Hitler Triumphant: Alternate Decisions of World War II
<DIV>Midwest Book Review"Hitler Triumphantprovides another alternate history 'what if' collection of scenarios, this using Hitler's decisions and key changing points during the war to provide a more scholarly survey of how different circumstances could have altered the outcomes and given Hitler victory. Most such coverages come from a science fiction viewpoint --David KirkPeter G Tsouras has an outstanding track record in producing these compelling compilations of speculative military history. In essence, my review is that you will not fail to enjoy this volume, if you've enjoyed such volumes as Disaster at D-Day or Third Reich Victorious, but more than a few of the scenarios described here will be familiar from other writers. I suppose this is to be expected. As Ian Kershaw's book Fatal Decisions pointed out, there are only so many turning points in World War II, and to constantly re-examine them performs the main function of this club history: to force you to reappraise your understanding of what actually happened. Bearing this in mind, part of me was slightly disappointed to see again new essays on a Lord Halifax premiership, the seizure of Gibraltar by the Spanish, Barbarossa forgone and replaced by a drive to a rendezvous with the Japanese on the Indus, the fall of Moscow (again), and the airborne seizure of Malta. That said, the essays that describe the scenarios are subtly different from ones that have gone before, and are professionally produced, and the stimulatingly written. The essays also follow the amusing convention of having a bibliography which includes both fictional and real references (fictional references indicated by an asterisk!) What makes this book with the money of the scenarios that are, at least to this reviewer, original: I was interested and challenged by the scenario which has a strengthened Italian Navy winning a major victory the Mediterranean, and a scenario where Mussolini is removed by an air crash leading to a Ciano premiership keeping Italy neutral. I enjoyed the essay "Peace in Our Time" where the Ultra secret is blown, but I found the essay where a bolstered German airborne force seizing the Caucasus oil fields rather unlikely: I think the author (the late Paddy Griffith) was aware of this when he alludes to an "oil-field too far"! There's a workable essay on a successful Stalingrad breakout, but for me the best essay is the final one by Stephen Badsey which chillingly describes how disastrous an attempt to open a 1943 second front on the Cherbourg peninsular would have been. All in all, a stimulating, enjoyable but not terribly original selection. Diverting reading nevertheless! --By Withnail67 TOP 1000 REVIEWERPeter G. Tsouras edits HITLER TRIUMPHANT: ALTERNATE DECISIONS OF WORLD WAR II provides another alternate history 'what if' collection of scenarios, this using Hitler's decisions and key changing points during the war to provide a more scholarly survey of how different circumstances could have altered the outcomes and given Hitler victory. Most such coverages come from a science fiction viewpoint - but here the analysis of battle strategy and military might makes for a top pick for military readers seeking more than fantasy speculation. This is an interesting "what if" alternate history book.Most of the stories deal with Germany doing other campaigns other than attacking Russia.Most chapters deal with isolating Great Britain by taking Gibraltar,Malta, or Egypt and beyond.I only disliked the one chapter(that's why I gave the review 4 stars)that dealt with the battle of Kursk;it is written like a military timeline with little narrative.With that said, it is still a good read. --By Midwest Book Review -