Last Hope Island:
Britain, occupied Europe, and the brotherhood that helped turn the tide of war
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Last Hope Island:
Britain, occupied Europe, and the brotherhood that helped turn the tide of war
Overview
An engrossing account of how Britain became the base of operations for the exiled leaders of Europe in their desperate struggle to reclaim their continent from Hitler.
When the Nazi blitzkrieg rolled over continental Europe in the early days of World War II, the city of London became a refuge for the governments and armed forces of six occupied nations — Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Norway, Czechoslovakia, and Poland — who escaped there to continue the fight. So, too, did General Charles de Gaulle, the self- appointed representative of free France. As the only European democracy still holding out against Hitler, Britain became known to occupied countries as ‘Last Hope Island’.
In this epic, character-driven narrative, acclaimed historian and New York Times–bestselling author Lynne Olson takes us back to those perilous days when the British and their European guests joined forces to combat the mightiest military force in history and restore order to a broken continent.
Details
- Format
- Size
- Extent
- ISBN
- RRP
- Pub date
- Hardback
- 234mm x 153mm
- 576 pages
- 9781925322088
- AUD$49.99
- 1 May 2017
Awards
- Shortlisted for the 2018 Military History Monthly Book of the Year Awards
Praise
‘For a year, between the fall of France and the German invasion of the Soviet Union, the men and women of the seven countries of occupied Europe were Britain’s only non-colonial allies. For them Britain was the only hope. The nature of that unbalanced relationship, so crucial to the postwar future of the Continent, is the subject of this fascinating, uplifting and at times horrifying book … A complex narrative of need and desperation, tales of almost unimaginable courage, brilliant improvisation, fantastic stupidity and vile treachery … Exciting and informative.’
‘[An] excellent book … [Olson] acknowledges that British bravery and determination were the only things that gave Europe hope during the darkest days of the war. Europeans have always been grateful for this, and continue to be so today. We British have not always shown the same sense of gratitude. Olson’s message is simple: when it comes to the Second World War at least, we should give credit where credit is due.’
About the Author
Lynne Olson is a New York Times bestselling author of ten books of history, most of which focus on World War II. Olson’s previous book, Empress of the Nile, was published by Scribe in 2023. Other books by Olson include Last Hope Island, Madame Fourcade’s Secret War, and Citizens of London.
