From Beachhead to Brittany: The 29th Infantry Division at Brest, August-September 1944

29th Infantry Division: Normandy to Victory #2

by Joseph Balkoski

In this highly anticipated sequel to his acclaimed Beyond the Beachhead, World War II historian Joseph Balkoski follows the U.S. 29th Infantry Division out of Normandy and into Brittany in the northwest corner of France, where the division was tasked with seizing the port of Brest. The Germans, including elite paratroopers, fought fiercely for every inch of ground and inflicted heavy casualties on the Americans during bloody house-to-house fighting. By the time the German defenders surrendered, the Allies had taken other ports, thus rendering Brest nearly useless and casting controversy on the decision to capture it in the first place. Balkoski tells the story of the battle, from the generals who ordered the attack to the infantrymen who slogged through the streets of Brest.

Genres: World War II, History, Military History, Military Fiction

400 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Joseph Balkoski is one of the world's leading authorities on the D-Day invasion of Normandy. He currently serves as Command Historian for the Maryland National Guard and for more than thirty years has chronicled the WWII history of the 29th Infantry Division.

Reviews

[Matthew Ericson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author did a great job recounting the stories of these three regiments in the 29th, 115th 116th 175th. He was also very insightful on logistics which was very helpful. He brought life to a campaign in the Western Theater I believed overlooked.

[Pamela Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Fantastic piece of history. Balkowski honors those who fought in the battle of Brittany with this work. I read this and Omaha Beach in preparation for an upcoming trip to Normandy.

[Robert Mueller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love to read about battles for research into my own travel guides to European battlefields. In this book, Balkoski brings to us the actions of the US 29th Infantry Division's attack upon Fortress Brest in Brittany, France, which was stubbornly defended by German paratroopers. The capture of this strongly held German bastion is too little discussed in Second World War popular lore being greatly overshadowed by the liberation of Paris and Patton's surge across France. The author paints a picture of the men who participated in the battle giving us some insight into the actions of front line infantrymen and their immediate commanders during the war. The assaults are vividly drawn, the suffering of the men palpable. The final chapter appropriately analyzes the controversial strategy and aftermath of capturing the city.

This volume has encouraged my to start Balkoski's companion volume: Beyond the Beachhead: The 29th Infantry Division in Normandy.

[Dirk]

Solid effort but not near as good a read as Omaha