Download or read book The Americans in Brittany 1944 written by Jonathan Gawne and published by Histoire Et Collections. This book was released on 2002 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Considered by many of the participants to have been the most intense combat in Europe, the Americans of the 2nd, 8th and 29th Infantry Divisions faced elite German paratroopers ... fight for the Brittany ports. The German defenders were under command of the renowned paratroop General Ramcke, who was ordered by Hitler to hold to the last man? The Brittany campaign became a textbook example of the value of armored units exploiting a breakthrough. For a few days in the summer of 1944, the world?s attention was on the American breakout into Brittany, then the focus shifted to the encirclement of the German Army in the Falaise pocket and the fighting in Brittany was forgotten? Official reports, interwoven with the memories of veterans, bring this important struggle to life. Long thought of as a sideshow, Gawne makes a case for a renewed study of the action, which may have had a far-reaching impact on the Allied supply situation. Heavily illustrated with period photos, uniform reconstructions, maps, and tables of organization, this book provides a long sought overview of the American involvement in this ... fight"--Page 4 of cover.
Download or read book Busting the Bocage written by Michael Dale Doubler and published by Fort Leavenworth, Kan. : U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. This book was released on 1988 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book What Soldiers Do written by Mary Louise Roberts and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2013-05-17 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How do you convince men to charge across heavily mined beaches into deadly machine-gun fire? Do you appeal to their bonds with their fellow soldiers, their patriotism, their desire to end tyranny and mass murder? Certainly—but if you’re the US Army in 1944, you also try another tack: you dangle the lure of beautiful French women, waiting just on the other side of the wire, ready to reward their liberators in oh so many ways. That’s not the picture of the Greatest Generation that we’ve been given, but it’s the one Mary Louise Roberts paints to devastating effect in What Soldiers Do. Drawing on an incredible range of sources, including news reports, propaganda and training materials, official planning documents, wartime diaries, and memoirs, Roberts tells the fascinating and troubling story of how the US military command systematically spread—and then exploited—the myth of French women as sexually experienced and available. The resulting chaos—ranging from flagrant public sex with prostitutes to outright rape and rampant venereal disease—horrified the war-weary and demoralized French population. The sexual predation, and the blithe response of the American military leadership, also caused serious friction between the two nations just as they were attempting to settle questions of long-term control over the liberated territories and the restoration of French sovereignty. While never denying the achievement of D-Day, or the bravery of the soldiers who took part, What Soldiers Do reminds us that history is always more useful—and more interesting—when it is most honest, and when it goes beyond the burnished beauty of nostalgia to grapple with the real lives and real mistakes of the people who lived it.
Download or read book Our Tortured Souls written by Joseph Balkoski and published by Stackpole Books. This book was released on 2013 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Balkoski's acclaimed multi-volume history of the U.S. 29th Infantry Division in World War II covers the division's vital role in the U.S. Army's November offensive, which Gen. Omar Bradley hoped would get the Allies to the Rhine River by Christmas. A riveting story of heroism and tragedy.
Download or read book Citizen Soldiers written by Stephen E. Ambrose and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2013-04-23 with total page 528 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From Stephen E. Ambrose, bestselling author of Band of Brothers and D-Day, the inspiring story of the ordinary men of the U.S. army in northwest Europe from the day after D-Day until the end of the bitterest days of World War II. In this riveting account, historian Stephen E. Ambrose continues where he left off in his #1 bestseller D-Day. Citizen Soldiers opens at 0001 hours, June 7, 1944, on the Normandy beaches, and ends at 0245 hours, May 7, 1945, with the allied victory. It is biography of the US Army in the European Theater of Operations, and Ambrose again follows the individual characters of this noble, brutal, and tragic war. From the high command down to the ordinary soldier, Ambrose draws on hundreds of interviews to re-create the war experience with startling clarity and immediacy. From the hedgerows of Normandy to the overrunning of Germany, Ambrose tells the real story of World War II from the perspective of the men and women who fought it.
Download or read book I ll Never Be French no matter what I do written by Mark Greenside and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2008-11-04 with total page 329 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a story that stands above the throngs of travel memoirs, full of gorgeous descriptions of Brittany and at times hysterical encounters with the locals, Mark Greenside describes his initially reluctant travels in this "heartwarming story" (San Francisco Chronicle) where he discovers a second life. When Mark Greenside—a native New Yorker living in California, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic—is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France in Finistère, or what he describes as "the end of the world," his life begins to change. In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside shares how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or understand the culture. He gradually places his trust in the villagers he encounters—neighbors, workers, acquaintances—and he's consistently won over and surprised as he manages to survive day-to-day trials. From opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney, he begins to learn the cultural ropes, live among his neighbors, and make new friends. Until he came to this town, Greenside was lost, moving through life without a plan, already in his 40s with little money and no house. He lived as a skeptic who seldom trusts others and has an inclination to be alone. So when he settles into the rhythm of this new French culture—against the backdrop of Brittany's streets surrounded by gorgeous architecture and breathtaking landscapes—not only does he find a home and meaningful relationships in this French countryside, he finds himself. I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do) is both a new beginning and a homecoming for Greenside. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life. He has never regretted his journey and, as he advises to those searching for their next adventure, neither will you.
Download or read book I Survived the Battle of D Day 1944 I Survived 18 written by Lauren Tarshis and published by Scholastic Inc.. This book was released on 2019-01-29 with total page 105 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It was a battle that would change the course of World War II... New York Times bestselling author Lauren Tarshis commemorates the Normandy landings in this pulse-pounding story of the largest seaborne invasion in history. Eleven-year-old Paul’s French village has been under Nazi control for years. His Jewish best friend has disappeared. Food is scarce. And there doesn’t seem to be anything Paul can do to make things better. Then Paul finds an American paratrooper in a tree near his home. The soldier says the Allies have a plan to crush the Nazis once and for all. But the soldier needs Paul’s help. This is Paul’s chance to make a difference. Soon he finds himself in the midst of the largest invasion in history. Can he do his part to turn horror into hope? New York Times bestselling author Lauren Tarshis tells the story of the battle that became the foundation for the Allied victory in World War II. Includes a section of nonfiction backmatter with more facts about the real-life event.
Download or read book Cultural Memories written by Peter Meusburger and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2011-05-11 with total page 373 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The revival of interest in collective cultural memories since the 1980s has been a genuinely global phenomenon. Cultural memories can be defined as the social constructions of the past that allow individuals and groups to orient themselves in time and space. The investigation of cultural memories has necessitated an interdisciplinary perspective, though geographical questions about the spaces, places, and landscapes of memory have acquired a special significance. The essays in this volume, written by leading anthropologists, geographers, historians, and psychologists, open a range of new interpretations of the formation and development of cultural memories from ancient times to the present day. The volume is divided into five interconnected sections. The first section outlines the theoretical considerations that have shaped recent debates about cultural memory. The second section provides detailed case studies of three key themes: the founding myths of the nation-state, the contestation of national collective memories during periods of civil war, and the oral traditions that move beyond national narrative. The third section examines the role of World War II as a pivotal episode in an emerging European cultural memory. The fourth section focuses on cultural memories in postcolonial contexts beyond Europe. The fifth and final section extends the study of cultural memory back into premodern tribal and nomadic societies.
Download or read book To the Last Man written by Randolph Bradham and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2012-07-16 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Through thoughtfully constructed research, Bradham vividly presents the battle for Normandy's Cotentin Peninsula one of the most important and yet understudied operations of the World War II. This book provides a detailed overview of the battles that make up the Cotentin Peninsula Campaign, an important part of the invasion of Normandy. While historians often cite specific examples of the fighting that took place on the peninsula, most treat the battles as individual events or singular parts of the overall Normandy campaign. In this work Bradham takes a different approach, focusing on the unique set of battles that had to be fought in order for the Allies to secure their foothold on Normandy. Bradham not only discusses the strategy used to secure the peninsula, but also gives detailed accounts of the major battles and tactical doctrine that was developed to fight them. Along the way he provides biographical information on the main actors, explaining how key personality traits along with personal relationships influenced their conduct while in battle. In doing so, the author outlines the effect of the campaign on the overall conduct of the war.
Download or read book Utah Beach written by Joseph Balkoski and published by Stackpole Books. This book was released on 2006 with total page 408 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The attack on Utah Beach during the Normandy invasion was one of the most successful military operations ever undertaken, especially bearing in mind the complexities of such a massive air & seaborne assault. Joseph Balkoski describes the unfolding drama.
Download or read book The Jedburghs written by Will Irwin and published by Public Affairs. This book was released on 2005-10-10 with total page 378 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The Jedburghs were a pioneering Special Forces unit, uniquely made up of American, British, and French volunteers. They parachuted deep behind the German lines to assist with the recapture of France in 1944. Dropped in teams of three, the Jeds would rally local opposition to the Germans and conduct guerrilla warfare - sabotage, ambush, and intelligence gathering - ahead of the advancing Allied armies. In doing so, they contributed to the Allied breakout from the Normandy bridgehead and to the rapid advance to the German border." "Above all, the Jedburgh teams were trained to survive. The three-man teams could not be certain that their communications with London would survive the drop or that any meaningful resupply would be possible. They had to operate alone against extraordinary odds in a country almost entirely occupied by a hostile force, prepared to survive pitched battles with the Wehrmacht and relentless manhunts by the Gestapo. Nor did they know how long they would have to wait before the Allied front line reached them. It was an enormous test of endurance, cunning, and strength of will." "The Jedburghs tells the story of these heroic young men, and offers a new perspective on the D-Day landings. Will Irwin, who served in the modern U.S. Army Special Forces himself, has selected seven of the Jedburgh teams and told their stories as gripping personal narratives. He has gathered archival documents, diaries, and correspondence, and interviewed veterans and family members in order to present a full portrait of their crucial role - recognized by Churchill and Eisenhower - in the struggle to liberate Europe. It is narrative history at its most compelling: a vivid drama of the battle for France from deep behind enemy lines."--BOOK JACKET.
Download or read book Mortain 1944 written by Steven J. Zaloga and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2019-05-30 with total page 97 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Following the successful landings in Normandy on D-Day and consolidation during Operation Cobra, the Wehrmacht was ordered to begin a counter-offensive named Operation Lüttich. The plan was to send a large Panzer force across the First US Army sector, cutting off its spearheads, and finally reach Avranches on the coast. Had this succeeded, it not only would have cut off the First US Army spearheads, but also Patton's newly deployed Third US Army operating in Brittany. However, thanks to an intercepted radio message, the Allies were well-prepared for the offensive and not only repelled the oncoming panzers, but went on a counter-attack that would lead to a whole German army becoming encircled in the Falaise Pocket. Fully illustrated with stunning full-colour artwork, this book tells the story of Operation Lüttich, the failed offensive which ended any prospect of Germany winning the battle of Normandy.
Download or read book R ckzug written by Joachim Ludewig and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 2012-10-05 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A German historian’s account of the Nazi retreat from France in the summer of 1944: “An important book [about] a surprisingly under-examined phase of WWII” (Anthony Beevor, Wall Street Journal). The Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, marked a critical turning point in the European theater of World War II. The massive landing on France's coast had been meticulously planned for three years, and the Allies anticipated a quick and decisive defeat of the German forces. Many of the planners were surprised, however, by the length of time it ultimately took to defeat the Germans. While much has been written about D-Day, very little has been written about the crucial period from August to September, immediately after the invasion. In Rückzug, Joachim Ludewig draws on military records from both sides to show that a quick defeat of the Germans was hindered by excessive caution and a lack of strategic boldness on the part of the Allies, as well as by the Germans' tactical skill and energy. This intriguing study, translated from German, not only examines a significant and often overlooked phase of the war, but also offers a valuable account of the conflict from the perspective of the German forces.
Download or read book The Interpreter written by Alice Kaplan and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2005-09-12 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: No story of World War II is more triumphant than the liberation of France, made famous in countless photos of Parisians waving American flags and kissing GIs, as columns of troops paraded down the Champs Élysées. Yet liberation is a messy, complex affair, in which cultural understanding can be as elusive as the search for justice by both the liberators and the liberated. Occupying powers import their own injustices, and often even magnify them, away from the prying eyes of home. One of the least-known stories of the American liberation of France, from 1944 to 1946, is also one of the ugliest and least understood chapters in the history of Jim Crow. The first man to grapple with this failure of justice was an eyewitness: the interpreter Louis Guilloux. Now, in The Interpreter, prize-winning author Alice Kaplan combines extraordinary research and brilliant writing to recover the story both as Guilloux first saw it, and as it still haunts us today. When the Americans helped to free Brittany in the summer of 1944, they were determined to treat the French differently than had the Nazi occupiers of the previous four years. Crimes committed against the locals were not to be tolerated. General Patton issued an order that any accused criminals would be tried by court-martial and that severe sentences, including the death penalty, would be imposed for the crime of rape. Mostly represented among service troops, African Americans made up a small fraction of the Army. Yet they were tried for the majority of capital cases, and they were found guilty with devastating frequency: 55 of 70 men executed by the Army in Europe were African American -- or 79 percent, in an Army that was only 8.5 percent black. Alice Kaplan's towering achievement in The Interpreter is to recall this outrage through a single, very human story. Louis Guilloux was one of France's most prominent novelists even before he was asked to act as an interpreter at a few courts-martial. Through his eyes, Kaplan narrates two mirror-image trials and introduces us to the men and women in the courtrooms. James Hendricks fired a shot through a door, after many drinks, and killed a man. George Whittington shot and killed a man in an open courtyard, after an argument and many drinks. Hendricks was black. Whittington was white. Both were court-martialed by the Army VIII Corps and tried in the same room, with some of the same officers participating. Yet the outcomes could not have been more different. Guilloux instinctively liked the Americans with whom he worked, but he could not get over seeing African Americans condemned to hang, Hendricks among them, while whites went free. He wrote about what he had observed in his diary, and years later in a novel. Other witnesses have survived to talk to Kaplan in person. In Kaplan's hands, the two crimes and trials are searing events. The lawyers, judges, and accused are all sympathetic, their actions understandable. Yet despite their best intentions, heartbreak and injustice result. In an epilogue, Kaplan introduces us to the family of James Hendricks, who were never informed of his fate, and who still hope that his remains will be transferred back home. James Hendricks rests, with 95 other men, in a U.S. military cemetery in France, filled with anonymous graves.
Download or read book The G I Collector s Guide written by Henri-Paul Enjames and published by Casemate. This book was released on 2022-09-21 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In World War II, the U.S. Army not only supplied its soldiers with the most modern equipment and uniforms, suitable for any combat situation, but went as far as providing them with their favorite drinks or candy bars, and seemingly anything else they might require. This comprehensive reference book brings together all the equipment issued to American soldiers in the European Theater of Operations, 1943–45. Each item is presented with its catalog numbers, described in detail and fully depicted in photographs, including close-ups of the labels to aid identification of items. Graphics and diagrams offer additional information and context. There are chapters on everything from uniform, insignia, and small arms issued to the individual, through crew-served weapons, rations, tents, to sports and recreation equipment. There is full coverage of the specialist items issued to Airborne, Armored, and Mountain troops, engineers, signallers, Military Police, medics, chaplains and female personnel. From the chewing gum included in K rations through to artillery-laying equipment, mess trays to portable altars and field harmoniums, this photographic reference gives a unique insight into the world of the U.S. Army in World War II. As a complete catalog with high-quality photographs, this book is invaluable to both family historians researching grandpa's kit found in the attic and to collectors in their quest to find authentic items among the reproductions that flood the modern market.
Download or read book The American Battle Monuments Commission World War II Commemorative Program written by American Battle Monuments Commission and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 60 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Assembly written by West Point Association of Graduates (Organization). and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 866 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
