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Assault in Norway: Sabotaging The Nazi Nuclear Program
“An exciting and dramatic episode.”― Library Journal “Cliff-hanging suspense.”― Christian Science Monitor Assault in Norway is the classic account of a legendary raid on the Nazi war program. By 1942 Germany had a seemingly insurmountable lead over the Allies in developing an atomic bomb. Contributing to this situation was its access to a crucial ingredient: “heavy water,” found in great abundance at a fortresslike factory in occupied Norway. Allied hopes of stalling the Nazi nuclear program soon focused on sabotaging the cliffside plant―a suicidal mission. But a team of brave Norwegian exiles, trained in Britain, infiltrated their homeland and, hiding in the wilds, awaited the opportunity to launch one of the war's most daring commando raids. Basing his gripping narrative in large part on interviews with the commandos themselves, Thomas Gallagher recounts in vivid detail the planning and execution of Operation Gunnerside. Assault in Norway recalls the intrigue found in such wartime classics as David Howarth's We Die Alone and The Sledge Patrol , and the mission it recounts inspired the 1965 Hollywood film The Heroes of Telemark .
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
39 people are currently reading
415 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Gallagher
32 books9 followersThomas Gallagher (1918-1992) was a widely published journalist and the author of eight books. His novel The Gathering Darkness (1952) was nominated for a National Book Award; his Fire at Sea: The Story of the Moro Castle (1959) won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for nonfiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
September 12, 2015
“When one considers that right up to the end of the war, in 1945, there was virtually no increase in our heavy-water stocks in Germany, and that for the last experiments early in 1945 there were in fact only two and a half tons of heavy water available, it will be seen that it was the elimination of German heavy-water production in Norway that was the main factor in our failure to achieve a self-sustaining atomic reactor before the war ended.” - Dr. Kurt Diebner, administrative director of the German nuclear program.
‘Assault in Norway’ is the dramatic true account of ‘Operation Gunnerside’, one of the most vital and top-secret missions of Second World War. Based on interviews with the actual commandos who participated in the mission, Thomas Gallagher recreates the history, planning and execution of this operation in vivid detail. ‘Assault in Norway’ gives the reader an inside look at how a band of courageous and tough Norwegian special operatives from the SOE (Special Operations Executive) braved the odds of perils set against them by the nature and allied soldiers to land a severe blow on the Nuclear Weapons program of Nazi Germany. This is military history, which can be read like a gripping thriller.
The book starts by tracing the roots of the mission to the discovery of nuclear fission by German pioneer scientist, Otto Hahn during 1938. This discovery led to the discussions and researches about super-explosives among physicists and governments all over the world and when the world was thrown into the turmoil of the Second World War, this quest for military superiority through the super weapon was in high gears. When the Germans occupied Norway in 1940, ‘Norsk Hydro’ hydroelectric plant in Vemork, Norway was the only hydroelectric plant in the world capable of producing ‘heavy water’ or ‘Deuterium Oxide’, which is an exceptionally efficient moderator for slowing down neutrons in a Uranium pile – which is critical for establishing a sustainable chain reaction. Just after the occupation of Norway the production of heavy water was increased and in 1942 when the Germans ordered the production to be doubled and placed an embargo on the export of Uranium ore from the then Czechoslovakia, warning bells began to ring in the war rooms of the Allied forces. According to the British and American physicists Germany was now seriously into the race for a Nuclear Weapon and the Vemork facility was a prime concern and a threat.
The ‘Norsk Hydro’ plant was located on the perch of a cliff on a mountain wilderness and this location made it not suitable for nighttime bombing raids. This was the perfect setting for ‘Operation Gunnerside’, a tactical strike aimed at sabotaging the operations of the Vemork plant and the rest of the book describes the preparations for the mission, particulars of a catastrophic pilot mission which was a total failure, the successful execution of the subsequent commando raid, and the follow up operations by brave Norwegian SOE operatives which resulted in the stalling of the German Nuclear Program.
The complete success of the assault can be read from the following flash message from SS General Wilhelm Rediess who was the commanding General of all SS troops stationed in occupied Norway to SS leaders in Berlin.
‘Assault in Norway’ is the true story of the brave people behind one of the most daring commando raids of World War II. Both casual readers who enjoy a tale of adventure and action and those who have interest in military history will find ‘Assault in Norway’ a delightful read.
‘Assault in Norway’ is the dramatic true account of ‘Operation Gunnerside’, one of the most vital and top-secret missions of Second World War. Based on interviews with the actual commandos who participated in the mission, Thomas Gallagher recreates the history, planning and execution of this operation in vivid detail. ‘Assault in Norway’ gives the reader an inside look at how a band of courageous and tough Norwegian special operatives from the SOE (Special Operations Executive) braved the odds of perils set against them by the nature and allied soldiers to land a severe blow on the Nuclear Weapons program of Nazi Germany. This is military history, which can be read like a gripping thriller.
The book starts by tracing the roots of the mission to the discovery of nuclear fission by German pioneer scientist, Otto Hahn during 1938. This discovery led to the discussions and researches about super-explosives among physicists and governments all over the world and when the world was thrown into the turmoil of the Second World War, this quest for military superiority through the super weapon was in high gears. When the Germans occupied Norway in 1940, ‘Norsk Hydro’ hydroelectric plant in Vemork, Norway was the only hydroelectric plant in the world capable of producing ‘heavy water’ or ‘Deuterium Oxide’, which is an exceptionally efficient moderator for slowing down neutrons in a Uranium pile – which is critical for establishing a sustainable chain reaction. Just after the occupation of Norway the production of heavy water was increased and in 1942 when the Germans ordered the production to be doubled and placed an embargo on the export of Uranium ore from the then Czechoslovakia, warning bells began to ring in the war rooms of the Allied forces. According to the British and American physicists Germany was now seriously into the race for a Nuclear Weapon and the Vemork facility was a prime concern and a threat.
The ‘Norsk Hydro’ plant was located on the perch of a cliff on a mountain wilderness and this location made it not suitable for nighttime bombing raids. This was the perfect setting for ‘Operation Gunnerside’, a tactical strike aimed at sabotaging the operations of the Vemork plant and the rest of the book describes the preparations for the mission, particulars of a catastrophic pilot mission which was a total failure, the successful execution of the subsequent commando raid, and the follow up operations by brave Norwegian SOE operatives which resulted in the stalling of the German Nuclear Program.
The complete success of the assault can be read from the following flash message from SS General Wilhelm Rediess who was the commanding General of all SS troops stationed in occupied Norway to SS leaders in Berlin.
"On the night of 27th-28th February 1943, about 1:15 a.m., an installation of importance to the war economy was destroyed at the Vemork factory near Rjukan by the detonation of explosive charges. The attack was carried out by three armed men wearing grey-green uniforms. They gained entrance to the factory by cutting a chain in the gate, and passed by German sentries and Norwegian watchmen undetected. From the effects they left behind, it can be assumed that they came from Britain."
‘Assault in Norway’ is the true story of the brave people behind one of the most daring commando raids of World War II. Both casual readers who enjoy a tale of adventure and action and those who have interest in military history will find ‘Assault in Norway’ a delightful read.
February 20, 2015
When I stumbled across this book at the Library, I was looking for books about Bletchley Park. I found the book I was looking for, but this one just a shelf down and found its way to the top of my stack before the codebreaker book did.
The story follows the men on the ground during the sabotage mission of the Nazi-controlled Vemork heavy water plant in Norway. The long months leading up to the main mission, when the forward team was monitoring conditions and staying hidden in the snowy wilderness of the Norwegian Telemark region, gave a different feel than any other spy/war story I've come across.
Reading it in the middle of a Wisconsin winter, I couldn't help but compare my winter to theirs. The sparsity of flora and fauna certainly made survival much more of a challenge than trudging across the street through the snow to the grocery store. The lack of roads meant skiing for miles just to hunt for food.
There were also a lot of deaths surrounding the mission (though certainly a miniscule number in the scope of the whole war). Reading about the deaths involved and how they led to a resolve in the others—the whole team was supplied with suicide pills—made me hope for better ways of doing things. For example, Norwegians working at the plant reduced output by adding vegetable oil to the water to create lots of foam. Of coarse, the Allies in charge were in a race with the Nazis to build the first atomic weapon, something speculative at that point but still with awesome potential. Who can say if the more peaceful forms of resistance would have kept the Nazis from achieving such a game-changing weapon.
The narrative form of the book was both its strength and weakness. Gallagher was a journalist who tells the story based on various interviews he had with many of the key players. The story he tells reads much like a thriller instead of a history book. But the lack of citation bothers me, as did the liberties he took with description. I know there's often a stereotype of dry history books, but I've read plenty of fascinating history books with more academic rigor than this one. Those books were more modern, though, and given that this one was originally published in the 70s, perhaps it was much better for its time.
In all, this was a good read. I'd recommend it as a good quick read, and perhaps an introduction for someone who's intimidated by some of the massive, dry-looking tomes out there.
The story follows the men on the ground during the sabotage mission of the Nazi-controlled Vemork heavy water plant in Norway. The long months leading up to the main mission, when the forward team was monitoring conditions and staying hidden in the snowy wilderness of the Norwegian Telemark region, gave a different feel than any other spy/war story I've come across.
Reading it in the middle of a Wisconsin winter, I couldn't help but compare my winter to theirs. The sparsity of flora and fauna certainly made survival much more of a challenge than trudging across the street through the snow to the grocery store. The lack of roads meant skiing for miles just to hunt for food.
There were also a lot of deaths surrounding the mission (though certainly a miniscule number in the scope of the whole war). Reading about the deaths involved and how they led to a resolve in the others—the whole team was supplied with suicide pills—made me hope for better ways of doing things. For example, Norwegians working at the plant reduced output by adding vegetable oil to the water to create lots of foam. Of coarse, the Allies in charge were in a race with the Nazis to build the first atomic weapon, something speculative at that point but still with awesome potential. Who can say if the more peaceful forms of resistance would have kept the Nazis from achieving such a game-changing weapon.
The narrative form of the book was both its strength and weakness. Gallagher was a journalist who tells the story based on various interviews he had with many of the key players. The story he tells reads much like a thriller instead of a history book. But the lack of citation bothers me, as did the liberties he took with description. I know there's often a stereotype of dry history books, but I've read plenty of fascinating history books with more academic rigor than this one. Those books were more modern, though, and given that this one was originally published in the 70s, perhaps it was much better for its time.
In all, this was a good read. I'd recommend it as a good quick read, and perhaps an introduction for someone who's intimidated by some of the massive, dry-looking tomes out there.
December 28, 2025
This book is about the various efforts by the Allies to halt heavy water production by the Nazis in Norway in WW2. For those not aware, heavy water can be used in nuclear weapon production and there was a widespread belief that the Nazis may have been ahead of us in this type of research at the time. Therefore doing whatever could be done to slow down or stop their research was considered to be vitally important.
The story is told in chronological fashion. It starts with a quick overview of the importance of the mission and the training undergone by the men involved and then moves to the primary operation itself - a special forces raid of the plant. The book finishes up with discussion of air raids and a second special forces operation that I was not aware of at all - these are covered much more briefly.
For the main raid, the book fleshes out a lot of things that I was unaware of. The story itself is quite impressive and the author does a good job of conveying that. There were many times throughout the book that I thought it would make a great movie (for those interested there IS a movie called "The Heroes of Telemark" from 1965 starring Kirk Douglas but I haven't tried to watch it yet). The tension as things go wrong and the people on the ground try to do what they can to salvage the situation is fantastic reading. The author spends a bit too much time on certain aspects of the mission IMO (like what type of reindeer meat the men liked to eat) but that's a relatively minor point.
The subsequent air raid and the second special forces action are covered much more briefly. I can understand the author's choice, but as I was nearing the end of the book it felt like things were a bit rushed. I would also have appreciated it if the epilogue had gone into more detail and spent a little more time on the men who carried out the raid.
For the overall writing style I found it to be just OK. The book was originally written in 1975, so some of that is to be expected. There was nothing in particular that stood out, but things just seemed stilted at points. I thought for a bit that the book may have been a translation, but I haven't seen any indication that was the case. In any case, for anyone interested in a very small portion of WW2 I would definitely recommend the book. It is a quick read and well worth your time.
The story is told in chronological fashion. It starts with a quick overview of the importance of the mission and the training undergone by the men involved and then moves to the primary operation itself - a special forces raid of the plant. The book finishes up with discussion of air raids and a second special forces operation that I was not aware of at all - these are covered much more briefly.
For the main raid, the book fleshes out a lot of things that I was unaware of. The story itself is quite impressive and the author does a good job of conveying that. There were many times throughout the book that I thought it would make a great movie (for those interested there IS a movie called "The Heroes of Telemark" from 1965 starring Kirk Douglas but I haven't tried to watch it yet). The tension as things go wrong and the people on the ground try to do what they can to salvage the situation is fantastic reading. The author spends a bit too much time on certain aspects of the mission IMO (like what type of reindeer meat the men liked to eat) but that's a relatively minor point.
The subsequent air raid and the second special forces action are covered much more briefly. I can understand the author's choice, but as I was nearing the end of the book it felt like things were a bit rushed. I would also have appreciated it if the epilogue had gone into more detail and spent a little more time on the men who carried out the raid.
For the overall writing style I found it to be just OK. The book was originally written in 1975, so some of that is to be expected. There was nothing in particular that stood out, but things just seemed stilted at points. I thought for a bit that the book may have been a translation, but I haven't seen any indication that was the case. In any case, for anyone interested in a very small portion of WW2 I would definitely recommend the book. It is a quick read and well worth your time.
July 8, 2018
My tiny spark of Scandinavian ancestry had me combing the library for a good read, and this book peaked my interest. On June 17, 1942, almost two years prior to the day of the Normandy invasion, Winston Churchill flew to Hyde Park to meet with President Franklin Roosevelt. They would finalize plans for an allied invasion over the next year. The greatest point of conversation was the atomic bomb. The big question was how advanced had Germany come to developing one? In Norway, a key ingredient for the bomb was ‘heavy water’, manufactured at a plant at Vemork – occupied by the Germans since 1940. This is the story of a secret mission to retake this critical plant. The time was October 1942 and the purpose was to “destroy the critical supplies and cripple key production facilities”. The mission began with four Norwegians. This is their fascinating story.
April 22, 2025
Assault in Norway by Thomas Gallagher 4/10/2025 Paper
The world knows the basic nuclear theory and the United States is well on the way to develop a weapon. The knowledge the Nazi Germany too is closing in on completion of the same project. A necessary ingredient to their success is heavy water, painstakingly developed in a remote and highly fortified facility in Norway. Destroying that capability is the basis of this entertaining saga. The author writes in detail of the near suicide mission to do so.
I am surprised this book isn’t far more popular as it is far better than many others I’ve read about World War II missions. The suspense is intriguing, the setting clear and interesting and the characters well described. I fully enjoyed the reading from beginning to end and would
The world knows the basic nuclear theory and the United States is well on the way to develop a weapon. The knowledge the Nazi Germany too is closing in on completion of the same project. A necessary ingredient to their success is heavy water, painstakingly developed in a remote and highly fortified facility in Norway. Destroying that capability is the basis of this entertaining saga. The author writes in detail of the near suicide mission to do so.
I am surprised this book isn’t far more popular as it is far better than many others I’ve read about World War II missions. The suspense is intriguing, the setting clear and interesting and the characters well described. I fully enjoyed the reading from beginning to end and would
January 23, 2024
Excellent account of a vital sabotage raid on a German-occupied heavy water treatment plant in Norway. Intrigued by its feature in Churchill's Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, of this mission which blended deep recon, clever deception, decisive action and all within the unforgiving Arctic conditions.
The account was well-documented and truly a page-turner, offering the detailed mission planning and execution, as well as wartime espionage.
The environment was well documented, and often the blistering cold was almost experienced. The men describe the 'foehn' wind, an element of Arctic conditions that, frankly, I'd be content not experiencing.
This combined military history, strategy, and the harsh realities of arctic warfare provide a compelling read.
The account was well-documented and truly a page-turner, offering the detailed mission planning and execution, as well as wartime espionage.
The environment was well documented, and often the blistering cold was almost experienced. The men describe the 'foehn' wind, an element of Arctic conditions that, frankly, I'd be content not experiencing.
This combined military history, strategy, and the harsh realities of arctic warfare provide a compelling read.
May 30, 2017
Despite some copy-editing oversights and pedestrian writing, this gripping story highlights the sacrifices and heroic efforts by Allied forces to keep the Nazis from developing nuclear weapons before they could be defeated. A small win in a desolate corner of the planet but with enormous consequences.
June 18, 2025
Based in large part on interviews with the commandos themselves, the author recounts in vivid detail the planning and execution of Operation Gunnerside. He is good with descriptions: describing the heavy-water manufacturing plant, the Norwegian countryside, the activities of the saboteurs, etc. It was well-researched and interesting.
June 20, 2025
It's a remarkable story of a highly successful sabotage operation, which feels more like a movie plot than something that really happened. The strength of this book comes from the facts (super interesting and well researched) rather than artistic prose.
February 19, 2018
Gripping history
Well written, exciting history. The world would be much different without the brave actions of the Norwegian resistance described in these pages.
Well written, exciting history. The world would be much different without the brave actions of the Norwegian resistance described in these pages.
January 7, 2020
This reads like a great spy novel, except every second of it actually happened for real, which makes it even more amazing.
May 7, 2020
Vivid non-fiction writing. Fascinating story about these history-changing events, laced with descriptions of human endurance in a hostile environment.
June 11, 2020
This reads like a great spy novel, except every second of it actually happened for real, which makes it even more amazing. These heroic acts are beyond belief and really happened.
Read
February 22, 2021Read this because of my Norwegian heritage. An interesting WWII story of bravery and patriotism.
July 5, 2021
Freedom
The price those young men paid for the freedom we enjoyed today can never be fully expressed after so many years. Thank you
The price those young men paid for the freedom we enjoyed today can never be fully expressed after so many years. Thank you
February 14, 2022
Intressant
April 14, 2023
A pleasantly told tale of survival as much as espionage.
December 24, 2023
This book was so hard to put down that I read it in two days. I already knew the gist of the tale but this was still a gripping story of espionage, escape, survival, and sabotage.
January 2, 2024
What an amazing book! Fast paced, wildly adventurous, and on top of all that: nonfiction.
February 1, 2024
Amazing story of perseverence, patriotism and spy craft. I can't believe they haven't made a movie based on this book. The writing is excellent as well
May 16, 2024
A page turner for me, could not put it down. The grit and sacrifice makes me wonder if we will ever see the integrity, dedication and willingness to give all to save our homes those we love.
September 16, 2024
A gripping account of a commando raid into occupied Norway in 1942. Would read again.
April 6, 2025
Highly readable, a historical episode related as a suspenseful adventure story.
September 6, 2013
Even though I knew the outcome of the assault, Gallagher's historical narrative, using the recollections of the eight men involved, made me turn the pages faster than I thought I was going to want to before I started the book. The Assault was during the Nazi Occupation of Norway, and it carried out by Britain and the Norwegian Resistance stationed in Britain. Eight young men in their early twenties, seven expert skiers and one who neglected to tell authorities that he wasn't, were dropped, along with whatever supplies they would need to sabotoge the Heavy Water Plant at Vermork, onto the snow covered mountains of the Hardanger Plateau. The account of their survival during blizzards which would have killed most men, and their assault on the plant which was producing Heavy Water that the Nazi's were going to attempt to use to built an Atomic Bomb is a story that deserves to be remembered. The breathtakingly daring entry into the plant which the Allies determined was impossible to bomb because of its forbidding location and the potential to kill nearly all the residents of Ruykan valley was, according to the Nazi general who was in charge of security of the plant, the most brilliant undertaking of the entire war. The scientists is America, led by Enrico Fermi, were given the time they needed to devise an alternative method of splitting the atom and win the war. I had no opinion of the book prior to reading it. After reading it I give it five stars and recommend it to all who find the brief outline of the book I have given above at all engaging. And even for those who don't. You will not be disappointed.
January 7, 2017
A genuinely interesting work of history which tells the true story of amazing heroism of the Norwegian resistance in World War II. The Nazi government made many mistakes in their attempt to develop a nuclear program in general and atom bomb in particular. They miscalculated their calculation of the efficacy of graphite as a reaction modifier and concentrated all their efforts on
deuterium oxide known commonly as 'heavy water.' Prior to the start of World War II the only facility for heavy water production was the Norsk Hydro plant in the Telemark region Norway.
Germany invaded Norway in 1940 and immediately demanded production of heavy water be increased dramatically, exclusively for German use.
British SOE attempted to land two teams of combat engineers for the purpose of destroying the hydrogen plant in late 1942, but both teams crashed and several dozen British Army soldiers in uniform either died in the crashes or were summarily murdered by the Nazi under normal protocols. In February 1943 a small team of Norwegian Resistance fighters trained in England parachuted into the region and succeeded in destroying the final critical stage of deuterium production equipment. Later, following the bombing of the plant by the U S 8th Air Force, the Germans decided to send all accumulated heavy water to Germany. The train-ferry carrying the entire stock of heavy water was sunk by a 3-man Norwegian team, effectively ending the Nazi atomic program.
Gallager tells this fascinating story in detail, yet the book is suspenseful and fast-paced.
Norwegians are a people to be admired, now and then. An excellent book, highly recommended.
deuterium oxide known commonly as 'heavy water.' Prior to the start of World War II the only facility for heavy water production was the Norsk Hydro plant in the Telemark region Norway.
Germany invaded Norway in 1940 and immediately demanded production of heavy water be increased dramatically, exclusively for German use.
British SOE attempted to land two teams of combat engineers for the purpose of destroying the hydrogen plant in late 1942, but both teams crashed and several dozen British Army soldiers in uniform either died in the crashes or were summarily murdered by the Nazi under normal protocols. In February 1943 a small team of Norwegian Resistance fighters trained in England parachuted into the region and succeeded in destroying the final critical stage of deuterium production equipment. Later, following the bombing of the plant by the U S 8th Air Force, the Germans decided to send all accumulated heavy water to Germany. The train-ferry carrying the entire stock of heavy water was sunk by a 3-man Norwegian team, effectively ending the Nazi atomic program.
Gallager tells this fascinating story in detail, yet the book is suspenseful and fast-paced.
Norwegians are a people to be admired, now and then. An excellent book, highly recommended.
August 30, 2008
Exciting account of a daring mission to destroy a plant that was key to the Nazi attempt to develop a nuclear weapon. Had the mission not succeeded, there is a good chance that the Nazis may have indeed gotten the bomb.
While the details on how "heavy water" is used in the production of enriched uranium are a little technical, the real heart of this book is the challenges that the Norwegian commandos met as they faced the elements and the strategic difficulties of the task. The need for utter secrecy and complete independence once the mission had begun added to the logistic difficulties, not to mention having to cope with the brutal Norwegian winter. The author does a terrific job of dramatically relating the commandos' incredible efforts.
This is a fast-paced tale, and parts of it almost reach a "Mission Impossible" peak of tension. Fans of WWII history as well as those who enjoy action/adventure stories will enjoy this. This was a little-known episode in the war, far from the main theaters of battle, but it deserves more attention.
This was part of my reading prior to going to Norway in late winter in 2007, and I have to say that after enduring a few really frigid days while traveling by coastal ferry up the coast that I developed an even greater respect for these Norwegian heroes.
While the details on how "heavy water" is used in the production of enriched uranium are a little technical, the real heart of this book is the challenges that the Norwegian commandos met as they faced the elements and the strategic difficulties of the task. The need for utter secrecy and complete independence once the mission had begun added to the logistic difficulties, not to mention having to cope with the brutal Norwegian winter. The author does a terrific job of dramatically relating the commandos' incredible efforts.
This is a fast-paced tale, and parts of it almost reach a "Mission Impossible" peak of tension. Fans of WWII history as well as those who enjoy action/adventure stories will enjoy this. This was a little-known episode in the war, far from the main theaters of battle, but it deserves more attention.
This was part of my reading prior to going to Norway in late winter in 2007, and I have to say that after enduring a few really frigid days while traveling by coastal ferry up the coast that I developed an even greater respect for these Norwegian heroes.
January 31, 2013
I stumbled across this book in my efforts to read one book set in every country affected by WWII. It is a true story about Norweigan resistance workers efforts to sabotage a heavy water plant in Norway. The Nazis commandeered the plant shortly after invading. Heavy water, or deuterium, is necessary to sustain fission, thus making it a crucial ingredient in nuclear weapons. Had this secret mission not been successful, Hitler may have developed the atomic bomb first.
Generally speaking, I prefer historical fiction to actual history books or biographies. This was more like narrative non-fiction. It held my interest.
Generally speaking, I prefer historical fiction to actual history books or biographies. This was more like narrative non-fiction. It held my interest.
February 6, 2017
Amazing achievement. Didn't know anything about this aspect of WW2.
May 5, 2011
Fascinating little known story of Norwegian sabotage against Nazi atomic research facilities-the grown up accompaniment to Snow Treasure! I found myself especially enjoying the insights into the psyche of WWII soldiers-sometimes I fear we forget our enemies are also human and though war may at times be necessary, each death caused by war is a tragedy to be mourned for it's own sake. It was poignant to see these men could be determined in their steadfast loyalty to king and country yet still remorseful for each death they caused.
August 11, 2013
Excellent story about the efforts undertaken to destroy the heavy water plant at Vermork, Norway during WW2. Tom Clancy could have written this as one of his gripping fiction books. But it is a true story and to read about the struggles of the SOE men in the harsh climate in that part of the world is to realize the focus and dedication they had to cripple this site. I do recommend it highly for the WW2 arm chair historian. Could not put it down and sometimes I actually seemed to feel the intense cold so vividly described in the book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews