The Hidden Places of World War II
The Extraordinary Sites Where History Was Made During the War That Saved Civilization
by Jerome M. O'Connor
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Pub Date Mar 01 2019 | Archive Date Mar 08 2019
Rowman & Littlefield | Lyons Press
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Description
In The Hidden Places of WWII, the author takes readers to overlooked places where WWII history was made. These are sites that were thought to be closed or locked away forever or, in some cases, thought never to exist at all, or were ignored by military historians for decades. With historical photos, contemporary photos, and written in a conversational style, the book opens the eyes of a new generation of readers, as well as an older generation, and takes them to the actual locations that changed history.
Many military history readers don’t know that you can still visit Nazi U-boat pens in Lorient and La Rochelle on the French Atlantic coast (they were used in the filming of Raiders of the Lost Ark) and even pieces of the Atlantic Wall Hitler had built along the French coast in ’43 and ’44 to thwart the invasion he knew was coming. These are only two of the many hidden places the author introduces the reader to.
Jerry O’Connor has been a college instructor, journalist, historian, tour guide, and lecturer. A passion for realism and authenticity has characterized O’Connor’s journalism career, beginning with a four-page centerfold feature for the Chicago Sunday Tribune Magazine in 1965. He’s also written for Chicago Tribune section one; Chicago Tribune Perspective and Flashback sections; Finest Hour, British Heritage, Proceedings (U.S. Naval Institute), Naval History (U.S. Naval Institute, multiple, lead,) and World War II (multiple, lead). He’s been instructor, Harper College, Palatine, IL (8 years), Oakton College, Skokie, IL (12 years), lecturer, Cunard Queen Mary 2 (four trans-Atlantic voyages, 16 lectures, averaging 325 passengers per lecture). He’s been on the NBC Today Show, and he was named Author of the Year by the U.S. Naval Institute in 2000 for his body of work. Jerry began writing about World War II in 1978 by disclosing the intact but unknown existence of Winston Churchill’s mythic war headquarters in central London. The four-page feature directly contributed to opening the site to the public in 1985.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Hardcover |
| ISBN | 9781493030385 |
| PRICE | $27.95 (USD) |
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Featured Reviews
Terri W, Reviewer
The Hidden Places of World War II is described as taking the reader to forgotten or overlooked sites where WWII history was made. Included are such places as the U-boat bases along the Bay of Biscay; how the USAAF air bases were constructed in east England and what they entailed; Trent Park, where the British eavesdropped on captured German generals; the Cabinet War Rooms where Churchill directed the war; Bletchley Park, where the code breakers won the war.
Many of these places are familiar to students of WWII, but there are surprises. The Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth famously brought thousands of American troops to Europe. Overlooked is that the British needed American troop transports, and ships were taken from the United States Line. The SS America, launched the day before the war began, became the USS Westpoint and moved personnel throughout the war.
Chapters can stand alone, and there is some repetition between them. There is a recital of Schweinfurt, Big Week, Black Sunday, and Germany’s ability to quickly produce at near-normal capacity after a bombing. There’s a brief bio of Jimmy Stewart’s war service, and a discussion of General McAuliffe’s reply of “Nuts” to the German demand for the surrender of Bastogne. Lots of figures for the present-day strengths of the militaries of the US, Russia, England, Germany, and China.
There’s a lot of interest here, and a lot that I breezed through.
Christy W, Reviewer
4 stars!
An intriguing look at WWII and with unique stories.
I voluntarily read an advanced copy.
Cristie U, Book Trade Professional
The author's painstaking research and attention to detail is obvious in the writing of this book. There were many facts that I only discovered after reading this!
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