The Germans, including Hitler, never could settle on a way to deal with the British beyond the bombing campaign. The book gives us a look at Goebbels (the Vile), through his diary, showing him to be both perplexed and outraged by Churchill’s refusal to enter into peace talks with Germany. As Britain stood alone against the onslaught it appeared very likely that the Germans would attempt an invasion, and that potential added to the immense burden on Churchill. We get to see the devastation of the German air blitz on Britain and London, and how Churchill both coped with, and offered inspiration, in the face of continuing bad news. There is no question that Churchill is still revered today, but I do believe that how close Britain was to defeat, as the country stood alone against what appeared to be an unbeatable German military colossus, tends to be forgotten as the years go by. Larson gives us a look at not just the military, but some of the personal, with some of the Churchill family “issues” covered fairly. Could another WWII book bring anything new or interesting? Larson does both with this look at the first year of Churchill’s premiership, showing us in great detail how close to victory Hitler had come, and how the steely resolve of Churchill held things together in the face of unrelenting bad news, and a fierce German bombing campaign against Britain. What an outstanding book Erik Larson has delivered. The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson
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