Book Description
If the Battle of the Bulge was Germany's last gasp, it was also America's proving ground-the largest single action fought by the U.S. Army in World War II. Taking a new approach to an old story, Harold Winton widens our field of vision by showing how victory in this legendary campaign was built upon the remarkable resurrection of our truncated interwar army, an overhaul that produced the effective commanders crucial to GI success in beating back the Ardennes counteroffensive launched by Hitler's forces.
Winton's is the first study of the Bulge to examine leadership at the largely neglected level of corps command. Focusing on the decisions and actions of six Army corps commanders-Leonard Gerow, Troy Middleton, Matthew Ridgway, John Millikin, Manton Eddy, and J. Lawton Collins-he recreates their role in this epic struggle through a mosaic of narratives that take the commanders from the pre-war training grounds of America to the crucible of war in the icy-cold killing fields of Belgium and Luxembourg.
Winton introduces the story of each phase of the Bulge with a theater-level overview of the major decisions and events that shaped the corps battles and, for the first time, fully integrates the crucial role of airpower into our understanding of how events unfolded on the ground. Unlike most accounts of the Ardennes that chronicle only the periods of German and American initiative, Winton's study describes an intervening middle phase in which the initiative was fiercely contested by both sides and the outcome uncertain. His inclusion of the principal American and German commanders adds yet another valuable layer to this rich tapestry of narrative and analysis.
Ultimately, Winton argues that the flexibility of the corps structure and the competence of the men who commanded the six American corps that fought in the Bulge contributed significantly to the ultimate victory. Chronicling the human drama of commanding large numbers of soldiers in battle, he has produced an artful blend of combat narrative, collective biography, and institutional history that contributes significantly to the broader understanding of World War II as a whole.
This book is part of the Modern War Studies series.
Customer Reviews:
Narrow View at the Top.......2007-07-11
The book is well written and informative. Even for a veteran reader of WWII books there was much new material, or at least material presented in a different way. However, the basic premise of the book is somewhat flawed. At the early stages of the battle of the Bulge it was a series of small and very brave actions that made the difference in slowing down the Germans. Even later, the Corps Commanders, including those for whom the author has great respect, merely backed up decisions made by subordinates. Indeed the battle, whether in the north with the stand at the Elsenborn Ridge or in south with the releif of Bastogne, would have taken place regardless of who was the respective Corps Commander. Additionally, while the author's description of the education of his players is quite laudatory, some might find their higher command education as insular. A warning, this book is not for someone who has not read extinsively about WWII.
Very different way of looking at the battle.......2007-04-30
I agree with the first reviewer that this is one of the most refreshingly new ways at looking at a very studied battle. I have read many of the general histories (A Time for Trumpets by McDonald is my favorite). Looking at the men who commanded the six corps that bore the brunt of the battle, examining their history and education, explaining the corps system and it's reason for being where all very educational and interesting. Dr. Winston did a great job of explaining what each of these men were up against, the resources at their disposal, and how they executed their missions, be it defence or offense, carefully planned, or on the fly. Dr. Winston broke the Bulge battle up into three phases, explained what each corp commander faced in each phase and assessed each commander's performance for each phase and then did an overall assessment in the epilogue. He also tried to measure the effect of Allied air power in the battle, from direct support (ground attack, air superiority and air resupply) and indirect support (interdiction missions against communication and supplies).
My only peeve with this book is the sloppy editing/proofreading concerning the identification of German combat units. If the reader was not familiar with the battle, he/she could find it confusing. Some Wehrmacht units were identified as Waffen SS and vice versa, the 9th Panzer Division was also identified as the 9th Panzergrenadier (which never existed). These errors were not systematic, which points to proof reading/editing. Doctor Winston has an excellent grasp of the Allied order of battle. There are numerous sources of the German order of battle easily available to the author, his editors and his publisher. So I found this factor annoying (I find sloppy proof reading/ fact checking in anything I read annoying) and considering Dr. Winston's background and intense interest in the Ardennes battle, disappointing.
But besides that slight annoyance, I found this book an excellent read and would recommend it to anyone interested in this particular battle or wanting to know how the corps system functions.
The American victory in the Ardennes from a different perspective.......2007-04-21
Just when you thought that there couldn't be another useful book on the Battle of the Bulge, Professor Harold Winton proves us wrong with this fine portrait of the battle that focuses on the way it was commanded by the six American corps commanders who were involved: Gerow, Middleton, Ridgeway, Milikin, Eddy and Collins. This emphasis on what Winton calls "the middle level of command" allows us to see the battle as it developed operationally and provides the reader with perhaps the clearest and most understandable narrative of the Battle of the Bulge ever written. Winton helpfully divides the history of the battle into three phases and covers the activities and decisions of the officers in each phase: their relationships with their superiors and subordinates, what tactical demands the battle placed on them, and even how they held up physically and psychologically. Since the book also includes brief biographies of those officers, Winton is able to evaluate the effectiveness of how the US Army educated its officers for higher command between the World Wars - all six were CGSS and five of them were War College grads. Winton also takes the time to show the true role of allied air power in the battle. All in all, this book is a must-read for those who study the Battle of the Ardennes and the US Army in the Second World War.
One small sour note: either Dr. Winton or his editors at University Press of Kansas - a military history publisher of note - should have been aware that Marlborough was not at Waterloo (see p.160).
Book Description
"If you survive your first day, I'll promote you."
So promised George Wilson's World War II commanding officer in the hedgerows of Normandy -- and it was to be a promise dramatically fulfilled. From July, 1944, to the closing days of the war, from the first penetration of the Siegfried Line to the Nazis' last desperate charge in the Battle of the Bulge, Wilson fought in the thickest of the action, helping take the small towns of northern France and Belgium building by building.
Of all the men and officers who started out in Company F of the 4th Infantry Division with him, Wilson was the only one who finished. In the end, he felt not like a conqueror or a victor, but an exhausted survivor, left with nothing but his life -- and his emotions.
If You Survive
One of the great first-person accounts of the making of a combat veteran, in the last, most violent months of World War II.
Customer Reviews:
Quick read.......2007-10-12
A good basic account of an infantry leader in Europe during 1944. Details are interesting, although there is virtually no overall framework or background to Wilson's story. What is striking, however, is how heavy the casualties were and how Wilson was forced to work with green officers and men over and over as he was called upon to execute repeated missions. Worth the read, and its quick.
Belonging to the short list of must own WWII books.......2007-06-23
Just as Eugene Sledges, "With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa", is the standard bearer for books written about the Marine island hopping campaign, "If You Survive" by George Wilson will be considered to be among the very best autobiographical accounts of being an Army infantry officer during the post D-Day European campaign in WWII. Wilson's account is poignant, rings true, and offers a rare perspective of a young lieutenant leading men into combat in the race to Germany in 1944. It should be standard reading for all NCOs and young officers regardless of their military occupational specialty. You'll find it hard to put down as Wilson's narration leads the reader from one harrowing combat battle to the next. All this was happening while the platoons and the companies commanded by the author were steadily reduced through the attrition of casualties and combat fatigue. A fascinating story.
If You Survive.......2007-04-10
Excellent read, this guy story could be mine, you will enjoy it, fast read
One excellent Book.......2007-04-01
I have read many, many books in my life. I have read dozens of books on WWII. This book is at the top of my list for reading. I've read it three times in the short time I've owned it. It is compelling in it's frankness. Rarely does an author bring you into the war with his narrative, as George Wilson does. The story allows one to forget his troubles, and be swept into the past. The men who fought in WWII have been called our Greatest Generation. George Wilson's book, 'If You Survive: From Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge to the End of World War II, One American Officer's Riveting True Story' helps you understand why.
An excellent book, and excellent read. Buy it and enjoy!
Interesting way to learn about WWII and being a soldier .......2007-03-09
My Dad (who was a tail gunner in a plane during the Battle of the Bulge) recommended this book to my son in middle school. My son, and in turn, many kids in his social studies class and his teacher also gave the book rave reviews. It is an easy read from a soldier's perspective that takes you through the big European ground battles of WWII. A much more interesting way to learn history and make it "come alive". My son and many of his friends have gone to other WWII books because of their interest in WWII and I think this book contributed greatly to that interest. George- thanks !
Product Description
A heroic and heretofore untold story of the men of the 87th Chemical Mortar Battalion and their 326 days of combat in Europe during World War II.
Customer Reviews:
Great World War II Book.......2007-09-27
This is one of the best World War II books I have ever read. It mixes the well written history of the battles with the personal stories of the men who fought them. It does a great job of bringing the heroism of the greatest generation to life.
A Great Story Poorly Told.......2007-05-14
This book tells an interesting story. One of my college classmates was a member of the 87th Chemical Mortar Battalion - the subject of this book - and found the information to be accurate. However, it is a self-published book and suffers from the major shortcoming of that genre: a lack of copyediting and proofreading. The very first paragraph of Chapter 1 contains a typographical error, a punctuation error, and a grammatical error. Because of errors like these, the book is sometimes difficult for a person like me -- a retired editor -- to read. Nevertheless, I found it worth the effort.
The Mortarmen.......2006-12-22
For years I have always wanted to study the basics of World War II, but just never found the time. In reading this book, I have received such a personal, up front view of World War II - more than I think I could have gotten elsewhere, and in much less time!!! It seems to be a "magnifying glass" of that spot in history. Thanks, Michael Connelly!!!!
Wanda K. Perry
a reader from Louisiana.......2006-09-07
This is a fantastic book about World War II. At times I felt like I was right there with the men of the 87th who fought their way across Europe. The book is full of history, but more importantly it is full of the stories of the men who fought the war. It tells you their story and you can't help but get caught up in this great tale. Michael Connelly is a master story teller.
A really greaat subject told very badly.......2006-09-06
I was looking forward to this book to arrive. Having read several other books about the Battle of the Bulge and related topics. This is a great story about very heroic men just doing their job. Unfortunately it is written so poorly that I must caution you here. If you have not reward any other WWII book, I suggest reading any of the following first
- Anything by Donald R. Burgett, Especially 7 Roads to Hell
- Band of Brothers (although 7 roads I felt was even better)
- Black Devil Brigade
The thing about these books mentioned is that they deal with the battles and they let you meet, and get to know, the men that fought. When reading Mortarmen I felt like it went like this, " Then the major ran up to the bunker and gave his orders to the leader in the bunker. Then the bunker leader fired his mortar and killed a bunch of Nazi's". I am not kidding. In the 7 Roads to Hell, there was the description of a black mortar team and how well they worked. I got more out of those 3-4 pages than I did with this book.
I love this topic, to the author I offer the following:
1. Please let us know about the soldiers personally
2. Describe in depth how these mortars, and the other weapon work. People that buy these books really want to know this.
I wish you all the best in the next revision
Book Description
These two new volumes offer new insights into the events of one of the fiercest battles of World War II. Volume I covers the events from the German point-of-view., 48 pages of b/w photographs, maps, 7" x 10"
Customer Reviews:
Very nice, I will buy Volumn 2........1997-10-25
Very well researched. The detailed descriptions, at the start of the book, for the units that played a part in this portion of battle were excellent and invaluable. I gained a much greater appreciation for the true qualties of the units that fought with this book than from any other reading or sources.
The following individual soldier's stories that fill the greater part of this book were facinating. A rare chance to be at eyeball level and see their war. You get a true sense of the ebb and flow of the battle, as soldier's stories weave along, crossing paths of others.
Book Description
From the author of the best-selling The Bedford Boys, the remarkable story of America's most decorated platoon that miraculously halted Hitler's massive offensive at the Battle of the Bulge
On the morning of December 16, 1944, eighteen men of the Intelligence and Reconnaissance platoon attached to the 99th Infantry Division found themselves directly in the path of the main thrust of Hitler's massive Ardennes offensive. Despite being vastly outnumbered, they were told to hold their position "at all costs." Throughout the day, the platoon repulsed three large German assaults in a fierce day-long battle, killing hundreds of German soldiers. Only when they had run out of ammunition did they surrender to the enemy.
But their long winter was just beginning. As POWs, the platoon experienced an ordeal far worse than combat-surviving in wretched German POW camps. Yet miraculously the men of the platoon survived-all of them-and returned home after the war. More than thirty years later, when President Carter recognized the platoon's "extraordinary heroism" and the U.S. Army approved combat medals for all eighteen men, they became America's most decorated platoon of World War II.
With the same vivid and dramatic prose that made The Bedford Boys a national bestseller, Alex Kershaw brings to life the story of these little-known heroes-an epic tale of courage, duty, and survival in World War II and one of the most inspiring episodes in American history. The Longest Winter is an intensely human story about young men who find themselves in frightening wartime situations, who fight back instinctively, survive stoically, and live heroically.
Customer Reviews:
excellent story of heroism.......2007-08-08
The other reviews tell it much more eloquently than I can. I would only add that I especially liked the scene after Bouck has been captured and Joachim Pieper enters the house demanding to know why the attack has been held up.
The Baum Task force story illustrates that even Patton was not beyond making mistakes, and for selfish reasons: to save his son-in-law Lt. Colonel Waters.
An excellent read.
Another great story of heroism from America's citizen soldiers in WWII Europe.......2007-03-10
Kershaw does a wonderful job of finally completely documenting the story of these men on the front lines of the Bulge. His writing style is "reader friendly". I think the area where he particularly deserves compliments is the time he's taken to locate and personally interview the men still living or those family members of the now-deceased. For me, the conveyance of the first-hand experiences and recollections makes Kershaw's books more personal, aand I appreciate that.
Fascinating, too long forgotten tale of American heroism deserves a better telling.......2007-02-19
Alex Kershaw has developed into in an excellent popular chronicler of World War II. "The Longest Winter" is an earlier effort and reading it after first encountering his later - and much better - works demonstrates how Kershaw has grown.
The story, far too long forgotten and untold, of an American platoon that performed heroically in the first hours of the Battle of the Bulge is fascinating and inspiring. One despairs of ever seeing patriotic Americans so willing to sacrifice everything to protect their comrades and their nation.
The problem is that Kershaw hadn't developed his style yet or, one suspects, his confidence. The telling is overlong, much too detailed and far too broad and meandering. Kershaw follows many of his subjects, both the American and German combatants over fifty years. While his knowledge of these men is impressive, displaying it wasn't absolutely necessary. In fact, in some cases it detracts from the story.
Kershaw's writing style is, as well, too matter of fact when he describes the heroic, desperate combat as a handful of young American soldiers held up a mighty German offensive for hours and may have saved the Allied forces from a crippling blow. Again, Kershaw's research was prodigous, but he seems to have felt the need to include all of it. A few facts too many - and not enough drama in his descriptions of the combat.
All in all, Kershaw has still delivered an exceptional military history. The story of the heroic platoon deserves telling and retelling until the end of time. A few men stood firm against a tidal wave of tanks, infantry and artillery. Those who survived were taken prisoner and suffered for months in prison camps and some for decades after because of their wounds and mistreatment. Yet, honors didn't find them immediately and their heroism went unrecognized for decades.
Kershaw is to be lauded for discovering and telling this story and it is to his further credit that he has gone on to develop a more sophisticated style and greater competence. A good book that could have been made better with judicious editing, but still a book every military history buff will delight in.
Jerry
Great story told well........2007-02-14
This book is a bit slow getting started, but becomes a real page-turner in no time. A great example of what made this country's finest generation so great. An absolute must-have for any WWII buff. This book is on the "top shelf" of my collection, and I have let many friends read it. Highly recommended.
A Window Into December, 1944.......2007-01-24
Having read numerous books on various wars and battles it is always nice to get 'down into the foxholes' with the troops on the front lines. This is such a book. We are transported to the 394th I & R company who held a 'very thin line' on the Ghost Front. This story is the encounter that 22 men had against an overwhelming force of 500 paratroop units of the Germans. Snow had fallen, and they had reinforced their foxholes with cut logs, creating a wooden bunker with rifle slits. A tremendous field-of-fire was had from the woods-edge of a snow-filled meadow that lead away down to the town where the Germans began their operations.
Wave after wave attacked throughout the day, until the U.S. troops had lost most of their ammo, and had lost their .50 caliber MG due to overheating the barrel. The book leads you through this with alacrity. From the point that they are taken in as P.O.W.s the book began to drag for me. I prefer the action, not the post-action.
It does give you the sense of urgency that the 394th felt, and the sinking feeling of being ordered to "Hold the line at all costs!" Then losing contact with HQ...
Book Description
On December 16, 1944, the vanguard of three German armies, totaling half a million men, attacked U.S. forces in the Ardennes region of Belgium and Luxembourg, achieveing what had been considered impossible -- total surprise. In the most abysmal failure of battlefield intelligence in the history of the U.S. Army, 600,000 American soldiers found themselves facing Hitler's last desperate effort of the war.
The brutal confrontation that ensued became known as the Battle of the Bulge, the greatest battle ever fought by the U.S. Army -- a triumph of American ingenuity and dedication over an egregious failure in strategic intelligence. A Time for Trumpets is the definitive account of this dramatic victory, told by one of America's most respected military historians, who was also an eyewitness: MacDonald commanded a rifle company in the Battle of the Bulge. His account of this unique battle is exhaustively researched, honestly recounted, and movingly authentic in its depiction of hand-to-hand combat.
Mingling firsthand experience with the insights of a distinguished historian, MacDonald places this profound human drama unforgettably on the landscape of history.
Customer Reviews:
The Comprehensive Account of the Battle of the Bulge.......2006-11-06
Charles MacDonald, a veteran of the Battle of the Bulge and later an official historian for the U.S Army, wrote "A Time for Trumpets" as the comprehensive account of that battle. MacDonald covers the battle from the foxhole to the highest headquarters on the Allied and German sides.
In late 1944, Hitler's armies were in retreat across Western Europe, only able to consolidate a defensive line at the German frontier thanks to the fact that Eisenhower's Allied Expeditionary Force had outrun its own supplies. Hitler gambled much of his remaining military resources on a lightning counter-offensive through the difficult terrain of the Ardennes to cripple the Allied armies and restore the military balance in the West.
As MacDonald recounts, the Allies had been lulled into dangerous complacency in the Ardennes sector and were taken badly by surprise. MacDonald's theme is how individual American units, often at great odds, nevertheless stood their ground and slowly fought the German offensive to a standstill, and eventually retook the area known as the Bulge. While famous units such as the 101st Airborne Division get their due, MacDonald does a superb job of capturing the action from the perspective of a variety of participants on both sides as the battle unfolded. Of note are the accounts from the green and unlucky 106th Infantry Division, many of whose small units fought surprisingly well despite being bypassed and cut-off in the opening hours of the German offensive. MacDonald also captures the fierce infighting at the Allied Command level, as Eisenhower's efforts to stem the tide in the Ardennes triggered a crisis of command among Allied leaders.
At over six hundred pages, MacDonald's account is not only exhaustive but verges on exhausting. The dedicated reader will be rewarded with an excellent account of the battle that holds up extremely well despite its 1984 publication date.
Outstanding Read........2005-06-03
I purchased this book in 1985 at the bookstore in the German Reichstag of all places. I was attending college in Germany and needed a good reference work on the battle prior to visiting Bastogne. This book more than fit the bill and prepared me well as my train traveled from Aachen along the Meuse to Namur, Liege, Libramont and finally to Bastogne.
One of the most interesting aspects of this particular work is that you quickly learn that the German timetable for success was disrupted right from the start. The American combat infantryman put up a serious fight from start to finish. MacDonald's accounts of indiviual American efforts, especially those of the CCR's is particularly informative.
Overall, just a great and interesting read.
Best Book on the Bulge from a Soldier Who Was There.......2005-06-02
This is considered one of the four great books on the Battle of the Bulge. The others are John Toland's Battle, Hugh Cole's official US Army History: The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge and John Eisenhower's The Bitter Woods. I have read all but Hugh Cole's book and will review each of them.
If one wants to know what was happening at the individual soldier's level, this is the book. Charles B. MacDonald fought in the Battle of the Bulge as a company commander and wrote his personal account of the European Theater of War, Company Commander. He knows what it was like to fight in that bitter cold battle with units widely spread out. MacDonald was at the critical Elsenborn Ridge in the North and helped prevent the Germans from spreading and enlarging the Bulge.
His book takes you into action with the sometimes ragtag groups of units that fought overwhelming forces. In some cases platoons of around 20 men fought battalions of 500 and larger.
This detail requires the reader to really look at the many included maps to keep track of this battle that stretched almost 80 miles from north to south. While the other books mentioned above have details of individual soldiers fighting, this is the most extensive. It is about twice the size of John Toland's book.
MacDonald builds on and cites the earlier books by Toland and Eisenhower. Because his book came out around the 40th anniversary of the Bulge he was able to incorporate the information released on the German Enigma intercepts. While this information builds on how the Germans conducted the deception that led to the Bulge, it does not greatly change anything previously known. It is interesting, though. What did the intelligence officers really know?
Because MacDonald concentrated on the soldier level so much he does not concentrate as much on the senior leadership level as Eisenhower. He does have some telling comments on the issue of Field Marshall Montgomery's belief that he should take control of the entire ground battle from General Eisenhower, the overall commander. MacDonald generally demolishes Montgomery's arguments.
MacDonald also does not spend much time on the strategic context, before or after the battle.
If you are looking for the best book on the Battle of Bulge that gives you the view of the battle from the soldiers' level and someone who was there, A Time for Trumpets is the best book.
Battle of the Bulge comes to life in this book's pages.............2004-02-02
On December 16, 1944, elements of four German armies -- 14 infantry and five panzer divisions in all -- attacked part of the American First Army along an 80-mile front along Germany's border with Belgium and Luxembourg. The sudden and unexpected counteroffensive hit the Americans in an area the Allies thought would be a nice, quiet sector for combat-weary divisions to rest and refit while green divisions fresh from the States could be acclimated to life on the line: the dark and deep forests of the Ardennes. Planned and ordered by Adolf Hitler himself, this massive onslaught was launched with one objective in mind: penetrate the American lines, pass through the "impassable" Ardennes Forest, cross the Meuse River, and capture the vital port of Antwerp. At the very least, the Allied supply situation would deteriorate enough to slow the Anglo-American advance to the Reich's industrial heartland by a matter of months and buy time for Hitler and his tottering empire. At the very best, a German victory would split the Grand Alliance in three, trap the Anglo-Canadian 21st Army Group on the northern sector of the front, and the Fuhrer could attempt to convince the Soviets that further fighting was useless now that the Western Allies had been defeated at the Reich's very doorstep.
For a few snowy, foggy, and bitterly cold days, things seemed to be going Hitler's way. Caught off-guard by the sheer size of the counteroffensive, hampered by bad weather which prevented Allied air power to provide ground support to the tankers and infantrymen along the front, confused and misdirected by a small number of English-speaking German commandos wearing American uniforms, and, at some points along the 80-mile "Ghost Front," isolated, outnumbered, and forced to surrender, GIs fought a seemingly losing battle against hundreds of thousands of German soldiers. But even when some units panicked or were overrun, many American soldiers -- sometimes in dribs and drabs -- stood fast and delayed the enemy, giving Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Allied Supreme Commander, and his generals valuable time to plan a riposte and turn what seemed to be a disaster into a strategic opportunity. And sure enough, after a month's of heavy fighting in the awful cold of a European winter, the German counteroffensive was slowed, halted, and gradually pushed back to where it had started.
The late Charles B. MacDonald, one of America's premier military historians and himself a company commander in the Ardennes campaign, captures the chaos, misery, bravery, and drama of the U.S. Army's largest battle in history in A Time For Trumpets: The Untold Story of the Battle of the Bulge. The author of such acclaimed works as Company Commander and The Mighty Endeavor, MacDonald uses his skills as a writer and his knowledge of the infantryman's combat experiences to paint a vivid picture of Hitler's last gamble to gain even a temporary victory in the West and the efforts of over 600,000 U.S. and several thousand British troops to contain the salient or "bulge" that gave the Ardennes counteroffensive its popular moniker.
A Time for Trumpets not only covers the well-known episodes of the small teams of German soldiers wearing American uniforms (they actually did very little material damage, but their very existence caused jumpy GI's to quiz each other about baseball teams, state capitals, even popular singers and bandleaders), the heroic stand of the 101st Airborne at Bastogne and the infamous Malmedy massacre, but delves into the Allies' biggest intelligence failure of the war and the bitter recrimination between British and American commanders when Eisenhower placed the northern half of the "bulge" under the command of Field Marshal Bernard L. Montgomery. Attention to detail is also given to the German high command's reluctance to execute Hitler's plan by the letter, knowing in their professional soldiers' hearts and minds that the Nazi dictator was overreaching.
Despite the complexity of the battle, A Time For Trumpets is highly readable and engrossing. There are helpful maps and many pages of photos to help the casual reader keep his or her bearings in this sprawling month-long battle, and the various appendices are valuable tools that illustrate the composition of a standard U.S. infantry regiment and the various Orders of Battle for the Allied and German forces engaged in the Battle of the Bulge.
SUPERB !!!!!!!!.......2004-01-20
FAR AND AWAY THE BEST BOOK I HAVE READ ON THE BULGE. IT GIVES AN OVERALL ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE,IT'S ORIGINS PRIOR TO IT'S EXECUTION,AND THE AFTERMATH,FROM BOTH A STRATEGIC AND TACTICAL VIEW.MACDONALD OBVIOUSLY DID HIS RESEARCH WELL. FOR AN OVERALL ACCOUNT OF THE U.S ARMY IN ACTION IN WW II, THIS IS THE BOOK YOU MUST HAVE.
Book Description
Based on a series of fascinating µWhat ifs' posed by leading military historians, this compelling new alternate history recontructs the moments during the Battle of the Bulge which could conceivably have altered the entire course of the Second World War and led to a German victory. Based on real battles, actions and characters, each scenario has been carefully constructed to reveal how at points of decision a different choice or minor incident could have set in motion an entirely new train of events altering history for ever. What if the Germans successfully prevented Patton from riding to the rescue at Bastogne? Or if the Allies had suffered a major setback at the Battle of the Bulge which allowed the Red Army to overrun Berlin and drive on to the Rhine? What if Hitler had not launched his massive gambit and, instead, the Allies had progressed with the operations plan they had prior to the Bulge? These are some of the intriguing scenarios played out by leading authors.
Customer Reviews:
Unmentioned 'What Ifs?'.......2005-08-28
For the purpose of his Chapter 10: Ardennes Disaster, Mr Tsouras conveniently ignores the 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which had been adopted in 1933 and states, in part: The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January... If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President.
This is a pretty huge hole.
I'm not going to spoil a fun read, but if Tsouras had included a part where Santa Clause takes a time machine into the Jurassic Age to get a dinosaur to help the Allies defeat Hitler, he would be standing on no less firm scholarly ground than he does with Chapter 10 as it is presently written.
Ten What If Incidents.......2004-11-09
An alternative history of a different kind. Ten incidents during World War II are analyzed from a What If standpoint. For instance:
What If Montgomery had made some very minor changes in the organization and training of his troops for D-Day. Could he have captured Caen on the first day? If he had, what would have been the impact?
What If the Canadians had gotten to Falaise to meet Patton and truly close the Falaise gap before the great part of the German support troops and enough fighting formations got out to form the basis for the units that manned the defense of the Rhine and handled the Battle of the Bulge?
After Falaise, Patton appealed to Eisenhower to give him enough fuel for a quick and narrow thrust into Germany. Suppose he had gotten them and sent a spearhead around Metz and crossed the Rhine.
Montgomery proposed the same thing, but of course up North, Operation Market Garden to Arnhem. It failed of course because the releiving forces didn't get there in time. But What If they had.
Ten incidents, they didn't happen, but they could have.
Book Description
In 11 Days In December, master historian and biographer Stanley Weintraub tells the remarkable story of the Battle of the Bulge as it has never been told before, from frozen foxholes to barn shelters to boxcars packed with wretched prisoners of war.
In late December 1944, as the Battle of the Bulge neared its climax, a German loudspeaker challenge was blared across GI lines in the Ardennes: "How would you like to die for Christmas?" In the inhospitable forest straddling Belgium, France, and Luxembourg, only the dense, snow-laden evergreens recalled the season. Most troops hardly knew the calendar day they were trying to live through, or that it was Hitler's last, desperate effort to alter the war's outcome.
Yet the final Christmas season of World War II matched desperation with inspiration. When he was offered an ultimatum to surrender the besieged Belgian town of Bastogne, Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe defied the Germans with the memorable one-word response, "Nuts!" And as General Patton prayed for clear skies to allow vital airborne reinforcements to reach his trapped men, he stood in a medieval chapel in Luxembourg and spoke to God as if to a commanding general: "Sir, whose side are you on?" His prayer was answered. The skies cleared, the tide of battle turned, and Allied victory in World War II was assured.
Christmas 1944 proved to be one of the most fateful days in world history. Many men did extraordinary things, and extraordinary things happened to ordinary men. "A clear cold Christmas," Patton told his diary, "lovely weather for killing Germans, which seems a bit queer, seeing whose birthday it is." Peace on earth and good will toward men would have to wait.
11 Days in December is unforgettable.
Customer Reviews:
"Nuts!".......2007-09-24
This book concentrates solely on the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, to the exclusion of almost every other aspect of World War II at that time. It is well-written and gives a fairly thorough account of the battle and its surroundings, but I couldn't help feeling a sense of detachment on the part of the author from the people who fought in that battle. There are the usual "up close and personal" vignettes about individuals, but they seemed almost an afterthought to the main focus of the book, the battle. Even that could have been explored in more detail, but this is a relatively short book, and within the space confines, the author did a decent job of explaining what happened, although some of his prose raised more questions than were answered. Overall it's a book worth reading, if only to get a "snapshot" of conditions at the time the Battle began, and when it ended. If you want to know more detail, you'll just have to read other, longer works.
A disappointment after "15 Stars".......2007-07-21
I read his book "15 Stars...",about the interaction between McArthur, Marshall, and Eisenhower, before I read this one. Mistake! 15 stars was a five-star book and put this one in a 2-3 star shadow. I have this vague feeling that the publishers put him up to writing this book basically for the $$$$bucks. How can I say it? This book lacked the passion and intensity of "15 Stars" and he lifted pages from his prior book to fill this one out.
He's a terrific writer, but this book is not one of his finest moments.
Terrible.......2007-04-08
This is by far the worst book I've read on this battle. It is a waste of time. I regret having to give it a one star rating.
An Exciting Read!.......2007-02-24
While this story has been told many times, Weintraub's version, though relatively brief, gets your attention and holds it throughout the book. He supplies interesting details that I had not known previously, and he humanizes the struggle with numerous anecdotes provided by surviving veterans.
Good History.......2007-02-12
Tough to read in spots but provides a good historical review of the greatest victory in Europe in WWII
Book Description
Nine days before Christmas 1944 Hitler played Germany's last card on which he staked everything to turn the tables in the West. This is the first time that an attempt has been made to cover the entire salient in order to present the battle in our familiar 'then and now' format. Hundreds of miles have been traveled by the author throughout every corner of the battlefield to search out the scenes of past events - every known photograph belonging to combatants, civilians, and in public collections and private sources has been sought or considered. All of the cine film has been examined frame by frame and certain sequences illustrated and analyzed. In this way a number of classic pictures almost always used - or misused - in depicting the Ardennes battle are not only placed in their context in the German advance but are also shown to be not always quite what they seem!
Customer Reviews:
Masterpiece.......2007-02-10
If you are interested in Battle of the Bulge - buy this book and you're done.
In the Footsteps of the Combatants-History Relived!.......2001-05-23
As the title states, the objective of the Then and Now series is to bring history alive for the reader and traveler. In addition to the historical text, scenes depicted in actual combat movie film or still footage from both American and German forces are studied. The place where the film was taken is identified and another photo showing what the scene looks like today is juxtaposed along side the original. If one considers the effort behind such a task, one becomes immediately appreciative of the task undertaken by Jean-Paul Pallud in this nicely produced book. As the author states on several occasions, the notes and captions accompanying the film are often in error and the actual scene could be several kilometers away from what is noted. Indeed, Mr. Pallud must know the Ardennes like the back of his hand. The patience and effort that Pallud put into this publication is immense, and in that effort we can "relive" history through these photographs. Imagine being able to stand in the same spot that a tank was destroyed or where German troops stripped dead American soldiers of their clothing and possessions! I believe the high point of this book centers around Pallud's reconstruction of the destruction of the American armored column (a unit of the ill fated 14th Cavalry Group) on the Recht-Poteau road. Pallud proves that the Germans staged various scenes for the newsreels. He lays out the placement of the various vehicles on the road, based upon only the photographic evidence. Truly a fine piece of work. This book is a must for any serious student of the "Bulge".
Wonderful Book on the Battle.......2001-05-02
The After the Battle magazine tells history by verifying the actual locations and circumstances of past incidents. The publishers have also issued a series of Then and Now volumes covering major battles of WWII. Of these, Battle of the Bulge Then and Now is generally considered the best, and nothing short of a monumental work on the Ardennes Offensive. Readers will be amazed with the amount of on-the-spot research done, as well as the general enthusiasm shown by the author. The book not only recounts historical events, but also takes the reader to the place of happening and identifies what really took place at the time. Anyone interested in military histroy must grab this one.
Wonderful Book on the Battle.......2001-05-02
The After the Battle magazine tells history by verifying the actual locations and circumstances of past incidents. The publishers have also issued a series of Then and Now volumes covering major battles of WWII. Of these, Battle of the Bulge Then and Now is generally considered the best, and nothing short of a monumental work on the Ardennes Offensive. Readers will be amazed with the amount of on-the-spot research done, as well as the general enthusiasm shown by the author. The book not only recounts historical events, but also takes the reader to the place of happening and identifies what really took place at the time. Anyone interested in military histroy must grab this one.
Wonderful Book on the Battle.......2001-05-02
The After the Battle magazine tells history by verifying the actual locations and circumstances of past incidents. The publishers have also issued a series of Then and Now volumes covering major battles of WWII. Of these, Battle of the Bulge Then and Now is generally considered the best, and nothing short of a monumental work on the Ardennes Offensive. Readers will be amazed with the amount of on-the-spot research done, as well as the general enthusiasm shown by the author. The book not only recounts historical events, but also takes the reader to the place of happening and identifies what really took place at the time. Anyone interested in military histroy must grab this one.
Book Description
The definitive account of the Battle of the Bulge victory over Adolf Hitler, featuring maps and photographs, and written by a team headed by eminent military historian Trevor Dupuy.
Customer Reviews:
I Find Little to Disagree with in every one of the Reader Reviews of This Book.......2006-02-03
It seems that here a few readers have aptly beaten me to the punch; in every review so many words seem taken right out of my mouth. E.g. JW puts it best when he points out that Hitler's Last Gamble is the literal byproduct of a staggeringly detailed Army study of the Battle of the Bulge, and it shows; ultimately, the work much more accurately characterized as far more a compilation of numbers to be crunched and minute data to be logged than a work of history. Indeed, on practically every page the reader is confronted by acronyms, times, and unit designations etc. For example, to paraphrase one sentence: 'At 16:23 hrs. the 501st artillery regiment of the 28th Infantry Division attached to CCB of the 2nd Brigade of Smiths XXI...' Well, here I may exaggerate, but if so, only barely. Too bad, for the late Col. Dupuy was a brave man and a tireless researcher, who produced a staggering amount of work over his lifetime after retiring from a distinguished career as an Army officer. But Hitler's Last Gamble is more of an archive than a work of history.
Recognizes the Polish Success in Cracking the German Code.......2003-09-17
Although this book is about the Battle of the Bulge, it also presents other war-related factual information that few readers are likely to know about. Specifically, (pp. 372-373) it calls attention to the fact that it was Polish mathematicians who cracked the German "Enigma" code. Dupuy also correctly points out that no other Allied nation had come close to cracking it.
It takes a labor of love to finish reading this book........2001-12-28
I love to read nearly anything and everything I can find about WW2 history. This was one of those rare instances, however, where I picked up a book, read about half of it, then put it back down never to finish it. I just couldn't force myself to read any more.
Although the Battle of the Bulge is without a doubt one of the more interesting episodes of the war, and Dupuy provides a detailed account, in my opinion he's just a little too detailed. This book is written for someone who has a little more serious interest in mind than just an amateur historian such as myself. It is dry and choppy in its presentation. The thing that I found most distracting was the frequent digressions into mini-biographies every time a new general or other major figure was introduced to the narrative.
For example, a division commander is mentioned for the first time, and immediately the author cuts to a two page synopsis of the man's life and military career. He then abruptly shifts back to the main narrative after having led the reader on a merry rabbit chase. And he does this over and over and over again. Very hard to read unless you're a person who likes that sort of thing. I'm not one of those, and would not recommend this to anyone who is not a bit more serious student of WW2.
Interested in the Bulge? Read this book later..but read it........2001-02-11
Research is the strength of this work, not the telling of a major battle. It is difficult for the reader to grasp the overall view of this clash as it is layered over with detail upon detail. From mass movements to small skirmishes, it is told in the driest of writing style. The usual complaint levied against military books, inadequate maps, can not be claimed here. The maps are numerous and like the work itself, detailed. As a reference tool the book is invaluable and for this it merits the rating given. An interesting read it is not but it does belongs on the shelf of those with a serious interest in the Bulge.
You either LOVE or HATE this book........1999-04-21
This is a tricky book. The author(s)apparently know what they are talking about with regard to the battle of the bulge. However, it is written in a pretty dry and boring manner, almost, like another reviewer stated, seeming to be written as a college paper that is trying to get "all the facts" in. The detail is terrific, and probably important, for the military historian reader interested in what battalion was where, or what company commander did what, or which army advanced here or there, or withdrew so many miles, etc. But, for the general reader it is kind of boring, although I thought the asides on the lives of the military officers were somewhat interesting. Overall, not light reading, very little of that imagery and word magic necessary to keep your eyeballs glued to the page.
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