Operation Dragoon 1944: France’s other D-Day

Osprey Campaign #210

by Steven J. Zaloga, John White (Illustrator)

Osprey's study of Operation Dragoon, the Allied landings in southern France on August 15, 1944, which was one of the most controversial operations of World War II (1939-1945), leading to deep divides between United States and British planners. The US objective was to threaten the rear of the German armies occupying France by a landing on the eastern French coast and to push rapidly northward towards Lorraine to meet up with Allied forces bursting out of Normandy.

Dragoon was a complex operation very similar to the Normandy landings, complete with a US and British airborne assault followed by a naval assault landing. The landings led to a precipitous German retreat from France, authorized by Hitler himself. In September 1944, the US Seventh Army and French First Army reached Lorraine, sealing off any remaining German troops and completing the liberation of the majority of French territory.

Popular Osprey author Steve Zaloga tells the story of this operation, from the derisive debates between the Allied commanders to the men who hit the beaches and charged ashore to help liberate occupied France.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II

96 pages, Paperback

First published June 23, 2009

About the author

Steven Zaloga is an author and defense analyst known worldwide for his articles and publications on military technology.  He has written over a hundred books on military technology and military history, including “Armored Thunderbolt: The US Army Sherman in World War II”, one of the most highly regarded histories of the Sherman Tank.  His books have been translated into Japanese, German, Polish, Czech, Romanian, and Russian. He was a special correspondent for Jane’s Intelligence Review and is on the executive board of the Journal of Slavic Military Studies and the New York Military Affairs Symposium. From 1987 through 1992, he was the writer/producer for Video Ordnance Inc., preparing their TV series Firepower.  He holds a BA in history from Union College and an MA in history from Columbia University.

Mr. Zaloga is also a noted scale armor modeler and is a host/moderator of the World War II Allied Discussion group at Missing-Lynx.com, a modelling website. He is a frequent contributor to the UK-based modeling magazine Military Modelling. He is a member of the Armor Modeling and Preservation Society.

Reviews

[Sean Chick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dragoon is one of the lesser known campaigns of the war because no major battles were fought and it was mostly an American and French show without any big personalities (although Truscott and Tassigny were two of the best Allied commanders). Yet it was decisive in forcing the evacuation of France. Rarely in World War II was so much gained for relatively few losses. Zaloga's account is good, with excellent maps and a bevy of rarely published photographs. This is Osprey at its best.

[Gary Allen, PhD · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reads more like a college freshman term paper. No insights or other interesting information that one would expect from serious research.

[Stuart Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Osprey Campaign book. A solid, well thought out account of this very under-reported battle.

[Cannonhistory Potter · Rating 3 out of 5]

France's other D-Day doesn't get much coverage in WWII history. It wasn't an Operation that could challenge Overlord in its importance by any stretch, but it was important to me: my Grandfather participated in this operation as a soldier in the Third Infantry Division. Thanks, Grandpa!

[A.L. Sowards]

A little dry, but with good maps and a bunch of information about Operation Dragoon

[Sarah Sundin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good general coverage of a little-mentioned operation. Excellent maps, although some crucial parts are hidden in the crease of the book.