The German 'Blitz' that followed the Battle of Britain killed tens of thousands and laid waste to large areas of many British cities. And although the destruction of 1940-1 was never repeated on the same scale, fears that Hitler possessed a secret weapon of mass destruction never entirely died, and were partially realized in the VI and V2 raids of 1944-5. The British and American response to the 'Blitz', especially from 1943 onwards, was massive and incomparably more devastating - with apocalyptic consequences for German cities such as Hamburg, Dresden, and Berlin, to name but the most prominent. In this ground-breaking new book, German historian Dietmar Süss investigates the effects of the bombing on both Britain and Nazi Germany, showing how these two very different societies sought to withstand the onslaught and keep up morale amidst the material devastation and psychological trauma that was visited upon them. And, as he reflects in the conclusion, this is not a story that is safely confined to the past: the debate over the rights and the wrongs of the mass bombing of British and German cities during World War II remains a highly emotional subject even today.

A lively astronomy primer that uses cataclysmic scenarios to explain the universe?s most fascinating events. According to astronomer Philip Plait, the universe is an apocalypse waiting to happen But how much do we really need to fear from things like black holes, gamma-ray bursts, and supernovae? And if we should be scared, is there anything we can do to save ourselves? With humor and wit, Plait details the myriad doomsday events that the cosmos could send our way to destroy our planet and life as we know it. This authoritative yet accessible study is the ultimate astronomy lesson. Combining fascinating?and often alarming?scenarios that seem plucked from science fiction with the latest research and opinions, Plait illustrates why outer space is not as remote as most people think. Each chapter explores a different phenomenon, explaining it in easy-to-understand terms, and considering how life on earth and the planet itself would be affected should the event come to pass. Rather than sensationalizing the information, Plait analyzes the probability of these catastrophes occurring in our lifetimes and what we can do to stop them. With its entertaining tone and enlightening explanation of unfathomable concepts, Death from the Skies! will appeal to science buffs and beginners alike.

Strange meteorites begin to reign down on earth and Henderson and his colleagues struggle to deal with this new "Death from the Skies"

General Murdock had just sworn in Wilhelmina as a First Lieutenant in the United States Armys Signal Corps, making her at seventeen, the youngest female officer in the United States Army. She was being honored for her undaunted heroism in the skies over the North Atlantic. At great risk to herself, she had taken out four German U-boats with her very unique and accurate bombing techniques. Her courage had been passed down to her from her famous father, Colonel William Broderick Simpson III, Medal of Honor winner and the most famous living warrior in the United States Military. For her actions, she more than qualified for that great honor herself. The United States Congress, however, would not award the medal to an underage woman who had still been a civilian when she had performed her great acts of patriotism and courage. Wilhelminas medal would not come until years later.

Ever since its invention, aviation has embodied the dream of perpetual peace between nations, yet the other side of this is the nightmare of an unprecedented deadly power. A power initially deployed on populations that the colonizers deemed too restive, it was then used to strike the cities of Europe and Japan during World War II. With air war it is now the people who are directly taken as target, the people as support for the war effort, and the sovereign people identified with the state. This amounts to a democratisation of war, and so blurs the distinction between war and peace. This is the political shift that has led us today to a world governance under United States hegemony defined as 'perpetual low-intensity war', which is presently striking regions such as Yemen and Pakistan, but which tomorrow could spread to the whole world population. Air war thus brings together the major themes of the past century: the nationalization of societies and war, democracy and totalitarianism, colonialism and decolonization, Third World-ism and globalization, and the welfare state and its decline in the face of neoliberalism. The history of aerial bombing offers a privileged perspective for writing a global history of the twentieth century.

On an ordinary spring day in 1925, folks in the Midwest were going about business usual. Little did they know that between 1 and 4: 30 p.m. on March 18, their lives would be changed forever in an event that defined the weather in the central U.S.Nthe Tri-State Tornado.

Death in the Midnight Sky By: Joe Berardino I closed my eyes, raised my chin to heaven, and felt the words surround me. They filled my heart with love, encouragement and boundless hope. I dreamt of marching over Russian tanks, freeing the Jews in Europe, opening schools in Africa. My chest filled with pride. I knew I could do anything; I could live the dream of my young President…My fate was sealed. I knew I had to become part of the greatest challenge of my generation, the new generation. Patriotism served as the inspiration for Joe Berardino’s tour in Vietnam, flying the mighty gunship. Like countless other American servicemen, hard work, perseverance, and tenacity became ingrained in Joe’s character, allowing him to accomplish his life’s goals, including earning a scholarship to attend Michigan State University. Death in the Midnight Sky is about the bravery and honor of the U.S. serviceman; about their honor and integrity; and about their inherent truth and honesty.

A riveting account of the first sustained, strategic aerial bombing campaign in history—by German airships on Britain in the First World War. At the outbreak of the Great War, the United Kingdom had no aerial defense capability worthy of the name. Britain had just thirty guns to defend the entire country, with all but five of these considered of dubious value. So when raiding German aircraft finally appeared over Britain, the response was negligible and ineffective. Of Britain’s fledgling air forces, the Royal Flying Corps had accompanied the British Expeditionary Force into Europe—leaving the Royal Naval Air Service to defend the country as best it could. That task was not an easy one. From the first raid in December 1914, aerial attacks gradually increased through 1915, culminating in highly damaging assaults on London in September and October. London, however, was not the only recipient of German bombs, with counties from Northumberland to Kent also experiencing the indiscriminate death and destruction found in this new theater of war: the Home Front. And when the previously unimagined horror of bombs falling from the sky began, the British population was initially left exposed and largely undefended as civilians were killed in the streets or lying asleep in their beds. The face of war had changed forever, and those raids on London in the autumn of 1915 finally forced the government to pursue a more effective defense against air attack. This German air campaign against the UK was the first sustained strategic aerial bombing campaign in history. Yet it has become the forgotten Blitz. In Zeppelin Onslaught Ian Castle tells the complete story of the 1915 raids in unprecedented detail in what is the first in a planned three-book series.

A fascinating comparative history of the treatment of fallen airmen in Second World War Europe.

Known as Hollywood's "Thrill Factory," Republic Pictures produced some of the most exciting serials to hit the big screen. The studio's chapterplays were one of the most popular Saturday matinee genres. Covering nearly 70 serials, the filmographies include full production credits; release dates; chapter titles; running times; sound systems (when applicable); a note on reissues, condensations and sequels; and an extensive cast list showing roles played. Included are an essay on the general development of the American serial and a history of Republic studio to the present.