Bøger om 2. verdenskrig

A Small Life is a captivating journey through the beautiful and varied Chilean landscape, following women who seem to be living "a small life" and yet, armed only with grit and values, they overcome great losses and forge ahead to strive for a better life. Agata, a Catholic nun, finds the infant, Lilia, abandoned at a foundling wheel. She and a resolute social worker, Señora Alvarez, do everything they can to help Lilia survive and thrive. They travel different paths, but their lives, unbeknownst to them, are inextricably interwoven, demonstrating that every life, no matter how small, is significant. The musically gifted Lilia finds love with an Italian self-made man, but things are not always as they appear.___________"Magical. With intelligent and graceful prose reminiscent of Alice Hoffman, Roxanne Z. Kind emerges as a female voice worthy of our attention. Her characters come to life so vividly and fiercely. Yet, Ms. Kind takes you by the hand and lovingly walks you through this tale of three disparate women, who, once upon time, touched and changed one another's small lives forever."-Sara Wood, Actor/Director/Producer/Founder of Actors Space West"Roxanne Z. Kind's A Small Life had me enthralled from the very first paragraph. It is a magically beautiful recounting of her family lore, drawn with nuances that, imagined or otherwise, seem both real and mystical. It is a novel, a history, and a poem all combined."-Gila Zalon, Screenwriter/Film Producer

It was September 1943, and the world was again at war, when my mother, Alexis Hart Barclay, first stepped foot in Venezuela, South America. She was twenty-four, smart, sophisticated, athletic, beautiful, worldly, romantic, and fluent in four languages. She and her equally gifted new husband yearned for the adventure and skill required to serve as both faithful missionaries and all-consuming spies during World War II for the United States Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the direct predecessor to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The dual role required faithfulness and adultery, giving and taking of life, and lying and speaking the truth - in an effort to assure freedom of all mankind from the tyranny and evil of the World War II Axis powers (the German Third Reich, and the Empires of Japan and Italy).The lives and paths of my parents and other individuals from the Axis powers crossed in dangerous and critical ways between 1943 and the end of World War II in 1945. This story, based on actual historical events, is about my parents' incredible lives and their belief systems, both of which were necessarily compromised for the benefit of all mankind.

When a letter mistakenly makes its way to Elly's door, an unlikely friendship grows between herself and a young stranger, Pieter. Pieter has recently lost his mother and Elly has always wished for a son-perhaps it was God's will that they found one another. But over months of correspondence, Elly begins to suspect the truth about who Pieter is. She must find the courage to go on being a shining candle to the very man who holds the power to extinguish her light.Pieter is at odds with himself, his family, and his nation. He is convinced that the only way to a strong and healthy Netherlands is through radical means. But Elly's gentle guidance shows him a different way. When he finds himself at a crossroads, he must choose: will he save Elly, or hold fast to his ideals?

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERIn this life-affirming intergenerational memoir, Lily Ebert, a Holocaust survivor, and her great-grandson, Dov Forman, come together to share her story?an unforgettable tale of resilience and resistance. On Yom Kippur, 1944, fighting to stay alive as a prisoner in Auschwitz, Lily Ebert made a promise to herself. She would survive the hell she was in and tell the world her story, for everyone who couldn't. Now, at ninety-eight, this remarkable woman?and TikTok sensation, thanks to the help of her eighteen-year-old great-grandson?fulfills that vow, relaying the details of her harrowing experiences with candor, charm, and an overflowing heart.In these pages, she writes movingly about her happy childhood in Hungary, the death of her mother and two youngest siblings on their arrival at Auschwitz, and her determination to keep her two other sisters safe. She describes the inhumanity of the camp and the small acts of defiance that gave her strength. Lily lost so much, but she built a new life for herself and her family, first in Israel and then in London.Dov knows that it is up to younger people like him to keep Lily's promise. He and Lily bridge the generation gap to share her experience, reminding us of the joy that accompanies the solemn responsibility of keeping the past?and our stories?alive.

Published to acclaim in the UK, an authoritative, revelatory new history of the Holocaust that "shatters many myths about the Nazis' genocide" (Sunday Times), from one of the leading scholars of his generation."A stunning, original, concise analysis. ... Masterful." --Wendy Lower, author of Hitler's FuriesThe Holocaust is much discussed, much memorialized, and much portrayed. But there are major aspects of its history that have been overlooked.Spanning the entirety of the Holocaust, this sweeping history deepens our understanding. Dan Stone--Director of the Holocaust Research Institute at Royal Holloway, University of London--reveals how the idea of "industrial murder" is incomplete: many were killed where they lived in the most brutal of ways. He outlines the depth of collaboration across Europe, arguing persuasively that we need to stop thinking of the Holocaust as an exclusively German project. He also considers the nature of trauma the Holocaust engendered, and why Jewish suffering has yet to be fully reckoned with. And he makes clear that the kernel to understanding Nazi thinking and action is genocidal ideology, providing a deep analysis of its origins.Drawing on decades of research, The Holocaust: An Unfinished History upends much of what we think we know about the Holocaust. Stone draws on Nazi documents, but also on diaries, post-war testimonies, and even fiction, urging that, in our age of increasing nationalism and xenophobia, it is vital that we understand the true history of the Holocaust.

"Inside the Nazi War Machine vividly recounts how Rommel, von Manstein and Guderian turned the Blitzkrieg into a fearsome weapon of war in France in 1940, and how Hitler botched his best opportunity to have defeated the BEF, and perhaps defeated Britain."-Carlo D'Este, author of Patton: A Genius For WarIn 1940, as Hitler plotted to conquer Europe, only one nation posed a serious threat to the Third Reich's domination: France. The German command was wary of taking on the most powerful armed force on the continent. But three low-ranking generals-Eric von Manstein, Heinz Guderian, and Erwin Rommel-were about to change the face of modern warfare.By grouping tanks into juggernauts to slam through enemy lines, the blitzkrieg was born. With this aggressive, single-minded plan, the Nazis bypassed the supposedly impenetrable Maginot Line, charged into the heart of France, and alerted the world that the deadly might of Germany could no longer be ignored.

The samurai are among the most iconic warriors in history. The fighting elite of feudal japan, they have played a dominant role in the country's life for over a thousand years. Even today, a century and a half after the rule of the samurai has formally ended, they remain a powerful symbol of martial might, and the embodiment of the stoic warrior.Like the knights who fought in europe during the same era, the samurai were a feudal aristocracy. Militarily, politically, socially, and economically, they were the most powerful, the most influential, and the most privileged members of society. Though not all samurai were equal in power and status, they were almost always better off than the rest of japanese society. You will discover:How the samurai were born - and the core of their beingThe type of training that helped them resist the emotions that could hinder them from winning a battleHow these professional fighters were trained to endure pain and misery Who minamoto yoritomo is - and how he gained political authority to establish japan's first warrior governmentThe event that resulted in the collapse of the samurai in the late 19th centuryArmed with faith and steel, experimental weapons and new tactics, he must lead the way into the depths of the dungeon through swarms of horrific abominations and countless traps. But the dungeon itself is changing. And at the bottom floor, the demon ruler of the world awaits.The final campaign begins. A desperate, gruelling crusade to win through the dungeon and find a way home. Now is the time for seisen.

My grandfather, went from one side of the globe to the other on board LST 534, which saw action in two of the worst battlefields of World War II, the Invasion of Normandy, and the Invasion of Okinawa. I have attempted to put this story together from the perspective of my grandfather through his letters to his parents and other ephemera from the midst of the conflagration.

Throughout the spring and summer of 1945, Major General Curtis LeMay and his squadron of B29 bombers targeted Tokyo and numerous Japanese cities with near-nightly incendiary bombing campaigns.

A chronicle of one of WWII's most dramatic and secret operations.

Britain in 1940 was not unprepared nor alone--this new history assesses the British armed forces and secret civilian organisations that stood ready to fight off a German invasion.

A fully illustrated account of the final battle for Berlin.

A new, readable account of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

From New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict comes an explosive novel of history's most notorious sisters, one of whom will have to choose: her country or her family?Between the World Wars, the six Mitford sisters--each more beautiful, brilliant, and eccentric than the next--dominate the English political, literary, and social scenes. Though they've weathered scandals before, the family falls into disarray when Diana divorces her wealthy husband to marry a fascist leader and Unity follows her sister's lead all the way to Munich, inciting rumors that she's become Hitler's mistress.As the Nazis rise in power, novelist Nancy Mitford grows suspicious of her sisters' constant visits to Germany and the high-ranking fascist company they keep. When she overhears alarming conversations and uncovers disquieting documents, Nancy must make excruciating choices as Great Britain goes to war with Germany.Probing the torrid political climate in the lead-up to World War II and the ways that seemingly sensible people can be sucked into radical action, The Mitford Affair follows Nancy's valiant efforts to stop the Nazis from taking over Great Britain, and the complicated choices she must make between the personal and the political.

Wake Island Wildcat tells the story of "Hammerin' Hank," Henry Elrod, the fighter pilot who was the linchpin of the defense of Wake Island, attacked by the Japanese on the same day as Pearl Harbor. This is not only the story of the battle for Wake Island, but also the story of a Marine fighter pilot at war, told with drama and verve.

A dramatic firsthand account of the miraculous evacuation of British troops from Dunkirk, a pivotal moment of World War II.

When everything is at stake, how far would you go to save your neighbor?

Directed by MI6 to Berlin in 1963 to negotiate a delicate prisoner exchange on either side of the wall, Joe Wilderness covertly plans to use the operation to make a little something extra on the side, with unexpected results.

A Globe & Mail 100 SelectionPart epic of Texas, part classic coming-of-age story, part unflinching portrait of the bloody price of power, The Son is an utterly transporting novel that maps the legacy of violence in the American West through the lives of the McCulloughs, an ambitious family as resilient and dangerous as the land they claim.Eli McCullough is thirteen years old when a marauding band of Comanche storm his homestead and take him captive. Brave and clever, Eli quickly adapts to Comanche life, carving a place as the chief's adopted son, and waging war against their enemies, including white men. But when disease, starvation, and overwhelming numbers of armed Americans decimate the tribe, Eli finds himself alone. Neither white nor Indian, civilized or fully wild, he must carve a place for himself in a world in which he does not fully belong?a journey of adventure, tragedy, hardship, grit, and luck that reverberates in the lives of his progeny.

USA Today bestselling author Eliza Knight returns as she delves into the life of Adele Astaire, who served up smiles and love both on and off the stage--with and without her also famous brother Fred Astaire-- along with a determined young dancer with rags-to-riches dreams.A spirited rising stage star...Adele Astaire was a glittering, glamorous star, dancing with her brother, Fred, endearing herself to audiences from New York to London. But although she is toasted by royalty and beloved by countless fans, Adele Astaire has dreams of a loving husband and a houseful of children. And when she meets Lord Charles Cavendish, her wishes may just come true--but at what cost? A determined young dancer ...Ever since Violet Wood could walk she's wanted to dance on the London stage. Befriended by Adele, filled with ambition, she is more than willing to make the sacrifices it will take to becomes a star herself, and her rags-to-riches hopes are within reach. But the road to fame is never easy.Two women with unquenchable spirit ...From the fast-paced world of roaring 20s New York to the horrors and sacrifice of wartime London, Adele's and Violet's lives intertwine, and each must ask themselves is fame worth the price you must pay?

Der Neuanfang war mühsam. Zunächst einmal beherrschte eine kleine Gruppe prominenter Pazifisten aus der Weimarer Republik das deutsche Bewerberfeld für den Friedensnobelpreis nach 1945. Erst im Laufe der 1950er Jahre traten Kandidaten auf, deren Wirken sich mit dem politischen Neuanfang verband. Jedoch kehrten nicht alle exilierten Kandidaten auch nach Deutschland zurück. Durch die jüngsten militärischen Ereignisse in Europa hat dieser Band im Verlaufe seiner Entstehung unerwartet an Aktualität gewonnen. So sehr sich auf der einen Seite die Friedensideen und -konzepte sowie die praktische Friedensarbeit der Kandidaten voneinander unterschieden, so sehr einte die Generation, die zwei Weltkriege erlebt hatte, auf der anderen Seite der feste Wille, einen dritten, wohlmöglich atomaren Weltkrieg zu verhindern.Vom selben Autor sind bereits die Bände Die deutschen Friedensnobelpreiskandidaten im Kaiserreich 1901¿1918 (2017), Die deutschen Friedensnobelpreiskandidaten in der Weimarer Republik 1919¿1933 (2020) und Die deutschen Friedensnobelpreiskandidaten in der Zeit des Nationalsozialismus 1934¿1945 (2021) erschienen.

"Explores the experiences and memories of the 1.5 million German POWs held by the Soviet Union in World War II and how they were used in postwar economic reconstruction"-

Widowed by an unspeakable tragedy, Camille Adams has made her peace with the past and settled into the quiet safety of life with her teenage daughter, Julie, in a sleepy coastal town. Then the arrival of a mysterious package breaks open the door to her family's secret past. In uncovering a hidden history, she has no idea that she's embarking on an adventure that will utterly transform her.Camille, Julie, and Camille's father return to the French town of his youth, sparking unexpected memories?recollections that will lead them back to the dark days of World War II. And it is in the stunning Provençal countryside that they will uncover their family's surprising history.While Provence offers answers about the past, it also holds the key to Camille's future. Along the way, she meets a former naval officer who stirs a passion deep within her?a feeling that she thought she'd never experience again.

The New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed Dark Invasion, channels Erik Larson and Ben Macintyre in this riveting biography of Betty Pack, the dazzling American debutante who became an Allied spy during WWII and was hailed by OSS chief General ?Wild Bill" Donovan as ?the greatest unsung heroine of the war.?Betty Pack was charming, beautiful, and intelligent?and she knew it. As an agent for Britain's MI-6 and then America's OSS during World War II, these qualities proved crucial to her success. This is the remarkable story of this ?Mata Hari from Minnesota? (Time) and the passions that ruled her tempestuous life?a life filled with dangerous liaisons and death-defying missions vital to the Allied victory.For decades, much of Betty's career working for MI-6 and the OSS remained classified. Through access to recently unclassified files, Howard Blum discovers the truth about the attractive blond, codenamed ?Cynthia,? who seduced diplomats and military attachés across the globe in exchange for ciphers and secrets; cracked embassy safes to steal codes; and obtained the Polish notebooks that proved key to Alan Turing's success with Operation Ultra.Beneath Betty's cool, professional determination, Blum reveals a troubled woman conflicted by the very traits that made her successful: her lack of deep emotional connections and her readiness to risk everything. The Last Goodnight is a mesmerizing, provocative, and moving portrait of an exceptional heroine whose undaunted courage helped to save the world.