History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

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michelin battle of nomandy map no.102
Review of Michelin Battle Map of Normandy
Normandy Map 102
Great for a trip or just on your wall
Normandy - A Historic View

Michelin Battle of Normandy Map No.102
Michelin Travel Publications
Manufacturer: Michelin Travel Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Map

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ASIN: 2067002627

Book Description

Reprint of 1947 historical map Legend/Key in French and English

Customer Reviews:

michelin battle of nomandy map no.102.......2006-08-03

very interesting purchase. its actually a map you used to get in gas stations. shows where bunkers are & VERY detailed road, towns, & terain. not much on where battles fought & also from 1947. there are probably lots of changes to map now, but still for the money i like it.

Review of Michelin Battle Map of Normandy.......2005-10-25

This map is a valuable companion to any book on Operation Overlord and the follow on operations in Normandy. It allows the reader to maintain geographical awareness when reading of the military operations taking place in various locations.

Normandy Map 102.......2005-08-04

Excellent. I consider myself a World War II in Europe "fan", try to read all the books I can. This has certainly made many of them more meaningful since I can now pinpoint locations in them. Read about this map when Time published their 60 yr anniversary of D-day issue. Tom Hanks mentioned it, but I hadn't been able to find it. Googled, and there it was. Amazon came through again.

Great for a trip or just on your wall.......2002-07-28

This is a great map of the Normandy area with locations, dates, routes, sectors, etc. of the invastion marked on it. It even has a short timeline. Some of the overprinting can be hard on the eyes and the amount of detail can be overwhelming but it is still very well done. Very useful if you are visitng the area or just want to hang it on your wall for show or for use as a reference while you read.

Normandy - A Historic View.......2000-08-28

I found this map to be a priceless aid in the study of the invasion when used in conjuction with books and outlines on the various battles. The stories of individual actions found in historic writings come alive when followed with this map. It clearly shows dates and locations of advances of the Allied Forces and shows Normany the way it was in 1944. We used this map to plan where we wanted to spend our time in Normandy and the sights we wanted to see. But do not use this map as a motor guide as roads and highways have changed. In short, a great tool.

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

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Quick read
Belonging to the short list of must own WWII books
If You Survive
One excellent Book
Interesting way to learn about WWII and being a soldier

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
George Wilson
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0804100039
Release Date: 1987-05-12

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 !

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)

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Check and see
Suprise! Suprise!
Prescient St Augustine?
Something of a disappointment
Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy..

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
Anatoly T Fomenko
Manufacturer: Delamere Resources LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621066

Product Description

`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.

Customer Reviews:

Check and see.......2007-06-21

I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.

Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22

Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.

Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05

We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:

a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;

b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;

c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.

Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:

It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.

- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.

- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.

Fomenko goes by the following axioms:

- Chronology is the basis of history;

- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;

- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;

- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;

- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;

- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.

Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?

The Russians:

Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.

The Westerners:

Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.

The Chinese:

Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.

The Arabs:

Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.

The Divinity:

Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.

According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.

St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."

Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09

After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.

However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:

- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.

I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.

The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.

It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?

Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.

Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).

Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy.........2005-07-30

If you agree with Fomenko that Roman chronology is basically the foundation of the entire edifice of global chronology; you would also certainly agree that despite its numerous gaps and inconsistencies, Roman history is the best-documented field of ancient history, and thus a reference scale. But how well is the actual date of the Eternal City's foundation known?

Firstly, Rome is supposed to have been founded by the Trojans who had to flee after the fall of Troy. Some claim Rome to have been founded by Aeneas and Ulysses shortly after Troy had fallen; others are of the opinion that there was an entire dynasty that ruled for 500 years between the fall of Troy and the foundation of Rome.

Well, that's just an innocent 500 years long misunderstanding compared with what heretic Fomenko says, asserts, proves in his second volume: Second Roman Empire, Third Roman Empire, Biblical Kingdom of Israel, Biblical Kingdom of Judah, Holy Roman Empire are stories about basically same events, written from different points of view at different times. The underlying events have actually taken place during xii-xv cy. These histories have been written and perfected by multitude of highly talented humanist and clerical writers of xiii-xvi cy disguised as "ancients" with glorious names like Homer, Pluto, Thucydides etc..Chronology 2.0 beta..

Historians are kindly invited to report the bugs.

From Normandy to the Ruhr: With the 116th Panzer Division in WWII

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THE book on Panzer Warfare
Unique and controversial insite on a German armored division
Windhund Division
From Normandy to the Ruhr
Very detailed.... and boring

From Normandy to the Ruhr: With the 116th Panzer Division in WWII
Heinz GÃ¼nther Guderian
Manufacturer: The Aberjona Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0966638972

Book Description

Normandy . . . Arnhem . . . Aachen . . . the Hürtgen Forest . . . the Ardennes Offensive . . . the Reichswald . . . the Ruhr Pocket . . . Only the men of one unit on either side fought in them all--the 116th Panzer Division!

Organized in France in March, 1944 from elements of the 16th Panzer-Grenadier Division and the 179th Reserve Panzer Division, the 116th Panzer Division was one of the relatively rare German armored formations that fought exclusively on the Western Front. As a result, its opponents included some of the most formidable and famous US Army units of World War II, including the 1st, 4th, 28th, 29th, and 30th Infantry Divisions, and the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 8th Armored Divisions, to name only some. The 116th also fought the British and Canadians, bitterly contesting the areas around Arnhem and the Reichswald against outfits like the 2d and 3d Canadian Infantry Divisions, the 43d (Wessex) and the 53d (Welsh) Divisions.

The "Greyhound" Division's history has now been meticulously chronicled in narrative form and lavishly documented by the wartime Division Chief of Staff and Operations Officer, Heinz Günther Guderian. This comprehensive history was first published in the German language in 1994, but is now being made available in the English language exclusively by The Aberjona Press, the company Military Heritage magazine pronounced "Publisher of the Year 2000" in the Small Publisher Category.

Rarely does the student of the Second World War (or any war) have the opportunity to see military operations through the eyes of the men who planned and directed the battles at the tactical level. Thanks to General Guderian's keen recollections and careful research, readers of From Normandy to the Ruhr can do exactly this.

Rarer still is the author who can lucidly and comprehensively analyze and explain the course of those battles. As the Division's First General Staff Officer throughout its training and combat, General Guderian possessed a unique point of view to do just that. Beyond the tactical decisions—and consequences of those decisions in the deadly and unforgiving arena of WWII armored combat—the author also explains the institutional and political influences on his division's leadership. General Guderian sheds stunning new light on the reasons, operational and political, behind the fateful deployment of the elements of the German armored reserve before and during the early days of OVERLORD. He details the intrigue behind his Division Commander's reliefs for cause (twice in two months!) and the impact of the accompanying turbulence on the division in combat. Perhaps most importantly of all, the author provides graphic, specific evidence of the catastrophic consequences of political correctness when it infects the chain of command and results in lost battles and squandered lives. As the son of a famous general officer who had a close but dynamic relationship with Hitler, the author was especially well placed for observing and judging this insidious phenomenon.

Most unusual of all is the combat veteran who can honestly and candidly examine what went right, what went wrong, and why . . . and present his findings for all to see and judge. Fortunately, as a life-long soldier in the Wehrmacht and later, the West German Bundeswehr, Major General Guderian is just such a man.

This hard cover book is has been expertly translated by Ulrich and Esther Abele (Ulrich Abele's previous translation credits include Five Years, Four Fronts: The War Years of Major Georg Grossjohann, proclaimed by Military Heritage magazine as the best non-US military memoir of 2000). At 648 pages, with 26 highly detailed maps and 64 photos of the unit in action and key members of the Division, From Normandy to the Ruhr is not only the definitive history of this important formation, but much more.

Customer Reviews:

THE book on Panzer Warfare.......2007-06-06

"From Normandy to the Ruhr" provides unique insights into the decision-making process of a Panzer Division. The 116th Panzer Division is of particular interest because it fought in just about all the most decisive battles of the Western Front in 1944-45.

Guderian examines both victories and failures in an interesting way.

The 26 maps will be much appreciated by armor pros and wargamers.

An extra plus for the beautiful cover and general layout. There are portraits of all Knight's Cross holders of the division. My only negative comment would be that some of the photos should have been better reproduced and larger.

If you are a professional armor officer, serious wargamer or Panzer warfare buff - this book is for you.

Unique and controversial insite on a German armored division.......2006-11-07

Guderian's history is among the best histories of the German Army in World War 2 on the western front. Being the former chief of staff of the division he was well placed to give insite into the stenghts and weakness of the German defense on D-Day. His book includes some controversial personal reflections on Fieldmarshal Erwin Rommel and General Graf v. Schwerin.
I gave this book 5-stars for the simple fact it is one of the few German army histories that gives a factual no-nonsense reflection on the performance of the German army in World War 2 but lacks the revisionst cliches'.
This book I would recommend to those that are interested in the Allies on the western front as it gives unique insite into how and why the Allies were successful and the reason the Germans failed.

Windhund Division.......2006-06-26

The real story of the 116.Panderdivision Windhund from the qualified point of view of Major Heinz Günther Guderian (later General in the new reformed Bundesheer), son of that General Guderian father of the Blitzkrieg.
Every aspect is discussed, as technical as human.
Every battle is explained in detail, with a large use of military terms, maps and original documents.
Also the difficult realtions between the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht and the subordinated units are analized, giving the exact sense of those difficult days at the end of World War Two.
This is the point of reference about the 116.Panzerdivision, only a larger number of pictures should be needed to carry out an outstanding work.

From Normandy to the Ruhr.......2005-08-01

The late General Heinz Günther Guderian wrote the best division history I have ever seen, and I have read many. Every detail of the 116th Panzer Division's operations from its organization in the spring of 1944 through the end of the war in the Ruhr Pocket is covered in this amazingly detailed study. Moreover, the reasons for each tactical decision are laid out in clear terms, whether they were made for purely doctrinal rationale, unfortunate battlefield necessity, or from political influence. It is this richness of explanation that sets Guderian's book apart from all other division histories. In a genre (division histories) dominated by books which are often little more than keepsakes or souvenirs, filled with sentimental versions of the way the authors wish the war would have gone, From Normandy to the Ruhr stands out as an unemotionally recounted day-by-day, blow-by-blow account of how, despite being constituted late in the war and despite being virtually destroyed three times (Normandy, Aachen/The Hürtgen, and the Ardennes), a German panzer division repeatedly rose to the challenges posed by mission after mission. Written by the Division's 1st General Staff Officer himself, this book provides profound insights into how the German Army was able to remain a formidable foe until the spring of 1945.

As the publisher's ad copy emphasizes, this is NOT a personal memoir by a private or sergeant, or lieutenant. There are some very fine books that fit the "memoir" category, including several by this book's publisher, The Aberjona Press, such as Black Edelweiss, Seven Days in January, The Good Soldier, and Five Years, Four Fronts. However, while exciting to the buff, educational to the student of battlefield actions and reactions, or even titillating to the "war porn" junkie, there is much more to military history than the combat recollections of those who saw action at the foxhole level. Normandy to the Ruhr is a much rarer bird: it is a brilliantly polished tactical history, written by a highly decorated staff officer, which explains the mechanics of war at the tactical level. It is supported by dozens of outstanding maps which allow the reader to follow all of the action, and a very robust photo section, which allows the reader to form a mental image of most of the characters mentioned in the book.

From Normandy to the Ruhr is also a crucially important work because, almost uniquely, it explains the terrible influence of politicos-in this case, Nazi politicians, military and civilian-on the battlefield conduct of war. The meddling, political correctness, and downright blunders foisted upon commanders at all levels by political leaders with a wide variety of agendas other than battlefield success is brilliantly documented in this book.

For readers who wish to know not just the "what" of combat which can be gained from junior soldiers' or leaders' memoirs, but the "why," From Normandy to the Ruhr is a must-read. It is critical reading not only for the student of German operations on the Western Front, but for those interested in the many American and British units which fought the 116th Panzer Division...from Normandy to the Ruhr!

Very detailed.... and boring.......2005-07-26

I suppose this book is for the very serious military scholar or student, who wants a very detailed account of one particular Panzer division formed for the defense of the Allied invasion. It is amazingly dry and dull, however. You are not going to get any sense of what the war was like for the real soldier, but rather the chess piece movement of military units and political games of commanders.

I know there was a lot of finger-pointing after the war and this book is no exception. It is filled with old woman bickering between commanders and it's fair share of Rommel bashing. If you are in military college I would recommend it, if just an enthusiast there are more enthralling books out there.

D Day: June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II

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Excellent reading although highly US-centric
The Unvarnished Truth!
Tide Of Fire And Blood
Patronising and condescending - US centric account
Disappointing, and big time.

D Day: June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II
Stephen E. Ambrose
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 068480137X

Amazon.com

Published to mark the 50th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy, Stephen E. Ambrose's D-Day: June 6, 1944 relies on over 1,400 interviews with veterans, as well as prodigious research in military archives on both sides of the Atlantic. He provides a comprehensive history of the invasion which also eloquently testifies as to how common soldiers performed extraordinary feats. A major theme of the book, upon which Ambrose would later expand in Citizen Soldiers, is how the soldiers from the democratic Allied nations rose to the occasion and outperformed German troops thought to be invincible. The many small stories that Ambrose collected from paratroopers, sailors, infantrymen, and civilians make the excitement, confusion, and sheer terror of D-day come alive on the page. --Robert McNamara

Book Description

Stephen E. Ambrose draws from more than 1,400 interviews with American, British, Canadian, French, and German veterans to create the preeminent chronicle of the most important day in the twentieth century. Ambrose reveals how the original plans for the invasion were abandoned, and how ordinary soldiers and officers acted on their own initiative.

D-Day is above all the epic story of men at the most demanding moment of their existence, when the horrors, complexities, and triumphs of life are laid bare. Ambrose portrays the faces of courage and heroism, fear and determination -- what Eisenhower called "the fury of an aroused democracy" -- that shaped the victory of the citizen soldiers whom Hitler had disparaged.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent reading although highly US-centric.......2007-09-28

I read WWII books as a hobby and have read many books on the subject of D-Day. I had read Cornelius Ryan's The Longest Day and was unsure how Ambrose's book would stand up to that. However, I found Ambrose's book highly readable and quite good. He has a very magic way of telling stories and interjecting the veteran's oral history in with his own story telling. For that reason, I found the book to be quite good, entertaining and informative.

However, there were two items which detracted from the overall objectivity of this book. The first was Ambrose's constant belittement of the Axis (German) forces. In many pages, he states how great we were; how bad they were; how prepared we were; how unprepared the Germans were; and on and on. If that's the case, why are there 9300+ cemetary markers in the American Cemetary in France?

Secondly, Ambrose devotes only 5 chapters to the British and Canadian forces. And, these chapters were not nearly as long as the space devoted to the Americans. If the title of the book is subtitled as The Climatic Battle of WWII, then he should have devoted MORE space to the British and Canadian efforts than what he did. Or he should have subtitled the book as The Climatic US Battle of WWII.

I think these issues take away from the overall quality and objectivity of the book.

In saying that, the book would be an excellent primer for those not well versed in this battle as he does write well. For others, be aware of Ambrose's US-centric point of view.

The Unvarnished Truth!.......2007-08-25

`D-Day' by Stephen Ambrose was an excellent book about the greatest battle of the 20th century. It was frank, candid, brutal, engaging, scary, exhilarating, massive, loud, and, I'm sure many other things. It was based on unvarnished first-hand accounts from the wounded at Normandy (compiled for the Eisenhower Center).You get the story about what really went on from the guys that were there, as well as candid insights and quotes from the high military leadership, from both the Allied and Axis perspectives. It was nothing short of a phenomenal effort of scholarship, a bird's eye view along with numerous front-line views.

I have been interested in D-Day since I first saw the movie `The Longest Day' with John Wayne and Robert Mitchum. I still really like the movie and catch a little of it almost every year around the anniversary date. I also liked `Saving Private Ryan', which was a much more realistic (though harder-to-watch) version of the battle, with unforgettable beach scenes of the action. And recently, a full 20 years after his death, I even found out that my father had participated in D-Day. It was strange: he never said a word about it. My sister ordered his discharge papers on a genealogical search and that's how we found out! He was a `radio mechanic' in the Air Corps, by the way.

I would have liked to have been anywhere but there on that day, but I would have wanted to do my duty as most of the men there did. The battle plans went right out the window due to weather, inaccurate troop and materiel landings, inaccurate paratrooper drops, and a failure to take into account the omnipresent hedgerows (of all things). The incoming troops were sitting ducks that were not battle tested (some high school age) and were going against (supposedly) the best military on the planet. The courage and the carnage were at times unbelievable. The accounts of the beach action were every bit as brutal, and maybe more so, than the Private Ryan movie. Even the Allied medics treating the wounded were fair game as target practice for the Axis.. Also, in one account, an Allied landing craft leader ordered land craft off in water that was clearly too deep so he could get out of there. (I'm glad to report that his orders were disobeyed and he was eventually mustered out with a dishonorable discharge.)

The battle was won by the Allies by their innovative, creative leadership, and lost by the Axis by the rigid, moribund, top-down leadership. The Allies on the front lines simply had to regroup and improvise in real time to get to get it done while the Axis solders had to wait for decisions often from those not even on the scene, which is some cases meant Hitler himself. The scene in `The Longest Day' was correct: Hitler's need for sleep trumped the Axis need for a tank counter attack. Rommel was ham-strung because he didn't have control of the tanks, but it also must be said, he wasn't very good at defensive warfare either.

I learned some new things about the battle. For example, the attack was a major gamble for the Allies, leaving England exposed. There was no fall-back plan and the Allies were very susceptible to a counter-attack. The battle itself was extraordinarily massive and loud; over and over again that point is made in the first hand accounts. Also, there were years of planning and training right down to the level of each soldier or sailor. In the movies, it seemed that they just showed up and went at it.

I would highly recommend it for anyone with any interest in American history. It's very detailed but well-worth the read, even for a semi-buff of American military history such as myself.

Tide Of Fire And Blood.......2007-06-09

Stephen Ambrose was an opinionated, myopic self-aggrandizer who could spin a great tale and give unique perspective to the most batted-around topic. Both the bad and good sides of Ambrose are on display in his 1994 book "D-Day", published to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Normandy landings.

Reading the reviews here is like reading Ambrose himself. The bullets fly thick and fast, and sober-sided analysis gives way to nationalistic ranting. It's not that people are wrong when they say "D-Day" shortchanges the non-American story behind the Normandy landings. Actually, it is a significant failing. But the drama of D-Day itself centered on one beachhead, the Omaha beachhead attacked by the Americans, and in the airborne landings carried out by two American and one British paratroop division (a Canadian airborne brigade also pitched in). "D-Day" is not definitive, no, but by focusing on the drama it is a hell of a read.

He writes: "It was a cool night and the spray hitting the men in the face was cold, but the soldiers and sailors gathered off the Normandy coast were sweating."

So are you, especially as Ambrose makes use of numerous oral histories and interviews to give an immersive view of how D-Day went down. This is especially poignant and valuable when it comes to the attack on Omaha Beach, which Ambrose describes at great length and heartbreaking detail. For the 116th and 16th regiments, first in, the battle was akin to the Charge of the Light Brigade under the enfilading fire of German MG-42s and artillery. Companies were wiped out before firing back. The greatest contribution many would make that day would be to carry in weapons others stripped from their corpses.

Ambrose tells the story well, but can't resist making his points in neon for the sleepy reader. Telling you "someone" had to be doing something right at Omaha through all the carnage, he goes on to say: "That someone was spelled i-n-f-a-n-t-r-y."

That is not scholarship but shilling, and there is too much of it in this book. Add to that the lack of focus on America's allies that day (less than 20 pages for Juno, the Canadian beach which Ambrose notes saw the highest proportion of Allied casualties on June 6, and the farthest Allied advance). Ambrose knew his market was predominately American, and catered to it unabashedly.

Yet despite these faults, the facts are undeniable, about a generation of young Americans who had the right stuff, and how much of that stuff was left wafting in the tide off the coast of France. If it's not a rounded or definitive account of D-Day (I recommend "The Longest Day" by Cornelius Ryan), "D-Day" offers thrilling testimony to one of the great American achievements, albeit one that was part of a larger endeavor. It's like seeing those famous Robert Capa photos for the first time, without blurriness and distortion.

"Who can fail to see the beauty and sacrifice our brave lads are making?" wrote a woman to her newspaper in Bedford, Virginia just after the battle. "Because they cannot keep themselves for a day, we'll keep them forever in memory and give them immortality." Ambrose is working along similar lines, and it's hard to begrudge him his success.

Patronising and condescending - US centric account.......2007-04-18

I finished Mr Ambrose's book after starting it a year ago. I felt compelled to put it down eight times during those 12 months because of the patronising and condescending manner in which he formulated and presented his view on everyone BUT the American forces leading up to; on and post D-Day. I had hoped to present this book to my father, a former Desert Rat but felt that he would probably rage and rail against the author to the extent that he would probably 'hop his twig'.
If you wish to read this book then I would recommend it, with one proviso; read it for the anecdotal accounts of the men who were there and NOT Mr Ambrose's interpretation of how he crafted his language to pour scorn and derision on the Canadians, French and British. For he brings nothing new to light on Operation Overlord but yet has done a splendid job on including accounts of US servicemen and the tasks that were set before them.
While the publisher's have dutifully titled it "D-Day - June 6, 1944: the Climatic battle of World War II", I believe it should be fairly entitled, "D-Day: anecdotes from the US Armed Forces". That way, the publishers can solve a riddle of putting in 3 chapters out of 32 (or 45 pages of a total of 576) for the 'rest' of the nations that bravely gave their men and women to this operation.
I would give this book to my local library so they can place it next to "Saving Private Ryan" and "U-571" where America wins the war, again, again, again.
Simon and Schuster should do THEIR homework better in the future.

Disappointing, and big time........2007-03-22

The positive: The first hand accounts of soldiers fighting there.
The bad: Almost anything else, both the editing and him interjecting his own unfounded opinion, often based on nothing more then ideological opinion. Even the title is highly misleading.

I bought this book, knowing Ambrose's books about Eisenhower, and wanting to read something during a three day train-ride form San Fransisco to Chicago. I was really disappointed.

I found the book to be highly biased, and, short of the anecdotes by those involved, worthless as a serious history book. The only good soldier it seems was the American soldier, the Germans are portrayed as vastly inferior (unless complimenting them makes the Americans look better), and the other Allies are only slightly better than the Germans. It made me wonder for what reason then (if Ambrose's opinion would be true) it took the Americans so long to break out, or why they had such a hard time before (Kasserine, Anzio, Cassino) and after (Ardennes ie), with the majority of the German forces (both quantity and quality) fighting the Soviets.
Apart from ideological opinion (fighters for democracy always fight better), he presents no solid proof to support many of his notions about American (or to a lesser degree allied superiority) apart from the very obvious (more men, airplanes, ships and tanks), even though his opinion is contrary to most evidence there is (statistics, battlefield accounts etc. etc). In fact, to a degree it even seems to contradict basic American military doctrine, which focuses on the use of overwhelming firepower (air and artillery) rather then training and quality of the individual soldier.
Further, the book is seemingly devoted, when the troops finally land, to the landings on Omaha, with a little attention for Utah and virtually none for the others. Which makes the title (and the reviews on the back) highly misleading. Apart from the fact that battles like the Battle of Britian, El Alamein, Stalingrad, Kursk and most likely even Bagration would rank above D-Day as far as climactic battles go for WW II (for post WW II is another thing) even if for many men storming the beaches it was the climax after a long wait.

Writing and editing: IMHO an atrocious job was done by the editor. Ambrose repeats himself regularly, sometimes seemingly copying sections he wrote just a few pages earlier. It becomes really annoying, and distracting. And therefor it takes away from the stories from those who fought there.

In the end, I found it more interesting to watch the Nevada desert or the Great Plains between Lincoln, Nebraska, and Chicago then read another page. And I doubt I will ever find the desire to finish it.

Brassey's D-Day Encyclopedia: The Normandy Invasion A-Z

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One-stop Shopping

Brassey's D-Day Encyclopedia: The Normandy Invasion A-Z
Barrett Tillman
Manufacturer: Potomac Books Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

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General | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

History | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

Military | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 1574887602

Book Description

This unique encyclopedia provides detailed entries for everything you ever wanted to know about D-Day, the invasion of Normandy. Organized alpha-betically, the entries give detailed descriptions of weapons, equipment, divisions, air and naval units, geography, terminology, personalities, and more. Every Allied division that crossed the English Channel on June 6, 1944 has its own listing as do the major Axis divisions that fought them. Brief biographies of major military and political leaders on both sides provide a handy â€œwhoâ€™s whoâ€ of the campaign. The book also includes entries for related popular culture: GI slang, the best movies about D-Day, and major writers such as Stephen Ambrose and Cornelius Ryan. Cross-references make the book easy to use. With hundreds of entries, Brasseyâ€™s D-Day Encyclopedia is an indispensable reference tool for history buffs and interesting browsing for readers who want to know more about World War II.

Customer Reviews:

One-stop Shopping.......2006-07-06

How did this little gem go unreviewed for so long? If you want a "one stop shopping" place for Operation Overlord, this book is the choice. The organization, content, and execution are all excellent. My only suggestion would be more illustrations but that's a small complaint in a book that contains a tremendous variety of subject matter and presents it in comprehensible, readable form. There's even examples of D-Day movies with favorite lines from each. Altogether a top-notch effort.

D DAY NORMANDY: Weapons, Uniforms, Military Equipment

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D DAY NORMANDY: Weapons, Uniforms, Military Equipment
Francois Bertin
Manufacturer: Casemate
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1932033777

Book Description

A complete panorama of the weapons, uniforms and military equipment of all the soldiers that fought at D-Day, both Allied and Axis, illustrated with more than 300 specially commissioned full color photographs. Everything from weapons, helmets, uniforms, vehicles, canteens, personal equipment and much more are shown here in precise detail. The photographs are accompanied by detailed captions explaining what is shown. Francois Bertin is a leading D Day historian and collector. His insightful narrative and captions will be of great interest to all collectors of World War II uniforms and equipment and the detailed photographs will be of interest to military modelers. REVIEWS "The subject of D-Day has captured the attention of a new generation of historians and modelers, and this book brings the participants and their equipment to life in vivid color. The method of the book is quite good, taking a chronological approach to mesh the photos with the text. The result is a boon for the historian and modeler alike,... does a great job of covering the broad strokes, while also including some interesting sidebars. Complementing these sections are the photos of the actual equipment used, presented in full color. ... For the military modeler, this information is a godsend. The soldier's uniforms are shown on mannequins, with each one outfitted as they would have been back in 1944. Close-up photos show specific items such as helmets or caps, and the text goes into detail explaining the markings, manufacturing, and other details regarding the soldiers' equipment. For a single reference on what the soldiers were wearing and using in 1944, you could not ask for a better book than this. The high quality of photos, coupled with the excellent descriptions, puts this into the must-have category for armor and figure modelers. .Reviewed by Chris Banyai-Riepl May 2007 INTERNETMODELER.COM\ "If you're interested in weapons, uniforms and military equipment of all the soldiers that fought at D DAY, both Allied and Axis, you'll find this...book a valuable resource. Everything form weapons, helmets, uniforms, vehicles, and canteens are shown in precise detail and include comprehensive captions..."S. Brettingen Model Retailer July 2007 "Wow! How did Mr. Bertin manage to get so much into a compact 128 pages? ...I was overwhelmed by the vast amount of visual information contained within. Everything is printed in full color on heavy, glossy paper and the entire layout provides an appealing presentation...shows minute detail that may be over-looked by even the most meticulous among us. D-Day Normandy is a "must have" and an awesome reference book that addresses its subject as completely as I've ever seen!"TJ Misiolek, IPMS 2007

Average customer rating:

Understanding Omaha
A Great Book
A Great Description of Omaha Beach That Takes You There
A Great Historical Resource
Best ever Omaha Beach book!

Omaha Beach: D-Day, June 6, 1944
Joseph Balkoski
Manufacturer: Stackpole Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0811700798

Book Description

Omaha Beach saw the greatest drama and loss of life on D-Day and was critically important to subsequent Allied total victory in World War II. In this gripping new book, historian Joseph Balkoski tells the story of June 6, 1944, when largely untested American troops assaulted the German army's Atlantic wall. Equal parts oral history and meticulous reconstruction, including the invasion's diplomatic and strategic context, Omaha Beach is the closest the modern reader can get to experiencing the Normandy landings firsthand. A fitting tribute to the veterans as well as an engaging narrative, it promises to become a classic on one of America's, and indeed, the world's, most important days in history. This brilliantly researched and engagingly written comprehensive history of this momentous battle includes many never before published first-person accounts by the men who were there, many given within days of the invasion! Also included are comprehensive lists of all Medal of Honor and Distinguished Service Cross winners at Omaha Beach as well as: ù the Order of Battle ù casualty list for the first twenty-four hours ù organization of a 30man assault boat ù weapons and equipment carried in the assault by a typical soldier and a series of detailed maps allowing the reader unparalleled insight into the minute-by-minute combat on Omaha Beach.

Customer Reviews:

Understanding Omaha.......2007-04-05

I read the book several years ago, just prior to visiting the Normandy Beaches. Bought it to have my own copy and read it again. The book's great strength (drawback for some readers, maybe) is its huge volume of detail. It is thoroughly researched; written with clarity; tells the story fully. The human side of this Day In History is also illustrated in meaningful detail; descriptions of unbelievable heroism are numerous; only three Medals of Honor were awarded;many DSCs. Issue: General Cota should have received the Medal of Honor; saved many lives; inspired leadership. A really fine and exciting book.

A Great Book.......2007-04-03

I am not going to go on at length since there are already some well written reviews here. I just wanted to add my vote that this is a great book. I think it is the finest book on Omaha written, including Ryan's and Ambrose's. I also recommend Bernage's work for the graphics and photos.

A Great Description of Omaha Beach That Takes You There.......2007-03-27

This is a great "you are there" description of D-Day on Omaha Beach in Normandy. Joseph Balkoski has done an excellent job of presenting the official and personnel accounts of people who were there that longest day of the war. The descriptions by the veterans take you into the landing craft, onto the beach, and up and over the bluffs that overlooked the beach. His telling of the story dispels the usual belief that the soldiers were stuck on the beach all day and only got off the beach near the end of the day as depicted in the movie "The Longest Day".

I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a real detailed story focused on this one beach of the D-Day invasion. I would really recommend it to someone who is a wargamer such as myself since reading the stories makes me want to recreate these small firefights as well as the overall battle. I am sure there are many people who feel that way.

Balkoski's style of telling history is very well done and he has done an excellent job of bringing the materials together so that others can follow in the footsteps of the brave men of that day.

I can't want to read Utah Beach!

Utah Beach: The Amphibious Landing And Airborne Operations On D-Day, June 6, 1944

A Great Historical Resource.......2006-12-14

Joseph Balkoski's book on Omaha Beach is a great historical resource like his book Utah Beach. Omaha Beach tells the story of when largely untested American troops assaulted the German army's Atlantic wall. This is a great read covering the events of the day almost minute by minute. It reads like a great documentary. This is not written in the format of a memoir. Balkoski relies mainly on primary sources such as after action reports, unit journals, and citations to create his blow by blow narrative. He includes the invasion's diplomatic and strategic context. Omaha Beach is the closest the modern reader can get to experiencing the Normandy landings firsthand.

Sprinkled throughout the battle account are the accounts of those in the battle. It is a classic. It is a must for any D-day library. It also included comprehensive lists of all Medal of Honor and Distinguished Service Cross winners at Omaha Beach. It has: the Order of Battle, unit casualty list for the first twenty-four hours, unit organization of a 30man assault boat unit weapons, and equipment carried in the assault by a typical soldier, and a series of detailed maps allowing the reader unparalleled insight into the minute-by-minute combat on Omaha Beach.

Best ever Omaha Beach book!.......2006-12-03

I decided at first to write a long review of this book, but upon reading the other reviews here I trimmed my review to simply this...

I own and run a battlefield touring company in Normandy and have read many many books on the fighting on Omaha Beach on D-Day. There is no better book than this one, that's it it's absolutely the definitive book on the subject. The author has lived overlooking the beach, he's from Maryland - home of the 29th division and he has studied the units involved for thirty years. This book will never be bettered. I cannot sing its praises loudly enough.

The Bedford Boys: One American Town's Ultimate D-Day Sacrifice

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A true landmark!
Another tale of the Greatest Generation
The Town That Lost It's Sons
Not Your Ordinary WWII Book
Freedom's Price in Microcosm

The Bedford Boys: One American Town's Ultimate D-Day Sacrifice
Alex Kershaw
Manufacturer: Da Capo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0306813556
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Book Description

"Gripping... It's through books like this that those brave men, who fought so others could be free, live on." --Dallas Morning News

June 6, 1944: Nineteen boys from Bedford, Virginia--population just 3,000 in 1944--died in the first bloody minutes of D-Day. They were part of Company A of the 116th Regiment of the 29th Division, and the first wave of American soldiers to hit the beaches in Normandy. Later in the campaign, three more boys from this small Virginia town died of gunshot wounds. Twenty-two sons of Bedford lost--it is a story one cannot easily forget and one that the families of Bedford will never forget. The Bedford Boys is the true and intimate story of these men and the friends and families they left behind.

Based on extensive interviews with survivors and relatives, as well as diaries and letters, Kershaw's book focuses on several remarkable individuals and families to tell one of the most poignant stories of World War II--the story of one small American town that went to war and died on Omaha Beach.

Customer Reviews:

A true landmark!.......2007-07-31

I read a lot of American history - especially about WWll but this book is special. Living here in the Heartland of America, I see National Guard units all around me going off to Iraq! There is something particularly sad about eager young men joining their friends for service in case of a "national emergency" and learning that they must fight an unknown enemy far from homeGod bless ALL the "Bedford Boys" in 1944 and the "Bedford Boys" in 2007!!

Another tale of the Greatest Generation.......2007-04-29

I live about 20 Miles from the D-Day Memorial in Bedford and I can't help but to shiver everytime I look down and see the erie statues of the landing. After reading this book anyone can understand why this great monument is located there. The book reintroduced the world and the community to the men who fought there. Unfortunately, almost all of the local survivors have passed since the release of this book. These men were true heroes, but they rarely spoke of their exploits - it was too painful I'm sure. Read this book Now! It gives a rare human look at war and should give us all an appreciation of what our grandfathers did for us.

The Town That Lost It's Sons.......2006-03-11

Few dates in history have seen more tragedy than June 6, 1944. Thousands of American families and even entire towns grieved their losses after D-Day, but none more so than the tiny town and 3,000 inhabitants of Bedford, Virginia, who lost 19 of its' sons that fateful day and 3 more before the war would conclude. BEDFORD BOYS: ONE AMERICAN TOWNS ULTIMATE D-DAY SACRIFICE, by Alex Kershaw, tells their story. This book, unlike most others on the account of D-Day, tells the story of the Normandy invasion from the viewpoint of the families left behind.

Much of the book chronicles the lives of the young men prior to the invasion. Particularly, the year they spent together station in England, preparing for the invasion. Kershaw recounts their stories through photographs, letters home, and interviews with survivors and family members.

When the day of the invasion arrives, Kershaw gives concise narrative as to how some of them survived, and how so many of them perished. Their story is riveting. You will laugh at their antics, and mourn at their sacrifices. This is a very well written account and should serve to remind all Americans of the cost of freedom.

They went into battle as the Boys of Bedford, and boys they were, indeed, but in my eyes, they will forever be the MEN from Bedford, Virginia.

Monty Rainey
www.juntosociety.com

Not Your Ordinary WWII Book.......2006-02-20

This is not your ordinary WWII book. I've read many books on WWII and on the subject of D-Day. This book stands out as unique as it shows the human side of war from not only the soldier's perspective but also from the point of view of families that were left behind as well as the aftermath of war in the years that followed.

If you are looking for a book that focuses on the "nuts and bolts" of the Normandy invasion then this book may not be your best bet. The Omaha Beach action only last a few chapters in the book. However, I would recommend this book in spite of that. It will afford you a unique perspective to the landings. After reading it, I felt how tremendously difficult it was for that first wave on the toughest sector of the landing areas. I am still amazed any of those brave men made it off the beach alive at all.

If you are looking for a well written book on how war affects families and in this case communities, then this book is a must! Kershaw writes extremely well and the flow of the narrative reads like a novel. This is the second of his books that I have read (The Longest Winter being the other). Both books are highly recommended.

Freedom's Price in Microcosm.......2006-02-10

This book deeply affected me as I read it. I wept continously as I read some parts of it. By writing from the perspectives of the surviving soldiers, as well as the fallen and all of their loved ones, Kershaw takes you back in time and sets the stage for the Normandy invasion: preparations, going ashore, fighting in France, the homefront, and the war's aftermath. As I sat in my home which was built in 1940, I tried to imagine what occurred there on June 6, 1944 with the radio reports and the neighbors talking amongst themselves about those historic events. Only great writing can produce those kinds of thoughts!
I highly recommend this book to all.

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