Unexplained mysteries of World War II
(Adult Book)

Originally published: New York : Wiley, 1997.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 227-229) and index.

From Germany's invasion of Poland to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, from D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge to Iwo Jima and Bataan, the legendary battles and encounters of the Second World War have been the subjects of innumerable books. Yet, within the history of World War II, a wide range of mysterious, baffling, oddly coincidental, and inexplicable events remain. Now, critically acclaimed military historian William Breuer presents the first comprehensive book to focus on this vast, intriguing, and unexplored area. Over a period of years, Breuer collected materials from newspapers, magazines, military reports, correspondence, and interviews with the participants. His painstaking research uncovered a wealth of fascinating, at times startling, true tales: captivating cases of strange coincidences, curious happenings, and peculiar premonitions--all as vital a part of the war's history as its great campaigns, strategic designs, and high-level decisions. With a blend of dynamic storytelling and meticulous detail, Breuer deftly highlights more than one hundred of World War II's most puzzling events, including: The burning of the Normandie Destroyed by fire just two months after Hitler declared war on the United States, this French ocean liner was ruined in a matter of hours. Had Nazi saboteurs caused its destruction? Or were Hitler sympathizers behind the disastrous arson job? -- The attempted kidnapping of the Duke of Windsor As part of Hitler's scheme to dispatch Churchill and King George VI --both of whom the fhrer regarded as "obstacles to peace"--Plans were set in motion to abduct the duke. Only a timely twist of fate saved him from the Nazis' grasp. -- The sinking of the Tang. A U.S. submarine charged with tracking and destroying Japanese ships in the Formosa Strait, the Tang had sunk more enemy ships than any other U.S. submarine or surface vessel in the Pacific. Her last torpedo, however, would destroy a most unexpected victim. -- The appearance of "The Deadly Double" advertisement. Appearing in The New Yorker sixteen days before Pearl Harbor, this seemingly innocuous ad for a new dice game, "The Deadly Double," aroused the FBI's suspicion --and raised troubling questions. Had it been placed by German or Japanese spies as a means of notifying their agents in the United States that war was about to erupt? Was it a way for enemy espionage operatives in the United States to warn their colleagues that a sneak attack would be launched somewhere in the Pacific? Written by a man the Wall Street Journal has called a "first-class historian," this colorful treasury of the unexpected and the unexplained is a unique and riveting addition to World War II literature.