Summary of The War We Won Apart by Nahlah Ayed ( Keynote reads )

By Keynote reads

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This book is a summary of the original book "The War We Won Apart" by Nahlah Ayed. If you are looking for the full, detailed experience, it is recommended to purchase the complete book. This summary provides an overview of the main ideas and concepts discussed in the original book.

 

Introduction to the Summary of The War We Won Apart by Nahlah Ayed ( Keynote reads )

 

The War We Won Apart is a heart-stopping story about two elite agents, Sonia Butt and Guy d'Artois, who became one of the most decorated couples of WWII. They were trained to become agents with Winston Churchill's secret army, the Special Operations Executive. Their love is tested by separation, a titanic invasion, and indiscretion. The story is reconstructed from unpublished interviews and personal documents, highlighting the ravaging costs of war paid for disproportionately by the young.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Keynote reads
• Release date: Jun 12, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224406821

Keynote reads

Biography: Keynote reads is a highly skilled and dedicated book summary writer with over a decade of experience in the field. Keynote reads has a passion for reading and a talent for distilling complex ideas into clear, concise, and engaging summaries. His work spans a wide range of genres, including self-help, business, psychology, and literature. Education: Bachelor of Arts in English Literature - University of Oxford Master of Arts in Communication - Stanford University Professional Experience: Freelance Book Summary Writer (2012 - Present) Collaborated with various authors and publishing houses to create high-quality summaries of their books. Summarized over 300 books, maintaining a consistent style that captures the essence of the original works. Provided summaries for websites, magazines, and educational platforms. Content Editor  Edited and revised summaries submitted by other writers to ensure accuracy and readability. Contributed to the development of the website's style guide for summaries. Skills: Exceptional ability to synthesize information. Strong understanding of various literary and non-fiction genres. Proficient in using digital tools for writing and editing. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Notable Projects: Developed a series of educational book summaries for an online learning platform, enhancing students' comprehension and retention. Contact Information: Email: [e-mail] LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/keynote-reads

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PROLOGUE

LUNCH IN PARIS, 1944

On a late September day, Sonia Butt, a young woman who had lost over thirty pounds in four months, entered a tearoom in Paris. The German garrison's surrender marked the end of France's occupation and the start of a new phase in Europe's bloodiest war. Sonia, only twenty, could rightly claim victory as she had done her part at great peril, parachuting in behind enemy lines to wage a secret war that would pave the way for D-Day. She had seen death up close, beheld the power of an air strike, and experienced the worst that can happen to a woman in a theatre of war.

For the first and only time, she was bringing the two men in her life together for a frank conversation. They had all known each other just a moment ago, when they were agents-in-waiting for the British Special Operations Executive (SOE). When the country was finally liberated, the SOE called in its agents from the field to converge on the makeshift French Section office for a debrief on their triumphs, disappointments, and exorbitant mistakes.

Sonia's personal debrief with Guy and Sydney would happen over lunch, and she had unilaterally predetermined the outcome of the encounter. They would all walk away from war-torn France heartbroken but lucky to be alive.

PART I

ON THE HOME FRONT

SEEKING REFUGE

In 1939, Sonia Butt, a fifteen-year-old girl from France, boarded a ferry across the English Channel, feeling tired and alone. Her older brother Derek had always been there, but on this late summer day, she was alone. On September 3, 1939, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain declared war against Nazi Germany, stating that Hitler could only be stopped by force. The government appealed to more than God to save the country's children, leading to Operation Pied Piper, which moved hundreds of thousands of children out of urban areas and into the countryside.

Sonia knew trauma early, as she had grown up with separation, instability, and abuse before war. She was born in England to British parents, who separated at the age of three. Derek was her best friend, schoolmate, and a source of endless hand-me-downs. They would write each other letters in which he would enclose part of the allowance that she was denied. Now, as she swayed with the waves, there was no Derek, no letters, or words of comfort.

As she arrived in London, she decided to go to the Grosvenor, a palatial railway hotel near Buckingham Palace. She asked the manager for a loan to get her on a train to Horley, near Gatwick, where her mother lived when she wasn't in France. The gentleman seemed satisfied with the answer, but promised to make sure she got there safely.

In summary, Sonia Butt, a fifteen-year-old girl, was on a ferry crossing the English Channel during World War II. She was alone, tired, and disheveled, but her brother Derek had always been there.

After Chamberlain's declaration of war, London was in a state of shock and disbelief, with crowds and queues disappearing. The country was also grappling with the latest bomb attacks by the Irish Republican Army (IRA), which declared its own war against Britain in January 1939. The IRA had mounted attacks every other day in major British cities to end British control of Northern Ireland. As Britain prepared for another world war, it was also laying the groundwork for its own campaign of irregular warfare, using sabotage and subversion to undermine Nazi Germany. As early as 1939, small groups of select British civilians were training in the elementary theory of guerrilla warfare.

Hundreds of thousands of men signed up to wear the uniform and fight, some for the second time in their lives. Women joined civil defense units, driving ambulances or painting sidewalks to help drivers navigate the roads obscured by blackouts. The Women's Land Army replaced the men in local agriculture and food production.

Sonia Butt, fifteen-year-old, was already fighting a pitched battle in her own personal war. Both her mother and sister were born to military fathers, spent their teenage years in the shadow of a world war, and married military men. However, the similarities between mother and daughter seemed to end when Sonia's mother, Thelma, married without her father's consent at seventeen, leading to their separation.

Thelma and Leslie Acton Kingsford Butt were married in 1909, but their early years were less charmed than the woman they were married to. Leslie was a charming officer serving in the Royal Flying Corps, but his father, Harry Percy Butt, died at the age of thirteen. His parents offered an education for his eldest child, Sonia, and Leslie moved abroad to join the Indian Army. The couple had five children, Derek, Derek, and Sonia, who were born between the wars.

Thelma and Leslie's relationship grew tumultuous, leading to a separation three years after Sonia was born. Years of drama involving adultery, a prison spell, and petitions for divorce from both sides ensued. Leslie filed the first petition in 1928, accusing