The breaching of the dams in Germany's industrial heartland was to have a pivotal effect. A triumph for Allied thinking and courage, it convinced Roosevelt to commit to the invasion of Italy and the countdown to the D-Day landings. Sixty years on,The Dambustersdescribes how the pilots overcame the odds to pull off one of the most astonishing military successes in history. Accompanying a major television series, the book uses contemporary re-enactments to show just what an astonishing feat the mission was. Lavishly illustrated, it captures the brilliance of the scientists and the bravery of the crews, as well as the enormous impact their success had on the outcome of war.