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The Most Dangerous Enemy: A History of the Battle of Britain
 
 
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The Most Dangerous Enemy: A History of the Battle of Britain (Paperback)

by Stephen Bungay (Author) "The summer was very hot, the school holidays were long, and I was bored ..." (more)
4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 512 pages
  • Publisher: Aurum Press Ltd; New edition edition (27 Sep 2001)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1854108018
  • ISBN-13: 978-1854108012
  • Product Dimensions: 19.3 x 13 x 3.3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 176,038 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #24 in  Books > History > Military History > Battles & Campaigns > Battle of Britain

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Product Description

Review
'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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Inside This Book (Learn More)
First Sentence
The summer was very hot, the school holidays were long, and I was bored. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews

28 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (28 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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46 of 46 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The best Battle of Britain book ever, 3 Aug 2004
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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25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping account - very well balanced., 2 Dec 2001
By A Customer
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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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding - removes the hype and reveals the true story, 2 Mar 2004
By A. J. Sudworth "tonysudworth" (UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
This book is a superb read - not just for showing the true brilliance of men like Dowding and Park who had a job to do and did it superbly, but to remind the reader of the true heroism of the Battle of Britain pilots. It may not have been such a close run thing once you read about the RAF tactics, the effects of radar and home advantage we had but it just reconfirms for me that we owe a debt to these pilots that could never be repaid.
This book may dispel some of the myths and propaganda that surrounds the Battle of Britain but for me it just reconfirms the status of the pilots and all the people that made the victory of the Battle of Britain possible. This book covers all the various factors that made up the UK defense organisation and shows how it all worked together - wonderful reading. The only sour note it the lack of recognition we gave Keith Park for his leadership - the book goes some way to re-dressing that
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic Read
This is the first (and will not be the last) book i have read on the Battle of Britain, before this i knew nothing of the many incredible men such as Park, or Dowding or the ace... Read more
Published 5 months ago by E. H.

5.0 out of 5 stars Unmissable. The definitive analysis.
As others have noted, an awful lot has been written about the biggest air battle in history, upon which world events really did pivot. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Paul T. Rogers

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best
I found out about this book quite by accident. I was driving around some Battle of Britain sites in Kent, and stopped at a pub in Sandwich for a drink. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Stephen Burke

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
This book is simply amazing. The first chapters describe the development of machines and tactics that later on played important part during the Battle. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Misza

5.0 out of 5 stars Balanced, indepth, interesting...and captivating
As a book capturing the reader, the opening describes a young pilot, Bob Doe, experiencing one of his first flights against the Luftwaffe. Read more
Published 21 months ago by M. Hunt

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, lyrical, moving
Okay, I liked this. A lot. Of the many many books that are out there about That Summer of 1940, this one soars effortlessly above them - into the wild blue yonder... Read more
Published on 15 Feb 2007 by Tim Bowler

5.0 out of 5 stars A hero uncovered
This is a masterful book and a gripping and moving story told with a particularly engaging and occasionally ironical style. Read more
Published on 31 Jan 2007 by M. C. Handforth

5.0 out of 5 stars Proud to be British - tally ho!
A great book and must read! Congratulations to the author on a thoroughly informative and entertaining read. Read more
Published on 2 Aug 2005

5.0 out of 5 stars HUBRIS: The Most Dangerous Enemy
Though many books have been written on the Battle of Britain since the end of the Second World War, Stephen Bungay's book offers some fresh insights on the Battle. Read more
Published on 2 Mar 2005 by W. MONTGOMERY

1.0 out of 5 stars Disjointed and strange
Unlike other reviewers, and i bought the book based on the reviews on this site, i found that this work really does not offer anything new in the way of insight to the events of... Read more
Published on 17 Oct 2004 by Jeremy Smith

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