If Britain Had Fallen: The Real Nazi Occupation Plans [Paperback]

Norman Longmate (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 19, 2006

The question 'what if' Germany had invaded the British Isles has long preoccupied writers, but none have dealt with the subject as comprehensively and effectively as Norman Longmate. Based on a classic television film of the same name, If Britain Had Fallen covers every phase of the subject, from the German pre-invasion manoeuvring and preparations, the landing of troops, to the German seizure of power. What follows is a fascinating contemplation of what it would have been like to live day to day under German occupation, creating a new reality that is thoroughly believable and thus all the more frightening. What would have happened to the King and the Government? Would America, Canada or Australia come to the rescue? Would the British people have come to accept the occupation? Would the deportation of friends, the flying of the swastika from Buckingham Palace incite passive compliance, or brave resistance? All these questions and more are explored to their full in this thought provoking and chilling pastiche of the centuries most enduring and darkest episodes. This is a classic book, with fresh material from Norman Longmate.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

If Britain Had Fallen covers every phase of the subject, from the German pre-invasion manoeuvring and preparations, the landing of troops, to the German seizure of power. What follows is a fascinating contemplation of what it would have been like to live day to day under German occupation, creating a new reality that is thoroughly believable and thus all the more frightening. Would America, Canada or Australia come to the rescue? Would the British people have come to accept the occupation? Would the deportation of friends, the flying of the swastika from Buckingham Palace incite passive compliance, or brave resistance? All these questions and more are explored to their full in this thought provoking and chilling book. This is a classic book, with fresh material from Norman Longmate.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Norman Longmate is a respected historian and author of a number of books including the critically acclaimed How We Lived Then: A History of Everyday Life during the Second World War, Defending the Island: From Caesar to the Armada, Island Fortress: The Defense of Great Britain, 1603–1945, The Doodlebugs: The Story of the Flying-Bombs and The Real Dad’s Army: The Story of the Home Guard.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Greenhill Books (February 19, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1853675997
• ISBN-13: 978-1853675997
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,293,720 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting look at what might have been., July 26, 2004

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Roger J. Buffington (Huntington Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: If Britain Had Fallen: The Real Nazi Occupation Plans (Paperback)

This book essentially consists of educated speculation about what might have happened had Nazi Germany successfully invaded and occupied Great Britain. The first portion of the book consists of an imaginary scenario in which the German "Field Greys" successfully stage landings in Kent and other locations on the British Isles. The author does a creditable job of arguing that such an event was at least possible, if not something the Germans could have accomplished easily. As is known by all, such success was dependent upon defeat of the RAF by the Luftwaffe, and the author certainly explains this.

The book then shifts to what the occupation would have been like, and mainly examines life in the occupied Channel Islands (small British island possessions which the Germans did successfully occupy) and prognosticates as to how the Germans would have conducted an occupation of the entire British Isles. Some intriguing questions emerge. Would the Nazi regime truly have carried out its written plans to evacuate the entire young male population of Britain to camps on the Continent? This would have involved at least 12 million young men, and would have constituted a stupendous act of genocide. Although the Nazi regime certainly showed itself capable of such acts of inhumanity, the author argues that sheer matters of practicality probably would have caused a softening in such draconian plans. Other similar interesting details abound in what is probably the most detailed look ever at a scenario that the world averted by all too narrow a margin.

This is a readable book, and in my opinion a very honest and authentic one. If this subject is of interest to you, don't pass it up.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If is a good start..., April 11, 2005

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Michael N. Ryan (Bel AIr, Maryland USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: If Britain Had Fallen: The Real Nazi Occupation Plans (Paperback)

I first encountered this book back in the Bel Air public library when I was a high school student and quickly picked it up.

It's a little cold in reading but most informative on what life under the Germans might have been had they been inclined to invade.

It is also a good refurence book in regards to life during the occupation of the Channel Islands.

My only fault with the new edition is that since its first publishing more information has come out especially in regards to the plight of the Jews of the Channel Islands.

3.0 out of 5 stars Good premise, January 9, 2012

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Jersey Kid (Katy, Texas, America!) - See all my reviews

This review is from: If Britain Had Fallen: The Real Nazi Occupation Plans (Paperback)

There have been several books written about a successful German invasion of the United Kingdom in 1940. They range in approach from war-game based ones to more strictly fictional accounts. The lynchpin to all of these works is the success of the Luftwaffe in eliminating the Royal Air Force. It's accepted as fact that without control of the air, no invasion could succeed, though many also believe the Germans - or perhaps anyone else in light of such dismal disasters as Gallipoli - were ill-equipped to launch an invasion on a defended coast.

Norman Longmate's book adheres to the dictum the defeat of the RAF would have allowed an invasion to be launched and then goes on the present how it would have been carried out. The first half of the book posits how the invasion and the following a land Battle of Britain would have played out for a German success. The second half of the book uses German documents and what took place in occupied Europe and the Channel Islands - a part of the UK actually seized by the Germans - as a model for what might have happened.

In doing this, the book is a mix of straight fiction and conjecture based on source information. As one might expect, the Germans attack in Kent, where the English Channel is most narrow; something they continued to believe was the appropriate action for weeks after the Allied landed at Normandy. The author tells this story, including the envelopment and capture of London, as a history using both real personages as they key players and fictional characters doing the detail work. The end comes rather quickly, though not before the evacuation/removal of key individuals and items is achieved. The final paragraphs of this section sees what legend tells us would have occurred: Churchill dying in defense of the city. It's a rousing story and one that can be accepted as intellectually, militarily ad emotionally sound.

The story of the occupation is less detailed and relays heavily on the Channel Islands' experience. As I followed the narrative, I came to believe that Longmate was being a bit naïve with his approach that - and I may be guilty of hyperbole - ran more like the set in the Channel Islands wartime sitcom "`Allo, `Allo" than what really took place. Look, as the name implies, the Germans had occupied several small islands, not a major country; nor was there a major city. Thus, the small population was easier to control. In fact, as I cast around for an analogy it was Denmark that I saw as most similar, though, I readily admit, this is a major stretch. But, bear with me on this because Denmark saw deportations; removal of potions of the population; loss of assets and some pretty nasty activity by the Germans, just like the other western European countries. To be sure, it was a bit less violent than was what was seen in the east. But, this may have been due to the Germans view there was a cultural bond of sorts looking west. Still, there was a concentration camp on the island of Jersey and Jewish residents did end up in European concentration camps. To my mind, this is indicative that the draconian measures cited by Longmate - the deportations of males to work in Germany, thefts of assets and, yes, the Final Solution for a host of people - would have happened in the UK. I also have to believe that any resistance movement would have been less successful than was seen on the continent simply because there would have been no base from which to support these movements. In light of this, I have to believe Britain would have suffered as much as any other conquered country and would have received minimal, if any, favoratism.

Still, Longmate should be commended for his effort. It is a book worth reading if only as a basis for drawing one's own conclusions.