Fighting In Normandy: The German Army from D-Day to Villers-Bocage

by David Isby (Editor), Heinz Guderian, Fritz Kramer

The Allied landings on the Normandy beaches in June 1944 were brilliantly executed but proved to be just the opening phase of a desperately-fought campaign. The German Army responded to the invasion with as much ferocity and force as it could muster, showed tenacity and determination and turned the struggle for Normandy into a brutal and prolonged campaign. This important compilation of in-depth accounts by German commanders given the task of turning the tables on the invaders is crucial to a full understanding of the battle for Normandy. The accounts David Isby has selected, all written soon after the war's close for American military intelligence, cover German attempts to stem the invasion, dramatic defensive battles in the Norman countryside and attempts to implement a series of counterattacks. This vital source material presents the German perspective on the fighting, from regimental to corps level, and graphically illustrates the wealth of problems faced by an army on the very brink of destruction.

Genres: World War II, History, Military History

256 pages, Hardcover

First published February 23, 2001

About the author

David Isby is an acclaimed author, attorney, and national defense consultant. In Washington, first as a congressional staff member and, subsequently, as a consultant on national security issues, Isby has worked for numerous firms with a range of governmental and private sector clients. He continues to write extensively on national security and military history topics, and is an author or editor of more than 20 books and 350 essays and articles in publications including International Defense Review, USA Today, Washington Times, Jane's Defense Weekly, Strategic Review, Comparative Strategy, Jamestown Terrorism Monitor, and Jane's Intelligence Review. He also has lectured at many staff colleges including National Defense University, US Army War College, US Army Command and General Staff College, Air Command & Staff College, US Marine Corps Command and General Staff College, Naval Postgraduate School, and other institutions.

Reviews

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, German Colonels and Generals from WWII recall their actions in Normandy, reviewing their work and that of the Allies in the struggle to stop the allied onslaught. Just about every OKW, Corps, and Division action for each day or 2-3 days is covered and reviewed for efficacy. At the end there are some critiques of the Campaign overall, and some interviews with key figures on important topics. Some of the names are legendary like Guderian, others less famous like Fritz Ziegelmann, but the overall result is really quite interesting. It's fascinating to hear how the Mighty German Wehrmacht was not so Imposing as seen from their side.

From the start the Allies were sagacious in their choice of Normandy for the Location, and in all the other elaborate ruses they used to make the Germans think the "Real" landing would be at Calais. The Germans had their reserves in the wrong place-Rommel thought they would land between Calais and Normandy- and had underestimated how Allied Air Power would limit their mobility by daylight. Then Command Issues and the sheer lack of reserve numbers begin to tell. In fact, this book can be seen as a big tribute to Allied Air Power. It ends up dominating every discussion and narrative. Professional soldiers rely on Logistics- and nothing can move far or fast enough using only the short Summer Nights available in June and July 1944. Almost every passage has a sardonic mention of the absence of the Luftwaffe- but the Allied Strategic Bombing Campaign and its escorts had shot those German Fighter Swarms out of the sky in the preceding 9 months....

With few adult themes and no Graphic passages this is a fine book for the Junior reader over about ten. For the Gamer/Modeller/military enthusiast- this is a rich trove. Lots of ideas for Scenarios/Dioramas - lots of intriguing Kampfgruppe maneuvres- and insights into the German thinking and friction points of the Campaign. The Struggle around Carantan- featured in "Band Of Brothers" is really interesting- and well covered. The Caen battle is also covered closely- and we get an understanding that whilst the Brits were frustrated by their own slow progress- they were grinding the Wehrmacht Panzer Divisions into dust at the same time- fixing them in place for the American breakout to bypass The Enthusiast will get a really fascinating look into German Command, Combat and logistics. A strong candidate for any WWII, Wehrmacht, D-Day, or Military History library.