclear Laboratory Explodes 124

A Gathering of "Luminaries" 124

Part 4 Turning of the Tide

A Spectacular Rocket Feat 129

Stealing German Weather Forecasts 132

"I Fear We Are in the Soup!" 134

Fiasco in Chesapeake Bay 139

The Soviets' Secret Nuclear Laboratory 140

Prediction: Hitler Will Have A-Bomb 141

Eavesdropping on Roosevelt and Churchill 144

A Burglar Alarm at Gibraltar 146

Feuds among Nazi Bigwigs 151

A Chess Game in the Atlantic 153

History's First Nuclear Spy 158

A Rain of Metallic Foil 162

Smuggling a Renowned Scientist 165

A Plan to Poison the German Food Supply 169

Bouncing Bombs and Dambusters 170

Part 5 Beginning of the End

Protecting a Sacred Secret 177

A Triumph for German Cryptanalysis 178

"You Scare Hell Out of Me!" 180

Snooping on a Japanese Ambassador 185

A Rocket Genius Charged with Treason 188

German Codebreakers Pinpoint Normandy 190

"Hiding" a Mighty Invasion 192

Schemes to Defeat a Plague of Robots 196

A Soviet Plot Fizzles 198

Hitler Counts on Wonder Weapons 199

Thwarting Japanese Torpedo Planes 203

A Bizarre Scenario in Zurich 205

A Tiny Fuse Balks the Führer 207

Tactics to Obstruct the Soviets 210

A Polish Janitor Scores a Coup 212

Hitler Orders Lethal Gas Assault 213

A Trainload of German Brainpower 213

Japan's Secret Weapons Await Invasion 217

Treachery at Los Alamos 219

Notes and Sources 225

Index 235

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