{"product_id":"operation-bowler-the-audacious-allied-bombing-of-venice-during-world-war-ii-9781639369195","title":"Operation Bowler: The Audacious Allied Bombing of Venice During World War II","description":"\u003cb\u003eA story of incredible military daring--set against the splendor of Venice--that tells how an unlikely squad of pilots executed the most meticulous air raid of World War II.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eMarch 21st, 1945. Bursting through a hazy sky, dozens of Allied fighters and bombers sweep over German-occupied Venice. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Their mission: destroy Germany's strategic outposts nestled along the port, while leaving the floating city unscathed. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e As bombs rained down upon Europe, flattening city after city, Venice--La Serenissima; home of Titian and Veronese; immortalized in the serene landscapes of Canaletto--remained sacrosanct. Its artistic and architectural treasure too considerable, too precious to risk destruction. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e But as the push up through Italy reached its final, grueling months, the Allies were confronted with a terrible dilemma. The ancient city of Venice was now closer and closer to the line of fire. As casualties mounted, the value of art--of history--seemed diminished; just a month earlier Allied bombers had reduced the ancient hilltop abbey of Monte Cassino to a stony husk. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e In this vivid narrative, bestselling author Jonathan Glancey reveals the thrilling story of Operation Bowler. Following the exploits of audacious Wing Commander George Westlake and his elite team, \u003ci\u003eOperation Bowler\u003c\/i\u003e explores how an unlikely squad of pilots executed the most meticulous and complex air raid of World War II, sparing not only Venice but also its people.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJonathan Glancey\u003c\/b\u003e is a journalist, author, and broadcaster working in Britain. He has been the Architecture\/Design correspondent for the \u003ci\u003eGuardian\u003c\/i\u003e and the Architecture\/Design editor of the \u003ci\u003eIndependent\u003c\/i\u003e in London. An honorary fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, he is a member of the Committee of International Architectural Critics. He writes for the \u003ci\u003eDaily Telegraph\u003c\/i\u003e among other publications and is the author of \u003ci\u003eSpitfire: The Biography\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eConcorde: The Rise and Fall of the Supersonic Airliner\u003c\/i\u003e; and \u003ci\u003eThe Story of Architecture\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003ci\u003eOperation Bowler\u003c\/i\u003e is his first book published in America.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Pegasus Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51415307714834,"sku":"9781639369195","price":23.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_3d5375ae-9c9f-4cfd-920f-385621d50414.jpg?v=1751132990","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/operation-bowler-the-audacious-allied-bombing-of-venice-during-world-war-ii-9781639369195","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}