Friday, July 18, 2008

Saboteurs: The Nazi Raid on America by Michael Dobbs

Saboteurs: The Nazi Raid on America by Michael Dobbs is a popular history of the rather farcical attempt to land German guerrillas on the American coastline during the second world war. Not surprisingly for books of this genre there are the usual fictional flourishes which I guess I'm just going to have to accept.

The book traces the training of the agents, there transport in a U-boat, capture and execution. The legal challenges provide part of the Bush administration's reasoning behind Guantánamo Bay. I was expecting more references to current events there are only a few references at the end of the book.

Most interesting was the idea that apparently Hitler and his entourage actually thought they would be effective. Surprisingly the book argues that theoretically they could have crippled alumina production within the United States. Fortunately for the Americans the misfits selected weren't terribly competent and included one who betrayed the mission.

Interesting history on a current topic of interest

Recommended.

Is available through Abebooks.


No comments: