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Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany Paperback – Illustrated, September 25, 2007
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Donald L. Miller
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Donald L. Miller
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Print length688 pages
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LanguageEnglish
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PublisherSimon & Schuster
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Publication dateSeptember 25, 2007
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Dimensions6.13 x 1.6 x 9.25 inches
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ISBN-100743235452
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ISBN-13978-0743235457
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Masters of the Air is a piece of history that accurately and comprehensively tells the story of the Eighth Air Force going mano a mano against a tough and determined foe. The incredible cost to both sides is recounted in riveting detail. It left me shaken."
-- Lt. Gen. Bernard E. Trainor, USMC (Ret.) and coauthor of Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq
"Miller's work is always extraordinary but this large volume is especially remarkable for its valuable recovery of details, like all the psychiactric ruin of the many bomber boys assigned to kill German civilians. This is a rare account of the American Eighth Air Force, and with so many readers hoodwinked by fantasies of The Good War, it deserves wide acceptance and ultimate enshrinement as a classic."
-- Paul Fussell, author of The Great War and Modern Memory
"When I learned that Don Miller had written a history of the air war against Germany, I knew that readers would be transported as virtual eye witnesses to this aerial battle field. His gripping reconstruction of what was happening in the planes is matched by the best account yet of what the bombings were doing to Germans on the ground. This book bears the Miller trademark: a strong narrative supported by solid history."
-- Joseph E. Persico, author of Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day Eleventh Hour: Armistice Day 1918
"Masters of the Air is a fresh new account of the incredible rise of the American air force from young men learning their trade on the job in combat to an irresistible force that swept the vaunted Luftwaffe from the skies. Author Donald L. Miller knits together the big events of the bombing campaign with illuminating individual human stories of the heroes who lived and died over Germany."
-- Walter J. Boyne, former director, National Air and Space Museum
"Over the first years of World War II, the only American casualties on European soil were flyboys shot out of the sky. Long before Normandy, America's bomber boys waged the Allies' longest WWII campaign and brought the war to Hitler. Now we are fortunate that the incomparable Donald Miller has brought the memory of these Masters of the Air back to us."
-- James Bradley, author of Flags of Our Fathers and Flyboys
"Masters of the Air is masterful narrative history, the elegantly interwoven story of the men and boys who first took the war to the heart of Germany. Vivid and meticulous, judicious but not judgmental, Donald L. Miller chronicles the air war over Europe in all its heroism and horror."
-- Geoffrey C. Ward, author of Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson
"Donald L. Miller's Masters of the Air is a stunning achievement. The compound effect of the book's narrative vitality and attention to human detail is terrific in all the meanings of the word - terrifying, extraordinary, highly admirable. What a story it is!"
-- David McCullough
"Masters of the Air is a direct hit."
-- Allan R. Millett, Director, Eisenhower Center for American Studies, University of New Orleans
"For sixty years we have waited for a history to equal the epic saga of the Eighth Air Force's struggle with fighters, flak and weather on a battlefield moving at three miles per minute five miles above the earth's crust. Now it is here. With brilliant artistry, Don Miller paints the story from the pallet of the voices of the men who manned the planes or waited them out."
-- Richard B. Frank, author of Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire
-- Lt. Gen. Bernard E. Trainor, USMC (Ret.) and coauthor of Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq
"Miller's work is always extraordinary but this large volume is especially remarkable for its valuable recovery of details, like all the psychiactric ruin of the many bomber boys assigned to kill German civilians. This is a rare account of the American Eighth Air Force, and with so many readers hoodwinked by fantasies of The Good War, it deserves wide acceptance and ultimate enshrinement as a classic."
-- Paul Fussell, author of The Great War and Modern Memory
"When I learned that Don Miller had written a history of the air war against Germany, I knew that readers would be transported as virtual eye witnesses to this aerial battle field. His gripping reconstruction of what was happening in the planes is matched by the best account yet of what the bombings were doing to Germans on the ground. This book bears the Miller trademark: a strong narrative supported by solid history."
-- Joseph E. Persico, author of Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day Eleventh Hour: Armistice Day 1918
"Masters of the Air is a fresh new account of the incredible rise of the American air force from young men learning their trade on the job in combat to an irresistible force that swept the vaunted Luftwaffe from the skies. Author Donald L. Miller knits together the big events of the bombing campaign with illuminating individual human stories of the heroes who lived and died over Germany."
-- Walter J. Boyne, former director, National Air and Space Museum
"Over the first years of World War II, the only American casualties on European soil were flyboys shot out of the sky. Long before Normandy, America's bomber boys waged the Allies' longest WWII campaign and brought the war to Hitler. Now we are fortunate that the incomparable Donald Miller has brought the memory of these Masters of the Air back to us."
-- James Bradley, author of Flags of Our Fathers and Flyboys
"Masters of the Air is masterful narrative history, the elegantly interwoven story of the men and boys who first took the war to the heart of Germany. Vivid and meticulous, judicious but not judgmental, Donald L. Miller chronicles the air war over Europe in all its heroism and horror."
-- Geoffrey C. Ward, author of Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson
"Donald L. Miller's Masters of the Air is a stunning achievement. The compound effect of the book's narrative vitality and attention to human detail is terrific in all the meanings of the word - terrifying, extraordinary, highly admirable. What a story it is!"
-- David McCullough
"Masters of the Air is a direct hit."
-- Allan R. Millett, Director, Eisenhower Center for American Studies, University of New Orleans
"For sixty years we have waited for a history to equal the epic saga of the Eighth Air Force's struggle with fighters, flak and weather on a battlefield moving at three miles per minute five miles above the earth's crust. Now it is here. With brilliant artistry, Don Miller paints the story from the pallet of the voices of the men who manned the planes or waited them out."
-- Richard B. Frank, author of Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire
About the Author
Donald L. Miller is the John Henry MacCracken Professor of History Emeritus at Lafayette College and author of ten books, including Vicksburg, and Masters of the Air, currently being made into a television series by Tom Hanks. He has hosted, coproduced, or served as historical consultant for more than thirty television documentaries and has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other publications.
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Product details
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster; Illustrated edition (September 25, 2007)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 688 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0743235452
- ISBN-13 : 978-0743235457
- Item Weight : 1.55 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.13 x 1.6 x 9.25 inches
-
Best Sellers Rank:
#33,856 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #51 in Military Aviation History (Books)
- #54 in German History (Books)
- #327 in World War II History (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
Customer reviews
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772 global ratings
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Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2016
Verified Purchase
Superb history of the Eighth Air Force and its combat operations in World War II. This book puts the Daylight Precision Bombing operation into a historical context. This theoretical, untried concept was wrong-headed in so many ways. Pre-war planners eschewed the need for a long range fighter to shepherd the bombers, believing that the heavily armed B-17 could easily defend itself. Instead the plane was easy prey for Germany's fighters. The planes were not equipped to keep their crews warm at the cold altitudes at which they operated. And the Norden bombsight, tested in the clear skies over the desert in America, was problematic over Europe, where clouds cover reigned much of the year. Tactics and objectives had to be rethought again and again. Meanwhile, airmen died by the thousands. Miller moves seamlessly from broad overview to personal stories of heroism and horror to thoughtful analysis of how the massed bomber attacks on Germany affected the outcome of the war. A fast, lively, and informative read.
27 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2017
Verified Purchase
A massive complete work. This book is not just the history of the combat bombing air war over Europe in WWII but the entire history of the lead up to the war and the political, social and economic highlights of both the RAF and USAAF efforts. Most impressive is the impartial evaluation and controversy regarding the results. Of special value to this reader is the coverage of the personal aspect of war, from the bases in England to the POW camps in Europe. There is even coverage of the effect of the bombing war on the German population. There are surely equal or even better books covering each topic, however no book this reader has read since 1959 has done as complete a job. The book is correctly centered on the US 8th Air Force and its history, but a complete history of the US and RAF effort is achieved. The book is massive with over 40% devoted to notes and bibliography. An excellent read and reference guide.
14 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2018
Verified Purchase
As an amateur WWII historian, I found this book to be the absolute best written and most comprehensive treatment of the air war over Europe. I came across this book while visiting the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force in Savannah, GA, and talked to both former airmen, who were part of a veterans group visiting the museum, and researchers at the museum. They all agreed that this is the best historical account of not only the air battles and the airmen involved, but also the behind the scenes decision-making by both U.S. and the British military and political leaders. I found the differences between the U.S. focus, at least initially, on strategic targets (i.e., ball bearing, military equipment manufacturing, transportation networks, oil supply, etc.), and the British focus on demoralizing the German citizenry by bombing non-military targets (e.g, fire bombing of large cities as payback for the Nazi bombing of English civilian targets) to be both interesting and somewhat disturbing. Also, information on the aircraft used by U.S., British, and German forces was very interesting, especially the roles played by U.S. fighters, in particular the P-51 Mustang, in establishing total air superiority in the skies over Europe, which was considered the major prerequisite to the Normandy invasion and eventual Allied victory.
9 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars
The American involvent in the air war over Europe during WW II written in detail that you will not believe possible.
Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2015Verified Purchase
This is the most amazing book you will ever read regarding the WW II European air war from the American side. There are detailed stories in this book, from both the American, British and German side that many people, I am sure, never heard of before. Service in the Eighth Air Force over Europe was a dangerous assignment that required courage, stamina, and skill that I never realized. Skill that was often exhibited by young men in their late teens and early twenties. Many men that were away from home for the first time. Most that had never even flown in an airplane, let alone fly one in combat.
In the future, when I look at bombers from WW II that are still flying at air shows that I visit, I will look at them with an entirely different view than I did in the past. The romance of flying those planes has been replaced with the stark reality of the hell those flight crews went through, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
I knew some of those men intimately when I was growing up as a boy having been born after WW II. Some were my relatives and it is interesting to me that not one of those men ever told me about the horror they went through serving in the air crews over Europe during WW II. Not one mentioned anything about their experiences. I used to ask the former air crew members I met why they did not keep involved in flying after the war. Only my cousin answered me when he said that he associated flying with death and he had had enough of it. After reading this book, I realized what he was talking about.
Buy and read this book. You owe it to the men that were there. Many did not come home again. The author makes this era come so alive that I had to stop reading and take a break at some of the vivid detailed scenes he captured on the page of what it was like to fly over Europe for the USA
during WW II. I liked this book so much that I bought additional copies and gave them to people I know that are interested in the subject.
In the future, when I look at bombers from WW II that are still flying at air shows that I visit, I will look at them with an entirely different view than I did in the past. The romance of flying those planes has been replaced with the stark reality of the hell those flight crews went through, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
I knew some of those men intimately when I was growing up as a boy having been born after WW II. Some were my relatives and it is interesting to me that not one of those men ever told me about the horror they went through serving in the air crews over Europe during WW II. Not one mentioned anything about their experiences. I used to ask the former air crew members I met why they did not keep involved in flying after the war. Only my cousin answered me when he said that he associated flying with death and he had had enough of it. After reading this book, I realized what he was talking about.
Buy and read this book. You owe it to the men that were there. Many did not come home again. The author makes this era come so alive that I had to stop reading and take a break at some of the vivid detailed scenes he captured on the page of what it was like to fly over Europe for the USA
during WW II. I liked this book so much that I bought additional copies and gave them to people I know that are interested in the subject.
28 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2020
Verified Purchase
I've read books on WWII practically all my life, including several about the air war. This book had insights and information I'd never read before. I recall talking to a former B-17 waste gunner in Tucson a couple of decades ago. His crew had been shot down early in the war. When he told me the electric warming suits didn't work, I didn't know whether to believe him. Now I know he was right. He was a POW in Stalag 17B and had his POW photo laminated in his wallet. If I'd known what I know now about 17B from this wonderful book, I'd have asked a lot more questions. This book covers everything, from how experimental strategic bombing was to how they went for the wrong targets initially to the psychological problems of the crews to the technical issues of the equipment. Someday, I'll probably read the book again.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries
Mr. D. J. J. Lowe
2.0 out of 5 stars
Good for youngster or people with little knowledge.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 12, 2018Verified Purchase
The author does a good job of using personal accounts to create an exciting atmosphere and draw the reader into the boots of the USAAF as they flew, fought and died over the skies of Europe. Sadly, it's light on context, figures, strategic overview and regularly sacrifices factual accuracy on the altar of popular American jingoism. This is suitable for trying to get youngsters interested in military history, particularly if they are American, but it's a waste of time for any one else.
One person found this helpful
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Mr P D
5.0 out of 5 stars
... choice of world war 2 book to purchase and enjoy.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 20, 2018Verified Purchase
An excellant choice of world war 2 book to purchase and enjoy.
One person found this helpful
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Spook
5.0 out of 5 stars
Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 18, 2017Verified Purchase
Excellent book.
Normski
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant history of the American fliers in WW2
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 18, 2013Verified Purchase
This is the most amazing book for anyone interested in the American Air Forces involved in WW2 in europe.
Donald Miller's comprehansive knowledge of the subject, and excellent way of describing the air war against Germany is awesome - I couldn't put the book down!
Donald Miller's comprehansive knowledge of the subject, and excellent way of describing the air war against Germany is awesome - I couldn't put the book down!
I. A
5.0 out of 5 stars
A thorough study about the 8th Air Force in IIWW
Reviewed in Spain on November 19, 2018Verified Purchase
I have read almost every book written about the air war over Europe, and I can say that this book is a "must".
You will find in it a detailed study of almost every relevant point about the conditions in which some young men put their lives at the stake -and many of them lost it- to freed Europe. From doctrine till major operations, and all without forgetting that little stories about singular people, just like you and me, that makes you understand how so many youngsters turn into old in just the 2-4 months time of their tour of duty.
Don't miss it!
You will find in it a detailed study of almost every relevant point about the conditions in which some young men put their lives at the stake -and many of them lost it- to freed Europe. From doctrine till major operations, and all without forgetting that little stories about singular people, just like you and me, that makes you understand how so many youngsters turn into old in just the 2-4 months time of their tour of duty.
Don't miss it!
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