Skies of Thunder : The deadly World War II mission over the roof of the world - Caroline Alexander

Skies of Thunder

The deadly World War II mission over the roof of the world

By: Caroline Alexander

Paperback | 4 March 2025

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The little-known story of the Allies' fight in WWII's chaotic and lethal China-Burma-India theatre.

The little-known story of the Allies' fight in WWII's chaotic and lethal China-Burma-India theatre.

In April 1942, the Imperial Japanese Army captured Burma, closing the only ground route from India to China. Supplies now had to be flown over the treacherous Himalayas, on the world's most dangerous air route.

This is the story of the Allied troops who braved this perilous journey, flying unreliable aircraft through monsoons and enemy fire, with primitive navigation tools. Caroline Alexander delves into memoirs and records to reveal the pilots' and soldiers' experiences and portrays the exploits of commanders like 'Vinegar Joe' Stillwell and Claire Lee Chennault. The result is a litany of both deadly crashes and astonishing feats of survival.

While highlighting the efforts of units like the Flying Tigers and Merrill's Marauders, and examining the political tensions between Roosevelt, Churchill, and Chiang Kai-shek, this book also exposes the fractures between the Allies and the impact of these decisions on post-war relations. A masterpiece of modern war history.

About the Author

Caroline Alexander is the The New York Times bestselling author of The Endurance, The Bounty and other acclaimed works of non-fiction, as well as a new translation of Homer's Iliad. She read Philosophy and Theology at Oxford University as a Rhodes scholar and has a doctorate in classics from Columbia University. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Granta, and National Geographic among other publications.
Industry Reviews
Riveting' * The New York Times *

'A clear and engaging narrative ... A thorough, but never dull, history for the reader curious about the reality of World War II' * The New York Journal of Books *

'Well-detailed and engagingly told' * The Wall Street Journal *

'A thrilling aviation adventure that also casts an assured historical lens on a lesser-known arena of WWII diplomacy, this is sure to enrapture readers' * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *

'Readers interested in the China-Burma-India Theater of World War II and Asian history will enjoy Alexander's detailed and beautifully written account' * Library Journal (starred review) *

'A fresh narrative that pulls readers into the challenges and complexities of this enormous theater of vast jungle and mountain at the end of the world' * U.S. Army War College Press *

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