The Battle of Britain was a crucial turning point in the history of the WWII. If Britain's defenses collapsed, Hitler would have dominated all of Europe. The German invasion of France and the Low Countries in May 1940 was unlike any the world had ever seen, hitting with unstoppable force. In just a few short weeks, all had crumbled under the force of the Nazi hammer blow. With France facing defeat and British forces pressed back to the Channel, there were few who believed Britain could survive. Soon, it seemed, Hitler would have Europe at his feet. But thanks to a sophisticated defensive system and the combined efforts of the Royal Air Force, the Royal Navy and the mounting collective defiance led by a new Prime Minister, Britain was not ready to roll over just yet. From clashes between coastal convoys and Schnellboote in the Channel to astonishing last stands in Flanders, and from the slaughter by the U-boats in the icy Atlantic to the dramatic aerial battles over England, The Battle of Britain tells this epic story from all sides. Drawing on extensive new research from around the world, it paints a complete picture of an extraordinary summer when the fate of the world hung by a thread.