Americans in Europe in the 1930s reported their findings of the changes taking place in Germany, now under Nazi control. Many resisted their stories, reluctant to accept the hard truth, and accused the tale bearers of exaggeration, bias, and war mongering.
Hitler proclaimed his desire for peace when, in fact, he was calling for war under the cloak of his outrageous demands. Individual liberty was the wellspring of Britain and America. The people of democracies were blinded to the reality that not everyone agreed with them. And their pacific nature emboldened the aggressors.
The Germans were surprised when Britain and France declared war. Germany had no western ambitions and wanted peace. They had lived with Hitler’s lies long enough that they failed to distinguish them from the truth. Ordinary Germans were unenthused about war. They expected bombs to fall immediately on Berlin, but nothing happened. They didn’t know the allies were militarily unprepared.
The experience of Americans in Europe is especially interesting. Even they didn’t understand the allies’ unpreparedness. If the allies had stood up to Hitler from the beginning, the war may have been avoided.

I found UNDER A DARKENING SKY to be compulsively readable, as it shared a part of WWII history I did not know. Covering 1939 when Britain declared war to Pearl Harbor in December 1941, this compelling narrative reveals the involvement of American expats in the early fight against the Nazis. Includes a diverse group from across the economic spectrum ... from entertainer Josephine Baker who served as an Allied spy ... to aces James Goodison, Art Donahue, and rich playboy Billy Fiske (the first American volunteer to die in action during the Battle of Britain), who smuggled themselves into Canada so they could fly for the RAF. British military historian Robert Lyman draws upon a wide range of encounters, conversations, and memories to recount the stories of these brave heroes. And that cover is perfect! Highly recommended!

Pub Date 06 Nov 2018

Thanks to Pegasus Books and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

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