WW II Detailed study of US Army France & Germany "EISENHOWER'S LIEUTENANTS" a

Description: I COMBINE SHIPPING $1.50 per book. FREE SHIPPING for orders over $60. Send books to your check-out cart. E-Bay will automatically adjust shipping costs. PACKAGING & SHIPPING RULES: 1. Individual books Under $18.00 are shipped in padded poly envelopes. 2. Individual books Over $18.00 are shipped in a poly envelope inside a box. 3. Buy Three or more books and the order is shipped in a box.ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS LISTING:I Pulled the following from a book review: Mr Weigley, a noted academic and author of several other books on WWII, has written an impressive summary of the closing months of the war in the west. This book is suitable for both interested new students and experienced readers for it contains a wealth of information and insight on a critical campaign. You will not only learn about the key events of the day but you will see how well key people did in prosecuting the war.The author begins by explaining US war doctrine which was greatly influenced by General McNair. The doctrine was based primarily on our experiences in the Civil War and WWI and it ignores the realities of the strength and habits the Germans had shown since the start of the war and what the Soviets were showing since 1943. I found our war doctrine to be confused and outdated. After further discussion of the US and German armies, the author begins his operational coverage with the D-Day landings and diligently works his way to the German surrender in May 1945. The coverage is predominately American but from time to time the 21st Army Group is discussed. There is also much discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of Eisenhower, Bradley, Patton and Montgomery but also of 20 other key commanders. The discussion involves their performance on the battlefield as well as how they got along with their fellow officers. There is also coverage on the usefulness of artillery and air power in support of the ground troops as well as an entity unto themselves.This is the most complete, single source tactical summary I've been able to find. It shows the hardship of the landing and the first week moving off the beach, fighting through the hedgerows, St Lo, Operation Cobra, the drive through Brittany, Mortain, Falaise, the crossing of the Seine etc, etc. The Aachen-Hurtgen-Roer River campaigns was especially revealing and one of my favorites. The German determined resistance is shown as well. The analysis and criticism of Bradley, Hodges and Collins for their poor planning and shortsightedness of this campaign seemed warranted. Hodges and Collins are veterans of the Argonne Forest debacle of 1918; you would think they would avoid a second occurrence but they didn't. The loss of life in the Hurtgen was horrific and could have been less if our commanders were less obdurate and more thoughtful.Included with the narrative are 23 full page maps showing the countryside but not detailed troop movements of each campaign discussed. There is an extensive 43 page Notes section and Index. There are photos of 23 commanders and a few other battlefield shots.Though some reviewers disagreed with some of the author's analysis and judgments, I agreed with much of it. The poor utilization and coordination of infantry and armor, though it improved somewhat later, the refusal to upgrade our tanks, the general insistence of a wide front advance, the over cautious commanders and the mobilization of too few troops to Europe, the lack of a combined long term strategy for both Europe and the Pacific are legitimate concerns that needed to be addressed. However, I would temper the author's high appraisal of the German war readiness by late 1944-45. Though the Germans were still dangerous and still had amazing recuperative powers, the American fighting ability greatly improved as indicative in the defeat of the Germans in the Ardennes in December/January if not earlier in the breakout and pursuit of July/August period. And these Allied victories occurred even with a pronounced reduction of planned mobilization of troops.There are 730 pages, excluding the Notes and Index, that pertain to the war. The operational coverage of the US engagements in the last year of the war in the west is very good and most readers will learn about the key commanders that prosecuted the war. If you're looking for a one volume summary of the fighting in western Europe in the last year of the war then this book is highly recommended.

Price: 16 USD

Location: Livonia, Michigan

End Time: 2024-11-22T17:03:34.000Z

Shipping Cost: 6.9 USD