Secret Weapons: Technology, Science and the Race to Win World War II (General Military)

Powerful illustrations and a unique new narrative make this an incomparable illustrated history of the secret weapons that changed the course of World War II. The book's basic structure is chronological, charting the race in technology between the Allied and Axis powers, with examples of their use in battle, along with those that remained experimental or remained the stuff of science fiction. Importantly (and of interest to the general reader) it also shows how wartime research anticipated the high-tech era in which we now live. The account charts secret weapons development from the Japanese ray gun of the 1930s to the powerful V2 rocket, and compares World War II secret weapons research with the realities of present-day science. It's a riveting story of innovation under pressure, from a world of machine guns and biplanes to electronics, rockets, and nuclear bombs with the power to wipe out humanity. "This book is an illustrated history of the secret weapons that changed the course of World War II. Deep in the bunkers of Nazi Germany, many of the world's top scientists worked to create a new generation of war winning super weapons. A few of these, such as jet aircraft and the V2 rocket, became realities at the end of the war, others never made it off the drawing board. Written by a noted research scientist, this book charts the history of secret weapons development by all the major powers during the war, from British radar to Japanese ray guns, and explains the impact that these developments eventually had on the outcome of World War II."--Publisher's description COVER......Page 1 CONTENTS......Page 7 INTRODUCTION......Page 8 THE MAKING OF A SECRET WAR......Page 11 FLYING WEAPONS: SECRET AIRCRAFT......Page 23 FLYING WEAPONS: BOMBS AND MISSILES......Page 69 THE ROCKET......Page 109 DOCTORS AT WAR......Page 165 DANGEROUS IDEAS......Page 187 DOOMED TO FAIL......Page 219 ELECTRONIC SECRETS......Page 241 FURTHER READING......Page 276 INDEX......Page 279 COVER......Page 289 Military History - World War II COVER 1 CONTENTS 7 INTRODUCTION 8 THE MAKING OF A SECRET WAR 11 FLYING WEAPONS: SECRET AIRCRAFT 23 FLYING WEAPONS: BOMBS AND MISSILES 69 THE ROCKET 109 DOCTORS AT WAR 165 DANGEROUS IDEAS 187 DOOMED TO FAIL 219 ELECTRONIC SECRETS 241 FURTHER READING 276 INDEX 279 COVER 289 ISBN-10:,1849083908,ISBN-13:,978-1849083904 ISBN-10: 1849083908,ISBN-13: 978-1849083904