{"product_id":"2026100010962-secondhand-the-first-victory-general-oconnors-desert-triumph-dec-1940-feb-1941","title":"The First Victory: General O'Connor's Desert Triumph Dec 1940-Feb 1941","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition remarks:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBook: Good\u003cbr\u003eJacket: Worn\/faded, no tears\u003cbr\u003ePages: Good\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the vast, unforgiving expanse of the North African desert, a brilliant British commander achieved what many thought impossible — a decisive, crushing victory against a vastly superior Italian force in one of the most audacious campaigns of the Second World War. The First Victory chronicles General Richard O'Connor's masterful Operation Compass, the sweeping offensive launched in December 1940 that saw a relatively small British and Commonwealth force annihilate ten Italian divisions, capturing over 130,000 prisoners and reshaping the entire strategic balance of the Mediterranean theatre. George Forty delivers a meticulous and authoritative account of this pivotal campaign, drawing on first-hand accounts, operational records, and rare photographic evidence to reconstruct every critical manoeuvre and decision that led to Britain's first major land victory of the war.\n\nForty, a respected military historian with an encyclopaedic grasp of armoured warfare, presents the campaign not merely as a tactical triumph but as a testament to bold, imaginative generalship in the face of institutional caution and logistical adversity. The narrative illuminates the broader themes of desert warfare — the brutal interplay of terrain, supply lines, and morale — while casting O'Connor as a commander whose genius was tragically cut short by his capture in 1941. Rich in detail yet compellingly readable, this account raises a haunting question: had O'Connor remained free, could the North African campaign have ended years earlier?\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Secondhand Stock","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50609673601243,"sku":"2026100010962-SECONDHAND","price":20.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0523\/7646\/9701\/files\/d80a171f-debf-412b-b558-2160f548685f.png?v=1791764463","url":"https:\/\/bookgrocer.com\/products\/2026100010962-secondhand-the-first-victory-general-oconnors-desert-triumph-dec-1940-feb-1941","provider":"Book Grocer","version":"1.0","type":"link"}