Eagle Days: Life and Death for the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain

[Jukka Juutinen]

Originally Posted by Nick Beale

I'd be interested to hear your reactions to reading Dr. Taylor's thesis on the dams raid. My own impression, as I posted earlier, was that she was more interested in reviewing others' writings and angles they might not have looked at (historiography). What she seemed less concerned with was herself exploring said neglected areas and presenting her findings.

I have not read it. But, one of the basic diktats of such a thesis is that the writer must sonehow show the reviewing opponents that he has read the previous research on the topic. Illogical or not, but a historian pursuing a degree will not likely get fullest score if previous research is not discussed. I have recently browsed a few such theses prepared by the students of the Finnish Military Academy and everyone of them has substantial chapters explaining previous publications on the topic and methology of the study at hand. The professors require that.