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
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
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
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 a cold morning in December, 1944, deep in the Ardennes forest, a platoon of eighteen men under the command of twenty-year-old lieutenant Lyle Bouck were huddled in their foxholes trying desperately to keep warm. Suddenly, the early morning silence was broken by the roar of a huge artillery bombardment and the dreadful sound of approaching tanks. Hitler had launched his bold and risky offensive against the Allies-his"last gamble"-and the small American platoon was facing the main thrust of the entire German assault.
Vastly outnumbered, they repulsed three German assaults in a fierce day-long battle, killing over five hundred German soldiers and defending a strategically vital hill. Only when Bouck's men had run out of ammunition did they surrender to the enemy. As POWs, Bouck's platoon began an ordeal far worse than combat-survive in captivity under trigger-happy German guards, Allied bombing raids, and a daily ration of only thin soup. In German POW camps, hundreds of captured Americans were either killed or died of disease, and most lost all hope. But the men of Bouck's platoon survived-miraculously, all of them.
Once again in vivid, dramatic prose, Alex Kershaw brings to life the story of some of America's little-known heroes-the story of America's most decorated small unit, an epic story of courage and survival in World War II, and one of the most inspiring stories in American history.
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
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
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.
Book Description
First published in 1992 to rave reviews, Danny Parker's Battle of the Bulge has since become the "standard" history of the battle, praised by historians for its stirring narrative, meticulous research, and its wealth of new information and fresh interpretations. Published now in a new edition, including a photo section with fascinating then-and-now images of the Ardennes area battlefield, this "classic" history of the Battle of the Bulge will be released to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the battle.
Customer Reviews:
Deserving of the title "Standard History".......2005-11-27
It is difficult to write about a subject like the Battle of the Bulge - which is one of the most covered topics in the Second World War - without appearing either derivative or superficial. However, Danny S. Parker's volume on the 1944 German surprise attack in the Ardennes Forrest is not only well-organized and presented, but it actually manages to deliver a few fresh perspectives along the way. While there are a few rough edges in this volume - particularly the maps - Parker's effort is certainly deserving of the nod as "the standard history" of the campaign. Actually, other than a few issues such as the maps, it is hard to imagine anyone writing a superior narrative on this campaign. If you own only one volume on the Battle of the Bulge, this should be it.
Easily the most impressive feature of Parker's volume is the careful and interesting organization. Parker provides about 60 pages of introductory material that sets the stage, with descriptions of the German plan, Allied decision-making, intelligence issues, the terrain and the weapons. Thenceforth, Parker alternates between narrative chapters that describe the tactical events of the battle on a day-by-day basis and topical chapters that discuss a myriad of interesting subjects (German paratroopers, Tiger tanks, the Malmedy massacre, Skorzeny, the weather, the war correspondents, artillery, forgotten units, civilians and Hemmingway in the battle). The author also provides very detailed orders of battle for both sides, as well as comments on a variety of subjects, such as touring the modern Ardennes. The narrative is supplemented by numerous maps, which unfortunately are difficult to read without a magnifying glass; the German units are particularly difficult to see.
The level of research in this volume is impressive. Parker easily disposes of a number of the myths about the campaign and keeps a keen focus on the main causes and events that led to the German defeat. As Parker sees it - and he presents a very strong case - the initial German attacks in the Ardennes failed, despite surprise and numerical superiority at key points. Although much of the US 106th Infantry Division was lost in the Schnee Eiffel in the first few days, the 28th and 99th Divisions seriously upset the unforgiving German timetable and essentially doomed the offensive to failure within the first 48 hours. By the time that the Germans did punch through the US line in several places, US reinforcements were arriving to hold key positions like Bastogne and the Meuse Crossings. Thus, as Parker sees it, the offensive was a long-shot that quickly lost all hope for success. Although the Allies faced a month of tough fighting in the Ardennes to reverse the German gains, the issue was never really in doubt once the Allies starting piling on fresh divisions. Short of fuel and ammunition, the German forces were unable to compete in sustained combat against the vast stockpile of resources that the US Army applied against them. Parker is unusual in that he actually spends the time to discuss the German logistical weaknesses in some detail, unlike many accounts that gloss over this critical subject. Furthermore, despite the popular history obsession with comparing tanks of both sides, Parker shows that it was the infantry, engineers and artillery who really dominated the battle in the forests and small towns of the Ardennes.
This is a book that should satisfy a fairly diverse audience. Military historians will find it a useful reference with plenty of detail, while casual readers will not find the author's narrative too tedious (the topical chapters provide useful breaks from the dry event narrative chapters) or too bogged down in detail. Overall, this is a superb effort at military history.
DON'T BUY THIS BOOK.......2005-05-10
If you like to buy this book, please buy the OLD EDITION. Without mentioning this fact in the web site or intoduction to the book, this new edition surprisely DID NOT contained many of the photos contained in the old edition! I mistakenly buy this edition and fell into the trap! I have to retun it to Amazon. The old edition (soft over) is both cheaper and contained many interesting photos not reproduced in the new edition.
Solid, well-research, readable contribution to Bulge lit.......2005-04-18
Danny S. Parker's "Battle of the Bulge: Hitler's Ardennes Offensive, 1944-1945" is one of the best of the books out there on this, the last dying grasp of the German war machine at the heady days of 1940 in the West. Originally published in 1991, this 2004 edition includes several new additions (including new photos and reference materials) to bring this classic historiography into the present for the reader. Certainly "Battle of the Bulge" is deserving of the praise it has received, but why? Three reasons: outstanding research, expert organization, and stylish writing.
Outstanding Research: Parker did his homework for this one! Unlike so many who write military history, especially WWII history, with a provincial or nationalistic perspective, Parker tells the story from both sides of the "fence". Certainly the U.S. Army is front and center but given the make up of the victorious Allied forces this is not altogether unfair. Readers are treated to various aspects of Bulge history (see next section), not just prose dedicated to combat, but order of battle information for both Allied and German forces, summaries of weapons utilized, views from the top during planning phases, execution and response, and erasure of the Bulge (again from both sides). Moreover, Parker has provided a number of fabulous photographs, many in the "then-and-now" vein.
Expert Organization: Although Parker covers a lot of diverse material related to the Battle of the Bulge (from combat to logistics and post-war museums and battle games), he (and/or his editor) organizes his story in such a way that readers are unlikely to become bored even if not interested in all the individual components. Whether simply related to subject matter or Parker's style of writing, the battle passages, which are interspersed within other topics, are often dry and somewhat difficult to follow. Yet, not clumping them together makes the book flow more easily. Moreover, Parker balances the length of sections quite well such that there are numerous logical places to "rest". Although topics are mixed chapter to chapter, this is not to say that Parker lacks a larger organization or that the book is a random collection of facts. In fact Parker clumps chapters together into five larger "sections":
1) The Setting - this section contains seven distinct chapters, the last three each containing additional sub-chapters. In total The Setting describes the planning phase of Wacht am Rhein, the status of the "Ghost Front" in the weeks and days leading up to the jump-off, the mindset and leadership of the Allied camp before the German attack, and how the logistics of a battle in the Ardennes could be influenced by the Ardennes itself. Parker's prose provides ample information to educate even the most naïve of readers.
2) The First Days: We March - this section is separated into six distinct chapters, the fifth having a sub-chapter. The first five chapters deal with the attackers and their armies (Fifth Panzer Armee, Sixth Panzer Armee, and Seventh Armee), the leadership and it's methods, and lastly a description of the first day of battle (again generally from the perspective of the German side). The last chapter of this section describes the Allied reaction to the surprise attack, which can be fairly called chaotic in the first day.
3) Progress of the Battle - this section details the battle from 17 Dec to the end of Jan when the line resembled that of 15 Dec. This is by far the most battle detailed portion of the book with more than half of the 200-odd pages covering the action from both sides. Filling out the rest of this section are various pieces of non-combat storyline including views from the top (again from both Allied and German perspectives), affects on the civilian population, and views of the combat from embedded non-combatants of the press corps. In addition, "Progress of the Battle" includes a number of important sub-stories of the bigger Bulge story, like the SS atrocities at Malmedy where US PWs were executed in cold-blood. Parker's fair-handedness comes shinning through in this section as he covers the events without making excuses for the SS but while making sure that the reader knows that the Germans were not the only ones to have committed acts beyond those normally accepted in war.
4) Looking Back - this sections details the price paid by both combatants (personnel, armaments, time, psychological effects), how the Bulge fits into the larger picture of the War, and the why's the battles outcome - why did the Germans lose their great gamble? This section provides a nice wrap-up of the rest of the book in a bigger historical perspective. Fabulous!
5) Appendices - In addition to Order of Battle information oft present in Appendices of military history, Parker's contains a wonderful "recommended reading list" (with book descriptions), information on Bulge periodicals, films (both Hollywood-type and documentaries), and simulation games, and a discussion of Ardennes museums and tours. This section alone makes Parker's book a critical resource for the serious.
In the end, "Battle of Bulge" by Danny Parker is a "classic" piece of military history, told with style and full of expertly researched information. Parker's book is a cross between John Toland's "Battle" (engaging story written with flair) and Charles MacDonald's "A Time for Trumpets" (deep with facts and emotion). This is a MUST read for those interested in good history of one of the US Armies most important engagements - 5 stars!
An Outstanding Reference on the Ardennes Offensive 1944.......2005-01-19
Historian Danny Parker provides a highly readable and scholarly account of Hitler's last offensive in the west, December 1944. Using primary sources and personal interviews, Danny captures the battle like no other author. The book is packed with text, photos, and maps. There are pearls from the battle the reader will delightfully come across that are not found in other accounts. For example, the author address the "Myth and Mystery" surrounding the presence of the infamous German Tiger Tanks in previous historical literature - where they were and with whom they served. Individual chapters discuss the effects of weather, influence of terrain, and differences in weaponry. He appropriately pauses at critical points to analyze the progress of the battle from both the Allied and German perspectives. In addition to a complete order of battle, the book provides a chronological listing of reinforcements committed to the Ardennes. This is a book easily appreciated by both the casual reader and the serious historian. My personal copy is highlighted and annotated. This book belongs in every military history library. If you buy only one book on the Bulge, this is the one to own.
Proof Positive that December '44 was not a Winter-Wonderland.......2004-12-06
Finally available in soft cover. When it was first published in 1992, THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE: HITLER'S ARDENNES OFFENSIVE, 1944-1945, was truly the first new Battle of the Bulge book published since 1985 when Charles B. MacDonald released A TIME FOR TRUMPETS. The BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) is that this is a fantastic book on the Ardennes campaign. This volume is the perfect compliment to a Battle of the Bulge historical library.
Danny S. Parker took a different route in assembling this book. Battle of the Bulge books, including those that are rushed to publication in advance of battle anniversary dates, tend to be a rehash of the same old material. Not so with Parker's book. Taking it one step further, Parker avoids using the same tired photographs that appear in most other books on the subject. A majority of the photos originate from combat motion picture stills. The photo captions alone offer superb photo analysis.
If you want data, this book has it. Parker's BATTLE OF THE BULGE debunks many of the myths about the battle. For example, very few King Tiger tanks were available for the battle. Additionally, it did not start snowing until midway through the offensive. All of this is backed up by meticulous research.
If you are a Battle of the Bulge historian, you should treat yourself to this book.
Book Description
A unique look at the calm before the storm--how the Germans were able to take the Americans by surprise at the Battle of the Bulge.
While much has been written about the Battle of the Bulge--Hitler's gigantic counteroffensive in the Ardennes Forest--the question of exactly how Germany was able to secretly mass its strategic reserves opposite the U.S. front remains as shrouded in mystery today as it was at the time.
In December 1944, the snow-covered Ardennes was so quiet it was termed by Allied planners "the Ghost Front." The U.S. placed its greenest units among the wooded hills, along with combat-shattered units. But beneath trees just miles away, the Germans were stealthily massing two full Panzer armies and 300,000 assault troops.
Week after week, Hitler poured the cream of the Wehrmacht into the "quiet" sector, for a surprise attack designed to shatter the American front. And while the Germans were eventually defeated in the Bulge, the preparations for the attack marked a victory for German stealth, deception, and organization.
Charles Whiting, one of the best-selling historians of the war, examines how the Allies could have anticipated the attack had they not been lulled into a false sense of security. He also delves into the controversy over whether George Patton had received advance word of the offensive but failed to warn the frontline divisions. This question and many others are at last answered in The Ghost Front.
Customer Reviews:
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly..........2005-01-09
I looked forward to reading this book, after all, I love WWII history. Unfortunately, the more I read Whiting, the more I believe that instead of 200+ books (see inside jacket cover), he should have written five.
First, the good. He describes a set of operations before the Battle of the Bulge - not popularly known and this is good that he handles the subject. Praise for the intent. In addition, the book deals with some little-known details, including "Operation Heinrich" managed by Giskes.
Now, the bad. The reason why I hesitate to call the author a historian is because he is, above all, inaccurate. Specifics (just examples, they abound all over the book): 1) on page 22, a Belgian castle is referred to as "Chateau du Boise St. Jean"[sic!]. Then on page 23 it is "Chateau de Bois St. Jean". Finally, on page 27 it becomes "Chateau du Bois St. Jean"... So, either consistency, or knowing French would help.
2) Caption of first picture after page 115 (hardcover): " ... SS Commander 'Sepp', Dietrich, founder of the Liebstandarte" ... come on, Mr. Whiting, you should know it is "Leibstandarte" - you wrote a highly re-hashed book about "Jochen" Peiper, in the title of that book you at least correctly referred to it as "Leibstandarte"... Again, either consistency or knowing German might help.
Finally, the ugly. This goes on and on... One of these examples could be an editorial error, but the author does not seem to care, or know. Others wrote about his quite unfounded anti-American and anti-Eisenhower bias, so I say no more about that... To balance it, I guess, there is quite a bit of anti-German bias as well (now the Brits, they are fine...).
I wish there were less re-hash, more accuracy ... or just fewer books and better quality...
A Canadian.......2002-07-17
This old British author loses all credibilty after reading just two of his books. Whiting is so overtly pro British and so anti-American and has literally no objectivity whatsoever. Whiting not only repeats paragraph after paragraph in a series of books on say, the subject of the battles for the Huertgen Forest or on any battle he has written more than one book and, the editors/publishers continue to ignore the fact that two or three of Whiting's books on any battle are identical. Whiting also plagiarizes the works of other authors on a consistent basis. Whiting's books on WWII are simply a long and boring whine against the U.S., have little, if any, substance except where this old man blatantly copies other credible authors.
Why publishers continue to publish this old fraud's work is the question and, any reader who has read more than one of Whiting's books would, no doubt, never be gullible enough to waste a Canadian or American dollar on Whiting's mostly nasty anti American, anti Canadian pulp fiction.
Un-intelligence - all the pieces but no picture.......2002-07-14
Charles Whiting's book, Ghost Front: The Ardennes Before the Battle of the Bulge" is an interesting, if brief, examination of the Allied failure to see the German Ardennes offensive of 1944 coming before it happened. Other reviews have stated that Whiting provides no real insight as to why this happened, and in the end analysis there is some truth in that - many of the facts surrounding this huge intelligence faux pas remain obscured and possibly lost forever to time. However, in contrast to some other reviews I found Whiting's explanations of the events quite compelling and enlightening. Granted no single fault was found with Allied intelligence to place blame on, but that was why the Bulge occurred - no single event, but rather a series of events lead up to the Ardennes offensive and the German surprise. Whiting in my opinion does a decent job introducing many of the significant intelligence characters of the period, both Allied and Nazi. I found the stories of the German counter-intelligence ploys most interesting and enlightening, as these are sides of the story not often told. While there is certainly enough new material here to keep one interested I tend to agree with previous reviews that Whiting's style is a bit difficult at first, but I got used to it. I read the book over a three-day period (mainly while traveling for a business trip) and can say that in the end I really enjoyed the book. Yet, it's shortness (~160 pages) made it not quite worth full market price when all the criticisms discussed above are taken into account. I would however not dissuade readers from taking a look at other works by Whiting.
From www.wargamer.com.......2002-07-11
I hear www.wargamer.com will soon have a full review of this title. They also have many other reviews, previews and analysis articles of military history.
Ghost Front is a fascinating, if somewhat esoteric, view of the events that led up to the Battle of the Bulge. The intelligence failure of the Allies, or more precise, the pure blindness they suffered from, caused tens of thousands of needless casualties on both sides of the line.
Charles Whiting does a good job of portraying information that is not easily found in other sources, but his grammatical style has errors and doesn't flow very well in places, making reading this book less enjoyable than it should be.
Underwhelming.......2002-07-06
I thought I would get an explanation of why the Allied air forces could not discern the buildup in the Ardennes. But Whiting does not offer an explanation. Instead he focuses on the mismash of intelligence failures. But, you don't get to know any of the characters very well. Plus, from a writing perspective, Whiting has to many long, disconnected subclauses that are difficult to comprehend. Finally, he repeats himself often. Don't pay full price for this book. It is not essential to your WWII collection!
Amazon.com
In the fall of 1944, Hitler realized that the defeat of Germany was imminent. But instead of seeking peace, he launched a massive, last-ditch offensive against the Allied forces. The subsequent fight, know as the Battle of the Bulge, involved more than a million soldiers and some of the war's fiercest fighting. John S. D. Eisenhower, son of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, presents a comprehensive portrait of what happened that December, and how the Allies triumphed. In his introduction to this reprinted volume, Stephen E. Ambrose says that "The Bitter Woods will be read so long as the Republic lasts." That's high praise from America's leading historian of the Second World War, and this book is, in truth, one of the better World War II titles available.
Customer Reviews:
Should be on the bookshelves of all modern military historians, professional and amatuer alike.......2007-05-24
John S. D. Eisenhower's "The Bitter Woods: The Dramatic Story, Told At All Echelons - From Supreme Command to Squad Leader - of the Crisis That Shock the Western Coalition: Hilter's Surprise Ardennes Offensive" is a tour-de-force piece of historical literature. As a former WWII junior officer and son of the Supreme Commander, John Eisenhower writes from a solid first (and extremely close second) hand experience as a soldier in the Allied forces that defeated the Axis forces in NW Europe. More than just a former soldier and son of the leader of the armed coalition of victors, Eisenhower emerges with "The Bitter Woods" as a military historian of the first class. Few accounts of the Battle of the Bulge (as Hitler's Ardennes offensive was oft referred in Allied press accounts and writings since) are as thoroughly researched and broad reaching.
Eisenhower starts his book by providing short, but informative, biographies of the top commanders on the Allied and German sides (unnumbered pages in the 1995 DaCapo Press paperback version reviewed here), followed by an insightful Forward (pp. 17-23) in which he describes the genesis of the book and his views on how "The Bitter Woods" might fit into the literature dedicated to the Bulge. Even if one does not read "The Bitter Woods" in its entirety the Forward alone is worth a look for budding historians and historical authors as a potential guide to understanding ones own work and its worth.
While Eisenhower does not cover in detail the German side of the equation that led to this greatest of American armed conflicts, he is mindful to place the conflict in perspective, both from the Allied and German sides. In fact, 'Book I' of "The Bitter Woods" (pp. 27-102) covers the event leading up to the Ardennes conflict, minus the actual pre-attack preparations (covered in 'Book II'; see below). He deals with strategic and tactical errors made prior to the battle on both Allied and German sides, and sets the stage for the rest of the book, which represents a detailed accounting of the action from grunt to Ike's command.
In 'Book II' (pp. 105-176) Eisenhower details how the Germans prepared for their Ardennes Counteroffensive, and how the Allies missed their chance to snuff the attack before it started. While much of the discussion on the German side remains as valid today as it was when Eisenhower first penned "The Bitter Woods" in the late '60s, his analysis of Allied blunders might be considered by some to be less thorough. It is fair to point out to readers that when Eisenhower wrote "The Bitter Woods", Ultra, the Allied deciphering of German coded communications, was still a Western secret and no historian was yet privy to all of the INTEL that the Allies had at the time of the Ardennes Counteroffensive. In this regard if Eisenhower does miss the mark a bit it is not from a failure on his part in researching or writing the book, but rather from the time in which the book was written, relative to what exactly was available in terms of Allied intel reports. Having said all this it is still arguable that even with Ultra intel the Allies still could not have effectively divined Hitler's intentions (while not the overt intention of the book, "The Ghost Front" by Charles Whiting effectively demonstrates this latter thesis), especially given the Allied mindset that the war was effectively over and the Germans were incapable of mounting a serious offensive, along with the fact that the Germans quite effectively limited use of radio and wire messages during the lead up to D-day (16 December 1944). Thus, in the end despite having a less than complete Allied intel picture, Eisenhower's analyses of Allied blunders are still on fairly solid ground.
In 'Books III (pp. 179-257) and IV (pp. 261-375)', Eisenhower gives his prose to a discussion of the bulk of the battle (16-26 Dec). In particular, Eisenhower presents a lucid and moving, not to mention highly readable, account of the initial attack and breakthroughs the Germans achieved in critical sectors of the US V and VIII Corps sectors and the brave stands of pockets of US forces in stemming these initial breakthroughs. Robert Merriam ("Dark December"), John Toland ("Battle of the Bulge") and Charles MacDonald ("A Time for Trumpets") have also done these events justice with their historical writings. When Eisenhower's accounts are added into this mix one gets a quite full account.
'Book V' covers the US and Allied (Eisenhower gives fair - not too little and not too much - credit to the contributions of Monty's 21st Army Group) final reduction of the German forces west of the Rhine, as well as a chapter entitled 'The Final Analysis', in which he tries (quite effectively) to place the battle in perspective of the ETO and ultimate defeat of the Axis forces in Europe. Like the 'Forward', this final chapter alone is worth reading on its own independent of the great material that precedes it.
In the end "The Bitter Woods" is a 5 star effort that should be read by ALL interested in the greatest of US Army battles, one that to this day exists in the American conscience.
The Definitive Book on the Battle.......2006-11-16
This book is considered by many to be the definitive book on the Battle of the Bulge.
As the son of 'Ike' Eisenhower had a mixture of good and bad. On the one hand his own activities were restricted by lower level officers not wanting to accept the risk that Ike's kid was killed or captured. At the same time he had more access to much higher ranking individuals than would the normal low ranking officer. This included the ability to meet with people like Patton, Bradley, Montgomery and so on. This was an ideal situation for a budding historian.
The Battle of the Bulge was the biggest battle ever fought by the U.S. Army. During the battle the Army lost 20,000 killed, 20,000 captured, 40,000 wounded. This was more casualties than the total number of men in the Army of Northern Virginia at Gettysburg.
This story begins on day one of the battle, backs up a bit to give some understanding of how things came to be, tells a detailed story covering every level from commander to squad leader, and wraps up with the aftereffects of the battle. It is written in an easy to read, easy to understand manner.
This book was first published in 1969, reprinted periodically, and has just gone out of print.
Best Bulge Book on the Supreme Command.......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 Charles B. MacDonald's A Time for Trumpets. I have read all but Hugh Cole's book and will review each of them.
The Bitter Woods starts with a good background of the breakout from the Normandy beachhead and takes you up the start of the Bulge. Eisenhower gives you a strategic view of the events leading up to the Bulge. He discusses the strategy that the Allies were using against the Germans. His book gives you much more background of the operations before the Bulge than either Toland's or MacDonald's.
As this book was written in 1968, the knowledge of the Enigma intercepts was not released yet. Eisenhower is still able to discuss the deception operation that the Germans were able to successfully conduct against the Allies.
Once Eisenhower gets to the battle he does a good job of taking you to soldier level battles. MacDonald does a better job but he doesn't set the strategic context as well as Eisenhower. All of these books are detailed enough that they keep you referring to the maps to understand what was happening.
Eisenhower also gives more details of other events that happened during and after the the Bulge such as the German offensive Operation Nordwind. Finally Eisenhower shows the strategy that led to the end of the war in Europe.
Eisenhower provides many details about the leadership. He personally knew them and his father was able to provide many personal details.
While Eisenhower knew both General Omar Bradley and Field Marshall Montgomery, I felt he did a pretty good job of describing the personality conflict between them and did not defer from taking on the issue.
If you are looking for a good book on the Battle of Bulge that places it in its historical context, discusses the leadership, and gives you the big view as well as individual actions, the Bitter Woods is the best book of the three.
The Bitter Opinion.......2005-02-25
COL Eisenhower initially wrote this book to be an analysis of American commanders in a moment of crisis. However, in writing the book, COL Eisenhower gradually changed the book from the analysis of leadership to that of telling the story of the Battle of the Bulge.
The book opens by telling the background of the players and the events leading up to the battle. COL Eisenhower brought up some interesting items (like how poor the US Intelligence arm was during the 1930's) and his opinion on some of the leaders. Unfortunately, while I consider his opinion to be a valid opinion, I found it very prejudice against different leaders, particularly General's Eisenhower (he found no fault with Ike's leadership or handling of the Bulge situation), Bradley (I felt his opinion of Bradley was that of a loyal lap dog), Hodges (very complementary toward him, seemed to feel he was the best Army level general we had), and Patton (his comments about Patton being a weak leader when dealing with a static situation was very interesting). COL Eisenhower follows this with a very good breakdown of what Hitler and his generals did to prepare for the upcoming battle.
COL Eisenhower then told the story of the battle. This was done different that most books I've read on the subject. Initially, he described the entire situation along the front, with the different breakthrough attempts by the Germans (a traditional telling shall we say), working north to south. Unfortunately, the subsequent chapters didn't follow the traditional tell what happened on that day. Instead, focused on telling one situation and how the leaders handled the situation. While good for an analysis of leadership, it makes for telling story of the battle a little harder on the reader (ok, it's December 21st, St. Vith is crumbling, what's the situation down south...). Something that I was very interested in, was how COL Eisenhower felt sorry for General Jones (commander of the 106th ID). This is something that I've never really seen before from other writers on this subject.
Part of the books description says that the book looks at leadership at all levels during the battle. This was something that I felt was done weakly at the lower-to-mid levels (squad to battalion). While COL Eisenhower does describe some of the actions different battlefield leaders made, most of the focus is on the higher leadership. I conceder this to be a weakness in the book.
Rating wise, this has been very difficult. Some parts of the book are very good and thought provoking, while others just lay there. On an Amazon rating of 1-5 stars, I have to give it 3 stars, mainly because it failed it's initial mission (providing a meaningful analysis of American leadership during a crisis) and it's secondary role (telling the story of the Battle of the Bulge) isn't as strong as other books on the subject (Battle by John Toland for example).
Fascinating account of Hitler's last gamble in the West...........2003-12-05
The Bitter Woods, historian John S. D. Eisenhower's insightful account of the Ardennes Counteroffensive in the winter of 1944, is one of the best books yet written about the Battle of the Bulge. Along with John Toland's 1959 classic Battle: The Story of the Bulge and the late Charles B. MacDonald's A Time for Trumpets, this volume is a must-read for World War II buffs.
The Ardennes Counteroffensive was the brainchild of Adolf Hitler himself. Even as Soviet forces raced toward Berlin from the east and the Western Allies advanced steadily toward the Rhine in the west, the Fuhrer squirreled away hundreds of tanks and artillery pieces plus thousands of soldiers -- some of them either old men over the age of 50 or young boys no older than 16 -- and planned a daring stroke reminiscent of the Third Reich's triumphs in 1939 and 1940. Three entire armies would strike the Allies in the "quiet" Ardennes forest region of Belgium and Luxembourg and drive to the crucial port of Antwerp. Hitler hoped to drive a wedge between the Anglo-Canadian armies in the north and the American armies in the south and cause inter-Allied political strife. At the very least, the seizure of Antwerp would slow the Allied advance just enough so Nazi Germany could develop "wonder weapons" and rain V-1 and V-2 missiles on London and other Allied cities. At the very best, the Grand Alliance would fall apart and Hitler might be able to negotiate a separate peace with Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.
But even though Hitler's offensive caught the Allies by surprise on Dec. 16, 1944 and created much havoc and confusion, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, supreme commander of the Allied forces, remained relatively calm. The Germans did penetrate the thinly held front and created a salient or "bulge" in the Allied lines, but Eisenhower and his field commanders (Bradley, Hodges, Patton and the various corps and divisional commanders) soon recovered and took decisive measures to contain the German assault.
But generals and colonels, no matter how skilled or determined, can't win battles alone. The Bitter Woods contains many accounts of brave GIs and junior officers who fought tooth and nail to slow and stop Hitler's last desperate gamble in the West. Readers who are just beginning to read about World War II will be in awe of the paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division who helped hold the surrounded city of Bastogne, whose capture by the Germans was deemed by Hitler as a principal objective if his plan were to succeed. (Bastogne is where Brig. Gen Tony McAuliffe replied to the Germans' demand for surrender with the pithy one-word refusal, "Nuts!") The author, who graduated from West Point in June 1944 and is the Supreme Commander's son, writes about the stand of St. Vith's defenders, the combat engineers who blew bridges in front of the advancing panzer units, the ill-advised massacre of American POWs at Baugnez (the misnamed Malmedy Massacre) by SS troops and the harrowing baptism by fire of the green 106th Infantry Division, which lost two of its regiments in the largest American surrender since Bataan in 1942.
Eisenhower also writes extensively about the campaign in Northwest Europe both before and after the Battle of the Bulge, allowing both the new reader and long-time buff to place this, the largest single battle in U.S. Army history (there were, by January of 1945, over 600,000 soldiers involved), in the context of the liberation of Europe from Nazi tyranny.
Because the book was originally written in 1969, five years before the revelation of the Ultra secret, the account of the Allies' intelligence failure is not as well-explained as in the 1985 book by Charles MacDonald, but aside from that, The Bitter Woods still stands as one of the finest "case studies" of a major battle of World War II.
Book Description
Donn Pearce, the author of Cool Hand Luke, again revisits the subject of men under tremendous pressure, living and dying according to oppressive circumstances. Now, he brings you another tragic hero, thrust out of the only world he knew and forced to create one on his own terms . . . or die trying.Toby Parker was America's unwanted son. Only sixteen years old, he was too young to be enlisted in the army, but old enough to know that he didn't want to return to the life he knew: moving from new home to new home, neglected by his mother, ignored by his father, overlooked by everyone else. The war overseas promised exotic locations and adventure, but what it delivered was something else entirely. The Nazis were beginning to fall back, and the war was all but over. But the fighting still raged on in pockets of Europe. Out of the critical focus on France, only one last position needed to hold: the city of Bastogne. Thrown into battle almost immediately upon arrival, he soon found himself wounded and alone, struggling to survive and looked upon to lead. It was here that Toby was to learn what war really was, and what kind of man he was destined to become. Many American boys went into World War II, and each one lived their own nightmare, critically shaped by what they experienced. Out of the dead, even the survivors, Nobody Comes Back.Told with gritty authenticity, Donn Pearce captures the very essence of what it means to be caught under the worst circumstances imaginable, while having the strength and humanity to rise above them.
Customer Reviews:
War Fronts.......2007-08-11
As Donn Pearce tells the story of Toby Parker, we find the main character fighting a war on two fronts. As the title implies, Parker is fighting the Battle of the Bulge. Parker is also fighting with the demons of his past including a murky family-life and shadows of a childhood sweetheart. It is a realistic picture of the confusion a young man fights in war.
While this is a work of fiction, there were some aspects of the story that I struggled with accepting. Escaping after being captured by the Germans once is unlikely, but twice is unrealistic. Additionally, Parker's acts of insubordination make him seem unlikely to be allowed to survive by his own fellow soldiers much less the enemy. The camaraderie among soldiers seems very realistic and quite entertaining. While parts of the story may seem unrealistic, the statement of the final chapter is quite poignant.
It is a daunting task to write a World War II novel that stands out amongst a populous field. While I can not say that this book is among the best that I have read, it is well written and it certain to find a niche in the genre.
Couldn't Put It Down -- A Modern Red Badge of Courage.......2007-05-25
I've got to admit, at first I had my doubts, expecting "Cool Hand Luke" goes to war. I was wrong. I couldn't put it down. My only minor complaint would be the extreme cynicism of the protagonist (shades of Holden in "Catcher In the Rye") -- but it fits him perfectly once you learn his back story. The characterization and awesome action scenes kept me reading. You WILL feel for the protagonist.
I must note that in three trips to the Ardennes battlefields, Pearce accurately captures the terrain, weather and villages as few authors have. He had done his homework.
Expect a highly personal story that doesn't try to give the reader the big historical picture. Pearce never changes the point of view character. And in this case that works quite well. Yet it is very historically accurate.
Read this book, but be sure you have time when you pick it up, because you're not going to want to put it down.
Nobody Comes Back can indeed be favorable compared to Stephen Crane's, "The Red Badge of Courage." And that's not publisher's hype, it's the truth.
Going Back .......2007-02-21
This was an excellent read. I was interested in learning more of what my father may have experienced in the Bulge. It provided me with first hand experience that I did not expect. Strong recommendation to anyone who thinks that they may know about war and have not experienced it. It gave me new insight into my father's passion for peace.
MWSA - The Best Military Novel of the Year - 2005!.......2006-06-06
The public has waited over 30 years for author Donn Pearce (who wrote the successful book and the movie screen play "Cool Hand Luke") to come out with another blockbuster novel--and now the wait is over! "Nobody Comes Back" is another masterpiece by a master novelist! What is evident is that this tale about World War II is destined to become another classic war novel. This story is told with all the emotions and intensity of a combat veteran. It is a book about courage, the coming of age, suffering and hope. It is so much more then just about life and death on the battlefields--you will never read another story like this about any war. You will not sleep until you finished it!
This is the most riveting and powerful novel about "The Battle of the Bulge" that has ever been written--and that is saying a lot.
MWSA Rating: FIVE STARS!
2005 Best Military Novel of the Year Award!
Not Just a Great War Novel, A Great Novel, Period.......2006-04-26
Like his classic debut, "Cool Hand Luke," Donn Pearce bases this harrowing narrative on his own experience. In this novel, we follow Toby Parker, a 16 year-old who lied about his age to get into the Army and his experiences during the last great German attack in the west in December 1944. Newsweek hailed the book's realism and said that it's action sequences resembled those of "Saving Private Ryan."
I don't like comparing two different stories (especially when they're from two different mediums), but I will say this; after a lengthy absence it's nice to see the return of an old master storyteller. Pearce's book rumbles along like a Sherman tank on a mission. He blows readers away with taut characterization, and a smooth flowing prose. The battle scenes are some of the best I have read and at a length of barely over 250 pages, I think Pearce manages to say more in this spare little book than Norman Mailer did in the 600 plus pages of the vastly overrated "Naked and the Dead."
I think time will place this book near the top of great American novels about World War II.
The only complaint I can think of and this has nothing to do with the novel itself, but it's with the publisher, Forge. The book's cover shows a "soldier" dashing through a wasted landscape. What's particularly aggravating here is that the "soldier" was in fact, PFC Isen of the 5th Marine Regiment while he was on Okinawa. Given the endless archives of photographs taken of American troops in the Bulge, how could somebody make so stupid a mistake? Heck, I'll take that person's job and do it right. So hopefully in future printings, perhaps Forge will change the photo and put the picture of a dogface in the Ardennes on the cover.
Still, a great book. 5 stars.
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