History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Concise and interesting review of the end of Rome in the West
The barbarization of the Roman Empire; a refreshing resume
Wonderful Lectures in Desperate Need of Maps
Ian Myles Slater with: A Note on "Modern"
Clear and Intriguing

Invasion of Europe by the Barbarians
J. B. Bury
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0393003884

Book Description

In print for more than thirty years, this book has long served as a standard text on the Germanic penetration of the Roman Empire. Bury's history is indispensable to anyone who seeks to understand the connection between the barbarian migrations of the third to the ninth century and the framework of modern Europe.

Customer Reviews:

Concise and interesting review of the end of Rome in the West .......2006-01-25

_The Invasion of Europe by the Barbarians_ by J. B. Bury is a very readable and well written book that outlines the sequence and consequences of the migratory movements of the northern barbarians into Roman territory, migrations of the third through sixth centuries AD that eventually lead to Germanic peoples occupying the western half of the Roman Empire, from Britain to North Africa and ultimately largely dismembering the Empire.

It would be difficult for one to guess how old this work is from reading it; the book was basically a compilation of lectures Bury gave on the subject originally in 1903 (Bury himself passed away in 1927). The book read quite well for the most part as it had a brisk pace and the author a rather dry wit. My only complaints are that the final sections delved too much into what were for me the esoteric nature of Roman versus Lombard law (not as interesting or as useful to me at least as his coverage of the migrations and their consequences) as well as the complete lack of maps.

One of Bury's main themes was that the barbarians became a threat from inside the Empire's borders - what he called disintegration from within - as various Germanic peoples became federates of the Empire, invited to settle within its boundaries and in return generally for some form of tribute protected the frontiers and supplied contingents of troops. Nearly all the German peoples were for a time federates of the Empire before becoming independent masters of the lands they seized. Sometimes the rulers of the various tribes worked closely with the Emperor, at other times they were actually kings of their people and only nominally within the Empire. A system of establishing federate states within the Empire paved the way for the system of independent states that eventually replaced the Empire, a process that though not without conflict was also not cataclysmic either.

The Germanic federati became quite important in part because as Bury wrote the population of the old civilized lands around the Mediterranean had become "too highly civilized, and not physically fit enough" and thus were "quite useless for military service." The bulk of the army came from frontier provinces and from adventurers, many of which were barbarian volunteers from outside the Empire. Before Germanization of the lands under the federates began a dangerous Germanization was underway in the military (a military which was increasingly important, particularly in the West), a Germanization he called a "peaceful penetration," as by the end of the fourth century Germans had largely replaced most of the peoples from within the Empire and due to their ability had risen to hold the highest officer posts as well. This "grave danger" was overlooked by too many Emperors, too liberal in their policies in allowing Germans to occupy positions of supreme command due to their desire to attract the best men for the job. Eventually when the Empire had to face not only the threat of Germanic invaders from without but from the Germanic peoples already within the Empire military leadership fell predictably to Germans. Two of the chief actors of the fifth century for instance - the enemy leader Alaric and the Roman military leader Stilicho - were both German.

The traditional end given for the Western Roman Empire (AD 476) is addressed by Bury and in a manner supporting some of his key points. First, he said "Western Empire" is improper; it was the western provinces of the Empire, as there was really only one Empire. Second, on several occasions in the fifth century the death or deposition of an emperor in the west was followed by a considerable span of time with no emperor in Rome or Ravenna. Third, the rule of the Germans Odovacar and later that of Theoderic the Ostrogoth in Italy was not at all unlike that of other federates leaders; they acted with some coordination with the Emperor in Constantinople and both leaders respected Roman laws with regard to their Roman subjects; they were but intermediary stages between Italy being part of the Roman Empire and being a true Germanic kingdom.

Bury spent some time analyzing the populations of the Germanic peoples during the migrations and comparing military sizes with that of the Romans, noting that from the fourth to the sixth centuries most battles were fought by roughly even numbers of troops; the problem of military defense was not all hopeless or even "superlatively difficult," and it was not through battle alone that the Empire was dismembered.

For their part the Germans did not feel like hostile invaders, but rather regarded the Empire as a great institution that they had a rightful place within, their struggles less that of hostile external enemies but more a disenfranchised segment of society struggling for its rights. Alaric marched through Italy and attacked Rome not to destroy the Empire but to put pressure upon the imperial government to meet his various demands.

An interesting thread was the real legacy of the Huns. The Huns defeat of the Visigoths lead the latter to seek the shelter of the Roman Empire, an unprecedented decision as Emperor Valens permitted a nation of 80,000+ people to settle within his borders, allowing in essentially a foreign nation of a warlike nature and with strong national unity, a situation that eventually resulted in a war, culminating in the battle of Hadrianople in AD 378, one of the greatest disasters that befell Rome due to the Germans (and by the way the last battle the Romans fought mainly with infantry, as cavalry prevailed as a result and Europe did not see much infantry use again until the fourteenth century). Also the Hun invasion served to delay the process of German dismemberment of the Empire, both by the Huns controlling many of the East German peoples beyond the Danube (the ones most a threat to Rome) and by providing Roman generals with auxiliaries that proved an invaluable resource against their German enemies.

The barbarization of the Roman Empire; a refreshing resume.......2005-08-30

A clear introduction to the period of the barbarian invasions that led to important transformations of the Roman Empire, paved the way to its dismemberment, and started the transition from roman to medieval Europe, from A. D. 247 until the fifth century. From the historical perspective, of importance is the insistence of the author on the gradual encroachment of Barbarism upon Romanism during this period. The author, Professor Bury, was appointed (in 1902) successor to Lord Acton as holder of the Chair of Modern History at the University of Cambridge. A reputed scholar, he is well known for his illustrated edition of Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1909) as well as his own seminal works Constitution of the Later Roman Empire (1910) and History of the Roman Empire (1923).
Not envisioned by Bury originally as a book, this is an ensemble of lectures given by him at the University (and edited by Professor Hearnshaw, from King's College at the University of London). This vivid excursion through the "barbarization" of the Empire, starts with a reference to the early German history and Gothic migrations. Then an account of the first invasions of the Goths in the third century follows, with a description of the Visigothic invasion of Dacia and the Ostrogothic settlements. According to Bury it is during the third century that the extension and heterogeneity of the Roman Empire led to a natural tendency of the parts of this huge empire to fall asunder. Two great subdivisions appeared- a western or Latin section and an eastern or Greek section. The emperor Diocletian was convinced that the empire was too extended to be ruled by one emperor and so he concocted a scheme to put it under two coequal emperors. This system was unsuccessful and it was abandoned after 150 years by Constantine. But it led to the decisive act of the foundation of a second Rome at Constantinople in A.D. 330. Bury presents an interesting overview of the much discussed issue of the size of the forces of the empire and of the barbarians during this period, as well as the general factors of the penetration of the Germanic element in the population of the empire. The advent of the Huns is a momentous event, because it forced the Visigoths into roman space, leading thereafter to the disastrous battle of Hadrianopole (well described by Ammianus Marcellinus) and the death of emperor Valens. From there, we follow the efforts of emperor Theodosius to deal with the Gothic problem pursuing a policy of conciliation and friendship with Alaric the Bold.
But at the death of Theodosius, Alaric, then elected king of the Visigoths turned against the empire. And he turned to the West, in events that led to the sack of Rome and the invasion of Gaul. And so professor Bury's refreshing narration takes us to the following episodes of this dramatic saga: The death of Alaricus; the Visigothic Kingdom of Toulouse; the invasion of the Vandals in Spain and in Africa; the Anglo-Saxon conquest of Britain; the Hunnic invasion of Italy; the decline of the roman power in the west; the Ostrogothic conquest of Italy; and the Lombard invasion of Italy.
For its freshness and clarity, this book is highly recommended as a first approach to the study of the complex structural problems that led to the dissolution of the great Roman Empire.

Wonderful Lectures in Desperate Need of Maps.......2005-08-07

This book is a collection of 15 fascinating lectures given over 100 years ago by University of Cambridge professor J. B. Bury concerning the invasion of the Roman Empire during the third through the sixth century by various tribes from in and around Europe. Historians consider this book a classic work on the topic.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the story is that the fall of the Roman Empire did not occur by military conquest as I had always assumed, but instead mostly by the gradual assimilation of various barbarian tribes into the empire itself. As these tribes became more independent, the empire gradually disintegrated.

Bury tells how the various Germanic tribes, such as the Goths, Visigoths, and Ostrogoths, concentrated in settlements along the Northern border of the empire. The empire allowed members of these tribes to join its military forces, which they came to dominate led by their German leaders in service of Rome.

The effect on the Roman Empire of other groups, such as the Huns, Vandals, Franks and Lombards, through invasion and otherwise are also part of the interesting story. The roles of key leaders of these tribes, such as Alaric the Visigoth, Attila the Hun, Theoderic the Ostrogoth, and Clovis the Frank, are woven into the narrative.

Despite covering several centuries and the events across the full expanse of Europe, Bury's concise and lucid presentation holds the reader's interest. The one major drawback is that although he refers to hundreds of places, using both historical and modern names for them, there is not a single map in the book. Unless you have a pretty good mental map of Europe over the past two millenia, you are either going to need to go find maps or you will simply be skimming over the names of many places without a clear idea of their location. To me, including maps would have made this book a five star experience. Maybe the editors will come to their senses in the next edition.

Ian Myles Slater with: A Note on "Modern".......2005-01-03

One of the earlier reviewers of this book expressed surprise that J.B. Bury delivered the lectures on which it is based after being appointed Professor of Modern History. This was not a personal whim. British institutional usage (that is, what was done at Oxford and Cambridge) had long divided time between "Classical" and "Modern." Until well into the twentieth century, medievalists held the "Modern History" chairs. Bury was doing what was expected of him. And very well, I might add.

Despite dating from the 1920s, Bury is an excellent place to start, but the fact that these are essentially lectures limits their usefulness. Those seriously interested in more up-to-date information on the period might turn to Peter Heather's "The Goths," and continue with the elaborately documented consideration of the evidence in Herwig Wolfram's "History of the Goths" (translated from the German). The differences between those two books will illuminate how much that Bury could take for granted is now open to debate. Peter Llewellyn's "Rome in the Dark Ages" is easier reading, and concentrates on a single region, but the invaders are incidental players in his narrative.

(Reposted from my "anonymous" review of September 11, 2003)

Clear and Intriguing.......2003-08-03

This transcription of lectures dates from 1927 yet it still shows up on Norman Cantor's "Core Bibliography in Medieval Studies" (Inventing the Middle Ages, p. 443). There is good reason to continue to include it among a list of works generally of much more recent vintage.

Lucid and engaging, Bury presents a convincing case for the idea that the Roman Empire in the West did not "fall" but rather transformed through assimilation of the various Germanic tribes. Bury's description of the extent to which the "barbarians" strove to work within the empire and co-existed with remnants of Roman society are of particular interest.

Good companions to this work are "Before France & Germany" (Geary) and "The World of Late Antiquity" (Peter Brown).

Average customer rating:

Readable, but does not really present such new or controversial information

Suprising

Deconstructionism?

A Thought Provoking Book That Will Change the Way We Look at the Battle of Britain

Another View of the Battle of Britain.

Invasion, 1940: Did the Battle of Britain Alone Stop Hitler?
Derek Robinson
Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786716185

Book Description

The Battle of Britain could not stop Operation Sealion, the planned German invasion. The historians got it wrong. This is a big claim to make, yet the reasoning behind it is remarkably straightforward. In Invasion 1940, author Derek Robinson asks why historians have dovetailed the Battle of Britain with Operation Sealion. Military experts say the Battle prevented an invasion, but they don't exactly explain how. Why is it taken for granted that an air battle could halt an assault from the sea? The skill and courage of the RAF pilots isn't in question, but did the Luftwaffe's failure to destroy them, plus bad weather, really persuade Hitler to cancel Sealion?

That's what Hitler said, and Churchill claimed a great victory for 'The Few'. The Battle of Britain ended; Sealion died. One followed the other, so the first must have caused the second. But Derek Robinson challenges that assumption and reaches a startling conclusion. The real obstacle to invasion was a force that both Churchill and Hitler failed to acknowledge.

In this fascinating reexamination, Robinson doesn't seek to downplay the heroism and achievements of the RAF; rather, he wants the true picture of that brilliant moment in history—Invasion, 1940— to emerge.

Customer Reviews:

Readable, but does not really present such new or controversial information.......2007-08-01

Derek Robinson's book purportedly reveals a 'fresh' perspective about the Battle of Britain. Upon finishing his book, it seems to me that his thesis can be boken down to the following:

- The Royal navy deserves the real credit for preventing a German cross-channel invasion of the British Isles
- The RAF was incapable of stopping an invasion fleet if Hitler really felt like sending one over
- That he did not, was a tribute to the Royal Navy
- Most people tend to believe that the RAF alone was responsible for "saving" Britain in the high summer of 1940, when they should really be thanking the RN.

First, Robinson's thesis is not new, nor will it strike any readers as new, unless his readers are people who haven't read anything newer than 1942 British wartime propoganda to get their history. Second, Robinson's thesis isn't, in my view, totally correct. His book tells the now familiar story of the battle from the perspective that the German invasion couldn't succeed in the face of the Royal Navy, which is true, and also from the perspective that the RAF couldn't stop a German invasion in 1940, which is far more debatable.

In order to reach his conclusion that the Royan Navy deserves the lion's share of the credit for stopping Germany's planned invasion, Robinson writes a lot of different chapters about a lot of diverse topics, from German paratroopers to Hitler's chronic lying. Here are my opinions on some of Robinson's supposedly controversial and fresh perspectives:

- The wehrmacht couldn't invade Britain without first neutralizing the RAF and the Royal Navy. (This should strike nobody as news, though apparently Robinson would like to think that most people forgot all about the Royal Navy and succommed to an infatuation with the RAF)

- German Paratroops suffered heavy losses in their operations during WW2 and weren't as effective as people believed; in fact, in Robinson's words they are "...the most overrated soldiers of WW2' (despite their "overrated" status, German paratroops did achieve notable feats during the war, and do not in my opinion deserve Robinson's dismissal as "forlorn hopes." Allied paratroops suffered similar heavy losses later in the war despite their huge training costs and elite status, and in fact paratroops in general weren't quite as effective as the generals wished, which is why after the war commanders severely reduced their role in operational planning. In fact, on D-Day 1944 Allied commanders were prepared to suffer near to 100% casualties among the paratroop spearheads, if only they would achieve their objectives. Hitler's reluctance to launch massive air drops stemmed less from his disbelief that they would succeed -- albeit at heavy loss -- than from his fear that they indeed would suffer heavily and damage the moral of the German people, who at the time of Crete 1941 were still used to inexpensive victory).

- The Junkers Ju-52 was slow, vulnerable, and shot down in fairly large numbers (really? you're kidding).

- The DB-601 engine made the Messerschmitt Bf-109 one of the best fighter planes in the world (not news at all. What IS suprising is that Robinson takes two chapters to tell us what we already know -- the Me-109E and Supermarine Spitfire Marks I and II were very evenly matched)

- The Junkes Ju-87 should have been able to destroy the radar masts at Dover and other areas because the Luftwaffe had achieved local air superiority over Southeast England (and yet, Robinson later dismisses the Ju-87 as too vulnerable to use in the battle, and deletes them from the figure of available German aircraft to make the numerical disparity between the Luftwaffe and RAF less pronounced)

- The Luftwaffe never outnumbered the RAF 7 to 1; it was more like 2 to 1, and even this lower figure is only because we must add the bombers to the fighters (I never read a reliable book anywhere that claimed the luftwaffe outnumbered the RAF by more than 2 or 3 to 1. The only place I'd ever read that the Luftwaffe was seven times bigger than the RAF was wartime propoganda, about as reliable as USAAF gunners' claims that they had shot down 500 German fighters in an air raid. Again, Robinson fails to provide anything truly controversial)

- The Supermarine Spitfire didn't equip nearly as many squadrons as the Hawker Hurricane, and most RAF kills during the Battle of Britain were earned in the Hurricanes (again, surprises no one, though Robinson apparently believes this is staggering, new information that no one presented before)

- the .303 machine guns on RAF fighters would have been ineffective against invasion barges because the barges' skin was too thick (this is debatable and assumes that all of the thousands of barges would have thick skins, and ROOFS, and Robinson himself points out that not all of them did. Robinson confuses the reader later when he says that British destoyers wouldn't waste shells or torpedoes on the barges -- they would fire on the tugs pulling the barges. Why wouldn't the RAF just strafe the vulnerable tugs relentlessly and leave the barges dead in the water, with nothing to pull them? At any rate, sooner or later the troops would have to disembark from the barges and then, unless the Luftwaffe had utter air superiority over the landing area, the troops would be slaughtered by the "ineffective" machine gun bullets of the RAF -- and a ready-and-waiting British army. And what ABOUT those torpedoes? A barge is a fairly large vessel, and if it is only moving at 3 or 4 knots as Robinson points out, aircraft armed with torpedoes could be savagely effective against them. Fairey Battles could be thus equipped, as could Bristol blenheims and other aircraft, including Swordfish from the Royal Navy carriers. If the fighters of the RAF remained an intact force, they could escort such admittedly vulnerable aircraft against the invasion fleet. Robinson forgets from time to time that in a WW2 battle between aircraft with air superiority and surface units, the aircraft almost always won. German aircraft didn't have total air superiority at Dunkirk thanks to a healthy and unexpected dose of the RAF, therefore the germans weren't as effective as they might have been).

- Robinson points out (in a quote) that the nightmare of every invasion fleet is a cruiser loose among the troopships. This is true enough, but he forgets to also point out that getting bombed and strafed from an unsuppressed enemy air force can be just as nightmarish.

The list goes on and on, but the point is that Robinson never really tells the reader anything they haven't heard before. It's an interesting read, but it's not as shocking as it would like to believe itself to be.

Really? The invasion couldn't have occurred without destroying the Royal Navy? This isn't surprising. What is surprising is that Robinson seems to think that nobody else knows this. Every read person knows that the German invasion couldn't have taken place without sea and air security. Robinson can search his own archives and probably see what happens to a capital ship traveling at battle speed when it comes under determined air attack (Prince of Wales, Repulse, sunk by single and twin engined HIGH-LEVEL Japanese bombers at Malaya, 1941). What in the world does he think will happen to those British battleships, cruisers, and destroyers in the channel opposing those barges, if the RAF had ceased to exist to protect them? And, what does he think is going to happen to those slow German barges in the channel when they get attacked by Blenheims, Whitleys, Hampdens, battles, hurricanes, spitfires -- literally everything the RAF has got to throw -- if the Luftwaffe can't protect THEM? Robinson seriously underestimates the huge difference air power has. It WILL make or break an invasion. Without utter, fantastically unchallenged air superiority in 1944, the normandy invasion would have been an orgy of destruction by the Luftwaffe. That is precisely why allied planners were more concerned with crippling the Germany air force than they were in crippling the german navy. They knew that without the air force to protect it, the navy was dead meat anyway.

Robinson also comes across as a bit smug and conescending when he points out that the German industry was full of incompetence, laziness and corruption, and thus couldn't come up with enough Me-109s or a competent drop tank for the fighters to extend their range. One might say that Britain suffered similar problems and thus had to rely (totally, in some cases) on American tanks, aircraft, and other weaponry and supplies to beat Germany, and only then with America providing most of the troops and leadership. And even THEN only with Russia bleeding away most of the German army on the Eastern Front.

It's an okay book, but you've heard it all before, and probably without any hype as to it being "new" or "controversial."

Suprising.......2007-03-29

Not quite revisionist but a wonderful approach to that critical time in England's struggle with Hitler seemingly unstoppable machine. HIGHLY recommend to any student of the times.

Deconstructionism?.......2007-02-04

It is important to note the state of Britain during those dark days. Heros and success were tantamount to keeping moral high, and a American ear open. The Battle of Britain achieved this single-handedly.

The RAF Fighter Command, under Lord Dowding achieved a very true victory over a Luftwaffe that had become used to attacking in overwhelming odds.

Whether if the Germans had achieved air-superiority they could have invaded the UK is neither here nor there. The Germans no longer had the ability to shock and awe!

So although slightly flawed, in my opinion, this book is an extremely valuable read that takes a broader view of the slowing of Hitler's war machine.

A Thought Provoking Book That Will Change the Way We Look at the Battle of Britain.......2006-08-12

This is a tremendously interesting and fun read!

In "Invasion 1940" novelist Derek Robinson tries his hand at World War II history - with great success. Already known as a talented writer, Robinson now proves himself to be an equally skilled historian.

Robinson shows that a great deal of what we think we know about the Battle of Britain is myth and he provides authoritative sources and figures to prove that the British were never as heavily outnumbered as Churchill later claimed. Furthermore, the Royal Air Force was fighting with superior aircraft and closer to its own bases, advantages that helped to negate the German superiority in planes.

Robinson argues that it was the fear of the Royal Navy, and not just the Royal Air Force, that deterred Hitler from launching his cross-channel invasion of the British isles, Operation Sea Lion. A good part of the German navy had been lost at the hands of the British during operations in Norway and Hitler's admirals were in no position to contest British superiority of the Channel.

"Invasion 1940" is a thought provoking book that will change the way most of us look at The Battle of Britain and the Royal Air Force and Navy in World War II as Churchill and the British struggled to survive.

Another View of the Battle of Britain........2006-05-12

Robinson's book deconstructs the "Never So Few" myth of the RAF saving England from invasion during the Battle of Britain. He says the Germans basically did not invade because Hitler wrongly believed he could reach a negotiated Peace with England and probably correctly that the Kreigsmarine was outnumbered 10:1 by the Royal Navy's Homefleet alone.

Robinson does give us an inside look at the inner workings of the RAF and the Luftwaffe and shows how the RAF overcame its early shortcomings in Leadership and Material and how the Luftwaffe was hampered throughout the War by being the Personal Airforce of Herman Goring whose frequent boasting lead to unreasonable expectations being flung upon the shoulders of his underlings.

The book will be anathema to the Purists of the battle of Britain legend but an easy and informative afternoon for armchair history buffs.

Invasion: The Alternate History of the German Invasion of England, July 1940

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The Best
An Alternative History Classic
Interesting but flawed
A Well-Written, If Somewhat Unlikely Alternative History
Very Good, but Sometimes Hard to Follow

Invasion: The Alternate History of the German Invasion of England, July 1940
Kenneth Macksey
Manufacturer: Greenhill Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1853673617

Book Description

In June 1940, as German troops massed across the Channel, poised for the invasion of Britain, Hitler seemed ready for his greatest gamble. In this compelling alternate history the Germans actually launch the invasion. Landing between Dover and Hythe, German troops push inland, supported by the Luftwaffe and the panzers, and strike toward London. A classic and harrowing insight into how Britain's war might have gone.

Customer Reviews:

The Best.......2004-07-18

This was the first Alternate History book that I read, and to me, it has always been the best. The story details a successful invasion of Great Britain in 1940, from the planning stages through the air battles, the glider landings, the beach crossings, and the eventual surrender of London.

The text is helped enormously by several detailed maps that enable the reader to completely understand the author's view of what he believes would happen. I found the story completely plausible, well-written, and I agree with the conclusions reached by the author. A previous reviewer wrote that it seemed to him as if the author portrayed the British Army in England as not being able to defend against a single German soldier with a rusty spear. The fact of the matter is that that isn't far from the truth.

The Royal Navy in the book comes through as rather shallow, but I would not disagree much with the author's conclusions. The Royal Navy could not stop an Operation Sealion with the entire force of Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe facing it. It could only hope to slow it enough to help the British Army destroy the landings, a possibility slim at best.

I agree that a German invasion would succeed, albeit at slightly higher casualties in both men and naval forces than the author has portrayed, but I cannot disagree with his conclusion. I had no problems with the book, excepting one. I wanted more!

An Alternative History Classic.......2000-12-06

I love this book, having bought it many years ago and still find myself periodically re-reading it. Sure, Macksey's premise is weak, for the Germans were in no position to launch an improvised and scaled down version of Operation Sealion in July, 1940. Likewise, the author never quite adequately covers the all-important naval dimension of the campaign and unpersuasively permits the Germans control of the Dover Straits. Nevertheless, it is a great read that moves along at a good clip. A nice companion to Peter Tsouras's "Disaster at D-Day".

Interesting but flawed.......2000-08-22

This book is a very interesting examination of the possibility of a German invasion of Britain in July 1940. Unfortunately, the treatment of the British defense feels as though he is not making decisions based upon what is likely to have happened, but rather what would make the telling of the story more exciting. In particular, one gets the feeling that British couldn't defend themselves against a lone German soldier with a dull rusty spear. And his treatment of the RN (Royal Navy) has a similar feel to it. One has to remember that in our timeline the British fought the Battle of Britain and stood firm in the summer of 1940, but there is none of that British courage and competence here, while the Germans get all the breaks. I recommend reading it, but don't hope for too much.

A Well-Written, If Somewhat Unlikely Alternative History.......2000-06-03

A well-written hypothetical account on what if the German Whermacht had launched Operation Sealion in July 1940 right after the fall of France. In this version, the Germans land two infantry divisions near Dover and drop the 7th Airborne Division. In short, the British counterattack fails, the Germans land their armor and British resistance collapses after about two weeks. Macksey includes good military detail, but he tends to portray most British actions as half-hearted and inept. The sea battles go far too well for the Germans and the Royal Navy doesn't put in a good effort. The whole concept of a German invasion of England resides in accepting that the Germans could cross the English Channel in the face of desperate British resistance. Unfortunately, Macksey doesn't really convince the reader that the Kriegsmarine could do this. Macksey is a former armor officer and the parts covering ground operations are the best, but the naval chapters are weak. Logistic issues are glossed over. Interesting, but a bit far-fetched. Maps are excellent and will be appreciated by military historians.

Very Good, but Sometimes Hard to Follow.......2000-03-29

This book presents a believable vision of a German invasion of Britain at a time when her economy hadn't yet shifted to wartime industry and she was at her most vulnerable. Complaints have been raised in a prior review that it lacks military accuracy, but as a lay reader I found it enjoyable, and I couldn't find the historical faults on a bet.

That said, I didn't get as much out of it as I could have. It was obviously written to be read by a military historian, or at least someone with more of a backing in military history than I'm blessed with. Technical details that Macksey throws out without a backward glance seem to assume I know one WWII fighter plane from another instead of being a dreamer out for an afternoon read of a fanciful speculation.

This book is for military historians at heart. Civilians won't be unable to get it -- I enjoyed it, after all -- but may find themselves lost from time to time. If you have any friends familiar with military history, enlist their help and you may have an easier time of it.

Average customer rating:

The 'what if' is a waste of time.

Wishful thinking on the part of the British

If you really want to understand if.

Britain Alone

Dunked

Invasion!: Operation Sea Lion, 1940
Martin Marix Evans
Manufacturer: Longman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Lion is Humbled: What If Germany Defeated Britain in 1940?

Luftwaffe Victorious

Battle of the Bulge: Hitler's Alternate Scenarios

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Invasion: The Alternate History of the German Invasion of England, July 1940

ASIN: 058277294X

Customer Reviews:

The 'what if' is a waste of time........2007-09-19

Marix Evans book "Invasion! Operation Sealion 1940", starts out with potential but falls short of expectation. The second half of this book is wasted on a 'what if' scenario that reminded me more of a NATO 'What if' exercise, than any WW-II battle report. The first half of Marix Evans book does do a fairly good job summarizing the essential elements of the forces involved and the problems facing each side in the conflict, however the analysis is unbalanced.

For example the book details the British 'anti invasion' fleet down to the armed trawler level, but fails to do the same for the German fleet. This gives an mistaken perception that the RN fleet outnumbered the German fleet 10:1. According to Peter Schenk , 320 German naval vessels were to escort the German invasion fleet of 4000 vessels. Marix Evans information points to an anti invasion fleet of about 1000 British warships and auxiliary vessels , including ~ 100 warships [Destroyers/Cruisers etc]. Of this total maybe 500 would have been readily available, near the channel to fight. This suggests the naval superiority was much more in question than the quoted 10:1 superiority in Destroyers suggests. Since the book instead clings to the implied 'absolute naval superiority' vision of Operation Sealion , the conclusion appears to be completely arbitrary and thus falls short.

Wishful thinking on the part of the British.......2007-03-15

The best part of this book is the lead-up to its main subject, a hypothetical invasion of Britain in 1940. The author provides a very concise, yet dramatic and readable, summary of the events of WWII from September 1939 through the fall of 1940. He also does a creditable job in outlining the known planning that went into Operation Sealion, but he goes way overboard in reproducing page after page of actual orders issued to specific units, which flesh out what might have been a very short book, but which would have been better put into an annex or footnotes. The key to a "what if?" scenario is to change just one thing and try to objectively play out history from that point. The operative change would have been a German decision to go after the RAF instead of London, seize control of the air, and launch the invasion. The author does that but then, apparently in order to let the British win, changes some British policies in very unhistoric ways, such as employing their excellent 90mm AA gun in an anti-tank role, just as the Germans did with their famous 88s. The British never did this despite plenty of motivation to do so. He also assumes a steady string of bad luck for the Germans and a world where over-age Home Guard militia outperforms German paratroopers. Since this is really just for fun anyway, a more exciting style in covering the supposed battles on British soil might have helped, but the overall rating for the book is marginal at best.

If you really want to understand if........2006-07-21

There are many myths about the possible invasion of England. There are several books that try to place scenarios of what would have happened. This book merely takes you into the facts so that you have an understanding of what the capabilities are of both sides. It is the only book I found that leaves the hype, myth, infighting and intrigue in the German High command behind. It presents the facts about the landing zones with a study of the both defensive and offensive capabilities.

It has one serious flaw in the final chapters it plays out a scenario of the attack and defense as the author sees it. While I wish this was left out it does allow the reader to see one idea on how the invasion would have played out. The reader can then use the informative front of the book to decide if the author is correct. I personally think he is a little to biased toward the British. I also wish he would have spent a little more time on the Battle of France.

Britain Alone .......2006-03-10

The book raised some interesting points and worth a read. However I don't believe that the German invasion would have made it much further inland than 10 miles after the landings. The RN would have destroyed the majority or the landing craft, the RAF could have pulled back to its Northern bases and been out of reach of the Bomber whilst still providing cover for the ground forces. The defences and Home guard would of been enough to have seen off the para drops, remember it was luck and spirit in Normandy that got the para through. The germans would have been starved of ammo and food, the RN was at least 10-1 advantage in terms of destroyers and battleships. For the invasion to have worked the build up would have been much earlier and would have been obvious to the British and French what was coming, and in 1937 we could of started to get ready.

Dunked.......2005-04-08

Anyone who knows me will know my fascination with the German plans to invade Britain and why.

I have read many books on the subject including Peter Fleming's Operation Sea Lion.

This book is not as well researched as most. And the conclusions are hard to accept since Britain was demoralized from France and very low on ammunition and the Germans were very good. Once the Krauts are across, they live off the land and can be supported by air. Once the panzers are across and first armored division done in it's over. It would have been as messy as Crete, but the result would still be the same.

Personally, I doubt Hitler really planned to do it. Though the plans were elaborate, the details and praparations were very shallow. I believe he was trying to bluff the Brits into a peace deal.

Invasion of the Sea (The Wesleyan Early Classics of Science Fiction Series)

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Good Choice For Study
The timely appearance of a book unknown here
A "must" for Jules Verne enthusiasts!

Invasion of the Sea (The Wesleyan Early Classics of Science Fiction Series)
Jules Verne
Manufacturer: Wesleyan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 081956558X

Book Description

Jules Verne, celebrated French author of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Around the World in 80 Days, wrote over 60 novels collected in the popular series "Voyages Extraordinaires." A handful of these have never been translated into English, including Invasion of the Sea, written in 1904 when large-scale canal digging was very much a part of the political, economic, and military strategy of the world's imperial powers.

Instead of linking two seas, as existing canals (the Suez and the Panama) did, Verne proposed a canal that would create a sea in the heart of the Sahara Desert. The story raises a host of concerns -- environmental, cultural, and political. The proposed sea threatens the nomadic way of life of those Islamic tribes living on the site, and they declare war. The ensuing struggle is finally resolved only by a cataclysmic natural event. This Wesleyan edition features notes, appendices and an introduction by Verne scholar Arthur B. Evans, as well as reproductions of the illustrations from the original French edition.

Customer Reviews:

Good Choice For Study.......2005-09-01

This is far from Jules Verne's best work, but it is still very worthwhile for many reasons. It is the first English translation of this title, and it is the last of his works to be published in his lifetime. This is the first book in the "Early Classics of Science Fiction" series from Wesleyan University Press, and the quality of the presentation is outstanding. There is an introduction by Arthur B. Evans where he covers the history of "Invasion Of The Sea", and its place in Verne's writing and life. He also discusses Verne's opinion of the differences between his writing and that of H. G. Wells. Evans also has a very interesting discussion of the problems with many of the English translations of Verne's books. The text itself includes the illustrations by Leon Benett, as well as notes which discuss the real world history which created the base of the story.

The story doesn't rise to the level of the presentation. However, it does make an interesting study for several reasons. Despite being written near the end of Verne's life, there are certainly several similarities to his earlier work. The story takes place in Africa, the same continent as his first novel "Five Weeks In A Balloon". The story also has a pro-science feel to it, which had disappeared in his later works. There are significant differences as well. In Verne's earlier works the characters are active in the pursuit of the goal, but in this story the Sahara Sea is created not by the actions of the characters, but instead by a natural event.

Overall, this book is recommended for those who want to study Verne, or those who are compiling a complete collection of his works. If you are looking for a good example of his works, it would be better to stick with one of his classics.

The timely appearance of a book unknown here.......2002-03-29

The Invasion of the Sea is unusual for its time in its political complexity and temporal setting, looking ahead to the 1930s. Indigenous customs and colonial opportunism clash as plans are made to irrigate the Sahara desert, opening the inland to new commerce and ports for the French navy. Verne's writing is modern in his immersion in multiple points of view, opening from the native perspective, then shifting to that of the French colonists. Verne had no illusions about the overseas power plays of his own country.
Verne makes clear how the respective sides view the situation; the West seeks to remake nature to its advantage, while the East has adapted to their surroundings. The West wants to change the land, failing to realize that the desert
is home to the tribes of Bedouins. Flooding the land and changing its fundamental purpose becomes the ultimate form of imperialism. While recognizing its political shortcomings, Verne still valorizes the heroic aspect of the human attempt to
harness nature.
The first half of the book establishes the region and the dimensions of the conflict, comparing the different cultures of the Arabs and the Europeans. During the last half, Verne foreshadows the final outcome as nature asserts its own primacy over human plans. A monstrous earthquake shifts the land, allowing the sea to flood the Sahara, overwhelming even the designs of the French. The characters in The Invasion of the Sea are men (and an Arab woman) in action--bandits, French soldiers and an engineers--but the novel is not as exciting as the general reader might hope.
The translation by Edward Baxter is ideal; he fluently transfers Verne's French into readable, contemporary English. All of the 43 engravings and photographs from the original French edition are included, bringing to life the scenery and action of the story in the context of their time. For years it has seemed that this novel could not be more timely, considering confrontations between Arabs and the West, yet its appearance in English comes at a historical moment whose aptness could not be exceeded. While scarcely a lost masterpiece, The Invasion of the Sea is a worthy and important addition to the Verne canon and science fiction literature.

A "must" for Jules Verne enthusiasts!.......2002-03-24

Invasion Of The Sea is the first English edition of a novel written in 1904 by Jules Verne, best know for his classics "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" and "Around the World in 80 Days." Meticulously translated from the original French by Edward Baxter, Invasion of the Sea is an engaging novel that takes serious look at political and imperial struggles in North Africa. When a canal is proposed to create a sea in the Sahara Desert, the way of life of the Islamic tribes living there becomes threatened, and they declare war to protect their lands, prompting a cataclysmic struggle that only natural forces can surpass. A thought-provoking and serious tale, Invasion Of The Sea is recommended for Jules Verne enthusiasts.

Marine Bioinvasions: Patterns, Processes and Perspectives

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Marine Bioinvasions: Patterns, Processes and Perspectives

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

As the global rate of marine introductions increases, exotic species exert greater economic and ecological impacts, affecting ecosystems and human health. The complexity of marine ecosystems challenges our ability to find easy solutions to prevention, management, and control of introductions. This book highlights issues of timely importance in marine bioinvasion science. Selected topics explore the potential evolutionary consequences and ecological impacts of introduced organisms, examine the feasibility of biological control, and describe patterns of introduction. These papers were presented at the Second International Conference on Marine Bioinvasions, which featured new marine invasion research from around the world. These papers should be of interest to scientists, students, and managers with an interest in marine bioinvasions and the application of knowledge to management concerns.

Venice: the city of the sea, from the invasion by Napoléon in 1797 to the capitulation to Radetzky, in 1849 ... By Edmund Flagg.

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Venice: the city of the sea, from the invasion by Napoléon in 1797 to the capitulation to Radetzky, in 1849 ... By Edmund Flagg.
Michigan Historical Reprint Series
Manufacturer: Scholarly Publishing Office, University of Michigan Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1425557384
Release Date: 2005-12-22

Book Description

This volume is produced from digital images created through the University of Michigan University Library's preservation reformatting program.

Operation Sea lion; the projected invasion of England in 1940, a

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Operation Sea lion; the projected invasion of England in 1940, a

Manufacturer: Simon and Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000CRI0D0

Operation Sea Lion, The Projected Invasion Of UK In 1940 An Account OfThe German Preparations And The UK's Countermeasures

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Operation Sea Lion, The Projected Invasion Of UK In 1940 An Account OfThe German Preparations And The UK's Countermeasures
Peter Fleming
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H5ASV4

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