Operation Chastise

The RAF's Most Brilliant Attack of World War II

De: Max Hastings

Narrado por: Max Hastings, Peter Noble

One of the most lauded historians of our time returns to the Second World War in this magnificent retelling of the awe-inspiring raid on German dams conducted by the Royal Army Force’s 617 Squadron.

The attack on Nazi Germany’s dams on May 17, 1943, was one of the most remarkable feats in military history. The absurdly young men of the Royal Air Force’s 617 Squadron set forth in cold blood and darkness, without benefit of electronic aids, to fly lumbering heavy bombers straight and level towards a target at a height above the water less than the length of a bowling alley. Yet this story - and the later wartime experience of the 617 Squadron - has never been told in full.

Max Hastings takes us back to the May 1943 raid to reveal how the truth of that night is considerably different from the popularized account most people know. The RAF had identified the Ruhr dams as strategic objectives as far back as 1938; in those five years Wing Commander Guy Gibson formed and trained the 617 Squadron. Hastings observes that while the dropping of Wallis’s mines provided the dramatic climax, only two of the eight aircraft lost came down over the dams - the rest were shot down on the flight to, or back from, the mission. And while the 617 Squadron’s valor is indisputable, the ultimate industrial damage caused by the dam raid was actually rather modest.

In 1943, these brave men caught the imagination of the world and uplifted the weary spirits of the British people. Their achievement unnerved the Nazi high command, and caused them to expend large resources on dam defenses - making the mission a success. An example of Churchill’s "military theatre" at its best, what 617 Squadron did was an extraordinary and heroic achievement, and a triumph of British ingenuity and technology - a story to be told for generations to come.

©2020 Max Hastings (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers

Excellent

Forget about the movie Dam busters. This is the true story of the man who attempted to bust dams in Germany.

Well written, Well narrated and definitely worth reading.

JUST A BIT OUTSIDE

As with most all of Max Hastings books, it is filled with detail and written very well. My biggest complaint about this book is MH's lumping this raid along with many city bombing ie Dresden as equivalent. So to paraphrase Bob Uecker this is just a bit outside or over the top. 56 men died in this attack on a specific target and about 1200 to 1500 civilians died as a result. Compared to so many other operations done by Germans, British, and Americans, this raid is very different. Also many of the civilian deaths were due in a poor response from the Germans. Also, many of the deaths--mostly women-- who were slave laborers being starved and worked to death. I bring this up because in another book many Jews in the camps wished the allies had bombed the camps. Churchill asked the free French his concerns about bombing France and the expected civilian casualties and was told by the French to proceed for to free France this was to be expected. Sorry to prattle but this really bothered me.

A thorough, balanced historical narrative

This is but another gem of accurate, balanced military history from a highly respected historian.

More detailed than the movie.

If you enjoy history books that detail little known WW II actions or events readers will learn a-lot about the evolution, and successful allied Dam Busters mission.

Thorough and Honest

When I was a teenager I read the book The Dambusters and found it fascinating. So, when I found this book I was naturally interested in it.

I really appreciate how thorough and honest the author was about the attack on the dams. He covered many facets of the start. I especially appreciated how he wrote about the impact it had on people on both sides of the conflict.

Moving Gripping & Beautifully Written

Having read a favorable review of this title in the Wall St Journal (for me personally, a remarkably reliable source for book reviews), I bought Operation Chastise for Audible. I was instantly drawn in to the telling of this amazing story, both scientific, leadership and execution. Shout-out to Peter Noble for his emotive and perfect execution of the narration.

For historical, WWII stories, this was one of my favorite books in a long time.

The author, Max Hastings, a literary legend himself, peels the onion in storytelling about the concept and development of Barnes Wallis’s bouncing bombs, RAF infighting led by Bomber Command Chief Arthur Harris, and of course the “boy” Guy Gibson and his #617 Squadron airmen who flew the 1943 raid under his youthful command.

The telling of this Great War story, rich with details at every level, was so enjoyable that I found myself looking for every opportunity to take drives, pull out my AirPods, and just listen.

If the Allied air war against Nazi Germany is of interest to you, get this great book! It will not disappoint.

Sir Max Hastings at his best

Sir Max Hastings never fails to deliver. Operation Chastise has been analyzed by historians again and again, but Hastings always leaves his indelible mark. It’s like hearing the history for the first time. Unbiased and with gusto, he leaves the reader wondering if this is a thriller or true factual history. What a gift. And Peter Noble is never better.

Nuanced view of one of WW2's most daring air raids.

A powerful story, presented with an understated delivery. Tries to present the views of all those concerned both before and after the raid. Nevertheless, the author presents an unequivocally critical view of "Bomber" Harris from every conceivable angle.

Beautifully written and read.

A beautifully written, anti-triumphalist description of this brilliant feat of arms and the doomed characters who both accomplished it and suffered the consequences. Exciting and soul searching. Listeners will mourn the pilots and their till now unconsidered victims equally.
A remarkable accomplishment, to produce both a breathtaking adventure and heartbreaking tragedy.

The story behind the myths and propaganda

A fain and interesting insight into a mythical part of the highly destructive but now clearly seriously devalued bombing offensive by the allies in WW2 and this mission. A great insight for any student of air warfare.