A Radar History of World War II: Technical and Military Imperatives [Paperback]

Louis Brown (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0750306599 | ISBN-13: 978-0750306591 | Publication Date: January 1, 1999

Technical and Military Imperatives: A Radar History of World War II is a coherent account of the history of radar in the second World War. Although many books have been written on the early days of radar and its role in the war, this book is by far the most comprehensive, covering ground, air, and sea operations in all theatres of World War II. The author manages to synthesize a vast amount of material in a highly readable, informative, and enjoyable way. Of special interest is extensive new material about the development and use of radar by Germany, Japan, Russia, and Great British. The story is told without undue technical complexity, so that the book is accessible to specialists and nonspecialists alike.

Product Details

• Paperback: 580 pages
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis (January 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0750306599
• ISBN-13: 978-0750306591
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #765,234 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Monument to a fascinating technology, January 26, 2001

By 

F.A.S. Sterrenburg (Sijbekarspel Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Radar History of World War II: Technical and Military Imperatives (Paperback)

Brown began his studies on World War II radar development "because the book he would have liked to read did not exist". The outcome is a book almost any reader would love to have written! Although radar became an esoteric subject almost from the beginning, the necessary technical background is presented clearly and the reader does not have to be an electronics specialist to enjoy the superb panoramic view Brown presents of the development of a technology that changed the face of war - and that of peace as well! Even if one is familiar with the subject, surprises start popping up in the first dozen pages or so. This is not an updated version of the books that have gone before but something new. In the first place, it is based on massive, critical and thoroughly documented research. Secondly, it does not focus on the efforts of just one or two participants in the radar epos - be it the Germans, British, American, the naval or air forces. Instead it describes the almost simultaneous and often comparable developments that took place before and during the war worldwide. Critical, and thus well-known, subjects like the role of radar in the Battle of Britain are dealt with, of course, but even here fresh insights are offered. And besides, many epic events that have unjustly been "forgotten" - such as the Japanese forces that were NOT to be found on Attu Island - are described. Even the selection of the photographs (of excellent quality) bears testimony to a fresh approach. Almost invariably, mention of the German Seetakt radar has been accompanied by pictures of the burning wreck of the Admiral Graf Spee. Here we see an intelligence officer's nightmare (or delight!): a German Torpedo School ship with Seetakt antenna in full view - in a freely available 1939 pocketbook! What makes the story so coherent is that radar is firmly placed in the context of the military operations: it shows how the brighter warriors exploited the new technology and how the dumber authorities goofed. And finally, there is a wealth of anecdotes, from the horrific to the hilarious. I find Brown's Radar History just as good as R.V. Jones' "Most Secret War": serious but light-footed, and very well written.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive Analysis of Technology that Transformed Modern Warfare, April 12, 2006

By 

Stuart Ellison "Author" (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Radar History of World War II: Technical and Military Imperatives (Paperback)

In A Radar History of World War II, physicist Louis Brown recounts the little-known history of a technology that may very well have been the difference between a free world and a Nazi-dominated one. The book provides very painstaking details and is unique in that it describes the technology that existed within the societies of all major combatants: Americans, British, Germans, Russians, and Japanese. It is also a good primer on the basics of radar that can be understood by the layman.

However, the book is long and tedious. Although the science can be understood by a layman, I can personally attest that it is rough going. Although Brown recounts some interesting anecdotes, it is clear that he is a scientist first and a writer second. As a result, this book is unlikely to appeal to a mass audience. That being said, A Radar History of World War II is a rewarding read for those with the necessary stamina. If you're a scientist or an engineer, feel free to add a star or two to my rating.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Reading for the History of WWII Radar, October 9, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Radar History of World War II: Technical and Military Imperatives (Paperback)

The story of the development atomic bomb finally had its complete chronicle in 1995 with the Richard Rhodes book "The Making of the Atomic Bomb." Rhodes is unmatched as an explainer of difficult concepts; he is even better at describing the personalities who made the discoveries that led to the Bomb. More importantly his skill made the book as good a read as any Tom Clancy novel.

Louis Brown attempts to do the same for Radar during World War II. The good news is that this book has the sweep and depth of anything Rhodes has done. If anything it's even more complete. As a fan of the history of technology I've finally found the single source book on WWII radar. As of now this book has become the definitive work on the subject. If you are interested in the topic you have to read this book.

Authors of the history technology need a rare combination of divergent skills to write a good technical history; an understanding and passion for the subject, dogged research skills for those subjects that were once classified, and the ability to tell a captivating story.

Brown is as good as they get for understanding and passion. His description of German and Japanese radar boggle the mind. The sad part is that as a writer Brown is simply no match for Rhodes. What could have been a sweeping epic that popularized the subject ends up being a tedious list of facts of interest only to the few passionate about the subject. The book veers between a mind-numbing list of radar types (with an awesome bibliography, stunning index yet it has no timelines, radar order of battle, or any coherent summary of the mass of data presented), it is interspersed with personal rambling asides, punctuated by bursts of interesting exposition and great insight. This book could have used a very good editor and some night classes on writing. Instead it looks like it got a spell-checking program.

This book is such a valuable resource that I urge the author to find a co-author and put out a revised second edition.