The conflict that would eventually be come to known as World War I was entering its tenth month when the luxury ocean liner Lusitania departed from New York on the way to Liverpool, England. On board were nearly 2,000 people, including crew and 1,265 passengers. The passenger list included an unusually large number of children (95) and infants (39) due to a number of English families wanting to return to their homes as quickly as possible with England's possible entry into the conflict looming. The fastest ship that was still civilian, the speed and size of the Lusitania made the passengers feel they would be safe. In Dead Wake : The Last Crossing of the Lusitania, author Erik Larson opens a window up back to the past, putting people and names in the place of the numbers in the history books as well as showing how spectacularly Germany's intent to end the war only served to draw both England and the United States into it - with a vengeance
.While many people have heard the story of how King Edward VIII gave up the throne and became the Duke of Windsor in order to marry a twice-divorced American woman named Wallis Simpson, fewer have heard the story about the relationship between Edward and Hitler.
17 Carnations, by Andrew Morton, takes a look at a part of history that has largely been either ignored or covered up - Hitler's hopes to conquer England and restore Edward to the English throne as a puppet ruler under his direction.
Following Edward from his days as the prince who was the handsome darling of the British Empire to the aftermath following the end of World War II, it is an intriguing look into the life of a man who was born into a position that seemed to put him constantly at odds with himself and his family.
No comments:
Post a Comment