I just picked up Duel of Eagles by Peter Townsend (not the Peter Townsend from the Who). The book was published in 1970 and appears to have been reprinted in 2005. In any event, it purports to be the greatest book on the Battle of Britain ever written.

Has anyone read it? I am enjoying it so far but I am still in the WWI segment!

I have it. My wife gave it to me (isnt she great?) I thought it was a excellent book. It reads well and has information that is not being presented else where. Feel free to discuss it here.

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The Muslim Brotherhood “must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ its miserable house by their hands..." — Mohamed Akram. http://jihadwatch.org/

I don't know about the 'greatest' but it is certainly a must-read for anyone seriously interested in the Battle of Britain.

Because of 'who the author was', the book benefits from many first-hand accounts which veterans had not discussed with other authors.

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

I finally got a chance to start it and I am finding it a good read. I am through WWI and into the inter-War period. The book gives a lot of good background to WWII that I really needed to acquire but never had. Still, when I read about the Nazi rise to power, it reads like fiction to me, even though I know it happened. I just don't see how Britain/France could have allowed it or, for that matter, how Germany could have allowed it. Thinking of France as the enemy instead of Germany . . . . What was Britain thinking? Old prejudices die hard, I guess.

Have found a copy of this among my many paperbacks i have put in a box in the shed over the years will have to give it a read i wait with intrest to read your final verdict.

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WHEN YOU GO HOME, TELL THEM OF US AND SAY, FOR YOUR TOMORROW,WE GAVE OUR TODAY. Epitaph on the Kohima memorial .

After world war 1 Germany was still a nation. They had the right to govern themselves within restrictions of the ceasefire/treaty. During the late 20's Europe's economy was horrible and it was the worst in Germany and France. There are pictures out there of people actually using money as fuel to heat their homes.

Because of this and the promises of a strong Germany, the socialists were able to gain power, bit by bit, it wasn't an over night switch. Socialism was prevalent over Europe. It even made an appearance in the US. Once the national socialist party (NAZI) got some power they used intrigue and the system to get more. France and England were in no position to stop anything, both of those nations did not want another war. War was the only option they had to change the government in Germany. This is why appeasement became the policy of the day in the early to mid 30's.

Europe has always been about balance of power politics, with England and France being the only two nations with power following WW1 they were the obvious threat to the power of the other.

Keep reading and posting. I hope this helps.

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The Muslim Brotherhood “must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ its miserable house by their hands..." — Mohamed Akram. http://jihadwatch.org/