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Submitted by
Steve Mercatante
on: Nov 8 2015 - 3:56pm

The World War Two era USS Independence (CVL-22) was one of many US Navy ships to carry the name independence (leading up to today's Littoral Combat Ship: LCS-2). What made this Independence unique was that it was the lead ship in a class of light aircraft carriers produced from converted cruisers.

What many forget today is that in 1941 the US Navy was desperate to find additional decks to support its existing carrier fleet, which throughout the first years of the Second World War was

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Submitted by
Steve Mercatante
on: Sep 22 2015 - 12:44pm

The Michigan War Studies Review has published my review of Rolf-Dieter Müller's Enemy in the East: Hitler's Secret Plans to Invade the Soviet Union. This book offers an intriguing look at the origins of German planning for an invasion of the Soviet Union, and the place of Poland in those plans. Anyone interested in this aspect of the war should find this book quite enjoyable.

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Submitted by
Steve Mercatante
on: Sep 3 2015 - 4:40pm

The Michigan War Studies Review has published my review of Peter Caddick-Adam's Snow and Steel: The Battle of the Bulge, 1944–45. This is quite possibly the best book I have read on the subject, and that is saying something (given the sheer number of studies I have read).

If you are interested in how and why Hitler's final great Western Front offensive was an abject failure then this is the book for you. Finally, if The Battle of the Bulge holds a special place of interest for you then please

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Submitted by
Steve Mercatante
on: Aug 28 2015 - 7:19pm

On December 16, 1944 the Battle of the Bulge, or Operation Herbstnebel (Autumn Mist), began. It remains the largest battle the U.S. Army has participated in outside of the U.S. Civil War, and hundreds of books have been penned about it. But it is a German commando operation during the Nazi offensive that has created one of the Second World War's more intriguing mysteries. One that remains unsolved to this day.

In the fall of 1944 Adolf Hitler asked Otto Skorzeny to create a special unit to

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Submitted by
Steve Mercatante
on: Aug 1 2015 - 7:48pm

Good news, I finally convinced my publisher to lower the price of my book for my readers! It's now on sale for $14.97 (plus S&H) which is 50% off the original softcover price of $29.95. This is a special offer for visitors to Globe at War and twitter followers only!

Why Germany Nearly Won has sold well in its various editions - doubtlessly thanks to the many positive reader reviews, professional reviews, and endorsements it has garnered. For that I am grateful.

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Submitted by
Steve Mercatante
on: Jul 24 2015 - 5:50pm

Just added four new pictures to our WWII gallery. These are of the Second World War era USN Great Lakes Training Carriers USS Sable (pictured) and USS Wolverine plus some shots of aircraft operating off their flight decks.

You can go to the gallery using the links at the top of the page or here. Enjoy, and don't forget to click on the pictures you are interested in to read the accompanying descriptions.

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Submitted by
Steve Mercatante
on: Jun 28 2015 - 3:24pm

Stephen Barratt's two-volume set Zhitomir-Berdichev (sold separately) should go down as the definitive look from the German side of the hill at the critically important combat operations on Army Group South's left flank during the lead up to the far more famous Battle of the Korsun Pocket.

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Submitted by
Steve Mercatante
on: May 25 2015 - 12:57pm

When we think of the U.S. Marine Corps and World War II we all too often think of grand amphibious assaults at places like Tarawa or Iwo Jima. Rarely do we consider that the U.S. Marine Corps was, and is, more than a bunch of highly trained light infantry. So on this year's Memorial Day I would like to remind our readers of a few of the U.S. Marine Corps stunning Second World War aviation accomplishments.

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Submitted by
Steve Mercatante
on: May 5 2015 - 9:35pm

The Third Reich's last week is often described as a lightly contested race between the Allied and Soviet armies to see who could secure the most territory. The reality was anything but so simple. What many Americans don't appreciate is that the vicious fighting characterizing the Nazi-Soviet conflict continued well past the official end of the war.

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Submitted by
Steve Mercatante
on: Apr 10 2015 - 5:08pm

I am happy to report Why Germany Nearly Won has landed another positive review. This time it comes from Historyofwar.org.

The website's well regarded Second World War historians (website editor Peter Antill has authored three World War II books with Osprey, and his co-editors also have solid credentials) endorsed my work as seen in the following excerpt from their full review:

"Mercatante's main argument is that quality was more important than quantity when attempting to explain the course of

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