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Loading... Most Secret War (1978)by R. V. Jones
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. The depth and breadth of this book is incredible. RV Jones was in the middle of some of the key technical decisions made by the British during World War II, and in this book he does an amazing job of laying out those developments both technically and historically. The book is also colored by his personality and personal beliefs, but in a straight-forward manner that highlights his decision making as opposed to obscuring it. Highly recommended read. ( ) I started reading this book with no other expectations than to be a little wiser and entertained at the same time. But ended up with a feeling of having read one of the best and most vivid accounts of WWII I have ever read. The subject – scientific intelligence – may seem a bit ‘dry’, but in this book it is not. Deductions becomes an art, compiling, filtering and picking the right intelligence a virtue and – in this case – to be a survivor in ‘bloodless tribal wars’ (Walt Rostow) among scientists a must. If I was in any doubt that the ‘tech war’ of WWII in Europe was on the edge all the time, I am not anymore. I can only recommend this book fully as a solid foundation for anyone who read about the WWII air battles over Great Britain and Germany as well as the V1 and V2 weapons. Dr. R. V. Jones was a British physicist who worked in Scientific Intelligence during WW II. He was at the forefront of the battle against German radar, tracking beams for German bombers, V 1 flying bombs & V 2 rockets. He is credited with the idea of dropping "window" to confuse German radar. Far from being a boring technical manual, Jones wrote a volume full of gossip, humour and adventure. He was a close confidant of Churchill and other leaders of the period and tells much about what went on behind the scenes. I found it a real page turner. If your at all interested in Britain during WWII and the Royal Air Forces scientific intelligence then this is an excellent book. Written by Professor R.V. Jones who was the head of scientific intelligence within the RAF it is written from his prospective during the war years. It starts with his early life and goes onto his education and the beginnings of his scientific career and while it was written in the 1970's it ends in the early 1950's. The battle of the beams, the fight against German radar and navigation systems and the V-weapons are all covered. What I really liked was that Professor Jones was a Patriot and it shows, like all good patriots he also admires those of other nationalities who are also Patriots. He gives credit not just to himself and his team in scientific intelligence but also to those in other areas of Britain's defence, particularly in aerial reconnaissance over nazi controlled Europe. He also is quick to give credit to those in the resistance across Europe who provided intelligence to the Allies on often very technical subjects. He also gives credit to the Germans for their abilities and successes, always remembering that his task was to defeat them. His relationship with Winston Churchill is of interest as is the interactions he had with other leading British figures of the period. My only complaints were that the book is big, nearly 700 pages and in parts it is very technical. To be honest I sometimes couldn't follow everything and I took off 1/2 a star because it is not a light read. Having said that I do think it is an important read, so if your interested in Britain during WWII do read this book! A fascinating insight into the inner workings of British scientific intelligence during the second world war. Jones is somewhat defensive for the first half of the book, excusing himself for not having taken part in direct action; in the latter half, his series of achievements makes it quite clear that he achieved more than most individuals ever will (no matter how heroic). The methodical approach to intelligence gathering, virtues of having a single mind surveying the scene and the importance of "soft skills" are all vividly and informatively recounted. The whole work is shot through with brilliant digressions, anecdotes and fragments of true history - the contrasts and parallels with Churchill's own war diaries are illuminating. no reviews | add a review
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References to this work on external resources. Wikipedia in English (26)In this dramatic first-hand account of military intelligence triumphs, secretive detective work, and true-life espionage dramas, R.V. Jones reveals the true story of the vital role the scientific community played during World War II.At 28 years old, Jones was summoned by Churchill to be a part of the clandestine British Scientific Intelligence community at Whitehall in London. From 1939 to 1945, Jones and his colleagues were tasked with coming up with countermeasures to German applications of science in the war. Projects he worked on during this "Wizard War," as Churchill called their efforts, sought to find technical ways to combat Germany¿s applications of science during the war, including newly developed navigational beams, chaff, and radar. Jones was directly responsible for breaking Germany¿s navigational beam system, which Luftwaffe bombers had been using to destroy British targets with devastating accuracy. This success with the ¿Battle of the Beams¿ proved critical in the outcome of the Battle of Britain. He also devised defenses against deadly German retaliation weapons such as the V-1 flying bomb and the V-2 rocket, as well as their nascent nuclear weaponry developments. His work with radar enabled the success of the Allied bomber offensive, played a key role in preparations for D-Day, and helped the Allies achieve ultimate victory. This highly acclaimed memoir is a masterpiece of British military history. With abundant humor, humility, and details, Jones offers a riveting insider¿s perspective on the scientific achievements and strategic decisions made during the Second World War No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)940.54History and Geography Europe Europe 1918- Military History Of World War IILC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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