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THE GREAT SHIPS PASS; British Battleships at War 1939-45.
H/B(1) 1977 (ISBN 0 718 0175 7). H/B(2) USA Edition. P/B Russian Edition, AST, Moscow, 2003; 3) Revised US P/B Editon Stackpole, Mechanicsburg, PA, due 30 September 2008.
A feast of information about the role played by the battleships and battle-cruisers of the Royal Navy in World War II. These ships were usually derided in post-war histories and documentaries as obsolete and not contributing much to the war at sea, with their losses continually highlighted as typical. This very detailed study highlights the true and complete story of the part played by these capital ships, which is very different indeed to that hitherto presented.
Deliberately drawing on previous published sources to highlight the inanities of many of the criticisms made of their role, this book for the first time presented the full story of the major part played by these great ships before they finally faded into history.
The Royal United Services Institute Journal wrote of this book: "Mr Smith has set out to explode a myth...has undoubtedly disproved any suggestion that battleships were idle or ineffective, and in so doing he pays a long overdue tribute to those who fought in these great ships." Skip Ruddertail stated on Amazon.com that: "Peter Smith writes what is probably the best book available on the British battleship, and by extension, the battleship in general. I pride myself on my knowledge of British naval operations, but was surprised to learn a great deal" Similar views were expressed in Russia, where the translation won the National Literature Award, the Belyaev's Medal for the translator and where the book was called, " the best book such kind." Reviewing the new English-language edition Heather L Paris in the USA awarded it five stars and wrote that the book is - "an awesome distillation" and comments on, "the energy and enthusiasm" imparted. "He comprehensively illustrates the effect of the Battleship on the war ..." adding that the book was, "a sensational pleasure to read."