Coventry: Thursday, 14 November 1940

The German Luftwaffe's air raid on Coventry, England on the night of November 14, 1940 represented a new kind of air warfare. Aimed primarily at obliterating all aspects of city life, it was systematic, thorough, unconnected to any immediate military goal, and indifferent to civilian casualties. In a single night, roughly two-thirds of the city's buildings were damaged or destroyed as the bombers laid waste to legitimate industrial targets and civilian structures alike. The old St. Michael's Cathedral, a 14th century Gothic structure that burned to the ground that night, still stands in ruins today as a testament to the city's destruction during the raid. Pragmatic British government propagandists would exploit Coventry's perceived status as a historic town, playing down the city's industrial reputation. This would prove to be a powerful tool, and, as Frederick Taylor shows, was instrumental in tipping public opinion in the then-neutral United States away from isolationism and in favor of help for Britain. But the bombing would also set a dangerous and destructive precedent as Allied air forces would study the Germans' methods in the attack and ultimately employ similar tactics in their equally ruthless and destructive attacks on German cities, eventually leading to the bombing of Hamburg in 1943 and Dresden in 1945 that killed hundreds of thousands, mostly civilians. On the 75th anniversary of the Coventry bombing, acclaimed historian Frederick Taylor brilliantly narrates this momentous act and analyzes its impact on World War II and the moral quandaries it still engenders about the nature of warfare.

About the Author :
Frederick Taylor is the author of the acclaimed bestsellers Dresden and The Berlin Wall, both of which have appeared in many languages; The Downfall of Money: Germany's Hyperinflation and the Destruction of the Middle Class; Exorcising Hitler: The Occupation and Denazification of Germany; and he also edited and translated The Goebbels Diaries 1939-1941. He has lectured all over the world and appeared in several major television documentary series, including most recently the History Channel's The Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall and PBS's The Wall: A World Divided. He is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society and lives in Cornwall, England.

Review :
"A superb portrait of some of the realities of World War II and the increasingly destructive technology created during that time." --starred review, Kirkus In the six-year history of World War II, there were few events that struck more fear in the hearts and minds of participants than the indiscriminate, so-called terror bombing of civilians and non-military targets . . . Coventry's demise stood out as an early example of terror bombing and . . . Frederick Taylor has brought that experience to the forefront in an engaging volume. --New York Journal of Books Taylor is skilled at mixing examination of the great issues surrounding the Coventry raid with eyewitness testimony and other personal reactions . . . His authoritative and deeply thought out as well as researched conclusions are convincing to say the least. --The Washington Times In his latest book he has turned his attention to Britain's equivalent event--the far less catastrophic but no less mythologised bombing of Coventry . . . Well written, well researched and admirably detached . . . His familiarity with local details shines through in every sentence. --Literary Review "Frederick Taylor's impressive book is easily the most authoritative study available of the devastation of Coventry 75 years ago. Drawing on extensive research and a detailed knowledge of the bombing war, Taylor's careful analysis undermines several longstanding myths in constructing a gripping account of the background to the raid and the destruction of the city." --Sir Ian Kershaw, author of HITLER: A BIOGRAPHY Taylor's work powerfully portrays a city trapped in the crucible of war. --World War II Magazine [H]ighly recommended for anyone interested in World War II history. --Historical Novel Society