Unexplained Mysteries of World War II - Hardcover

Breuer, William B.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0471175595 ISBN 13: 9780471175599

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc, 1997

Synopsis

"As combat veterans and high commanders know, logic is often a stranger in wartime." --William B. Breuer, in

The annals of World War II are mined with captivating cases of strange coincidences, ominous premonitions, and baffling mysteries. Now, William Breuer's painstaking research has yielded over 100 fascinating historical accounts, including:

The mysterious fire on the Normandie . . . Who really was behind the eerily efficient destruction of the famed ocean liner?

The ominous "Deadly Double" advertisement in The New Yorker . . . Was it a coded leak to Japanese and German spies announcing the upcoming bombing of Pearl Harbor?

The botched Nazi kidnapping of the Duke of Windsor . . . How did a serendipitous series of events save the duke from Hitler's grasp (and the Allied forces from a crippling strategic setback)?

The curious sinking of the Tang

. . . How did this deadliest of U.S. submarines come to meet such an unexpected and mysterious end?

"Anyone interested in twists of fate should find this book fascinating." --Library Journal

"While away a few hours or spend a few minutes at a time enjoying this collection of inexplicable, mysterious, and strange tales." --Nashville Banner

About this title

About the Author

WILLIAM B. BREUER is one of today's most popular military historians and the author of twenty-three books, including Shadow Warriors, Feuding Allies, The Great Raid on Cabanatuan, and MacArthur's Undercover War, all from Wiley.

From the Back Cover

Praise for The Great Raid on Cabanatuan

"An exciting narrative presented by a first-rate storyteller." Publishers Weekly

Acclaim for

Feuding Allies

"An absorbing look at the impact of Alliance politics on the outcome of WW II." Kirkus Reviews.

"As combat veterans and high commanders know, logic is often a stranger in wartime." William Breuer, in Unexplained Mysteries of World War II.

From Germany's invasion of Poland to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, from D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge to Iwo Jima and Bataan, the legendary battles and encounters of the Second World War have been the subjects of innumerable books. Yet, within the history of World War II, a wide range of mysterious, baffling, oddly coincidental, and inexplicable events remain. Now, critically acclaimed military historian William Breuer presents the first comprehensive book to focus on this vast, intriguing, and unexplored area.

Over a period of years, Breuer collected materials from newspapers, magazines, military reports, correspondence, and interviews with the participants. His painstaking research uncovered a wealth of fascinating, at times startling, true tales: captivating cases of strange coincidences, curious happenings, and peculiar premonitions all as vital a part of the war's history as its great campaigns, strategic designs, and high-level decisions.

With a blend of dynamic storytelling and meticulous detail, Breuer deftly highlights more than one hundred of World War II's most puzzling events, including:

• The burning of the Normandie
• Destroyed by fire just two months after Hitler declared war on the United States, this French ocean liner was ruined in a matter of hours. Had Nazi saboteurs caused its destruction? Or were Hitler sympathizers behind the disastrous arson job?
• The attempted kidnapping of the Duke of Windsor
• As part of Hitler's scheme to dispatch Churchill and King George VI both of whom the f?hrer regarded as "obstacles to peace" plans were set in motion to abduct the duke. Only a timely twist of fate saved him from the Nazis' grasp.
• The sinking of the Tang. A U.S. submarine charged with tracking and destroying Japanese ships in the Formosa Strait, the Tang had sunk more enemy ships than any other U.S. submarine or surface vessel in the Pacific. Her last torpedo, however, would destroy a most unexpected victim.
• The appearance of "The Deadly Double" advertisement. Appearing in The New Yorker sixteen days before Pearl Harbor, this seemingly innocuous ad for a new dice game, "The Deadly Double," aroused the FBI's suspicion and raised troubling questions. Had it been placed by German or Japanese spies as a means of notifying their agents in the United States that war was about to erupt? Was it a way for enemy espionage operatives in the United States to warn their colleagues that a sneak attack would be launched somewhere in the Pacific?

Written by a man the Wall Street Journal has called a "first-class historian," this colorful treasury of the unexpected and the unexplained is a unique and riveting addition to World War II literature.

From the Inside Flap

"As combat veterans and high commanders know, logic is often a stranger in wartime." ?William Breuer, in Unexplained Mysteries of World War II From Germany?s invasion of Poland to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, from D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge to Iwo Jima and Bataan, the legendary battles and encounters of the Second World War have been the subjects of innumerable books. Yet, within the history of World War II, a wide range of mysterious, baffling, oddly coincidental, and inexplicable events remain. Now, critically acclaimed military historian William Breuer presents the first comprehensive book to focus on this vast, intriguing, and unexplored area. Over a period of years, Breuer collected materials from newspapers, magazines, military reports, correspondence, and interviews with the participants. His painstaking research uncovered a wealth of fascinating, at times startling, true tales: captivating cases of strange coincidences, curious happenings, and peculiar premonitions?all as vital a part of the war?s history as its great campaigns, strategic designs, and high-level decisions. With a blend of dynamic storytelling and meticulous detail, Breuer deftly highlights more than one hundred of World War II?s most puzzling events, including:?The burning of the Normandie Destroyed by fire just two months after Hitler declared war on the United States, this French ocean liner was ruined in a matter of hours. Had Nazi saboteurs caused its destruction? Or were Hitler sympathizers behind the disastrous arson job??The attempted kidnapping of the Duke of Windsor As part of Hitler?s scheme to dispatch Churchill and King George VI?both of whom the führer regarded as "obstacles to peace"?plans were set in motion to abduct the duke. Only a timely twist of fate saved him from the Nazis? grasp.?The sinking of the Tang A U.S. submarine charged with tracking and destroying Japanese ships in the Formosa Strait, the Tang had sunk more enemy ships than any other U.S. submarine or surface vessel in the Pacific. Her last torpedo, however, would destroy a most unexpected victim.?The appearance of "The Deadly Double" advertisement Appearing in The New Yorker sixteen days before Pearl Harbor, this seemingly innocuous ad for a new dice game, "The Deadly Double," aroused the FBI?s suspicion?and raised troubling questions. Had it been placed by German or Japanese spies as a means of notifying their agents in the United States that war was about to erupt? Was it a way for enemy espionage operatives in the United States to warn their colleagues that a sneak attack would be launched somewhere in the Pacific? Written by a man the Wall Street Journal has called a "first-class historian," this colorful treasury of the unexpected and the unexplained is a unique and riveting addition to World War II literature.

Reviews

What do 50 doctors in Hawaii, a lost dog tag, and a $212 unpaid storage fee have in common? They are just a few of the strange occurrences, odd coincidences, and unexplained mysteries of World War II collected here by Breuer (Shadow Warriors, LJ 5/1/96), who offers a less serious look at a very serious subject. Some of the oddities he unearthed include a candy bar that saved a life and a German spy living next to the top British spy-catcher. Anyone interested in twists of fate should find this book fascinating. For public libraries.?Terry L. Wirick, Erie Cty. Lib. System, Pa.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0471175595
• ISBN 13: 9780471175599
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 238