Dam Busters: The Race to Smash the Dams, 1943

James Holland - Dam Busters: The Race to Smash the Dams, 1943 (Paperback)

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Holland writes an excellent history and documents his as well as the introduction players from higher ups in the government and military to all the pilots and crew members of the nineteen planes. Written for the 70th anniversary of the raid, I picked this up in Foyles book shop in London. It had been decades since I had read anything about this raid and only dimly remembered the movie. So, this was new material for me.

A good story with attention equally spent on the inspiration, the development, and finally the mission. The stories from the planes that made it and returned are gripping. The only downside to the book was Holland's attempt in the final chapters to claim the raid as a signi Written for the 70th anniversary of the raid, I picked this up in Foyles book shop in London. The only downside to the book was Holland's attempt in the final chapters to claim the raid as a significant success even though not all the targets were hit and the dam was rebuilt long before the war ended.

His arguments are 'reaching' but in no way diminish the achievement of the planners, inventors, and crews. Holland admits that he brings little new information to the story so if you're deeply knowledgeable about the subject, you won't learn anything new. But I knew none of the details so the book added a lot to my knowledge. View all 3 comments. Dec 05, Betsy rated it really liked it.

Excellent overview of the famous raid on the Mohne, Eder, and Sorpe dams by the R.

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The trials and tribulations of this operation consume a good part of the book. Because time was of the essence, the training of the Lancaster crews went ahead at a stiff pace even thou Excellent overview of the famous raid on the Mohne, Eder, and Sorpe dams by the R. Because time was of the essence, the training of the Lancaster crews went ahead at a stiff pace even though they were not positive the mission would be flown. In the end, Wing Commander Guy Gibson and 19 crews made the daring raid. Eight crews never returned. Two dams were heavily damaged, causing considerable repairs to be made, and a vast amount of money to be spent on those repairs.

To be sure, mistakes were made, particularly in weather prediction as unexpected winds and mist made the mission more hazardous.

Also, there was not enough consideration given to the importance of the Sorpe Dam, which was an earthen dam, not a gravity dam. Still, it was an amazing feat, and one that deserves to be remembered. View all 9 comments. Jul 24, Campbell Mcaulay rated it really liked it. James Holland tells us that only one book has been written about the dams raid - Brickhill's "The Dam Busters". A quick search on Amazon suggests that the assertion isn't entirely correct; Max Arthur wrote "A Landmark Oral History" in and several others have been published in alongside Holland's treatment.

Nevertheless, it's a little surprising that so few have been written before now and the main problem with Brickhill's classic is that many of the details of the raid were unavai James Holland tells us that only one book has been written about the dams raid - Brickhill's "The Dam Busters". Nevertheless, it's a little surprising that so few have been written before now and the main problem with Brickhill's classic is that many of the details of the raid were unavailable to him so soon after the war.

Clearly it is about time that the story was brought up to date, and with several documentaries on the subject surfacing in the last few years and a new film in the pipeline, now seems to be as good a time as any. In the 70 odd years since the raid, the work of RAF Bomber Command has come in for intense scrutiny and not inconsiderable criticism. This is unsurprising; in the years since the war it was natural for public opinion to look with some discomfort on the horrors visited on the civilian population of Germany.

Whatever the justification of modern attitudes to the bombing offensive, the achievements of Operation Chastise are easily tarred with the same brush. However, as Holland makes clear, it was a very different proposition than the contemporary area bombing campaign and it presaged the more discriminatory approach that we see today. I admit that it's been quite a few years since I read Brickhill so it's hard to tell just how much more access Holland had to the truth than his predecessor or how better our understanding of the raid is because of that.

Nevertheless, it's an epic story and Holland presents it very well indeed. He is also fastidious in presenting the "good side" to the dams raid story - the astonishing speed with which the Upkeep weapon was turned from a hazy concept into a working bomb and the similarly astonishing speed with which the squadron that carried it was formed and trained.

Of course there is also the great courage and skill of the crews who delivered Upkeep.

Dam Busters: The True Story of the Legendary Raid on the Ruhr

Holland is also careful to include a discussion of the impact of the raid and it is clear that he is no revisionist. Although it can - and probably will - be argued from both sides until the War fades from memory, Holland makes a reasonable case that the raid, at the cost of a few aircraft and their crews, had a disproportionate effect on the on the Nazi war machine. Nor does he ignore the human factor - Holland paints a vivid and, in places, moving picture of the bomber crews, the scientists and politicos who developed the bomb and some of the German civilians who suffered the consequences of the raid.

To be honest the latter is de rigeur these days and rightly so but in The Dambusters, Holland does rather pay it lip service. By contrast, there is an interesting inclusion of the testimony of one of the flak gunners at the Moehne Dam which adds a nice perspective to the story.

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Also interesting is the description of Guy Gibson; very much a "warts and all" treatment. This IS a very well written book and a highly recommended read. The Kindle version is well presented with few if any typos or formatting glitches and a nice set of well reproduced photos. Perhaps a few more maps would have helped. Martin Middlebrook's expansive series The Peenemunde Raid, The Berlin Raids, The Schweinfurt-Regensburg Mission etc on the campaign is also well worth a look - perhaps a little dated but remaining both accessible and detailed.

I know that's a simplification This new book about Operation Chastise is well timed to memorialize the 70th anniversary of the raid. Curiously, it and Paul Brickhill's well known book from the s on the same subject The Dam Busters rather than Dam Busters compliment one another nicely and both deserve to be read. More information has come to light in recent years, but Brickhill had the advantage of talking to more survivors; Holland includes a very interesting section describing the efforts of the indefatigable Albert Sp This new book about Operation Chastise is well timed to memorialize the 70th anniversary of the raid.

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More information has come to light in recent years, but Brickhill had the advantage of talking to more survivors; Holland includes a very interesting section describing the efforts of the indefatigable Albert Speer to repair the dams in the process diverting money, concrete, steel, and workers from efforts to reinforce the defenses of Europe and also the terror faced by those downstream, while Brickhill covered the rest of the war career of Squadron, including raids against the Tirpitz and using Tallboy and Grand Slam against fortified targets. Holland's book is very thoroughly researched and written although at least twice he mentions that the Lancaster bomber was made of steel; in fact it was, like most aircraft, made of aluminum ; his sympathetic portrait of the difficult Guy Gibson and his bittersweet sort-of-love-affair with a nurse is well done, as is his portrayal of the doomed love between a radio operator and the woman he hoped to marry and take home to Australia after the war.

His discussion of the development of the Upkeep mine and parallel development of a smaller version for the Mosquito called Highball is thorough, as is his navigation of the complex politics of getting the weapons made and the raid approved. Great reading for those interested in the topic, or anyone who enjoys tightly written nonfiction with a heart.

Dam Busters is the story of the RAF mission to destroy dams in the industrial heartland of Germany in The strength of this book is that it tries to tell the whole story, from the initial idea of attacking these industrial targets, to the development of the technology required, the political manoeuvres needed to gain backing for the raids and the training of the crews.

Finally the book describes the mission itself and it's aftermath. All of this additional information created a real sense o Dam Busters is the story of the RAF mission to destroy dams in the industrial heartland of Germany in All of this additional information created a real sense of tension, it seems strange to say that as we all know the outcome of the raids, but the author made plain the uncertainty that surrounded this mission right from it's inception. The reader gets a real sense of the tight timescales involved to develop the the technology and flying skills needed, and the varying levels of political support and horse-trading between the services.

Whether it offers much new information to the dedicated WWII buff, I do not know, but I found it an informative read that was clearly written and full of interesting details. It is now 72 years and 1 weeks since Operation Chastise, the crazy idea to use bouncing bombs to destroy some of Germany's most important dams during World War 2. This book takes you through the story from sketch at a napkin figuratively speeking , through months and years of convincing and political games until the British war ministry gives the final go ahead.

With only a few weeks to go until the water is too low in the dam for the idea to work, the hardware must be built and tested and fixe It is now 72 years and 1 weeks since Operation Chastise, the crazy idea to use bouncing bombs to destroy some of Germany's most important dams during World War 2.

BBC Two - Timewatch, Dam Busters: The Race to Smash the German Dams

With only a few weeks to go until the water is too low in the dam for the idea to work, the hardware must be built and tested and fixed. The people need to be found, trained and trained even more. In 20 Lancasters there are crew and this book follows a number of them through this time.

The training, the personal conflicts, the fear, the love and the result.

The book will not change your view of the war or give any deep insights. Rather it's an interesting data point of what the result can be of one man's vision and many men's will to give it a go. If you are interested in all things World War 2, then this could be an interesting side lecture. It's easy to read foregos most of the source references for a more flowing prose and it was a spectacular idea. I had basic knowledge of the Dam Buster's story but this book provided me with a lot more detail. It is more of a 3. There is a lot of set up info so the book doesn't really get rolling until about the page mark.

The last quarter of the book, the raid and the aftermath, were the most interesting to me. There is a cast of thousands, lots of names to keep track of. Between all the military politics and procedures it is surprising the raid happened at all. A worthwhile book if you a I had basic knowledge of the Dam Buster's story but this book provided me with a lot more detail. A worthwhile book if you are looking for an up to date telling of this familiar story. This led to a strong interest in military operations in general, and specifically in complicated missions that resulted in spectacular losses for the enemy.

One such mission occurred in , when nineteen specially fitted Lancaster bombers took off from an RAF field in Lincolnshire, England. James Holland tells this thrilling story in his book Dam Busters: It is a tale of great logistics, with scientists working closely with the Royal Air Force commanders to plot the raid across Germany at tree-top heights. Of the nineteen bombers, eight were shot down or crashed, and of the aircrew who participated in the attack, 53 were killed, a casualty rate of almost 40 percent.

But the Germans lost three dams and about 1, people drowned from the resulting flooding. Jun 11, Sam rated it it was amazing Shelves: This is a well researched and gripping account not just of the raid itself but of the months and years leading up to it as Barnes Wallis makes his vision a reality and Squadron put his theory into action, breaking new ground as they do. Holland pulls together all of the political wrangling that went on to get this mission through and the monumental efforts made by Wallis, Gibson and many others to convince the higher ups that not only was it a great plan but it was worth investing in and wou This is a well researched and gripping account not just of the raid itself but of the months and years leading up to it as Barnes Wallis makes his vision a reality and Squadron put his theory into action, breaking new ground as they do.

Holland pulls together all of the political wrangling that went on to get this mission through and the monumental efforts made by Wallis, Gibson and many others to convince the higher ups that not only was it a great plan but it was worth investing in and would change the course of the war. Holland includes many personal details for all of those involved showing the personal costs to the mission as well as the military costs and he even looks at the events from a German perspective, both in terms of its military and war effort but also of the people the mission effected, the families in the Ruhr valleys.

Holland also looks at how the mission affected the Nazi war effort and how it helped turn the tide, giving the mission and the men who achieved it the ultimate recognition for their hard work, dedication and sacrifices, many of whom gave their lives to make this a success. Jul 24, Richard Starks rated it it was amazing. The story of squadron - the dam busters - is a well known one, especially in the UK, where it's popular because it combines two qualities the British like to ascribe to themselves. One is brilliant quirky eccentric genius - which, in this case, yields a highly improbable bouncing bomb - and the other is understated resolve and courage under fire - personified here by the airmen who flew the dam-busting mission many of whom were, in fact, from Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the US.

The s The story of squadron - the dam busters - is a well known one, especially in the UK, where it's popular because it combines two qualities the British like to ascribe to themselves. The story has been told many times before - most notably in Paul Brickhill's 's classic - but author James Holland does an excellent job of telling it again - with, as he states, additional information drawn from sources that were not available to other authors.

Jan 28, Jan rated it liked it. With an emphasis on the human experiences surrounding the preparation, execution and aftermath of the famous raid this new book provides a solid insight in the amazingly fast 5 months from idea to bombs away project, that including developing the new skipping bomb, modifying the aircraft, assembling and training the squadron plus navigating through the bureaucratic rivalries to ensure the eventual go-ahead.

Especially interesting - but somewhat fragmentary - is the attempt to challenge the offi With an emphasis on the human experiences surrounding the preparation, execution and aftermath of the famous raid this new book provides a solid insight in the amazingly fast 5 months from idea to bombs away project, that including developing the new skipping bomb, modifying the aircraft, assembling and training the squadron plus navigating through the bureaucratic rivalries to ensure the eventual go-ahead.

Especially interesting - but somewhat fragmentary - is the attempt to challenge the official assessment of the raids as having limited impact on German war production, partly due to the succesfull efforts to rebuild the dams in 5 months. Apr 09, Tony rated it it was amazing. This is an excellent book. It's probably the most comprehensive account of the events before, during and after the raid I've read, although Paul Brickhill's 'Dam Busters' remains well-worth reading.

What James Holland does well is to pull together all the separate threads: He introduces us to the key figures at every level and every so often we're introdu This is an excellent book. He introduces us to the key figures at every level and every so often we're introduced to a new member of Squadron. We get to know a little about a lot of them and a lot about a few of them.

We become attached to some of them so that there death or survival actually matters to us. You also begin to get an idea of the danger these men put themselves through even before they joined Squadron. Being part of Bomber Command must have been terrifying, but still, these men did it.

There's a quote from the book, which is worth putting out here: The Biography of Leonard Cheshire, V. There were those who didn't seem to care and he put himself in that category and those that were terrified but went on anyway. He thought the latter were the braver men. I don't think I could have done it. And these were young men too.

Guy Gibson was only 26 when he died in for heaven's sake. And Holland does a good job of showing what Gibson was like and the strain he was under. Eight aircraft and fifty-six crew members were lost in the raid, which has sometimes been portrayed as nothing more than a PR coup with the implication that it wasn't worth it.

However, Holland puts the best case I've read that shows the raids success. As he says 'In no way should the achievement of the extraordinary Dams Raid be belittled. If you want a comprehensive account of the Dam Busters raid then this is the best place to start. This is a great book. I have read Brickhill's and Gibson's books. They were good but this book is so much better. It is perhaps unfair because the author does have the advantage of writing his book after the censorship had been lifted. He provides a level of detail that I had no idea of. He explains the difficulties that Wallace had in getting the bomb off the ground, the fierce resistance of AM Harris, chief of bomber command and the incredible problems they had even making it work.

Did you know that the first version was encased in wood? I certainly did not. And then he thoroughly discusses the damage they caused, not just immediate to the Ruhr area but to war effort in general. I found this a compelling book that I could not put down. Very detailed history of Squadron and their first mission - the destruction of the Mohne and Eder Dams that fed water into the Ruhr.

It is a bit dry, and I think the author tries a bit too hard to justify the results as having been worth the effort and sacrifice of 19 crews, 8 didn't come back. Still, the depth of research shows, especially regarding the technical side of the Upkeep weapon and how it was used I expect this information was probably still classified when The Dam Busters by Very detailed history of Squadron and their first mission - the destruction of the Mohne and Eder Dams that fed water into the Ruhr.

Still, the depth of research shows, especially regarding the technical side of the Upkeep weapon and how it was used I expect this information was probably still classified when The Dam Busters by Paul Brickhill was written. Jun 15, Grant Kisling rated it liked it Shelves: I wanted to love this book more, but the first pages are slow, full of British bureaucracy, and not entirely enjoyable to read through. The last pages are exciting, thrilling, and well written. Aug 06, Alex rated it liked it. A poorly written narrative of a great story.

Oct 25, Ethan Ruth rated it it was amazing. Very informative, loved this book.

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