Description

A follow-up to 2007's highly successful FUBAR: Soldier Slang of World War II, SNAFU covers the slang of sailors and airmen, as well as soldiers.

Military life has always been ruled by its own language, specific sets of terms and phrases that separate the serving man or woman from their civilian counterpart. There is the official version of ranks and acronyms, and the more unofficial, colloquial language of the barrack room and battlefield - both are covered in this humourous look at soldier slang.

World War II saw vast numbers of young men and women pass through the ranks of the various armies involved, and they inherited and developed a vocabulary in response to their unique situations - many of whose words and phrases have passed into the common vernacular and are still in use right up to the present day. SNAFU explores the language and slang of the major combatant powers, delving into their origins and explaining their uses, all illustrated with contemporary cartoons and other images showing the phrases in use. Detailed sections are included for each of the major combatants of World War II, and additional appendices detail the nicknames given to the major surface vessels and aircraft types of the war.