Hitler's Rockets

The Story of the V-2s

By: Norman Longmate

Narrated by: Steve West

Britain was the first country to ever suffer a ballistic missile attack from beyond its borders. This book tells the story of that attack. During 1942 and 1943, confusing rumours circulated about the German development of a 'giant rocket'. Most experts, including Winston Churchill's own scientific adviser Lord Cherwell, declared that such a weapon was impossible. It was only after the patient sifting of European intelligence that the most influential doubters were convinced such a weapon was being built. Then on 8 September 1944, the first V-2 landed in Chiswick. Between then and the final rocket impact on 27 March 1945, more than a thousand landed on British soil, killing nearly three thousand people and seriously injuring more than six thousand.

Arriving at supersonic speed, without warning, and with the defenses powerless against them they did enormous damage and had a serious effect on morale. In Hitler's Rockets, Norman Longmate tells the story of this technically brilliant weapon, the ancestor and forerunner of all subsequent ballistic missiles. He reveals the devious power-play within the German armed forces and the Nazi establishment which so influenced the creation of the rockets. He also shows through contemporary documents and protagonists' accounts how the British intelligence skillfully pieced together often contradictory evidence as it sought to establish the true nature of the threat.

©2009 Norman Longmate (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Excellent history of the V-2

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, absolutely. The book is a serious but accessible history of the V-2 program, covering the key developments in rocketry technology the made the V-2 possible in the late 1930s; the military and political imperatives that propelled its development by the Reich (but not by the allies) in the final years of the war; it's operational success and strategic failure; and ultimately, the V-2's role as the direct precursor of all strategic nuclear missiles, especially those which defined balance-of-power during the Cold War. It succeeds in doing all of this.

The level of technical detail is just-right for the average reader interested in learning more about this fascinating niche of warfare during WW II, and early modern ballistic rocketry more generally, and the pace is quick and entertaining. The book does not offer much if any new insight on military strategy and doctrines of Hitler and the Reich, but limits its scope to the V-2 program and it's impact (or lack thereof) on the air war in Europe.

Very good history. Well worth the credit.

What other book might you compare Hitler's Rockets to and why?

Demons under the Microscope

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Too little, too late, thank God.

Does not cover the subject in enough detail

Unfortunately sometimes it happens that there is only one available book on an interesting subject, but that doesn't suficciently cover the topic. This is the case with Hitler's Rocket by Norman Longmate. Only a somewhat cursory review of the biographies of von Braun and Dornberger are covered here. Their efforts towards building a rocket (either to hit the moon or London [LOL]) are not covered in enough detail during the 1920s and 1930s. In addition, the author seems to go on forever about the British cabinets' discussion of whether the Germans were actually building a rocket (prior to the first launching in Sept of 1944). This would not be a problem if the author had spent more time in writing on the development of the bomb itself.

If you're interested in this topic, there's nothing else available in spoken word format. I would
suggest getting a copy of The Rocket and the Reich by Michael J. Neufeld as alternative.

Lots of facts but sterile reading

Was Hitler's Rockets worth the listening time?

This history of Hitler’s V2 rocket program is a well-researched, fact-abundant chronology of mankind’s first guided ballistic missile. It deals primarily with the period of 1941-45 and the efforts of the Nazis to develop/use it as a terror weapon and the British attempts to monitor its development and then, once it began to rain down on British cities, minimize its impact on morale. In this, the book succeeds mostly through its preponderance of facts, including an almost missile by missile account of devastation and causalities, interspersed with eyewitness statements. Clearly, Longmate has done his homework and my eyes were opened to both the scale of its use as well as the utter helplessness of the British to defend against/cope with it. What is lacking here though is really any compelling narrative to draw the reader in – Longmate does not offer much in terms of either the technical challenges the German scientists faced in developing it or the British in defending against it or the personalities, motives, and conflicts of the key figures on either side. Rather, what you get is a somewhat sterile chronological recap of events with perhaps the first quarter of the book devoted almost exclusively to the development of the V2 and the last three quarters to its effects as a weapon. A more adept writer might have found a way to interweave the two storylines throughout the book in order to create a more continuous and less fragmented narrative. Still, for those who want to know more about this small bit of WWII history, Hitler’s Rockets will satisfy but likely not delight

Another British Version of the War

What disappointed you about Hitler's Rockets?

Poorly titled - mostly details of missile hits in England

What was most disappointing about Norman Longmate’s story?

Boring repetition of missile hit reports - not really a story.

Any additional comments?

Scientific and historic interest in the V2 will find this book a great disappointment. Look elsewhere. This book is just the British perspective of V2 attacks.

More About the Effects, Less About the Rockets

This book starts off strong with promising details about the development of the V-Rockets, but quickly shifts focus. The majority of the book revolves around the impact of the V-2 rockets on London and the people who endured their destruction, rather than a technical exploration of the rockets themselves. If you're looking for a deep dive into the engineering or the scientists behind the V-2s, this isn't the book for you. While the narrator did well, I was left wanting more detail on how the V-2 worked and less about its aftermath. I'd recommend it only for those interested in the human side of the V-2 attacks, not for those seeking a comprehensive look at the rockets themselves.