
eBook - ePub
Operation Bowler
The Audacious Allied Bombing of Venice during World War II
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
About this book
A story of incredible military daring—set against the splendor of Venice—that tells how an unlikely squad of pilots executed the most meticulous air raid of World War II.
March 21st, 1945. Bursting through a hazy sky, dozens of Allied fighters and bombers sweep over German-occupied Venice.
Their mission: destroy Germany’s strategic outposts nestled along the port, while leaving the floating city unscathed.
As bombs rained down upon Europe, flattening city after city, Venice—La Serenissima; home of Titian and Veronese; immortalized in the serene landscapes of Canaletto—remained sacrosanct. Its artistic and architectural treasure too considerable, too precious to risk destruction.
But as the push up through Italy reached its final, grueling months, the Allies were confronted with a terrible dilemma. The ancient city of Venice was now closer and closer to the line of fire. As casualties mounted, the value of art—of history—seemed diminished; just a month earlier Allied bombers had reduced the ancient hilltop abbey of Monte Cassino to a stony husk.
In this vivid narrative, bestselling author Jonathan Glancey reveals the thrilling story of Operation Bowler. Following the exploits of audacious Wing Commander George Westlake and his elite team, Operation Bowler explores how an unlikely squad of pilots executed perhaps the most meticulous and complex air raid of World War II, sparing not only Venice but also its people.
March 21st, 1945. Bursting through a hazy sky, dozens of Allied fighters and bombers sweep over German-occupied Venice.
Their mission: destroy Germany’s strategic outposts nestled along the port, while leaving the floating city unscathed.
As bombs rained down upon Europe, flattening city after city, Venice—La Serenissima; home of Titian and Veronese; immortalized in the serene landscapes of Canaletto—remained sacrosanct. Its artistic and architectural treasure too considerable, too precious to risk destruction.
But as the push up through Italy reached its final, grueling months, the Allies were confronted with a terrible dilemma. The ancient city of Venice was now closer and closer to the line of fire. As casualties mounted, the value of art—of history—seemed diminished; just a month earlier Allied bombers had reduced the ancient hilltop abbey of Monte Cassino to a stony husk.
In this vivid narrative, bestselling author Jonathan Glancey reveals the thrilling story of Operation Bowler. Following the exploits of audacious Wing Commander George Westlake and his elite team, Operation Bowler explores how an unlikely squad of pilots executed perhaps the most meticulous and complex air raid of World War II, sparing not only Venice but also its people.
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Yes, you can access Operation Bowler by Jonathan Glancey in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & History of Architecture. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Maps
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- Venice: 21 March 1945: 1530hrs
- Prelude
- Chapter One: Balloons, Bombs and Bravura
- Chapter Two: The Pilot Officer
- Chapter Three: The ‘Generalfeldmarschall’
- Chapter Four: Desert War
- Chapter Five: Sicily to Calabria and the Gustav Line
- Chapter Six: Fighting in a Museum
- Chapter Seven: The Desert Air Force in Italy
- Chapter Eight: The Gothic Line
- Chapter Nine: Venice ‘Intermezzo’
- Chapter Ten: Preparation
- Chapter Eleven: The Attack
- Chapter Twelve: Coda
- Chapter Thirteen: Final Curtain
- Acknowledgements
- About the Author
- Selected Further Reading
- Index
- Illustration List
- Image Descriptions
- Copyright