The Battle of Britain

Written by Matthew Parker, British historian and researcher.

I always adored world history and wars, there's something in it that I find fascinating maybe because I am curious about many things in life including the historical accounts.

This book was sent to me by my friend, Engr. Earlie Doriman, months ago.

This book retells one of the most compelling stories about the terror of World War II, it centers on the significant events that happened between July to October 1940 when Hitler ordered invasion of Britain, through the Operation Sea Lion, after the fall of France.

Belgium surrendered, France was already defeated, the United States was not keen to enter the war and Hitler was on the height of his conquest, everybody believed Great Britain would never sustain the war and would be forced to make peace with Germany, but the inspiring voice of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the courageous spirits of the Royal Air Force pilots and the fantastic skills of the Royal Navy officers, made all those fears disappeared. 

This book tells how Great Britain gave Hitler his first taste of defeat when the operation sea lion, a military tactic devised by the German forces aimed to bring England to its knees and surrender, was not fully carried out.

While reading, I could feel the chilling of my nerves underneath imagining the horror and shock the war brought to the lives of the people. I was impressed with the bravery and endurance of the Royal AirForce pilots, despite less training and combat preparation, they overcome the hurdle of defeating the more experienced and well-trained enemies in the airfield. But I was also saddened with the fate of those dedicated pilots who died fighting the enemies.

I was stunned how circumstances, like weather and skills of the royal navy officers, helped the retreating  British Expeditionary Forces (as France was on the brink of defeat) walking on foot--in the famous operation dynamo, leaving their weapons and equipments in France---to reach Dunkirk beach where they would be carried by the British royal navy war ships back to England.

Both emotional and convulsive, this book contains the real testimonies of the Royal AirForce pilots who survived the terror of war and how they hang on their lives while abandoning their badly damaged aircrafts on air. This book recounts how tactics, leadership and determination to win had saved Britain from Nazi invasion. Such an interesting account of war involving British forces courage and valor.

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