Spitfire Summer: When Britain Stood Alone (2000) By Malcolm Brown
 
It was the worst of times. It was the best of times. Britain was never so near to defeat. Her people were never more confident that they would win. Holland, Belgium and France succumbed, but Britain evacuated her forces through Dunkirk and vowed to fight on. A German Jackal, Hitler, raged in Berlin. A British Lion, Churchill, snarled defiance in London. Dad's Army patrolled the shires, the Women's Land Army tilled the fields, housewives offered their saucepans to build fighters. When the German bombers came the Hurricanes and the Spitfires rose to attack them. It was the "Few" against the many and it was the Few who won. But the cost was high, in the air and on the ground, and a new word--"Blitz"--entered the language. There were shadows. Britain interned thousands of aliens, many deeply sympathetic to the British cause. Countless children were evacuated safely, though some seeking sanctuary overseas fell victim to German U-boats. But the nation survived, that very survival virtually guaranteeing the ultimate victory. This was truly Britain's finest hour.
 
Using powerful personal evidence in print for the first time, rich gleanings from the contemporary press and an impressive mix of posters, paintings and photographs, Malcolm Brown retells and re-evaluates the story of what has come to be known as the "Spitfire Summer" of 1940. The result is a gripping and moving account of the time when Britain stood alone.
 
Hard Cover with Dust Jacket
207 Pages
In Fair to Good Condition