Ten Days to D-Day: Citizens and Soldiers on the Eve of the Invasion

by David Stafford

Ten days before the largest operation of World War II was launched, it was still one of the century's best-kept secrets -- thanks to countless ordinary people participating in one of history's most remarkable moments. David Stafford has written a riveting account of ten of those ordinary men and women -- including an American paratrooper, a German soldier, a nineteen-year-old English woman working on secret codes, a Parisian Jew in hiding, and a daring French resistance cell -- as they lived through ten very extraordinary days. Drawing on previously unpublished diaries and letters, Stafford gives readers a fresh point of entry into one of the most significant battles ever fought. Ten Days to D-Day buzzes with the pace of a novel, as Stafford moves from country to country, from character to character, including some of D-Day's Hitler, Rommel, Eisenhower, and Churchill. Stafford compellingly brings to life the final days before the invasion through the eyes of its participants, the citizens and soldiers that made history on June 6, 1944.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II, War, Military History, Historical

377 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

David Alexander Tetlow Stafford is projects director at Edinburgh University's Centre for the Study of the Two World Wars and Leverhulme Emeritus Professor in the University's School of History, Classics and Archaeology.
Stafford took his B.A. at Downing College, Cambridge in 1963. He then undertook postgraduate study at the University of London, taking an M.A. and finally his Ph.D. in history in 1968.

Beginning his career with government service, Stafford served in the British Diplomatic Service as a third secretary at the Foreign Office from 1967 to 1968, and then as second secretary in 1968. He then took up an appointment as research associate (1968–70) at the Centre of International Studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

He then became assistant professor of history (1970–76) at Canada's University of Victoria in British Columbia. He was promoted to associate professor of history (1976–82) and finally professor of history (1982–84). He then became director of studies (1985–86) and executive director (1986–92) at the Canadian Institute of International Affairs in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. From 1992 to 2000 Stafford became a visiting professor at Edinburgh University's Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, and then, from 2000, he became projects director at the Centre for the Study of the Two World Wars.

Stafford is particularly noted for his scholarly works concerning Winston Churchill and British intelligence, various aspects of the Second World War, and Twentieth Century intelligence and espionage with a focus on Britain. He now resides in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

He is a regular book reviewer, appearing in The Times (London), BBC History Magazine, The Spectator, The Times Literary Supplement, The New York Times, the Times Herald Tribune (Paris), and Saturday Night and the Globe and Mail (Toronto).

Reviews

[Olethros · Rating 3 out of 5]

-Desde las vivencias de personas con implicaciones muy diferentes en el evento.-

Género. Historia.

Lo que nos cuenta. Aproximación a la semana previa a la Operación Overlord, aunque con muchos pasos atrás en el tiempo para explicar gran número de cosas relativas a la Segunda Guerra Mundial, mediante las vivencias de personas que afrontaron de forma muy diferente los acontecimientos.

¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:

http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com....

[Manray9 · Rating 3 out of 5]

David Stafford's Ten Days to D-Day is an informative popular history of the lead up to D-Day. Stafford related the stories of average participants in the great event – a Canadian infantryman, a WREN signals technician, an American paratrooper, a Jew hiding in Paris, a French resistance fighter, a German soldier, an SOE operative in France and a Norwegian prisoner of the Gestapo. He interspersed these accounts with glimpses of Ike, Churchill, Hitler, de Gaulle, “Wild Bill” Donovan, Duff Cooper and others. Ten Days to D-Day may be a bit overly-dramatic, but it's entertaining. I appreciated the attention paid to the Canadian contribution to the landings. The Canadian 3rd Division, augmented by the 2nd Armored Brigade, landed on Juno Beach. These 14,000 young Canadians played a key role in the Allied victory – a role too often overlooked.

Stafford's Ten Days to D-Day rated Three Stars on my shelf.

[Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a group biography of individual participants: women, men, various nationalities. The human interest is high, the writing clear. Over the ten days, you get a flavor of conflicts and concerns all around, with some great characters.
Recommended.

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

What was it really like to live the last ten days before D-Day? As a participant, one of the many people who joined in the preparation, as resident of England and the Continent, as a soldier, waiting to be attacked? How did it feel and what did one think about? That is the basic conceit of this book, as David Stafford, a former Diplomat and Intelligence writer weaves a pretty good story- finding many interesting and compelling characters whose stories as they live out this period, form the fabric of this book. From Churchill and his wife Clemantine and Eisenhower at the top, to a number of POWs and Gestapo prisoners- spies and saboteurs who had tried to pave the way- Stafford takes you into their world for little vignettes- then moves on to other stories. In the middle of the hierarchy are soldiers and airmen of both sides, Canadians, Americans, Brits, and Europeans- and the Nazis who hoped to keep their ill-gotten gains. Stafford picks interesting stories.

The breadth and width of the stories really give an idea of the magnitude of the undertaking. We meet the Meteorologists on both sides- trying to divine the future- for the next ten days at a time. The Soldiers prepared for an event- and no way of knowing when until they are told. The SHAEF Staff officers - trying to prepare the way and give their best advice to Ike. There are several stories of SOE and FFI Agents/Soldiers- captured in the mass -sabotage campaign needed before the landing - as they hope their probable sacrifice will be worthwhile- we know it will be- but they very much don't! Stafford keeps a good pace, and has a storyteller's knack for good little transitions. It is compelling- and as much fun as a pretty sober historical tome can be....

This is a good book for a Junior reader- more interestingly told than many- but Adult themes and some torture gore makes it best for those over 11. For the Gamer/Modeller/Military Enthusiast - this is better for getting a strong background (he really covers a lot of important technical details of the landings that some may have forgotten) in the preparation, training and execution of the landings than it is for tactical ideas, as it sort of ends when the real fighting begins- on D+1. But it is really GREAT for the overall Military enthusiast, as the myriad of concentric stories gives one a tonne of places to look further. It will also connect up with many a D-Day centric memoir- as it was built from several originally. I really think this is one of those books that gets you fired up to really read a lot about a topic- it did for me- helped refresh my interest in the Pivotal Normandy Campaign. A fun book on a serious topic.

[Mike Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book that provides perspective on the buildup to D-Day from several points of view including American, British, Canadian, French, German, and others. Each day includes these various perspectives. It made the buildup real and not something to gloss over as I have in the past. I recommend this book for any student of WWII.

[Eric in Ohio · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not so much a war book as a book about people in or touched by war, not so much a book about D-Day as a book chronicling the activities of a handful of individuals who in one way or another made D-Day. Author Stafford chose his cast well: men and women; Allied and German; civilian, military, and resistance. The chapter a day formula worked well, and will lend itself to someone else’s attempt to read the book in the 10 days running up to the next D-Day commemoration. There are great photos, but no maps. Somewhere about two-thirds through the writing seems to suffer a bit, the story-telling becoming perhaps too detailed or technical and less...individual. Still, this is well written and a good choice if you’re looking for something different on the topic of D-Day or for a non-war-book war book.

[Gisela · Rating 2 out of 5]

At first I was captured with the individual stories that would be unravelling over the days leading up to ‘the big push’. Strangely, and I don’t really know why, I did gradually lose interest in them all. The titbits about personal lives: Eisenhower, was at first a tad intriguing, but that waned with all. I wonder if was that these peeks at what went on, became nothing more than scraps against the bigger picture: a picture that grew in my mind as we neared the day.
It jumps from one character to another without any warning: page 63 and 64 - we are reading about André Heintz, in Caen, France, then without notice we are told of what Eisenhower is up to in Britain. These rapid and unnotified switches I found unsettling; and I wonder if it was this that helped put me off.

[Pelaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are a lot of books that talk about the actual operation, the landings, the paradrops beforehand, the chaos that ensued after they'd pushed up the beaches. This book says a lot more about the setup, about how an entire army was hidden from an enemy that was just across the English channel. Every perspective chosen provides an interesting view on why and how things played out the way they did. Definitely worth the read.

[Brian Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Stafford’s wonderful book, Ten Days to D-Day: Countdown to the Liberation of Europe is not likely to advance strategic understanding of the Second World War, but it humanizes the experiences of average individuals (plus vignettes on Ike, Churchill, Hitler, & De Gaulle) as they prepared for the most significant event in their lives or in some cases, face the real possibility of a horrible death. It is an enjoyable read and conveys the immediacy of the period to a modern reader. While in some ways, what some of these people went through is incomprehensible, Stafford brings us a close as imaginable to sharing their experiences.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the reviews here seem to have missed that, within these personal accounts, are also many passages that set out the strategic and political facts. (For example, the difficult relationship with De Gaulle.) I regard the book as rather impressive. Stafford has skilfully told the individual stories, interwoven with hard historical fact and given a good picture of what it felt like in the run up to 6 June. I'm very pleased I read this.

[Alan Carlson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid anecdotal account of the run-up to D-Day, the June 6, 1944 Allied invasion of France. Down 1 star for being anecdotal - I prefer analytical. Down anoterh star for covering pretty much the same ground as before.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dans ce livre on suit l'histoire de différentes personnes, toutes reliées de manière différente, à la préparation du débarquement en Normandie : résistant, agents SOE, parachutistes,...
Très bien fait et facile à lire en anglais.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better books I have read this year. Stafford made me feel as I though I was right there on the shores of France. I highly reccomend

[E G Melby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Couldn’t put it down, even though I knew how it ended.

[larry g best · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book a part of WWII I new very little

[Loretta]

Easy read. Focused on people, not hardware or logistics. Very complicated and intricate operation!

[Curtis Edmonds · Rating 4 out of 5]

The iconography – or, to be more accurate, the cinematography – of the Normandy invasion is so compelling that it threatens to drown out all other discussion of the battle. The Airborne divisions, huddled aboard flimsy cargo planes, waiting to jump into the heart of darkness. German troopers in coastline bunkers, marveling at the line of ships, spreading across the horizon. Soaking-wet infantrymen going once more into the breach at the Omaha landing. The Rangers assaulting the guns of Pointe du Hoc. These are the images we remember, and treasure, but they are not the be-all and end-all of Normandy, or could they be.

Ten Days to D-Day is about the preparation and the waiting. “We defy augury,” Hamlet tells us. “If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all.” The readiness, not the eventual conflict itself, is the theme of the book; the anxiety and the curiosity that enveloped both sides, both waiting for the hammer-blow to fall, not knowing where or when, hostage to the weather and to fortune.

David Stafford’s book starts in medias res – literally, in the middle of a daring parachute jump behind enemy lines. It is concerned with two groups of people – one group familiar to the reader, the other group not. The familiar group is the generals and politicians and other assorted leaders who were making the preparations for what would come on June 6th, 1944. This is the group responsible for the high politics; determining where the Allied blow would fall on the German side, and ensuring strategic surprise, French cooperation, and combat readiness on the Allied side. (This involves interesting trivia like the details of Hitler’s medical care and the kerfuffle regarding whether Churchill would be allowed to hit the beaches with the troops personally.) This is the group that you expect to read about – Eisenhower, Rommel, Montgomery, DeGaulle, Roosevelt – and Stafford does a stellar job of explicating their thoughts, feelings and strategies, right down to Eisenhower managing stress by putting invisible golf balls on his office carpet.

The second group whose actions are highlighted in Ten Days to D-Day is much more diverse, having really only one thing in common. All of them were inveterate diarists, which means something. We are now, as of this writing, sixty years from June 1944, and the members of the D-Day generation are seeing their numbers dwindle into infinity. Interviews and oral histories are becoming increasingly more difficult to obtain. Stafford’s choice – going back into the library to retrieve diaries and letters – is a sad one, but increasingly necessary.

Stafford’s diarists cover a wide swathe of the D-Day events, including some people who were completely uninvolved. The idea apparently is to choose the most interesting diary entries for the timeframe, and that necessarily involves people who had little or nothing to do with the invasion. There is the young woman serving in a “Wren” unit in Southern England, the heroic actuary languishing in a Nazi prison cell in Norway, and the Jewish hairdresser hiding from the Gestapo in a Paris garret. None of these diarists really affect the invasion in any meaningful way, but they have their place in the story – the invasion is being fought on their behalf, if nothing else. This does make for some jarring transitions, with the narrative skipping around from rural French cottages serving as Resistance centers to high-level strategic meetings in Eisenhower’s trailer – but anyone who has read a Tom Clancy novel will be familiar with the structure.

Even in choosing the period before D-Day, Ten Days to D-Day traverses well-trodden ground; there isn’t much new information here (except for the explanation of how the Daily Telegraph crossword editor put “Overlord”, “Omaha” and “Mulberry” into his puzzles). Stafford’s achievement here is putting his team of diarists into the action, introducing them to the reader, and breathing new life into their words and deeds.

[Elder Magalhães Campi · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Dez Dias para o Dia D: Cidadãos e Soldados na Véspera da Invasão" de David Stafford oferece uma visão envolvente e detalhada dos momentos cruciais que antecederam a invasão do Dia D durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial. O autor explora as vidas e experiências de cidadãos comuns e soldados que enfrentaram a iminente operação militar que mudaria o curso da guerra.

Stafford utiliza uma abordagem cativante, entrelaçando relatos pessoais, diários e cartas de diferentes perspectivas, proporcionando uma narrativa rica e humanizada. O livro mergulha nas ansiedades, expectativas e preparativos intensos que antecederam esse evento histórico monumental.

A pesquisa meticulosa de Stafford e sua habilidade em contar histórias tornam a leitura acessível e absorvente, mesmo para aqueles que não têm uma profunda familiaridade com o período. O autor destaca não apenas os eventos militares, mas também os aspectos sociais e emocionais, oferecendo uma compreensão abrangente do impacto da iminente invasão nas vidas das pessoas.

Em resumo, "Dez Dias para o Dia D" é uma obra que combina erudição histórica e narrativa envolvente. David Stafford proporciona uma janela única para o passado, pintando um retrato vívido dos momentos cruciais antes do Dia D, capturando o espírito e a tensão da época de maneira emocionante.

[Rob Kitchin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The real strength of the book is its biographical weaving of the narratives of individuals and setting those within the wider context of the war and its political framing. Where the book is perhaps weakest is the choice of some of the individuals. The account of the Norwegian resistance organiser’s time in jail is interesting, but has no baring whatsoever on the D-Day landings, and indeed he knew nothing about them and played no role in the lead up to them. The German soldier similarly played no direct role in D-Day being posted a long way behind the front. It would have been good to have included some other characters that were more centrally involved. The other issue is that the book does feel as if it ends too soon. We get the lead in to the main event, but get very little of the event itself and what follows. The reader is warned by the title that this would be the case, but it does feel that the story is too truncated. Overall, a fascinating read that needed a little fine tuning.

[Christopher Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stafford has brought this climatic event and familiar history down to earth by personalizing it. He uses diaries and recollections of all manner of people involved: lowly cypher clerks, spies, Resistance fighters, infantrymen, dictators, prime ministers and military commanders on all sides of the conflict to bring a human dimension to the battle. Particularly interesting are the disagreements between iconic and heroic figures (eg. Churchill, De Gaulle and Roosevelt). Their petty squabbles led one cabinet official to remark, "It's a girls' school...all behave like girls approaching the age of puberty."

Gripping read.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave a most interesting, different perspective on D-Day. Following many participants' experiences throughout the ten days leading up to D-Day including Eishenhower, Churchill, Hitler, and Rommel, to name a few. A most fascinating take on D-Day that I would definitely recommend if you have an interest in the subject.

[Al · Rating 3 out of 5]

A day-by-day account taken from the diaries and letters of a variety of individuals on both sides of the English Channel who participated in the planning and execution of the invasion of Europe by the Allies in June 1944....very well done....it provides a more micro-view of the events as seen through the eyes and actions of each of these individuals.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reads like fiction actually. One of the defining moments of the 20th century from the perspective of individuals both at the top and bottom. The comprehenisve list of references at the end provides a satrting point for further studies.

[Thiago Carlos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ótimo livro, que conta os ultimos momentos da invasão aliada a chamada "muralha do Atlântico", Stafford reproduz com clareza dados específicos de soldados, civis e do alto comando do exército aliado.

Nota: 8,5

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Discussion of the 10 days before D-Day thru the lives of the famous and not so famous. Book was so-so, it covered ground in previous histories of the event I have read thru a different lens. but still the same ground.
A laborious task to read.

[Ian Hallam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting read detailing the events in the 10 days before D day from various viewpoints, gleaned from personal letters home, diaries etc.
Especially interesting to me as I lived in Portsmouth and know of many of the places mentioned in the book.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

really good, really long, but really interesting

[Carolinevv · Rating 4 out of 5]

De kracht van echte verhalen en geschiedenis gezichten geven. Bijzonder, indrukwekkend!

[Mell Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding.