Looking Down on War

For his latest book Colonel Roy Stanley presents aerial photographs of the German and Italian fleets that were selected as important six decades ago and have long lain dormant, unindexed and unexplained. Extensive use of aerial and other Intelligence imagery from long retired files would be enough to make this book a must for those intrigued by World War II intelligence and naval history. But it is the author's commentary that makes this work truly unique, thanks to his aerial photo interpretation experience, ability to provide Intelligence analysis, and academic background. Meticulously researched for ship identification, the eye of an experienced PI sees things others might miss, and the author tells us what he sees. Some of these photos may have appeared in contemporary documents but never with the insight presented in this book. We see warships under attack, at sea and in harbor as captured by photo reconnaissance. Analysis of selective enlargements adds to the understanding. Even the most devout follower of warships will learn something.

Despite the Luftwaffe being ordered to destroy millions of aerial photos in 1945, the Allies found no less than twenty tons of photos in eleven locations, including a hoard in a Bavarian barn. These together with vast numbers of photographs taken by German soldiers used for Intelligence analysis were put into classified Allied Intelligence files at a time when USAAF and RAF imagery was being destroyed. Covering Iron Curtain countries they were valuable for cartography and target intelligence during the Cold War. The captured German imagery (called GX) in this book show what the German Army knew about the Soviet Union before and during Operation Barbarossa. Examples show Eastern Front landforms, key cities such as Stalingrad, Moscow, Sevastopol, Leningrad and factories. They are accompanied by helpful comments from a skilled photo interpreter. This unique and diverse collection, some taken from 28,000 feet overhead, others taken by soldiers on the ground, reveal the war on the Eastern Front as it has never been seen before.