The next in Osprey's Graphic History series is this one on the Battle of the Bulge. The battle was Hitler's last attempt at possibly ending the war with the Western Allies on his terms. It was hoped that not only would the attack surprise Allied forces, but also push them back to where the Germans could captures the major port of Antwerp, where the majority of supplies were being brought in.

Under the cover of poor weather that hampered Allied airpower, the Germans attacked in an area along the Belgian frontier that was not heavily guarded. Mostly an American sector, it was manned by fresh troops with no combat experience. The Germans has put their most experienced panzer units in the front lines and quickly broke through.

Despite their lack of experience, US forces fought fiercely and managed to slow the German advance. Additional support came from McAuliff's 101st Airborne unit which fortified Bastogne and the quick movement of Patton's third army.

The end result was that the Germans were not able to make their goals (of which capturing US fuel depots was a major target) and were eventually pushed back to where they started.

The illustrators of this edition have done a fine job of telling a long and complex story in a few short pages. There is a short historical section in the beginning that tells of the build-up and characters involved and an aftermath that puts forward the results of the battle.

It is a book that will be enjoyed by young and old alike, but especially the younger crowd who are more drawn to a presentation such as this. An excellent introduction to the battle and one that I know will be enjoyed.

September 2007

For more on the complete line of Osprey books, visit www.ospreypublishing.com. In the US, it is Osprey Direct at 44-02 23rd St, Suite 219, Long Island City, NY 11101., where you can get a catalogue of available books.

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and quickly by a site that has nearly 400,000 visitors a month, please contact me or see other details in the Note to Contributors.