During the summer of 1940, the world held its breath. The greatest operation in German military history thus far - an invasion of the British Isles - was Hitler's logical next step. After the rapid overthrow of France, Great Britain was the only opponent still left.

All Britain was convinced that the Germans would come. They had nothing left with which to oppose the German panzers. In only five weeks the Germans had crushed France and expelled the BEF from Belgium. Now those panzers stood on the Channel coast, waiting for the order to send them to England.

But it was remarkably difficult for the German military leadership to come to a decision. The Luftwaffe was to create the primary condition for Operation 'Sea Lion' - gaining command of the air, without which a landing on the English coast was impossible. The fight developed into the 'Battle of Britain', in which the very existence of Great Britain was at stake.

Those events and the decisions made during Britain's nightmare summer of 1940 receive a fresh and penetrating analysis in this book. Most other books on the subject have been written from a British point of view. Now translated into English, it supplies a German angle - both stimulating and controversial - which will fuel the argument over Operation 'Sea Lion' for years to come.

Egbert Kieser makes use of the very latest documentary evidence to assess the events of 1940 and to answer the vital questions - Why did they not come? If they had come, could they have succeeded? And - did Hitler ever really intend that they should come?