Why read The First Victory?

Book cover of The First Victory: The Second World War and the East Africa Campaign

Book description

A riveting new account of the long-overlooked achievement of British-led forces who, against all odds, scored the first major Allied victory of the Second World War

Surprisingly neglected in accounts of Allied wartime triumphs, in 1941 British and Commonwealth forces completed a stunning and important victory in East Africa against…

Explore

Topics

Genres

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The First Victory as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Karen Horn

Author

Andrew Stewart’s book left me in no doubt that the Second World War still holds many hidden tales.

The "first victory" he writes about, is the victory of the British and Commonwealth forces over the Italian colonies in East Africa. I loved the way Stewart describes the complex relationships between men like Churchill and Generals Wavell and Cunningham.

Yet, for me, it is the setting: African bush, rivers, and mountains–and their effect on the military strategy in this war theatre that held my interest.

From Karen's list on The best books on Africa and the Second World War.