Customer Reviews

After D-Day: Operation Cobra and the Normandy Breakout (The Art of War)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

James Carafano has succeeded in writing a very interesting and accessible history of a battle much ignored until now. I think even non-historians will find his easy reading style and revealing insights a pleasure. Former WWII soldiers should find it especially exciting to read. The book has been so thoroughly researched that it could be used as a guide for retracing the battle in France. I would recommend it to anyone planning a visit to Normandy. I wish the maps were a bit more complete and pictures had been included but all in all, Carafano's imagery makes up for that.

The author has weaved the strategic, operational and tactical aspects of Cobra and produced a single, connected, cohesive, analytical narrative. For me this was an enjoyable, educational book to read for it had the most detailed coverage and the most honest appraisal of this key battle and the commanders who controlled it than previously read.

The author begins by stating the conditions on the ground since the landings and the predicament General Bradley was in, in trying to find a way to breakout of Normandy without destroying his Army. He was the initiator of the operation and with the help of his staff the full operation was born. The author takes us through the step by step process of this plan in chapter 4.

The third chapter, "A Measure of Power" was especially helpful for it described the organizational structure of the US Infantry and Armored Divisions highlighting the strength and weaknesses of each structure and weapons available in 1944. The author then compares the US structure with the German equivalent pointing out advantages and disadvantages to each system.

From chapter 5, the author spends the rest of the book in describing the strategic and tactical operation. The center piece would be VII Corps with VIII and XIX Corps on the flanks. The author separates the action into division, regiment and battalion level operations in a study of such detail that is equal to and usually better than anything I have read before.

At the end of each chapter, the author analyzes and critiques the action of each field unit for this six day battle. In the last chapter, the author summarizes the impact of the battle for both sides and completes his criticism of Bradley, Collins and a few others.

I found this to be a great operational read and have very little to criticize. However, one thing to point out would be the black and white maps. The biggest thing about the maps would be the author displays too much land area that has nothing to do with the operation and consequently the towns, few roads, units and movements are proportionally too small. The descriptive information is there in legend form, next to the map, and its not as conveinent as it could be and it takes time to study and understand the action.

If you haven't read a detailed story of Operation Cobra or are unhappy with what you have already read about the operation, I strongly suggest this book.

Most people hear D-Day and automatically think Allied success that pushed the Germans from France, summed up at least. And in part this is so but what is not so well known is that D-Day was the Allied success at establishing a beach head on the continent but from there they could not press farther inland. For a while they languished away, trying on several occasions to break the German defensive line and move towards Paris. It wasn't until Operation Cobra that the Allies, and more pointedly the Americans, were able to break the Germans and push them back. After D-Day is an in depth analysis and revisionary history of this all so important Operation of WWII.

Carafano does a wonderful job in giving the history to that point of Allied success in France and what had been done to that point in the reinvention of the US Army when they were attacked by the Japanese and forced in to war. How the Army was shaped and grew to immense proportions and yet still was having troubles breaking the Germans. Importantly it was the terrain that held the Allies up as they had to contend with the hedgerows, where the Germans had conveniently set up their lines of defense. Previous operations by the British and Canadians were a disaster with high casualty rates and very little gain. The German army itself was a beaten down army of tired veterans from the Eastern Front and young German boys. By no means a mean fighting machine, but add the terrain and they could more than hold their own. Carafano does a great job in portraying all sides to the operation, using sources from both the Americans and the Germans. He gives a wonderful picture of the top brass of the American Army and where they stood in relation to not only one another but in the Army. Notably, of course, is Bradley, with mention of Patton, Eisenhower and the numerous generals underneath Bradley's command of the 1st Army, as well as Britain's Montgomery. Seeing what each thought of each other painted a picture of where they were and what they were doing. Bradley, of course, was the brains behind Operation Cobra, but Patton and other notable generals had doubts in the operation as well as in Bradley's command. All of this, Carafano notes, was immediately put in doubt at the beginning of the operation when the American Fighter Pilots' bombs fell short and killed many Americans.

All this was the beginning and background to the Operation. Carafano goes into a lot of detail of which divisions, regiments, battalions and so on took part in everything. This is perhaps one of the reasons I couldn't rate 5 stars, because at times it would seem like he was just listing all those involved with nothing to show forth except 1/3 of a page gone and wasted, skipped over because, ultimately, they are too numerous to really remember who they were and what they were doing. Page after page of listing generals and commanders, of listing divisions, regiments, battalions and so on dragged this down some. But, of course, this was meant as a military history and analysis of the Operation, so in that sense it was very accurate for those looking for this type of analysis. For the laymen it would drag the story down.

Over all I was very impressed with this look at the important Operation. I came to understand what Bradley had intended, its shortfalls and its successes, which is a strong point by Carafano. That despite the numerous failures and blunders of the the Army in this Operation, they were able to recuperate and learn from their lessons and apply it against the Germans. The ultimate result was the breakout of Normandy and in to Brittany, ultimately leading to the liberation of Paris. Furthermore, his bibliography has proved invaluable to me in finding other books on WWII and has proved a great resouce. Anyone looking for a closer, more in depth analysis of D-Day and WWII should definitely give this a read.

4 stars

Although a very detailed and thorough account of Operation Cobra, this is a good book . Carafano, unlike many authors of books on World War II, points out some of the awful and tragic mistakes made by those in charge during World War II. Carafano gives credit where credit is due, but pulls no punches in that he lists in detail the harrowing mistakes made including the short bombing at the beginning of Operation Cobra that cost the lives of many American soldiers. Carofano offers his own commentary and insights and refutes the many excuses that were made with regards to the short bombing that killed numerous American G.I 's.

Carofano also points out that generally D-Day is celebrated in mythic proportions and with the exception of one other book, Operation Cobra has largely been ignored by historians who write about World War II. After D-Day American and British forces were bogged down and were fighting a war of attrition which is exactly what the Americans wanted to avoid. A war of attrition was fought in World War I and as author Carafano points out that General Bradley wanted a war of mobility. Even though Americans contained more fighting power, such as artillery, tanks, and soldiers than the Germans those in charge were frustrated with the almost non-existent progress being made. Bradley finally came up with a stategy and manuever which would break through and used a strategy that had not been used by American forces before, at least not on a large scale. Prepared and thought up by General Bradley, the manuever entailed evelopment (surrounding enemy forces) and penetration (focused and concerted effort concentrated to the most vulnerable area to cause a breach, rather then a full frontal assault. Carafano also points out that Bradley is rarely credited for the success of Operation Cobra which lead invevitably to the breakout and liberation of Paris.

Carafano points out the tragedy of the bombs that fell short on American troops when the carpet bombing began for Operation Cobra and does a detailed analysis of how this could have been possibly avoided.

The main criticism that I have of this book is that it bogs down in way too many details that will cause many readers to consider it a long and drawn out read. The details, such as map direction became so incremental at points that I began to forget the overall objective of Operation Cobra which was to achieve mobility and break out.

If you are looking for something like Band of Brothers, or a book detailing the feelings or exploits of a particular unit this book is not for you. However this book is not meant to be anecdotal, in that the author being a retired Lt. Colonel and a teacher at West Point is looking at it from the perspective of a military man. Perhaps he is not interested in how a particular soldier felt, because in war one's personal feelings are insignficant to the successful outcome of a war. What is important is getting it right which will save lives and win a war. Finally this book reminded me of an after action report and a thorough analysis of a battle that had to be fought succesfully to achieve breakout of Normandy and to overcome the natural obstacles that the Norman landscape, I can't help think that maybe the book was written for those in O.C.S. to give an idea how a good officer and leader stands up when detailed and tough decisions have to be made.

Five stars minus one due to mind numbing detail.

The book is well written with a lot of information that you don't read about in other D-Day books.