Book recommendation: The Day of Battle
by mkovac (2012-12-28 21:55:58)
Edited on 2012-12-28 22:05:12
[ cannot delete ]   [ Edit ]   [ Return to Back Room ]   [ Show All Thread ]   [ Ignore Poster ]   [ Report Post ]   [ Highlight Poster ]   [ Reply ]

 



I am listening to the audio book of "The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944" by Mark Atkinson and am learning about the Allied invasion of Sicily.

It's frightening. The horrible seas that our grandfathers had to deal with, the friendly fire, the horrible crashes of the Horsa gliders, the arrogant demands of General Montgomery, and the difficulties that Patton had with Sir Bernard.

For anyone who wants to learn more about the liberation of Sicily, you may want to go to your local library (or bookstore) and check out this well-written work of non-fiction.

Darby's Rangers earns accolades and you also are introduced to a young Audie Murphy, who I met at my parents' home when he was campaigning for Pat Brown in his first election as California governor.

Praise is given for British general Harold Alexander, who was as smooth as Bernard Montgomery was rough around the edges. It was Alexander who turned Patton loose after Monty shouldered Patton aside and tried unsuccessfully to take Messina, but was stopped by the Germans defending the slopes of Mt Etna. The Germans, with their backs to the wall, had the high ground and decimated the British 8th Army. Patton slid around Monty and took Messina, much to Monty's surprise, wounding the peripatetic Montgomery's overweening self-confidence and bantam-rooster pride.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Alexander,_1st_Earl_Alexander_of_Tunis


"An Army at Dawn" about North Africa campaign is good too. *
by geoffgeoffers  (2012-12-28 22:04:11)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Absolutely agree...my favorite book on WWII
by Ndsapper  (2012-12-29 13:25:04)     Delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

I like Sharra's trilogy as well, but Atkinson just seems to read better.
Thank you. I look forward to reading it.
by mkovac  (2012-12-28 22:08:41)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

The Amazon site for "The Day of Battle" says that "An Army of Dawn" earned Atkinson the Pulitzer.

The friendly fire in "Day of Battle" is sickening. It's something, however, that I'm sure is studied at West Point and Sandhurst, with an eye to not having such preventable mistakes from ever occurring again.

In this modern age of communications, it would be criminal for any repeat, even of the slightest nature, happening again.
Thank you for your posts.
by geoffgeoffers  (2012-12-29 06:49:18)     Delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Always a good read.

Happy New Year!
I believe Atkinson is still at work on the third
by Domerfromkansas  (2012-12-28 22:34:40)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Volume of the trilogy, intended to cover Normandy. He also wrote In the Company of Soldiers, an excellent account of the first gulf war. Petreus features prominently in that one.

I recently read it will be out in the spring of 13.
by geoffgeoffers  (2012-12-29 06:46:45)     Delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

I'll have to check out the Desert Storm book.

The contents of this post represent the views of the author. NDNation.com is not responsible for its contents.