Dam Busters: The True Story of the Inventors and Airmen Who Led the Devastating Raid to Smash the German Dams in 1943
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At a glance
- Condition
- New
- Publisher
- Atlantic Monthly Press
- Accessibility
- Learn more
- Publication date
- November 4, 2013
- Language
- English
- File size
- 22.9 MB
- Screen Reader
- Supported
Description
The story of the British-made bombs, Upkeep and Highball, successfully dropped on Nazi dams "has never been told in such depth before" (Daily Mail, UK). The night of May 16, 1943: Nineteen specially adapted Lancaster bombers take off from an RAF airfield in Lincolnshire, England, each with a huge nine-thousand- pound cylindrical bomb strapped underneath it. Their mission: to destroy three hydroelectric dams that power the Third Reich's war machine. It was a suicide mission from the outset. First the men had to fly extremely low, at night, and in tight formation over miles of enemy-occupied territory. Then they had to drop with pinpoint precision a complicated spinning cylindrical bomb that had never before been used operationally. More than that, the entire operation had to be put together in less than ten weeks in order to hit the dams when water levels were still high enough for the bombs to be effective. The visionary aviation engineer Barnes Wallis hadn't even drawn up plans for his concept when the bouncing bomb was green-lighted. What followed was an incredible race against time that, despite numerous setbacks, became one of the most successful and significant bombing raids of all time. "Holland has delved into the new trove" of declassified documents "to shed light on this weapons program, the politics of its development and the eventual mission" (The Wall Street Journal). "An impeccably researched work in the style of a fast-paced techno-thriller." —Publishers Weekly "Extremely detailed but never dull . . . Holland offers a definitive, nuts-and-bolts history." —Kirkus Reviews "A well- written study of engineering and invention operating under great pressure. . . . For all World War II history buffs." —Library Journal, starred review Read more
Specs 9
| Publisher | Atlantic Monthly Press |
|---|---|
| Accessibility | Learn more |
| Publication date | November 4, 2013 |
| Language | English |
| File size | 22.9 MB |
| Screen Reader | Supported |
| Enhanced typesetting | Enabled |
| X-Ray | Enabled |
| Word Wise | Enabled |
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Top Amazon Reviews
Gripping Account of the Dambuster's Raid
Format: Hardcover
This book covers the infamous 'Dams Raid' by 617 Squadron, Royal Air Force, of the 16 May 1943; it is a raid that goes down in history as a combination of science, technology and just sheer determination in the end, to achieve the mission. Author Paul Brickhill wrote the original story about 617 Squadron back in 1951, however he was a very clinical writer and covered the history of how 617 Squadron came into operational 'being' and then moved on to cover their other exploits post the dams raids. James Holland focuses his work purely on the raids on the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe Dams on the night of 16 May 1943; he takes the reader from the concept of the idea of destroying a dam, that will in effect flood out and destroy industrial work shops and capability to the diversion of effort to repair and attempt to rectify a problem, which in turn will affect an enemies' capability at a crucial time during a major conflict. This work narrows down Paul Brickhill's earlier work by focusing more on the human side of the endeavour. Brickhill was very clinical in describing the work of Barnes Wallis, the inventor of the 'bouncing bomb' and ultimately, the men who crewed the 19 Avro Lancasters that flew the mission. 617 Squadron achieved greatness from the dam's raid, but actually 'crashed and burned' in their next mission after that. Wing Commander Guy Gibson, who led the raid was posted out after the dam's effort and was replaced by a new CO. The story of Gibson's raising of 617 Squadron and leading it on this mission in the space of about 2 months is astounding. Tragically, Gibson , who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his leadership and courage in this raid, was later killed while flying a mission over Germany later in the war. I was moved by this work on the Dam Busters, as it focused more on the human side of the Second World War; something that a great many authors leave out of their work. Readers tend to see soldiers, sailors and airmen as 'mechanical robots' who performed their feats relentlessly, without let up. This work comes in on a different slant and allows the reader to see the tension, stress and sometimes despair of people who engage in warfare. For example; Guy Gibson was given the job of raising and commanding a raid that was like no other conceived before, he went about this task to the complete detriment of his personal life, well-being and health (he flew the raid suffering excruciating agony from gout), after the raid he took the personal responsibility of writing to the next-of-kin of all the men who had been killed. By the time of the Dams raid, he was suffering acute physical and mental exhaustion. Many of the men described in this work are seen in their various sides-the efficient, military professional and the family man, or the young ardent 'soon-to-be-married' man, with hopes of a future and so forth that had their future cruelly ended by being blown to small pieces either in the sky, or on some lonely hillside in a foreign land. Author James Holland conveys these various miseries very well in this work that is supported by extensive research and sources that had since been released from wartime security classifications; something that the earlier work was constrained by. In summary, a very well written and researched account of possibly one of the most audacious raids of the Second World War; rich in detail and with a sense of triumph, coupled with the eventual heartbreak that going off to war evokes on many service personnel. Well done, James Holland...!
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Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2014 by Bomb Man58
Dam Good
Format: Hardcover
This is one of the most incredible stories of the Second World War. In 1942, a mostly self-educated engineer named Barnes Wallis came up with an extraordinary idea for smashing some of Germany’s most important hydroelectric dams along the Ruhr River. Impervious to any explosive ordinance that existed at the time, Wallis believed that the dams could be breached by a bouncing bomb that would skip across the surface of the reservoir, stopping just short of the dam wall, sink to the correct depth and explode, with the water serving to intensify the force of the blast. Once the idea was approved, only about nine weeks were available for the theory to be refined, the bombs designed, tested and fabricated, the aircraft modified and twenty crews trained to fly at tree top level, at night, through enemy occupied territory and drop bombs with pinpoint accuracy. Amazingly, they succeeded. The story is well told with an easy, readable style, finishing with the exciting recounting of the raid itself where nearly half of the attacking force was lost. Mr. Holland also does a fine job of describing the initial bureaucratic difficulties in getting the idea approved and the rigorous training programme that the mission required. I would have preferred to see more detail about the development of the bomb, with clearer explanations of the decision to move from spherical to cylindrical shape (The testing of an oblate spheroid prototype is not mentioned at all) and the difficulties in designing a casing sufficiently strong to survive the initial impact with the water surface. Despite these omissions, this is a fine work and will remain the definitive history of these most astonishing events.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2016 by Illuminatus
Incredibly exciting reading for well researched history
Format: Kindle
Whether you know anything of the story, or even if like me, you have some memories of a movie made about the subject, or not, this is a story you should read. Mr. Holland managed to create a story that is more like a Clancy novel, and yet is real. It gives appreciation of the extreme ideas the world was willing to try to defeat fascism.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2025 by A Constant Reader
A great read about a true story.
Format: Kindle
Mr. Holland's work is both entertaining and exhaustively researched, detailing not only the bombing mission but all the effort that led up to it. The book equally examines individuals and the overall effects of the mission on the war, all while keeping the reader enthralled. It is much appreciated and highly recommended.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2025 by BC
A Gutsy Raid Carried Out By Gutsy Fliers
Format: Hardcover
Om May 16, 1943, a force of 19 specially-modified Lancaster bombers took off from their base in England. The target was the German dams located in the industrial Ruhr valley. Carrying specially-designed 4-ton bombs that were designed to skip across the water, the goal of the mission was to destroy the Mohne, Eder, and Sorpe dams. Conceived by Barnes Wallis, the idea was to destroy the dams. The resultant flooding would overwhelm the surrounding countryside, which included power plants, industries, and homes. Originally shot down by the higher-ups, Wallis persisted in his arguments. Eventually, his plan was approved and work started on the special bombs, which were code-named Upkeep. Guy Gibson was selected to form the special squadron which would carry out the raid. A veteran of many missions over Germany, Gibson was the perfect selection to head up the attack. Soon, the squadron was selected and training begun. Over the course of several weeks, the squadron grew together into a well-formed fighting unit. I found "Dam Busters" to be an interesting and informative read. Having read little on this particular raid, I was impressed by author James Holland's thoroughness in covering every aspect of the attack. Included in Holland's work is the early discussions about the feasibility of such an attack, Wallis' belief in the bouncing bomb, the construction and testing of the bomb itself, and finally, the discussion of the raid. Each area is fully explored, and the reader gets a true feel of not only the raid itself, but everything that led up to it. I give "Dam Busters" a very high recommendation. James Holland has taken one of the great surprise raids in the war and brought it to life.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2013 by Jeffrey T. Munson
Dam Busters 50 Years After
Format: Kindle
This highly regarded Tale of how important German Dams were breached in WW2, and as a result the many German industrial needs were setback but the cost was great, but well worth reading.
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2020 by Hammarhead
Enjoyable Read
Format: Kindle
The story moves apace without being bogged down with too much technical detail. What was achieved in such a short time, and the low-tech solutions to problems along the way , is really remarkable.
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2025 by Fivethirtytwo
An Incredible Mission in WWII
Format: Paperback
"Damn Buster" by James Holland is an outstanding recounting of a remarkable moment in history. Holland's narrative prowess turns the story into a captivating page-turner, skillfully unraveling the incredible saga of the team behind the daring Dam Busters mission. The book vividly portrays the challenges faced in creating, testing, and preparing both aircraft and crews for this unprecedented undertaking. Through Holland's engaging storytelling, readers are immersed in a tale of courage, patriotism, ingenuity, and perseverance. The book not only serves as an informative historical account but also as a testament to the extraordinary human spirit in the face of adversity.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2024 by Natalia Camargo