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 battle. The German Army responded to the invasion with as much ferocity and force as it could muster, and turned the struggle into a brutal and prolonged campaign. These in-depth reports 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. AUTHOR: David C Isby is a military historian of renown. He has edited Fighting the Invasion, Fighting the Breakout, Fighting the Bombers and The Luftwaffe Fighter Force. SELLING POINTS: ? The battle for Normandy from the German point of view. ? Written by German commanders shortly after the end of the war. ? Covers the period between D-Day and the Battle of Villers-Bocage. ? Looks at the German attempts to stem the invasion and to counterattack. 16 pages b/w plates
