Waubonsee Community College

D-Day, June 6, 1944, the climactic battle of World War II, Stephen E. Ambrose

eng

Includes bibliographical references (p. 613-616) and index

illustrationsmaps

index present

non fiction

D-Day, June 6, 1944

bibliography

29357128

Stephen E. Ambrose

the climactic battle of World War II

On the basis of 1,400 oral histories from the men who were there, Eisenhower biographer and World War II historian Stephen E. Ambrose reveals for the first time anywhere that the intricate plan for the invasion of France in June 1944, had to be abandoned before the first shot was fired. The true story of D-Day, as Ambrose relates it, is about the citizen soldiers - junior officers and enlisted men - taking the initiative to act on their own to break through Hitler's Atlantic Wall when they realized that nothing was as they had been told it would be. This is a brilliant telling of the battles of Omaha and Utah beaches, based on information only now available, from American, British, Canadian, French, and German veterans, from government and private archives, from never before utilized sources on the home front, gathered and analyzed by the author, who has made D-Day his life work. Ambrose's first interview was with General Eisenhower in 1964, his last with paratroopers from the 101st Airborne in 1993. Called the premier American narrative and military historian, Ambrose explains the most important day of the twentieth century. The action begins at midnight, June 5/6, when the first British and American airborne troops jumped into France to launch the invasion. It ends at midnight, June 6/7. Focusing on those pivotal twenty-four hours, this is the story of individuals rather than units. It moves from the level of Supreme Commander to that of a French child, from General Omar Bradley to an American paratrooper, from Field Marshal Montgomery to a British private, from Field Marshal Rommel to a German sergeant. Ambrose covers the politics of D-Day, from Churchill's resistance to the operation to Stalin's impatience and Roosevelt's concern. On the other side were Hitler's command structure, German policy, and the plot against the Fuhrer. This is the epic victory of democracy in winner-take-all combat. When Hitler declared war on the United States, he bet that the young men brought up in the Hitler Youth would outfight the Boy Scouts. Ambrose shows how wrong he was

The defenders -- The attackers -- The commanders -- Where and when? -- Utilizing assets -- Planning and preparing -- Training -- Marshaling and briefing -- Loading -- Decision to go -- Cracking the Atlantic wall : the airborne into Normandy -- "Let's get those bastards" : the airborne night attack -- "The greatest show ever staged" : the air bombardment -- A long, endless column of ships : the naval crossing and bombardment -- "We'll start the war from right here" : the 4th Division at Utah Beach -- "Nous Restons Ici" : the airborne in the Cotentin -- Visitors to hell : the 116th Regiment at Omaha -- Utter chaos reigned : the 16th Regiment at Omaha -- Traffic jam : tanks, artillery, and engineers at Omaha -- "I am a destroyer man" : the Navy at Omaha beach -- "Will you tell me how we did this?" : the 2nd Ranger Battalion on D-Day morning -- Up the bluff at Vierville : the 116th Regiment and 5th Ranger Battalion -- Catastrophe contained : easy red sector, Omaha Beach -- Struggle for the high ground : Vierville, St.-Laurent, and Coleville -- "It was just fantastic" : afternoon on Omaha Beach -- The world holds its breath : D-Day on the home fronts -- "Fairly stuffed with gadgets" : the British opening moves -- "Everything was well ordered" : the 50th Division at Gold Beach -- Payback : the Canadians at Juno Beach -- "An unforgettable sight" : the British at Sword Beach -- "My God, we've done it" : the British Airborne on D-Day -- "When can their glory fade?" : the end of the day -- Glossary