A follow-up to 2007's highly successful FUBAR: Soldier Slang of World War II, SNAFU covers the slang of sailors and airmen, as well as soldiers.

Military life has always been ruled by its own language, specific sets of terms and phrases that separate the serving man or woman from their civilian counterpart. There is the official version of ranks and acronyms, and the more unofficial, colloquial language of the barrack room and battlefield - both are covered in this humourous look at soldier slang.

World War II saw vast numbers of young men and women pass through the ranks of the various armies involved, and they inherited and developed a vocabulary in response to their unique situations - many of whose words and phrases have passed into the common vernacular and are still in use right up to the present day. SNAFU explores the language and slang of the major combatant powers, delving into their origins and explaining their uses, all illustrated with contemporary cartoons and other images showing the phrases in use. Detailed sections are included for each of the major combatants of World War II, and additional appendices detail the nicknames given to the major surface vessels and aircraft types of the war.

Acknowledgments
Author's note
Introduction
Phonetic Alphabets
PART I – American Slang
US Navy
US Aviation Services
US Army and Marine Corps
PART II – British Slang
Royal Navy
Royal Air Force
British Army
PART III – German Slang
Kriegsmarine
Luftwaffe
Heer
Appendix 1 – Crew Nicknames for Ships
Appendix 2 – US Navy Ship Types
Appendix 3 – US Aircraft Official Names
Appendix 4 – Commonwealth Official Aircraft Names
Appendix 5 – Aircraft Class and Manufactures' Codes
Abbreviations
Select Bibliography