The Most Dangerous Enemy: A History of the Battle of Britain: Amazon.co.uk: Stephen Bungay: 9781854108012: Books

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'The most exhaustive and detailed account of the Battle of Britain that has yet appeared'- Times Lietrary Supplement; 'A fascinating case history in illusion and reality. He dispels the myths and kills the cliches... Admirable'- Godfrey Smith, Sunday Times

Times Literary Supplement

This is the most exhaustive and detailed account of the Battle of Britain that has yet appeared.

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The summer was very hot, the school holidays were long, and I was bored. Read the first page

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55 Reviews

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4.9 out of 5 stars (55 customer reviews)

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119 of 121 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best Battle of Britain book ever, 3 Aug 2004

By

Victor "Victor Houghton" (Rayleigh, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Most Dangerous Enemy: A History of the Battle of Britain (Paperback)

There are so many books available on the Battle of Britain, but this is the best I've read. A healthy and fascinating mix of anecdote, opinion, and solid research give this book so many dimensions missing in others that cover this important historical event.
Other authors have emphasised how close-run this event was - how Britain avoided defeat at the hands of the Luftwaffe by a hair's-breadth. I've never been entirely convinced by this. I could never put my finger on why, which is why I probably read so many books on this subject. But thankfully Bungay hits the nail on the head with a view that is contrary to the consensus: the British war machine was far more efficient than the Germans'; that the Germans didn't have the industrial capacity to replace the aircraft lost over England. And, crucially, the genius of Park and Dowding's organisation of the defence was such that the Luftwaffe was far from achieving a certain victory.
Everything is brilliantly explained: the tactics, the aircraft, the pilots, the politics, and much that has been neglected in the past such as the role of Bomber Command, and a decent explanation of why the famous "Big Wing" was such a bad idea.
Stick with the book to the end and you will be amused by Bungay's ironic quips, and moved when he delves deeper into the lives of some of the pilots. He rightly laments the sorry status this battle has in WWII history, pointing out that it's the world, not just Britain, that owes a debt of gratitude to the pilots.
What is profoundly sad is the knowledge that this breed is dying out - an example is the story of the retired Spitfire pilot who didn't mention his role in the battle, quietly working in his garage, content to be anonymous. One day, his secret is out, and the reaction is very moving.
Buy this - it's the best history of the most important air battle, ever.

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23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding - Thorough and Beautifully Written, 17 Feb 2004

By

Black Prince "micron7800" (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Most Dangerous Enemy: A History of the Battle of Britain (Paperback)

I am a Rolls-Royce nut - the firm not the car; and knowing that 75% RAF aircraft flew with Merlin engines shows just how much depended on PV-12 and Royce and Hives; for a company which had to be ordered by the Government to enter the aero-engine business in 1915 !

I enjoyed this book, it straightened out a few myths and built a few more. I recall seeing a family grave with the name of a son, an RAF pilot KIA in September 1939, shot down over the Channel in "friendly fire" - reading Bungay's book shows how close contact killing did not avoid mistakes, the rapidity of decision-making with that gunsight and burst of firing meant you killed your own occasionally.

I ike the way he gives details of the aircraft, both sides, and lets you see where these JG and KG planes were coming from.....and when you think of a man with 8-Brownings and limited ammunition, it is a remarkable achievement to survive such close encounters.

I wish there had been more on #.303 Krakowski Polish Squadron - the highest scoring; and a bit more about #.310 Czechs, and the amazing Josef Frantisek who fled Czechoslovakia in 1938 to fly with the Poles; then with the Poles in France; and then in PAF in England.

I really liked this book...it reads well, and is beautifully written with good turns of phrase and a light touch. I shall haul out my old Battle of Britain video now to watch Terevor Howard in his role as Keith Park and Lawrence Olivier as Dowding.........

.........and I shall feel a sense of shame......at how miserably these men were treated after the War.....how Park especially failed to be honoured sufficiently in this country; and I shall think also of the shameful way Harris was treated after the War; and how the sacrifices of Bomber Command which lost 75% crews killed in action, were largely ignored by governments which had no further use for their sacrifice and did little to honour it.

So, I read the book with relish, and enjoyed every word, but I feel shame that those nearest to events failed to show full gratitude at a time when full sacrifice left raw wounds and empty homes; ie. immediately after the War.........it took a very long time for Dowding to get a statue, or Harris.....and Park is still waiting.....

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35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping account - very well balanced., 2 Dec 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Most Dangerous Enemy: A History of the Battle of Britain (Paperback)

The Most Dangerous Enemy is a very appealing book, telling the stories of the front-line airmen on both sides, and the figures in command, fitting genuine human interest into the over-all picture of the battle. This makes the book a very exciting read, and brings the history to life. Stephen Bungay has evidently done very thorough research for this book, and there is a great deal of information woven through the individual stories.
I felt that this book got exactly the right balance between factual detail of the battle, and a gripping read about the people who actually fought it. A considerable achievement, equally of interest to the general public and historians.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars History at it's best!
I read this book some years ago, and have read other books based around this period in history since, but this still remains the best one I have read by some way. Read more

Published 4 days ago by Simon Devon