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William Collins
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This eBook first published in Great Britain by William Collins in 2019
Copyright © Max Hastings 2019
The author asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Cover photograph © IWM
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Source ISBN: 9780008280529
Ebook Edition © September 2019 ISBN: 9780008280543
Version: 2019-08-01
In memory of the aircrew who achieved the almost impossible on the night of 16/17 May 1943; and of the men, women and children on both sides who perished
Contents
1 Cover
2 Title Page
3 Copyright
4 Dedication
5 Contents
6 List of Illustrations
7 Epigraph
8 RAF Ranks and Army Equivalents
9 Abbreviations Used in the Text
10 Introduction
11 Prologue
12 1 Grand Strategy, Great Dams 1 THE BIG PICTURE 2 HARRIS 3 THE ‘PANACEA MERCHANTS’
13 2 The Boffin and His Bombs 1 WALLIS 2 GESTATION 3 FIRST BOUNCES
14 3 Command and Controversy 1 TARGETS 2 GIBSON 3 ‘A DISASTER OF THE FIRST MAGNITUDE’
15 4 Men and Machines 1 FLIERS 2 FLYING
16 5 The Brink of Battle 1 SIXTY FEET 2 ‘NO NEWS THAT WOULD INTEREST YOU FROM HERE’
17 6 Chastise 1 TAKE-OFF 2 GETTING THERE
18 7 At the Dams 1 THE MÖHNE AND THE SORPE 2 THE EDER AND AFTER
19 8 The Möhnekatastrophe 1 ‘A WALL OF WATER, BLACK AS COAL’ 2 ‘CLOSE TO A SUCCESS’
20 9 Heroes 1 GARNERING THE LAURELS 2 SQUANDERING THE SACRIFICE
21 10 Landings 1 ‘GOODNIGHT, EVERYONE’ 2 RECONCILIATIONS
22 Appendix I: 617 Squadron’s Crews Who Flew on the Night of 16/17 May 1943
23 Appendix II: Landmark Dates in the Evolution of Chastise
24 Appendix III: A Chronology of Operation Chastise 16/17 May 1943
25 Picture Section
26 Acknowledgements
27 Notes and References
28 Bibliography
29 Index
30 Also by Max Hastings
31 About the Publisher
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