Engineers of Victory
The Problem Solvers Who Turned the Tide in the Second World War
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Narrated by:
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Stephen Hoye
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By:
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Paul Kennedy
About this listen
New York Times Bestseller
Paul Kennedy, award-winning author of The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers and one of today’s most renowned historians, now provides a new and unique look at how World War II was won.
Engineers of Victory is a fascinating nuts-and-bolts account of the strategic factors that led to Allied victory. Kennedy reveals how the leaders’ grand strategy was carried out by the ordinary soldiers, scientists, engineers, and businessmen responsible for realizing their commanders’ visions of success.
In January 1943, FDR and Churchill convened in Casablanca and established the Allied objectives for the war: To defeat the Nazi blitzkrieg; to control the Atlantic sea lanes and the air over western and central Europe; to take the fight to the European mainland; and to end Japan’s imperialism. Astonishingly, a little over a year later, these ambitious goals had nearly all been accomplished. With riveting, tactical detail, Engineers of Victory reveals how.
Kennedy takes readers behind the scenes, unveiling exactly how thousands of individual Allied planes and fighting ships were choreographed to collectively pull off the invasion of Normandy, and illuminating how crew chiefs perfected the high-flying and inaccessible B-29 Super fortress that would drop the atomic bombs on Japan.
The story of World War II is often told as a grand narrative, as if it were fought by supermen or decided by fate. Here Kennedy uncovers the real heroes of the war, highlighting for the first time the creative strategies, tactics, and organizational decisions that made the lofty Allied objectives into a successful reality. In an even more significant way, Engineers of Victory has another claim to our attention, for it restores “the middle level of war” to its rightful place in history.
©2013 Paul Kennedy (P)2014 Audible, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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In fiction, the spy is a glamorous figure whose secrets make or break peace, but, historically, has intelligence really been a vital step to military victories? In this breakthrough study, the preeminent war historian John Keegan goes to the heart of a series of important conflicts to develop a powerful argument about military intelligence. In his characteristically wry and perceptive prose, Keegan offers us nothing short of a new history of war through the prism of intelligence.
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Military history more than history of intelligence
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The Rise of Germany, 1939-1941
- The War in The West, Volume 1
- By: James Holland
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 27 hrs and 44 mins
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Story
For seven decades, our understanding of World War II has been shaped by a standard narrative built on conventional wisdom, propaganda, the dramatic but narrow experiences of soldiers on the ground, and an early generation of historians. For his new history, James Holland has spent over 12 years unearthing new research, recording original testimony, and visiting battlefields and archives that have never before been so accessible.
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Good Book painfully read
- By richard on 01-21-16
By: James Holland
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The Second World War: A Captivating Guide to World War II and D-Day
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 4 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Explore how the Second World War began, the aftermath, and the events in between, while also getting an in-depth look into the extraordinary military operation called D-Day. The Second World War was one of the most traumatic events in human history. Across the world, existing conflicts became connected, entangling nations in a vast web of violence. D-Day was one of the most extraordinary achievements not only of the Second World War but in the whole of military history.
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Very Well Written
- By Jack on 01-03-18
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Islands of Destiny
- By: John Prados
- Narrated by: Richard Ferrone
- Length: 17 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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Story
Acclaimed WWII historian and military intelligence expert John Prados offers a provocative reassessment of the Allies’ battle for the Solomon Islands - a turbulent, dramatic campaign that, he argues, was the true turning point of the Pacific conflict.
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Way too much detail
- By Eric on 01-15-17
By: John Prados
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Eagle Against the Sun
- The American War With Japan
- By: Ronald H. Spector
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 23 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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Spector reassesses US and Japanese strategy and offers some provocative interpretations. He shows that the dual advance across the Pacific by MacArthur and Nimitz was less a product of strategic calculation and more a pragmatic solution to bureaucratic, doctrinal, and public relations problems facing the Army and Navy. He also argues that Japan made its fatal error not in the Midway campaign but in abandoning its offensive strategy after that defeat and allowing itself to be drawn into a war of attrition.
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OK as an overview, but too little detail
- By Mike From Mesa on 03-21-22
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The Storm of War
- A New History of the Second World War
- By: Andrew Roberts
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 28 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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The Second World War lasted for 2,174 days, cost $1.5 trillion, and claimed the lives of more than 50 million people. Why did the Axis lose? And could they, with a different strategy, have won? Andrew Roberts's acclaimed new history has been hailed as the finest single-volume account of this epic conflict. From the western front to North Africa, from the Baltic to the Far East, he tells the story of the war - the grand strategy and the individual experience, the cruelty and the heroism - as never before.
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A very interesting book with some shortcomings.
- By Mike From Mesa on 10-24-11
By: Andrew Roberts
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D Day: A Captivating Guide to the Battle for Normandy
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 1 hr and 58 mins
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Performance
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D-day, the Allied invasion of German-held Normandy, was one of the most extraordinary achievements not only of the Second World War, but in the whole of military history. Millions of Allied personnel were involved in launching the greatest sea-borne invasion ever undertaken. Incredible acts of cunning and of courage ensured success in an operation that changed the face of the war, opening a vast new front. It led to the liberation of France and the defeat of Nazi Germany.
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The author is great.......
- By Alberta Augustine on 11-25-17
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Hubris
- The Tragedy of War in the Twentieth Century
- By: Alistair Horne
- Narrated by: James Adams
- Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins
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Overall
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Performance
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Sir Alistair Horne has been a close observer of war and history for more than 50 years, and in this wise and masterly work he revisits six battles of the past century and examines the strategies, leadership, preparation, and geopolitical goals of aggressors and defenders to reveal the one trait that links them all: hubris.
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I Never Heard W ll Explained this Way!
- By John on 09-01-16
By: Alistair Horne
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Storm over Leyte
- The Philippine Invasion and the Destruction of the Japanese Navy
- By: John Prados
- Narrated by: Ricard Ferrone
- Length: 16 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
As Allied ships prepared for the invasion of the Philippine island of Leyte, every available warship, submarine, and airplane was placed on alert while Japanese admiral Kurita Takeo stalked Admiral William F. Halsey's unwitting American armada. It was the beginning of the epic Battle of Leyte Gulf - the greatest naval battle in history.
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Startling revelations to a 72 year battle!
- By Chiefkent on 07-31-16
By: John Prados
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American Heritage History of World War II
- By: Stephen E. Ambrose, C. L. Sulzberger
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In planes and foxholes, in deserts and jungles, on ships and beaches, Ambrose shines a light on the people involved - the leaders, the fighters, the victims. With chapters on the atrocities of the Holocaust and revelations about the secret war of espionage, Ambrose's analysis also offers insight into the events that precipitated the Cold War.
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Excellent overview of WWII
- By Laura Kernen on 11-15-18
By: Stephen E. Ambrose, and others
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South Pacific Cauldron
- World War II's Great Forgotten Battlegrounds
- By: Alan Rems
- Narrated by: Michael Prichard
- Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Unlike most other World War II accounts, this work covers the South Pacific operations in detail. The audiobook includes many now-forgotten operations that deserve to be well remembered. Significantly, the official Australian history of World War II correctly observed that Australia's part in the Pacific war is barely mentioned in American histories. This volume finally brings the major Australian contribution to the fore.
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A little dry but informative
- By Damien on 02-20-15
By: Alan Rems
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War at the End of the World
- Douglas MacArthur and the Forgotten Fight for New Guinea 1942-1945
- By: James P. Duffy
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 14 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
One American soldier called it "a green hell on Earth". Monsoon-soaked wilderness, debilitating heat, impassable mountains, torrential rivers, and disease-infested swamps - New Guinea was a battleground far more deadly than the most fanatical of enemy troops. Japanese forces numbering some 600,000 men began landing in January 1942, determined to seize the island as a cornerstone of the empire's strategy to knock Australia out of the war.
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The WW2 New Guinea Campaign
- By William R. Todd-Mancillas (Name includes hyphen and capitalized M). on 09-26-18
By: James P. Duffy
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important message but repetitive
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What listeners say about Engineers of Victory
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Ian K O'Malley
- 09-20-22
Blessed are the problem solvers
This is a wonderful review of the importance of organization, defined processes and a culture of encouragement in tackling big problems... well researched and organized for consumption, I enjoyed this book and highly recommend... cheers
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- Amazon Customer
- 07-14-22
Less of a Gadget book, more a top level strategy
The title implies it focuses on individual inventions but the actual narrative is focused on the problems planners of the war faced and what innovations were created to overcome those problems as well as small asides to the gadget when there was an interesting story or something important to the overall theme of middle management working in tandem with overall command
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- Amazon Customer
- 02-05-21
Logistics, Not Strategy, Tactics, or Technology
A good overview of five major actions in the Second World War--but from the view of the logistical "problem solvers", not the big name generals. I expected, though, that Kennedy would be writing more on the technical problems, and the stories of how they were solved. Instead, Kennedy mentions the technical and strategic innovations and the problems they solved, without saying much about how those solutions were developed, or the technical details of how they worked. I will say that I feel better equipped to learn more about the War.
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- Jason Minahan
- 04-30-15
Dry
Dry, but some interesting points.
Would probably disagree about some of the blanket statements "strategic bombing worked".
Really like hearing about Ramsay and the "funnies".
Not as much tech content as I would've liked.
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- Bryan
- 10-23-14
Another aspect of the Great Battles of WW2
What made the experience of listening to Engineers of Victory the most enjoyable?
A very clearly organized presentation of what went on behind the scenes to enable success to be achieved by the Allies. This narrative includes the many blunders that occurred along the way and most of all how luck played a major part in the final outcome.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Engineers of Victory?
The very detailed descriptions of the events leading up to the creation of the various weapons and the technology that gave the Allied Powers the tools needed to achieve the result.
What about Stephen Hoye’s performance did you like?
This was good. A clear and at times dramatic presentation of the story. Not at all boring while dealing with a number of unusual factors that are not highlighted by other historians
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
No particular part. Rather the entire story demonstrated how victory was achieved notwithstanding the many and different viewpoints about what should be done and where the resources should be concentrated. The jealousy between different services and the claims and counter claims were all brought into context with the overall strategy. The leaders at the time were far from perfect but their combined wisdom achieved the results where it counted most. A fantastic description of how the different views, hopes and desires of various Nations forming the Allied Coalition could actually agree on common goals and, as a result, get to the final victory.
Any additional comments?
Well worth a listen for anyone interested in the history of WW 2 who would like to explore behind the headlines about the detail of how it was all made possible. A great story and well worth a listen.
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- Aaron Sigritz
- 11-23-22
Excellent Work by an Excellent Author
I don’t understand the negative reviews. I’ve followed Paul Kennedy since first reading The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers 35 years ago. This book is not up to the level of that masterpiece, and is quite good. Having worked in logistics, civil engineering, project management, and for the DoD, I believe his narrative and analysis are beneficial and insightful. If you want to understand the global strategic challenges the US has faced, and faces today, read this and any other work by Paul Kennedy.
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- Mortimer
- 07-14-15
A Better Way of Getting Things Done
I am surprised at some of the reviews of this book. The definition of engineering can be "a calculated manipulation or direction" To me, the title does not suggest anything but what the author accomplishes in this book: a description and analysis of the major issues the allies had to overcome to achieve victory. It is not, as one reviewer mentioned, just another rehash of WW II.
I find that most wars and their component battles have been overly described (though I would except Rick Atkinson's from this). I can't even count the number of books describing the Battle of the Bulge and the Bastogne segment of it. I found this text to be a refreshing alternative to the typical descriptions. I suppose that you could just read it as another WW II book, but his description and analysis of the primary problems that the Allies had to find solutions to departs from the typical formula. As he says, the Germans didn't fail to try hard enough to win, but the Allies simply found "a better way of getting things done."
I also find that his frank and honest assessment of the uninspired, sometimes downright backward, thinking of the British and Americans almost brought about failure rather than victory.
I think that this book is an excellent read, and something different for anyone interested in the history of World War II.
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- James T. Hopper
- 03-09-15
Great overview of WWII.
A great read for the details between the creation of the technologies and middle management that lead to the successful
battles of WWII.
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- Eclectic_Nils
- 01-31-21
How WW2 was really won, and lost
A fascinating insight into the backroom boys, and sometimes girls, who turned the tide of the war and brought victory by intelligent and relentless application of overwhelming force, and the leaders who empowered and unleashed it. Fortunately the opposing sides were found lacking in several crucial qualities or the outcome may have been very different.
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- Dennis Jameson
- 05-25-24
Trial By Competency
Kennedy makes the case that the Allies won because they made the fewest mistakes because their decisions were the most rationale. And the key was the Allies listening to middle managers and encouraging and implementing innovation. As the war went on the Allies got better--much better! The Axis did not. Narration was excellent and engaging.
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