This well-researched study explores a virtually unknown and largely enigmatic aspect of World War II--the nature of amphibious operations in the Aegean Sea in 1943. More than an historical account, it is designed to interpret and reassess the crucial decisions which influenced the outcome of what has become known as the Dodecanese Disaster. The British operations in the Aegean at that time present many parallels with the recent conflict in the Falklands in terms of scale and order of battle, the critical difference being that operations in the Aegean resulted in tragic failure. The author leads the reader through a web of intrigue, incompetence, fantasy, and cover-up to find the truth. He vividly portrays the tensions between American and British perspectives in the strategy for the war against Germany.

JEFFREY HOLLAND is a member of the family that founded Holland & Holland, the gunmakers. In World War II he served in France, Malta, the Dodecanese, and Germany and was mentioned in dispatches for gallantry on the island of Leros. He is a member of the Special Air Service Regiment and the Special Forces Club.