Undoubtedly one of the most written events of the 20th Century was the June 6 1944 invasion of France at Normady. D-Day is one of those pivotal events where everything went wrong, yet the objectives were met as the defenders blundered more than the attackers.

In this compilation of essays, leading historians explore history's greatest assault. It starts with an introduction to what was really needed  in order to defeat the Germans and free Western Europe. Through a series of articles that cover all aspects of the preparation for the event, from the initial planning to choosing commanders, to deceiving the enemy to what the Germans expected an more, we get a broad spectrum of ideas and thoughts on the subject. There are sections on air power, the naval side of things, how the landings at the various beaches went, the use of airborne troops and their effectiveness, the push out of the beachhead and how the Germans saw the situation. This ends up with the events after the invasion and the way that D-day is remembered.

I have to say that this is one of the best books on the subject I have ever read. I had no idea how fraught with disaster the entire undertaking really was. There were leaders who worked well with each other, those that did a lot of grandstanding, and those who didn't like what was being planned, but carried out orders any way. There was also the underlying need to have this work else there was fear that if it did not and they had to try again, the Russians would end up occupying all of Europe up to the Rhine. Particularly poignant was the last chapter on how these men have been remembered by both those that participated, those who were freed from the clutches of the Nazis and those who defended against the invasion.

It all makes for an incredible read and one that every student of history should have on their shelves.

May 2009

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