How Hitler Lost the War

Barbarossa

A SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER 
 
'The best single-volume account of the Barbarossa campaign to date' Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with Destiny 
 
'A page-turning descent into Hell and back . . . this fresh and compelling account of Hitler's failed invasion of the Soviet Union should be on everyone's reading list for 2021' Dr Amanda Foreman, author of A World on Fire 
_______________________________ 
 
The largest military operation in history. The turning point of the Second World War. The most important year of the twentieth century. 
 
Operation Barbarossa, Hitler's invasion of Russia in June 1941, aimed at nothing less than a war of extermination to annihilate Soviet communism, liquidate the Jews and create Lebensraum for the German master race. But it led to the destruction of the Third Reich, and was cataclysmic for Germany with millions of men killed, wounded or registered as missing in action. It was this colossal mistake -- rather than any action in Western Europe -- that lost Hitler the Second World War. 
 
Drawing on hitherto unseen archival material, including previously untranslated Russian sources, Jonathan Dimbleby puts Barbarossa in its proper place in history for the first time. From its origins in the ashes of the First World War to its impact on post-war Europe, and covering the military, political and diplomatic story from all sides, he paints a full and vivid picture of this monumental campaign whose full nature and impact has remained unexplored. 
 
Written with authority and humanity, Barbarossa is a masterwork that transforms our understanding of the Second World War and of the twentieth century. 
_______________________________ 
 
'Superb. . . stays with you long after you have finished' Henry Hemming, bestselling author of Our Man in New York 
 
'A chilling account of war at its worst' Bear Grylls

The best single-volume account of the Barbarossa campaign to date

Andrew Roberts, author of 'Churchill: Walking with Destiny'

It's a vital story, one everyone should know, and Dimbleby tells it with verve and elan

Laurence Rees, author of 'Hitler and Stalin'

Should be on everyone's reading list for 2021

Dr Amanda Foreman, author of 'A World on Fire'

Brendan Simms, author of 'Hitler: Only The World Was Enough'

An impressive achievement . . . a fast-paced, gripping read

Julia Boyd, author of 'Travellers in the Third Reich'

A great read . . . he brings Barbarossa very vividly to life, as if you are there

Robert Kershaw, author of 'War Without Garlands: Operation Barbarossa 1941-1942' and 'Borodino Field 1812/1941'

Thought-provoking . . . a captivating eye-opener

Prof Dr Gerhard Hirschfeld, University of Stuttgart, former President of the International Committee for the Study of the Second World War

Superbly well-written . . . the most comprehensive study of Hitler's invasion of the USSR in years

Expertly narrated and written with piercing clarity

Frederick Taylor, author of '1939: A People's History'

A chilling account of war at its worst

Superb . . . stays with you long after you have finished

Henry Hemming, bestselling author of 'Our Man in New York'

Brilliant . . . a wonderful piece of history

Epic . . . captures all of Barbarossa's drama and magnitude

Brings to life the sheer, staggering scale of these events... with great skill, care and attention to detail

[An] encyclopedic new account... a vivid, meticulous tapestry, densely weaving the threads of German and Soviet military strategy, political calculation from Washington and London to Moscow, and war's pitiless human cost

[Dimbleby] skilfully tracks the shifts and turns of the campaign, sparing no detail . . . a riveting account

Dimbleby tells the story of strategic miscalculation and (self-)deception on all sides, and then Hitler's 'war of extermination', magnificently

My best history book of 2021 -- a masterful account of maybe the biggest event ever . . . essential!

Jonathan Dimbleby's previous books include the highly acclaimed Second World War histories The Battle of the Atlantic and Destiny in the Desert: The Road to El Alamein, which was shortlisted for the Hessell-Tiltman Prize and was followed by his BBC2 programme Churchill's Desert War. His other books include, Russia: A Journey to the Heart of a Land and Its People, Richard Dimbleby: A Biography, The Palestinians, The Prince of Wales: A Biography and The Last Governor: Chris Patten and the Handover of Hong Kong.

Operation Barbarossa, Hitler's invasion of Russia in June 1941, aimed at nothing less than a war of extermination to annihilate Soviet communism, liquidate the Jews and create Lebensraum for the German master race. But it led to the destruction of the Third Reich, and was cataclysmic for Germany with millions of men killed, wounded or registered as missing in action. It was this colossal mistake -- rather than any action in Western Europe -- that lost Hitler the Second World War. 
 
Drawing on hitherto unseen archival material, including previously untranslated Russian sources, Jonathan Dimbleby puts Barbarossa in its proper place in history for the first time. From its origins in the ashes of the First World War to its impact on post-war Europe, and covering the military, political and diplomatic story from all sides, he paints a full and vivid picture of this monumental campaign whose full nature and impact has, until now, remained unexplored. Written with authority and humanity, Barbarossa is a masterwork that transforms our understanding of the Second World War and of the twentieth century.

How the Allies Won the War

The Battle of the Atlantic

'Majestic. Truly gripping' Andrew Roberts 
 
The Battle of the Atlantic was the single most important - and longest - campaign of the Second World War. If Britain lost this vital supply route it lost the war. 
 
In Jonathan Dimbleby's brilliant and dramatic new account we see how this epic struggle for maritime mastery played out, from the politicians and admirals to the men on and under the sea and their families waiting at home. Filled with haunting and hair-raising stories of chases, ambushes, sinkings, stalkings, disasters and rescues, The Battle of the Atlantic is a monumental work of history as it was lived and fought. 
 
'Recounts the horror and humanity of life on those perilous oceans' Independent 
 
'Dimbleby moves with skill from scene to scene, eavesdropping on the great statesmen like Churchill, the merchant seamen who carried out their orders, the U-boat commanders who tried to sink them and the families of those who lost their lives at sea' Mail on Sunday

This is an exceptionally vivid account of one of the critical campaigns of the Second World War by a masterly writer

Winston Churchill famously described the Battle of the Atlantic as 'a war of groping and drowning, a war of ambuscade and stratagem, a war of science and seamanship' and no book depicts all of those myriad aspects better than Jonathan Dimbleby's majestic overview. His judgments can sometimes be harsh and are bound to be controversial, but they are backed up with wide reading, diligent scholarship and cogent argument. This is a truly gripping account of a campaign that the author rightly puts epicentral to the Allied victory in the Second World War.

Andrew Roberts, author of 'Masters and Commanders'

A fascinating story written with bite and grip of one of the most crucial showdowns of the twentieth century - of a victory wrung out of the unforgiving Atlantic swell by sailors and airmen using the best technology and Intelligence that those on land could provide. How close-run it was and the price of losing would have been catastrophe, defeat and darkness. Compelling

Lord Peter Hennessy, author of 'The Silent Deep'

Jonathan Dimbleby's second volume on the Second World War is even better than its predecessor. The Battle of the Atlantic is a gripping account of the Allies' hard-won victory at sea. Dimbleby has delivered a masterful narrative that challenges many of the received views about this often overlooked conflict that foretold the defeat of Nazism.

Excellent on the characters of individual commanders . . . But perhaps the book's greatest strength is its analysis of the strategic side of the battle. Regularly switching from vivid coverage of individual encounters at sea, the narrative reveals the intense discussions that took place at the highest levels to decide naval policy, especially among Churchill, Roosevelt and their military advisers. It is [the] controversial assertion, backed by solid research and a readable style, that makes this book so compelling.

Starred review. "A gripping history overflowing with anecdotes and enough calamity, misery, explosions, and individual valor for a Hollywood disaster epic."

A gripping read and a great contribution to the history of the Second World War. The author realizes his immense ambition of bringing out the human aspects of the drama at every level, from the heads of state to the crews in the Atlantic, while also bringing important nuances to received views on the struggle against the U-boats, and, indeed, on Churchill's war leadership. An epic account.

Peter Padfield, author of 'War Beneath the Sea: Submarine Conflict 1939-1945', and biographies of Dönitz, Himmler and Hess

In this refreshing book Jonathan Dimbleby skilfully weaves together front line accounts and high policy discussions to provide a gripping and accessible new account of the most important campaign of the Second World War against Germany.

Professor Eric Grove, author of 'The Royal Navy since 1815'

The epic Battle of the Atlantic can only really be understood when set against the strategic context of the time. This highly engaging history does this by combining gripping accounts of the tactics and operational fortunes of the Germans and the Allies in this bitterest of battles with an authoritative review of the strategic thinking that helps explain their motives and their responses at the highest national level, and that shows why victory was so important for both sides.

Professor Geoff Till, author of 'The Development of British Naval Thinking'

Dimbleby makes a convincing case that of all the campaigns of WWII, the struggle for dominance over the North Atlantic was the most important . . . The history of the battle for the Atlantic is well documented, but Dimbleby's work, with its emphasis on the strategic importance of the battle, is an excellent addition to the story, and expert historians as well as general readers can enjoy this effort

Dimbleby's incisive, gripping narrative uniquely places the campaign in the context of the entire war as it recounts the horror and humanity of life on those perilous oceans.

The strength of the book is its vivid evocation of dramatic events

The Battle of the Atlantic is a wonderfully readable mix of vivid personal stories and the penetrating questions that you wish someone had put to Churchill

Bronwen Maddox, Editor-in-Chief of Prospect Magazine

Dimbleby captures the savagery of the fighting and of the sea itself... he has tackled the complexities in a very accessible way; but more importantly he has woven a compelling narrative of the people who fought, directed and ultimately decided our fate

I liked Jonathan Dimbleby's The Battle of the Atlantic and was gobsmacked to learn that the Germans read British radio messages much better than we read theirs. Air Ministry obstinacy (in failing to release aircraft from futile area bombing for anti-submarine patrols) nearly cost Britain the war

I am chilled to the bone and beyond ... the most extraordinary story ... absolutely fascinating

An accessible and anecdotal account of the battle and the men who waged it, full of colour and surprising detail

Fascinating, thought-provoking and entertaining. Explodes a number of self-serving myths

Andrew Roberts (on 'Destiny in the Desert: The Road to El Alamein')

Fresh and provocative

A wonderfully incisive, superbly written history. What Dimbleby has nailed so brilliantly is what so many war historians miss: the big picture

The Battle of the Atlantic was - though often overlooked - crucial to victory in the Second World War. If the German U-boats had prevailed, the maritime artery across the Atlantic would have been severed. Mass hunger would have consumed Britain, and the Allied armies would have been prevented from joining in the invasion of Europe. There would have been no D-Day. 
 
Through fascinating contemporary diaries and letters, from the leaders and from the sailors on all sides, Jonathan Dimbleby creates a thrilling narrative that uniquely places the campaign in the context of the entire Second World War. Challenging conventional wisdom on the use of intelligence and on Churchill's bombing campaign, The Battle of the Atlantic tells the epic story of the decisions that led to victory, and the horror and humanity of life on those perilous seas.

A Journey to the Heart of a Land and its People

Russia

The Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller - now in paperback.

A spirited and in many cases brave attempt to describe one of the world's most important civilisations.'

The ugly authoritarianism of Vladimir Putin's Kremlin and Russia's hydrocarbon fuelled diplomatic bolshiness are now well documented.There are fewer worthwhile accounts of ordinary life across the vast, eccentric Russian continent in the Putin era. Mr Dimbleby's perceptive travelogue is one of them.

Dimbley's book is a splendid achievement....He constitutes the essence of a good traveller - companionable, thoughtful, sceptical and sometimes wide-eyed with wonder.

All the major issues facing contemporary Russia are raised and dealt with... [Russia] engages the brilliant analytical journalist in Jonathan Dimbleby.

Jonathan Dimbleby is a distinguished broadcaster and author, who has reported from Russia at pivotal moments in the country's recent history. He has written several bestselling books, including a biography of his father Richard Dimbleby, The Palestinians, The Prince of Wales and The Last Governor. For many years he has presented flagship political programmes for ITV, and he is well known as the presenter of BBC Radio 4's Any Questions.

Winston Churchill famously described Russia as 'a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma' and even today it remains a country little understood by the West. In this revealing portrait, Jonathan Dimbleby crosses eight time zones and covers 10,000 miles in an attempt to get to the beating heart of the new Russia. 
 
His epic journey takes him from the Arctic city of Murmansk in the west to the Asian port of Vladivostok in the east, and he encounters an extraordinary range of people: urban intellectuals and entrepreneurs, war veterans and migrant labourers, spiritual leaders and aging rock stars, bootleg vendors and fish poachers, loggers in the forests of Siberia and fellow journalists under siege in an increasingly autocratic society. Russia is both a deeply personal odyssey and a mesmerizing account of a country undergoing profound economic, cultural and political change.

Jonathan Dimbleby

Titanic . . . This book is his best yet . . . For all their popularity, many books about the world wars are immensely boring and inelegantly written. Dimbleby&rsquo;s work is in a different league, told with such skill and judgment that, despite the harrowing subject, it is still a pleasure to read. As in all good narrative histories, it is the human details that linger in the mind.

Jonathan Dimbleby&rsquo;s best book yet

Pacily written . . . The detail is terrific, and the extracts from diaries, letters and so on make an indelible impression. The description of the last months of the war in Budapest is a tour de force.

Sir Richard Evans, author of The Third Reich in History and Memory

Dimbleby has unearthed some powerful voices to producing an engaging mix of the familiar and the new. Fascinating stuff.

Magnificent . . . draws on so much good material.

Extraordinary . . . Dimbleby paints a unique picture of the vast, unremitting living hell that was the Eastern Front in the final full year of the war.

Frederick Taylor, author of Dresden: Tuesday, 13 February, 1945

One of the strengths of this book is the line it draws between the awful then of 1944 and the grim events of today . . . Endgame 1944 is thus as much a primer for the present as it is sound history

Endgame 1944 paints a vivid picture of the fighting at both the bayonet end and at high command, but rightly probes the complex relationship between Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin, powered by different and incompatible visions of the purpose of victory

Mr. Dimbleby is a sure-footed guide to the labyrinthine military operations alonga front line that extended nearly 2,000 miles, from the Baltic to the Black Sea

Jonathan Dimbleby

Praise for Endgame 1944

Titanic . . . This book is his best yet . . . For all their popularity, many books about the world wars are immensely boring and inelegantly written. Dimbleby’s work is in a different league, ...

Jonathan Dimbleby’s best book yet

Pacily written . . . The detail is terrific, and the extracts from diaries, letters and so on make an indelible impression. The description of the last months of the war in Budapest is a tour de force.

Titanic . . . This book is his best yet . . . For all their popularity, many books about the world wars are immensely boring and inelegantly written. Dimbleby’s work is in a different league, ...

Jonathan Dimbleby’s best book yet

Pacily written . . . The detail is terrific, and the extracts from diaries, letters and so on make an indelible impression. The description of the last months of the war in Budapest is a tour de force.

Titanic . . . This book is his best yet . . . For all their popularity, many books about the world wars are immensely boring and inelegantly written. Dimbleby’s work is in a different league, ...

Jonathan Dimbleby’s best book yet

Pacily written . . . The detail is terrific, and the extracts from diaries, letters and so on make an indelible impression. The description of the last months of the war in Budapest is a tour de force.

Books by Jonathan Dimbleby

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