World War II Plans That Never Happened

A Nazi scheme to capture the Pope, an IRA plan to invade Northern Ireland, a British plan to attack the Soviet Union after the defeat of Hitler or a Japanese seizure of the Panama Canal - it may sound unbelievable, but during World War II these operations and others as seemingly far-fetched were seriously considered by both the Allies and the Axis. World War II Plans That Never Happened tells the stories of some of the most secret and outrageous operations that were planned during the war, many of which could have taken place and might well have changed the course of history: from the German plan to seize bases in Spain and Portugal and invade Switzerland, to the Japanese plan to bomb the United States, to the American plan to use Marines to attack V-1 bases in Europe, and the British plan to invade Norway and Sweden in 1939/40. Using documents newly released from war archives, World War II Plans That Never Happened explains the context of each planned operation and explores whether it might have been successful, and what the impact might have been on the war if it had gone ahead. Arranged chronologically, the book includes copies and transcripts of previously secret documents, rare colour and black-and-white photographs, illustrations and maps. World War II Plans That Never Happened will prove fascinating to anyone interested in World War II.