Bøker i Forgotten Aspects of World War-serien

"a provocative and stimulating addition to the study of World War II." HistoryNet Perfect for readers of Max Hastings, James Holland and Stephen E. Ambrose. By September 1944 the Germany army in France had been decimated and survivors were streaming back to the Reich. The British SAS commanders were clearing the way for the American armies of George S. Patton, Alexander Patch and Courtney Hodges. By the afternoon of September 11, 1944, men of the U.S. 5th Armored Division penetrated the poorly defended Siegfried Line. Yet just when the Rhine was ripe for the taking General Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered all further advances to be halted. Could combination of American forces supported by the British SAS have crossed the Rhine and thrust into the heart of Germany in the autumn of 1944? Did Eisenhower's rigid adherence to his broad-front strategy delay the end of the war by several months and cause thousands of men to lose their lives in the bloody struggles in the Ardennes and the Hurtgen Forest during the Battle of the Bulge? Charles Whiting's brilliant book Death on a Distant Frontier is a hard-hitting reappraisal of Eisenhower's tactics. Through extensive research Whiting shines a light on the conflicts of personalities between the various generals and explores how Eisenhower conducted the war to ensure that his insiders reaped the glory of being the first American army to cross the Rhine. As a veteran of this campaign, Whiting was a witness to the turmoil that reigned during this fourth month period, yet through his fast-paced narrative and informed analysis he is able to provide vivid insight into this much-overlooked period of the Second World War when the Allies could have broken through into Nazi Germany.

A lively and highly readable study of the often-overlooked Italian Campaign, from the invasion of Sicily to the march on Rome. An ideal book for fans of Jonathan Dimbleby, Max Hastings and Antony Beevor. While the Allied armies were beginning their invasion of the beaches of north-west Europe during D-Day, their fellow soldiers were also engaged in a gruelling campaign throughout the length of Italy. They had expected to carve through the 'soft underbelly of Europe', but what they found instead was a 'tough old gut' filled with battle-hardened troops. It was the costliest campaign on the Western front in terms of casualties suffered by infantry forces of both sides, with both the Allies and Germans losing over three hundred thousand men. Drawing on the recollections of British, American, Polish, French and German men and women who took part, as well as on the official histories, Charles Whiting paints a vivid picture of the liberation of Italy as seen through the eyes of the ordinary soldier. Whiting sheds light on some of the most ferocious fighting that took place during this conflict, including the bloody Battle of Anzio, where Allied troops attempted to outflank German forces but were held down by dogged fighting. The Long March on Rome should be essential reading for anyone wanting to learn more about this overlooked but hugely important front which after over a year of brutal conflict helped defeat the Axis.