England's Last War Against France: Fighting Vichy 1940-42
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Review
'Smith describes unfamiliar battles with notable fluency and skill' (Max Hastings SUNDAY TIMES )
'Riveting' (Robert Fisk INDEPENDENT )
"his descriptions of these obscure battlefield encounters are thrilling and his narrative is spruce and peppery." (Christopher Silvester DAILY TELEGRAPH )
"a narrative of war that has much of Patrick O'Brian about it." (Carmen Callil GUARDIAN )
"excellent account of a woefully understudied 'war within a war'...Astonishingly, this is the first book" (Andrew Roberts LITERARY REVIEW )
"Smith's considerable achievement is to unmask the reality and make us understand this painful period far better than ever before." (CATHOLIC HERALD )
"a classic on the conflict with Hitlers Vichy allies... a superb book on an astonishing array of long-buried incidents." (OXFORD TIMES )
"Colin Smith's light yet detailed touch superbly outlines a wasteful and depressing story... A quality read with many political and military twists and turns." (SOLDIER MAGAZINE )
'In this exemplary work, Smith displays a real knack for conveying time, place and pungent action.' (WARSHIP INTERNATIONAL FLEET REVIEW )
'Riveting' (Robert Fisk INDEPENDENT )
"his descriptions of these obscure battlefield encounters are thrilling and his narrative is spruce and peppery." (Christopher Silvester DAILY TELEGRAPH )
"a narrative of war that has much of Patrick O'Brian about it." (Carmen Callil GUARDIAN )
"excellent account of a woefully understudied 'war within a war'...Astonishingly, this is the first book" (Andrew Roberts LITERARY REVIEW )
"Smith's considerable achievement is to unmask the reality and make us understand this painful period far better than ever before." (CATHOLIC HERALD )
"a classic on the conflict with Hitlers Vichy allies... a superb book on an astonishing array of long-buried incidents." (OXFORD TIMES )
"Colin Smith's light yet detailed touch superbly outlines a wasteful and depressing story... A quality read with many political and military twists and turns." (SOLDIER MAGAZINE )
'In this exemplary work, Smith displays a real knack for conveying time, place and pungent action.' (WARSHIP INTERNATIONAL FLEET REVIEW )
Review
'Smith describes unfamiliar battles with notable fluency and skill' -- Max Hastings SUNDAY TIMES 'Riveting' -- Robert Fisk INDEPENDENT "his descriptions of these obscure battlefield encounters are thrilling and his narrative is spruce and peppery." -- Christopher Silvester DAILY TELEGRAPH "a narrative of war that has much of Patrick O'Brian about it." -- Carmen Callil GUARDIAN "excellent account of a woefully understudied 'war within a war'...Astonishingly, this is the first book" -- Andrew Roberts LITERARY REVIEW "Smith's considerable achievement is to unmask the reality and make us understand this painful period far better than ever before." CATHOLIC HERALD "a classic on the conflict with Hitlers Vichy allies... a superb book on an astonishing array of long-buried incidents." OXFORD TIMES "Colin Smith's light yet detailed touch superbly outlines a wasteful and depressing story... A quality read with many political and military twists and turns." SOLDIER MAGAZINE 'In this exemplary work, Smith displays a real knack for conveying time, place and pungent action.' WARSHIP INTERNATIONAL FLEET REVIEW
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
32 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Smith's great skill is to illuminate a complex passage of history with strong, clear narrative, brought to life with a profusion of human detail. The war against Vichy France is often treated as a grim footnote to the larger story of the second world war. It was, after all, fought against what one of the protagonists quoted by Smith exactly described as the 'wrong enemy', so it is hardly surprising that it receives less attention than it deserves. Now we have a detailed and brilliantly assembled account in which the reader gets a clear understanding of the historical context and a real sense of what it might have been like to have been involved. As in all the best narratives, the people are brought vividly to life by Smith's sharp eye for human detail, supplemented by generous quotations from eye witnesses.
A thoroughly good read and a very worthwhile contribution to the understanding of one of the darker strands of the complicated relationship between France and England.
A thoroughly good read and a very worthwhile contribution to the understanding of one of the darker strands of the complicated relationship between France and England.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Most readers will have their own predetermined views
regarding relationships with the French, as the French will
have with the English. But Smith has assembled a
definitive and impartial account of a very contentious era
with France and England. What he has achieved is an
invitation for us all, English and French, to have a better
in depth understanding of those dark and difficult days of
1940/42.
After outlining the making of the Entente Cordiale in
the first decades of the 20th century, his story starts
first with the Royal Navy's failure to prevent Germany's
invasion of Norway then the French view that Dunkirk's
British Expeditionary Force was in reality little more than
an ill equipped, token army. The defeat of the Allies and
the French surrender was irredeemable. This left the
powerful French navy available for ownership and culminated
in Admiral Somerville's reluctant sinking, with
great loss of life, of his recent allies at Mers el-Kebir .
These events triggered the Vichy French breaking of
diplomatic relations and telegraphed to the world that
England, despite the formidable odds, would never make peace
with Hitler and was prepared to fight on.
Smith possesses the unrivalled ability of maintaining the readers
interest to the point of obsession, and has successfully
resurrected the campaigns of Syria and Madagascar drawing
from the experiences of living participants with vivid first
hand accounts of the kind you rarely find in duller
historical tomes. This is a truly remarkable book
summarising what really took place: a breach of trust
involving both countries.
Jack Riches
regarding relationships with the French, as the French will
have with the English. But Smith has assembled a
definitive and impartial account of a very contentious era
with France and England. What he has achieved is an
invitation for us all, English and French, to have a better
in depth understanding of those dark and difficult days of
1940/42.
After outlining the making of the Entente Cordiale in
the first decades of the 20th century, his story starts
first with the Royal Navy's failure to prevent Germany's
invasion of Norway then the French view that Dunkirk's
British Expeditionary Force was in reality little more than
an ill equipped, token army. The defeat of the Allies and
the French surrender was irredeemable. This left the
powerful French navy available for ownership and culminated
in Admiral Somerville's reluctant sinking, with
great loss of life, of his recent allies at Mers el-Kebir .
These events triggered the Vichy French breaking of
diplomatic relations and telegraphed to the world that
England, despite the formidable odds, would never make peace
with Hitler and was prepared to fight on.
Smith possesses the unrivalled ability of maintaining the readers
interest to the point of obsession, and has successfully
resurrected the campaigns of Syria and Madagascar drawing
from the experiences of living participants with vivid first
hand accounts of the kind you rarely find in duller
historical tomes. This is a truly remarkable book
summarising what really took place: a breach of trust
involving both countries.
Jack Riches
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I found this an extremely interesting book, particularly for the period when France was initially occupied by the Nazi Germany. The boarding of the French submarine in Portsmouth Harbour and the subsequent loss of life was very revealing about French attitudes to the British at the time, indeed the whole book raised some uncomfortable issues regarding the hostility of some French towards this country.
The campaigns against the Vichy French in Africa were detailed and exciting, but my abiding thought was that so many French and British soldiers lives had been unnecessarily lost.
Prior to reading this book I thought I had a good understanding about World War II, however I was woefully ignorant of most of the events described in this book and although it made, at times, for disturbing reading it was a thoroughly worthwhile read.
The campaigns against the Vichy French in Africa were detailed and exciting, but my abiding thought was that so many French and British soldiers lives had been unnecessarily lost.
Prior to reading this book I thought I had a good understanding about World War II, however I was woefully ignorant of most of the events described in this book and although it made, at times, for disturbing reading it was a thoroughly worthwhile read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A well researched account of an overlooked conflict
The title of this book, combined with its unexpected dates 1940-42, are what intrigued me enough to pick it up. Read more
Published 2 days ago by J & K
A Definitive history
I have read a number of books about the shameful Vichy period in the history of France.however few can be more detailed and thoroughly researched than this book. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mb Davis
England's Last War Against France
As a Franco-British citizen who has served in both armies I found this book fascinating; it is a balanced account of a difficult period in French history. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Jules
Excellent summation of a little-known conflict
Although a student of World War II history, I previously knew very little about Vichy France, and the conflict with (initially) Britain. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Crash
A masterpiece
I would highly recommend all of Colin Smith's books as he combines a roving reporter's eye with an erudite historical knowledge and weaves a story not only highly informative , but... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Colin Powis
France's re-written part in the 1939-45 coflict.
Excellent work on this largely ignored aspect of the 1939-45 conflict. Certainly supports my thoughts on De Gaul. A chancer. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Archiebald
An oft overlooked view of our 'allies' in WW2
I was fascinated at this much overlooked history. Our common perception is that we were allies with France in WW2. Well, no. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Roberto 66
a new insight into aspects of ww2
i cannot praise this book highly enough i have been reading books on world war 2 for many years by such authors as max hastings and anthony beevor but this work has given me a new... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Garry Clark
The Forgotten War
Being old enough to remember World War 2 in detail, there was little news at the time of the various operations against the Vichy French, nor, as an avid reader of military... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Strephon
A triumph
Far and away the best single volume account of the last and possibly least known conflict waged between British Commonwealth forces and the tragically misguided airmen, seamen and... Read more
Published 14 months ago by snellers99
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