1940: THE WORLD IN FLAMES.

London: Hamish Hamilton, 1979. 258 pp, 9 7/16" H. B&w photographs. "(V)ividly brings the year's events to life, recounting not merely the major episodes but spotlighting little-known characters caught up in them. There is the heroic Norwegian, Theodor Broch, mayor of Narvik; Rene de Chambrun, a young French infantry officer serving in the Maginot Line who finds himself dispatched to the White House to plead his country's cause after the Fall of France; Polly Peabody, a young New York socialite who organised a field hospital, brought it to Europe and found herself flung from Scandianvia to Vichy, from occupied Paris to the London blitz. Through the eyes of young Captain Molders of the Luftwaffe we see the Germans' incredulity when Hitler's decision not to invade England may well have lost him the whole war. With Otto Kretschmer we observe the Battle of the Atlantic convoys through the periscope of a U-boat - along with the harrowing account of sinking the 'City of Benares', the last liner to set out for Canada laden with British child evacuees." Small shallow bump to top edge of front board, light wrinkling at top/bottom of spine, dust staining to top of text block, tiny bump to bottom rear corner. Dust jacket has light edge wrinkling - mainly at top of spine and flap-folds, two creases at the bottom corner of the rear flap, light fading to the spine colour.. Not Signed. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good-/Very Good-. Illus. by Brian Knight, dust jacket design..