Friendly Invasion: Memories of Operation Bolero, 1942-1945 - Softcover

Between 1942 and 1945, tens of thousands of young American servicemen arrived in Britain. Most of them were part of an infantry, armoured, or airborne division preparing for the Normandy invasion; others were taking part in the strategic bombardment of Nazi-occupied Europe or the Battle of the Atlantic. Their presence, despite being over a very short period of time, would have a lasting effect on the communities they visited. This book is not a detailed history of the American occupation of the British Isles, nor of the military operations that the Americans took part in, but a captivating examination of the way their presence affected them and the local people during the Second World War. It is a social, rather than a military, history and studies the various relationships forged between the British public and their American guests. Some people worked with the Americans, provided them with accommodation, or lived near their camps. Others were affected by the presence of their war machinery or their music, cinema and dancing. The author provides fascinating insights into how the Americans enjoyed their spare time, their romancing of - and, sometimes, marriages to - British girls, and the controversial topic of GI babies. The Americans' special bond with British children is also explored. Of course, there was bad as well as good, and racism and violence are among the less savoury aspects of the occupation covered. This charming and attractive book, which includes many stunning and previously unpublished photographs, recaptures the atmosphere of a unique period in British history and will appeal to local and war historians alike.