With the 70th Anniversary of the Normandy invasion coming up on Friday I found myself thinking about what digital books are out there on the subject. I've read a lot of them, but would love to hear other folks recommendations.
Quote:
Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers in arms on other fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.
Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened, he will fight savagely.
But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to victory!
I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory!
Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.
-- Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
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link to audio of Eisenehower's speech...
http://www.army.mil/d-day/message.html
I've read and liked all of these to varying degrees...
D-Day: June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II by Stephen E. Ambrose
D-Day: The Battle for Normandy by Anthony Beevor
The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan
Omaha Beach &
Utah Beach by Joseph Balkoski
I own, but haven't yet read...
If Chaos Reigns: The Near-Disaster and Ultimate Triumph of the Allied Airborne Forces on D-Day, June 6, 1944 by Flint Whitlock
(this one's on sale right now [has been for a while])
Wondering if anyone has read and can recommend...
The Juno Beach Trilogy: First Canadian Army and the Normandy Campaign, June 6th - August 21, 1944 by Mark Zuehlke
The Devil's Garden: Rommel's Desperate Defense of Omaha Beach on D-Day by Steven Zaloga
The Germans in Normandy by Richard Hargreaves
D-Day: The Invasion of Normandy, 1944 by Rick Atkinson
I've read other Atkinson works which were quite good, but haven't gotten his new D-Day book yet. I'm not sure on this one as it sounds like it's just D-Day specific parts of
The Guns at Last Light which have then been adapted for young readers. I'm thinking it'll be a lot of "nothing new here" & simplified.
Would love some recommendations on books that focus on the British forces (XXX Corps at Gold, etc.) on D-Day.