Richard H Kraemer

The Secret War in the Balkans: a Wwii Memoir Richard H Kraemer

Marc Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 241-244). Publisher Marketing: World War II was the most important event of the twentieth century. Sixty three nations took part, engaging more than 100 million soldiers, sailors, and airmen. All of the major campaigns of that war have been thoroughly covered in print and film with one exception, the secret war in the Balkans. While raids by bombers and fighter attacks were routinely reported by both military and civilian news media, the nocturnal activities of the 60th Troop Carrier Group supplying the Balkan guerrillas remained "Top Secret." Beginning in March 1944, the 60th carried 7,000 tons of weapons and equipment to secret drop and landing zones in Axis-held territory in the Balkans. With this equipment, the guerrillas tied down half a million Axis troops prior to the D-Day landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944. What if the 60th Troop Carrier Group or the guerrillas had not done their job? Adolf Hitler would have been able to move eight or ten divisions to western France prior to D-Day. No on can say with certainty, but this writer's judgment is that the landings may well have failed. At the very least, the war would have been much longer and much more destructive. The importance of the Balkan supply drops to Allied victory in Europe has never been adequately recognized. The Secret War in the Balkans provides this heretofore missing chapter in the story of World War II. Contributor Bio:  Kraemer, Richard H Richard Kraemer served 21 years of active duty in the Air Force before starting his teaching career. He received his Ph. D. from the Department of Government, the University of Texas at Austin, in 1970 and has been a faculty member there since 1965. His field is American Government, specializing in Texas Politics and National Security Policy. He is the author and co-author of over a dozen books, mostly about Texas politics, as well as other publications. Dr. Kraemer is the recipient of two teaching awards, the Jean Holloway Award for Excellence in Teaching and a national award from the Arnold Air Society.