World War II Book Give-Away

As promised in an earlier blog post (see here) Crown Publishing has been kind enough to send a copy of their new book The Ariadne Objective: The Underground War to Rescue Crete from the Nazis as a give-away to readers of this blog.

So how do you win this free copy? Easy! Leave a comment saying why you would like the book and be sure to let me know where the island of Crete is located. Also, be sure I have a way to contact you. I know that sounds simple but in the past I have been unable to contact book give-away winners.

The best answer gets the book!

Press Release--New World War II Book Dealing with German Occupied Crete

From my good friends at Crown Publishing this is a book that looks like it would be of interested to anybody interested in World War II. If this looks of interest please be sure to check back. Crown Publishing is generously going to provide a copy for a giveaway on this blog. Please be sure to support them in return by visiting their site and seeing the other fine  books they have available.

 

The true story of an unlikely band of courageous men--British intelligence officers and Cretan resistance fighters--who waged an underground war against the German occupation of Crete and pulled off an improbable and remarkable mission: kidnapping the German commander of the island.

The Ariadne Objective

The Underground War to Rescue Crete from the Nazis

by Wes Davis

Advance Praise for The Ariadne Objective

“History both crucial and swashbuckling.” —Library Journal

 

“An exciting, tense narrative that unfolds like an espionage novel.” —Booklist

 

“An exciting, earnestly narrated World War II story.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Meticulously researched and gracefully narrated. The Ariadne Objective shows close-up the final gaudy flowering of the imperial swashbucklers—indifferent to discomfort, fluent in many languages, reckless, eccentrically decadent, mischief-makers, never unintentionally ill-mannered—who made their home in the world, before George Smiley took over his grudging service to the Empire.”

—Geoffrey Wolff, author of A Day at the Beach

 

“Wes Davis’ brilliant chronicle of the battle for German-occupied Crete is doubly rich in its description of character and of the perilous varieties of combat. This story tells how classically literate and well-nigh fearless Britons allied with brigandish locals to confound, confuse, and finally defeat the Nazi occupiers. It reveals how completely British improvisation and perception of local realities served to overcome a ruthless enemy.”

—Robert Stone, author of Dog Soldiers

“In the grand tradition of John le Carré, Wes Davis has created a thrilling tale of espionage in the face of great peril. This is gripping history, masterfully told.” —McKay Jenkins, author of The Last Ridge

 

“The Ariadne Objective is a ripping yarn, and Wes Davis is the perfect person to spin it. Ariadne will appeal to fans of Ben Macintyre books like Double Cross and Operation Mincemeat and, in fact, to anyone who enjoys a good story well told. This book kept me up well past my bedtime: I couldn’t go to sleep until I finished it.”

—Ben Yagoda, author of About Town and How to Not Write Bad

In 1991, while working on an archaeological excavation in Crete, WES DAVIS learned of a daring, little-known military operation that disrupted Hitler’s control of the island during World War II. A group of unconventional British soldiers infiltrated occupied Crete, charged with the task of sabotaging Nazi objectives in the region by joining forces with Cretan partisans. Their acts of espionage culminated in a cunning plot to abduct the island’s German commander.

After decades of research that took Davis from Crete, to the depths of London’s National Archives, where he combed through thousands of declassified documents, and to the Imperial War Museum, where he found the unpublished diary of one of the amateur spies, this incredible true story comes to life in THE ARIADNE OBJECTIVE: The Underground War to Rescue Crete from the Nazis (Crown Publishers; November 12, 2013). Davis’s brilliant debut re-creates this secret war from the perspective of the gentlemen soldiers who found themselves serving in Crete because, as one of them put it, they had made “the obsolete choice of Greek at school.” The group of unlikely heroes included Patrick Leigh Fermor, a Byronic figure and future travel-writing luminary; John Pendlebury, a swashbuckling archaeologist with a glass eye and a swordstick; Xan Fielding, the writer who would produce the English translations of books like The Bridge on the River Kwai and Planet of the Apes; and Sandy Rendel, a future Times of London reporter, who prided himself on a disguise that left him looking more ragged and fierce than the locals he fought alongside.

Anchored by a fascinating cast of characters and set in one of the war’s most exotic locales, THE ARIADNE OBJECTIVE sheds light on the pivotal mission to save Crete and block Hitler’s march to the East.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: WES DAVIS served for two years as an assistant to the director of excavations at Kavousi in Eastern Crete, not far from the plateau where Patrick Leigh Fermor parachuted onto the island during WWII. He holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from Princeton University and is a former assistant professor of English at Yale University. Editor of the Harvard University Press Anthology of Modern Irish Poetry, he has written for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and The Nation, among other publications.

THE ARIADNE OBJECTIVE The Underground War to Rescue Crete from the Nazis
by Wes Davis

Crown Publishers • November 12, 2013 • Price: $26.00 hardcover • 352 pages
ISBN 978-0-307-46013-4

Also available as an ebook

Visit www.crownpublishing.com

New App for National Mall World War II Memorial

Trust for the National Mall Launches First-of-its-Kind

Mobile App for World War II Memorial

 

Mobile App Brings the WWII Memorial to Life with Interactive Learning Experiences

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 7, 2013) – The Trust for the National Mall,  the official non-profit partner of the National Park Service dedicated to restoring and improving the National Mall, announced today the release of the smartphone app for the World War II Memorial. The free app, WWII Memorial, will be available for iOS and Android, and is available for download on iTunes and Google Play beginning today – just in time for Veterans Day.

 

The WWII Memorial App is a part of the Trust’s 21^st Century Learning Initiative to help today’s digitally sophisticated visitors connect with and get the most educational value out of the National Mall.

 

“Each year the National Mall draws millions of visitors from across the country and around the world to come learn about and experience the history and values of this country,” said Caroline Cunningham, president, Trust for the National Mall. “We strive to reach visitors in many ways, including digitally, as we work to preserve the living history of the National Mall.”

 

WWII Memorial App Features

 

The WWII Memorial App enables users to explore the history behind the Memorial and the millions of Americans it honors. The app is designed for visitors to the Memorial as well as those researching information about the Memorial and World War II remotely.

 

The app has straightforward navigation with easy-to-use features and breathtaking photography of the Memorial. Features include:

 

·         Memorial at a Glance: Learn about the Memorial through a scrolling timeline detailing its construction while teaching users key facts about its architecture (do you know how many pounds of bronze were used to build the Memorial?).

·         Operation: Collect:  Engage with an interactive scavenger hunt on the Memorial. Complete “missions” in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, as well as the home front, and learn about the moments that changed the course of history.

·         Operation: Explore: Explore the Memorial using an interactive map and learn the meaning and symbolism behind its design as you become immersed in World War II.

·         Stories of Service:  Experience the first-hand accounts from those who served. Personalize your World War II Memorial experience by selecting from a variety of stories from every state and territory, branch of service, or theater.

·         Path to Victory: Follow an interactive timeline detailing the significant milestones of the war – from the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the Battle of the Bulge to Victory in Europe (VE) Day.

·         Honoring the Fallen: Through the American Battle Monuments Commission database, users can look up the name of service members who paid the ultimate sacrifice during World War II.

 

The WWII Memorial App is the first monument-specific app developed by the Trust for the National Mall. Plans are underway to use mobile technology in other areas of the park to help tell America’s story in new and engaging ways that complements the majestic monuments that make up the National Mall. 

 

“Initiatives like this will help to educate a whole new generation about the National Mall and what it stands for,” said Bob Vogel, superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks. “We know that young people are interacting with the world in new ways and that the National Park Service needs to keep up if we are to remain relevant. This app will help us do that.”

 

The WWII Memorial App was made possible in partnership with The Altria Group, the Dr. Scholl Foundation, the Friends of the National WWII Memorial, and the National Park Service. As supporters of the 21^st Century Learning Initiative, The Altria Group and the Dr. Scholl Foundation have contributed more than $3 million to the Trust to develop engaging and interactive education experiences both on the National Mall and online.

 

Download the WWII Memorial App for iTunes -- http://bit.ly/WWIIiTunes

Download the WWII Memorial App for Google Play -- http://bit.ly/WWIIGoogle

 

Editor’s Note: 

 

HR24 Quick Time b-roll & sound bites (1920x1080 HD) of Washington, DC middle school students debuting the app for World War II veterans can be downloaded here:  https://www.dropbox.com/sh/eh1xsllk9af531a/oRN-p9PuJr

 

HD Images of the students and vets can be downloaded here:   https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qbg2mm2jr5jlnp0/-4sq9UQeBO

 

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About the Trust for the National Mall

The Trust for the National Mall is the official non-profit partner of the National Park Service dedicated to restoring and improving the National Mall, while providing new educational and volunteer opportunities that connect the park’s 25 million annual visitors to the National Mall’s rich history. For more information on the Trust for the National Mall, please visit www.nationalmall.org.

 

The WWII Memorial App is part of the Trust for the National Mall’s 21^st Century Learning Initiative, and was developed to enhance the visitor experience with details on the history and meaning of the World War II Memorial and its significance to the American experience.

 

 

Press Release--New World War II and John F. Kennedy DVD and Blu Ray Collections to Be Released

WWII 3-Film Collection

Arrives On Blu-ray Disc and DVD October 22

 

 

Viewers will find themselves on the front lines of key battles from the most widespread war in history when the WW II: 3-Film Collection arrives on Blu-ray Disc and DVD October 22 from Lionsgate Home Entertainment. The immersive 4-disc Blu-ray set and 5-disc DVD set offers fans the chance to own three of HISTORY’s^® most celebrated and visually stunning specials for the suggested retail price of $29.99 on Blu-ray Disc and DVD $24.98, respectively.

The WW II: 3-Film Collection from HISTORY^® offers viewers the chance to deconstruct the deadliest conflict in human history from three separate perspectives. The remarkable set features three critically acclaimed programs including WWII in HD, WWII in HD: The Air War and WWII from Space, offering an amazing look at one of the most talked about time periods in history from an all-new perspective.

 

The JFK Collection

Arrives On 3-Disc DVD Set October 22

HISTORY^® presents The JFK Collection, an impressive 3-disc DVD set exploring one of America’s most legendary families available on October 22 from Lionsgate Home Entertainment. Chronicling the life and legacy of our nation’s 35^th President John F. Kennedy, the 8-film collection arrives just in time for the 50^th anniversary of one of the most talked about moments in American history. Featuring hours of content celebrating his iconic life, The JFK Collection 3-disc DVD set will be available for the suggested retail price of $19.98.

Go inside the life of John F. Kennedy, a reckless rich kid who lived on the edge and became a WWII hero and a president who challenged the nation as it had never been before. This comprehensive family portrait also includes hour-long biographies of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Joseph P. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Ted Kennedy.

 

PBS Video Features Underwater World War II Corsair F4U

Thanks to my good friends at PBS for sending along this information. If you are interested in World War II or in diving this should be of interest. The video is about 9 minutes long.

 

The all new bi-weekly series from PBS Digital Studios, “Under H2O,” captures some of nature’s most exciting underwater events, creatures and locations.

This week’s video, ‘WWII Corsair Wreck Dive’ features amazing underwater footage of the wreckage of a World War II Corsair F4U airplane. In this episode, Dr. Musburger and his team take cameras underwater a few miles south off the island of Oahu. 100 feet down, the coral covered aircraft is a sanctuary for many interesting sea creatures including elusive garden eels and bottom-feeding goatfish. The video can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jxKB4zbYSA,

 

To view all PBS Digital Studios videos, please visit http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios.

Dr. Musburger is a Ph.D. Marine Biologist and winner of a National Emmy Award in Outstanding Camera Work. In 2002, he founded HD Under H2O, a Hawaii-based production company specializing in underwater production for educational, scientific, dramatic, and sports outlets. In teaming up with PBS, Dr. Musburger brings his considerable talent and knowledge to a new audience and takes them along on his exciting journeys.

Book Review--Frozen in Time

Zuckoff, Mitchell. Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II. Harper Collins, New York, NY, 2013. B/W photos, index, bibliography, notes. ISBN 9780062273833, $28.99.


The name Greenland evokes the thought of lush trees and plants, flowers, and a paradise area. The fact is Greenland is a harsh and almost uninhabitable area frozen over with ice and with temperatures and winds that should not be braved except by those with proper gear and training. The men from the B-17 that crashed in Greenland during a World War II search and rescue mission had neither.

Mitchell Zuckoff is no stranger to World War II writing, having written the book Lost in Shangri-La, and here tells the little known story of nine men pitted against the elements and the struggle to survive and the struggle of the United States military to rescue them.

Mitchell Zuckoff
Courtesy: http://www.mitchellzuckoff.com/

The book is told from two different time frames. There is the World War II era story and then the modern day search and recovery story. For me, I found the World War II portion of the book the most interesting and I feel that this book ultimately could have been two separate works. This is not to say that the modern story is without interest, I just became more wrapped up in the survival story of the World War II men.

Zuckoff begins with some background on Greenland and its strategic importance during the war. Being only six hours from New York City there was real concern about Greenland being used as a staging area for an air attack against the United States. In addition if Germany had been able to establish posts in Greenland they would have a tactical edge by knowing weather patterns that were headed toward Europe. It was becoming "a war for weather". If this was not enough, Greenland was also the main source for cryolite, a material essential for the production of aluminum and thus vital in the manufacture of war related airplanes.

During November 1942 a C-53 Skytrooper on a return mission to the west coast of Greenland crash landed. Miraculously the plane stayed intact and all five men aboard survived. Thus begins our story. A B-17 with nine men aboard goes on a search and rescue mission that ends with their plane crashing after turning around while "flying in milk". All nine men survive with plane breaking in two; the tail section hanging precariously over a crevasse. The men are not trained for this type of survival and do not have supplies and provisions for an extended stay on the ice. They rig the tail end of the plane to keep it from crashing into the crevasse and it becomes both home and protector. During the first frightful weeks they live on the meager rations that were aboard the plane as they were doled out by Captain Armand Monteverde. Eventually they are spotted which allows food and supply drops to begin. Despite food and the occasional letter from home the men are still pitted against the wild. Rescue attempts are launched and fail. Two of these attempts were made by John Pritchard and Benjamin Bottoms in a Gruman Duck. The first attempt rescued two men but the second ended in a crash landing killing the pilots and the one rescued man aboard. Further rescue attempts were made by various means as the men's situation became more desperate. Frostbite, gangrene, boredom and mental illness became the enemy rather than Nazi Germany as their stay on the ice grew longer.

After having learned about this incident author Zuckoff was put in touch with modern day adventurer Lou Sapienza who hoped to locate the Duck and if possible bring theplane and the remains of the three service men home. Sapienza is the somewhat unorganized CEO of North South Polar Inc, an under-funded organization committed to finding the remains of missing service men and women in the most challenging locations imaginable. Zuckoff is not just an author tagging along. He helps bankroll part of the mission and works with the team once they finally arrive in Greenland. Along the way we see Sapienza deal with government bureaucracy, bad weather, malfunctioning equipment, and a continued shortage of money. Despite the hiccups along the way Sapienza remains confident in the teams abilities and he continues to push forward.

Frozen in Time is a story that needed to be told and has now been done so by a wonderful story-teller. Both modern and historical teams were in a race against time to achieve their mission. As a reader you will probably feel yourself in a race as well as you notice the pages turning rapidly. This is a story of real life heroes; those who are willing to give up their own lives to help others. Strongly recommended!