• The Secret History of World War II

  • Spies, Code Breakers, & Covert Operations
  • By: Neil Kagan, Stephen G. Hyslop
  • Narrated by: Andrew Reilly
  • Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (915 ratings)

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The Secret History of World War II  By  cover art

The Secret History of World War II

By: Neil Kagan, Stephen G. Hyslop
Narrated by: Andrew Reilly
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Publisher's summary

From spy missions to code breaking, this account of the covert operations of World War II takes listeners behind the battle lines and deep into the undercover war effort that changed the course of history.

From the authors who created Eyewitness to World War II and numerous other best-selling reference books, this is the shocking story behind the covert activity that shaped the outcome of one of the world's greatest conflicts - and the destiny of millions of people. National Geographic's landmark book illuminates World War II as never before by taking you inside the secret lives of spies and spymasters; secret agents and secret armies; Enigma machines and code breakers; psychological warfare and black propaganda; secret weapons and secret battle strategies. Seven narrative chapters reveal the truth behind the lies and deception that shaped the "secret war". Renowned historian and top-selling author Stephen Hyslop and Neil Kagan reveal this little-known side of the war in captivating detail, weaving in extraordinary eyewitness accounts and information only recently declassified.

©2016 Neil Kagan and Stephen G. Hyslop (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about The Secret History of World War II

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War in the Shadows

My Father was a US Army Air Force Spy during WWII. He was a 2Lt that lead a group of 31 men infiltrated onto a Japanese Occupied Philippine Island. They set up Radio Towers to intercept Japanese Communications. He was also to be on the Third Amphibious Wave onto Mainland Japan.

He told his children that had not the US dropped the Atomic Bombs on Japan. The US casualty rates predicted for the first three Waves if Amphibious Assualts were determined to be very very high. He told his children that he assumed he would not survive. And, therefore we would never have existed.

I am a grandfather myself. I served in the USAF for 29 years as an Intercontinental Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Launch Control Officer that was tasked to launch Nuclear armed Missiles in the event of a Nuclear War. I was also a Fighter Pilot.

Much of my own military service was during the Cold War. This book provided me context has to what my Father did through his 25 years of military service and mine that followed. It also opened my eyes to the Secret War of WWII that then followed into the Cold War. This is very interesting to me because I understand the context of the Cold War more now after reading this book than when I was in it.

And, consequently, I understand more now about what my Father and I performed in service for our Country (US) after reading (listening to it on Audible) than I did at the time of my military service.

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19 people found this helpful

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Barely worth listening

This is a recitation of facts and a few stories. Lots of authoritative information but not engaging at all.

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8 people found this helpful

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Powerful and Well researched historically

I have read many historical accounts of the different aspects of WWII. This one is outstanding in it's integrity and detail. It was clear that the author was committed to telling the truth, even when that truth revealed some unpleasant stories that implicated various members of the elite leaders among the allies in behavior that is surprising to those who have only been exposed to the "Hollywood" version of these events. There were also many wonderful stories of the heroism of the ordinary men and women who fought in the resistance movements. It starts slow but then becomes absolutely fascinating. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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6 people found this helpful

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well done

A lot of interesting information about WWII. Many things that I didn't know, a few things I did. Underscores the importance of secrets and covert operations that have timely implications in today's struggles against terror organizations.

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2 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars

Haphazard collection of information

While moderately interesting, this is an unorganized and choppy collection of WWII tales and info that lack cohesion and structure. Worse, the production quality is poor. The narration sounds like a patchwork of overdubs, as if the producers assembled the individual sentences from different readings made weeks apart. So distracting. Overall not a complete disaster of a book and still enjoyable in parts, but desultory and poorly produced.

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interesting but drags on at times.

good book with lots of information but a little long and drags out. gets boring at times.

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very informative

The book had alot of detail and interesting information. I would read it again as it was alot to digest.

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who would have thought

this is a very interesting story about world war II unfortunately all of them understand but as they say we must record history so we don't repeat it.

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Nice mix of big picture and little known details

Great listen! Except it was constantly reminding the listener it was “ War in the Shadows”

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    4 out of 5 stars

It covers a wide variety of stuff and is a great overview of so many different things in the saboteur world during the war

It was good and well written. There is so much that could be covered but they did their best to make sure to not go overboard on each specific subject so it’s a great springboard especially for people starting out for learning ww2 facts!

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