Customer Reviews

Battle of the Bulge: Then and Now

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One in the "Now and Then" battlefield series, this book is heavy in every sense of the term. The author has extensively researched contemporary Allied and Nazi war correspondent footage, and has followed up by finding and photographing the matching locations as they appear today. While the juxtaposition of two photographs of the same scene, taken over 50 years apart, may seem largely pointless, the task nevertheless puts the Ardennes Offensive into clearer focus. Any student of Wacht am Rhein who wishes to see the sites firsthand will benefit from the descriptions and photos of the current locations. More significantly, the extensive research lends new light to some previously-published photos and cine stills of the action, often actually supplying names to the faces. When the video comes to the footage of Tiger tank # 222, a quick reference to Pallud's book will show the final resting place of the machine. And that's not a photo of Col. Peiper at the Malmedy/Stavelot crossroads -- Pallud's analysis corrects the decades-old mistake.

Impressively printed on high-quality glossy paper, this volume is a compliment to any coffee table. This is an heirloom well worth its price tag.

"The Battle of the Bulge: Then and Now," is a must for anyone who considers him or herself an officianado of the Ardennes Offensive. I first chanced across this book in the Army library when I was a student at the Combined Services Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, KS. Upon my return to Germany, I set about attempting to order an English version of the book and finally did so through a German book store. For those who are tired of seeing the same old National Archive or Bundesarchive Bulge photographs in countless books, this rendition goes several steps further in researching hundreds of photographs and exhibiting modern day images from the same photographic perspective and angle. Not only is this work a great research tool, it also serves as one of the best tour guides available for the wartime Ardennes.

As the title states, the objective of the Then and Now series is to bring history alive for the reader and traveler. In addition to the historical text, scenes depicted in actual combat movie film or still footage from both American and German forces are studied. The place where the film was taken is identified and another photo showing what the scene looks like today is juxtaposed along side the original. If one considers the effort behind such a task, one becomes immediately appreciative of the task undertaken by Jean-Paul Pallud in this nicely produced book. As the author states on several occasions, the notes and captions accompanying the film are often in error and the actual scene could be several kilometers away from what is noted. Indeed, Mr. Pallud must know the Ardennes like the back of his hand. The patience and effort that Pallud put into this publication is immense, and in that effort we can "relive" history through these photographs. Imagine being able to stand in the same spot that a tank was destroyed or where German troops stripped dead American soldiers of their clothing and possessions! I believe the high point of this book centers around Pallud's reconstruction of the destruction of the American armored column (a unit of the ill fated 14th Cavalry Group) on the Recht-Poteau road. Pallud proves that the Germans staged various scenes for the newsreels. He lays out the placement of the various vehicles on the road, based upon only the photographic evidence. Truly a fine piece of work. This book is a must for any serious student of the "Bulge".

I picked this book up in Belgium prior to my self guided tours of the Ardennes. It turned out to not only be useful in reading about the history of the battle but to be critical in locating out of the way points of interest. There are many pictures in this book that were taken during the battle that the author identified the locations of. By following this virtual guide to the battle I was able to see and appreciate various unmarked spots that I might otherwise just have driven by. It is amazing how many places in the Ardennes havn't changed in over 50 years since the battle raged there. The description and histories of specific tanks that were engaged in the battle and are still resting there as memorials is also very interesting. The information the author gathered from soldiers that fought in the battle is in many cases unique and exclusive. This is a must read for a true student of WW2 history!

The After the Battle magazine tells history by verifying the actual locations and circumstances of past incidents. The publishers have also issued a series of Then and Now volumes covering major battles of WWII. Of these, Battle of the Bulge Then and Now is generally considered the best, and nothing short of a monumental work on the Ardennes Offensive. Readers will be amazed with the amount of on-the-spot research done, as well as the general enthusiasm shown by the author. The book not only recounts historical events, but also takes the reader to the place of happening and identifies what really took place at the time. Anyone interested in military histroy must grab this one.

The After the Battle magazine tells history by verifying the actual locations and circumstances of past incidents. The publishers have also issued a series of Then and Now volumes covering major battles of WWII. Of these, Battle of the Bulge Then and Now is generally considered the best, and nothing short of a monumental work on the Ardennes Offensive. Readers will be amazed with the amount of on-the-spot research done, as well as the general enthusiasm shown by the author. The book not only recounts historical events, but also takes the reader to the place of happening and identifies what really took place at the time. Anyone interested in military histroy must grab this one.

I just received this in the mail today and after spending over 2 hours going page-by-page it struck me how thorough this volume truly was.

First and foremost, the book is massive ... over 500 glossy pages of maps, photos, data and text. However, it is the voluminous collection of photos which compromises the bulk of the book and makes the biggest impression.

Pallud's meticulous and exhaustive research includes a detailed collection of photos that chronologically illustrate the course of the battle. The massive accumulation of common and rare photos include researched explanations of each; the detail is simply amazing. Pallud focuses a great deal on the destruction of German armor during the battle to the point of graphically accounting for each of the Tiger II tanks employed during the Bulge. As the title of the book suggests, there are plenty of "then and now" photos arrayed side-by-side to give the reader (or traveler to the battlefield) an idea of what happened at particular locations and see how time has erased the widespread destruction ... an interesting perspective.

In my opinion, what separates Pallud's book from any other book on the subject matter (aside from the sheer volume of photos) is the meticulous care spent on presenting a factual explanation of each picture. In particular, the author clarifies the inaccuracies associated with many of the generic German photos so often associated with the Battle of the Bulge. For example, he finally "proves" the purported photo of Joachim Peiper at a Malmedy crossroads reading a road sign from a Schwimmwagon, is not Pieper at all (to the extent of illustrating the famous photo lacks evidence of Peiper's dimpled chin). The presentation is fact-based and neutral in nature ... he lets the photos explain everything. Additionally, Pallud includes chapters toward the end of the book that list Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross and Knight's Cross recipients, museums and pictures of war relics that still remain.

Overall, the volume is informative, detailed, interesting, very thorough and all-inclusive ... simply impressive. This is the second book from the "Then and Now" collection that I own (the other being "Berlin: Then and Now") and it certainly affirms my desire to collect additional volumes in the series. "Battle of the Bulge: Then and Now" is is definitely a valuable resource to anyone interested in the battle. The biggest drawbacks to these "Then and Now" books are that they are expensive and somewhat hard to find (at least at an affordable price). However, being patient pays off as I finally found a quality, but affordable, used copy of this book from a bookseller ... it was on my Wish List over six months.

I purchased this book on the recommendation of another reader. This book is of exceptional quality - no expense spared. The paper is heavy, the hardback boards are solid and the book weighs a tonne! In my run through the book it lists the history of the events in good detail but it is the photographs that take 1st prize. Hats off to Pallud for working his tail off to get all this detail into one volume.

In an era when WWII books are flying off the printing presses and are lacking any level of excellence...this is one for your bookshelf! The price is definitely worth it.

The After the Battle magazine tells history by verifying the actual locations and circumstances of past incidents. The publishers have also issued a series of Then and Now volumes covering major battles of WWII. Of these, Battle of the Bulge Then and Now is generally considered the best, and nothing short of a monumental work on the Ardennes Offensive. Readers will be amazed with the amount of on-the-spot research done, as well as the general enthusiasm shown by the author. The book not only recounts historical events, but also takes the reader to the place of happening and identifies what really took place at the time. Anyone interested in military histroy must grab this one.

We all know the professionalism of the "After the Battle" edition series. Jean-Paul Pallud's reputation is well asserted too. Yes, the very man that found M. Wittman's grave in the 80s.
As of today the book is one of the best account on that famous battle. Though I would have preferred, title wise, Battle of the Ardennes over "the Bulge" which really doesn't ring a bell except in the mind of the geography-wanting Americans ... (no harm meant).
The quality of the photos are outstanding, the choice excellent, captions always accurate and factual. There are no shortcuts or cheatings, I mean no pictures taken on the eastern front have been inserted here and there just to beef up the photographic record.
The book's a must.