Bounce the Rhine (The West Wall Series) [Hardcover]

Charles Whiting (Author)

Book Description

Series: The West Wall Series | Publication Date: December 2002

In September 1944, Field Marshal Montgomery predicted that his armies would easily "bounce the Rhine" to strike a final, killing blow at the exposed heart of Hitler's Reich. Over the next eight months, nearly 20 major attempts would be made to breach the "Fatherland"—beginning with the disastrous Allied defeat at Arhem—only to be repulsed by an exhausted but resilient Wehrmacht. Montgomery's words seemed a hollow boast until, in April 1945, the hard-fought goal was finally achieved—at the staggering cost of thousands of British and American lives. From the foxhole to the command tent, here is an in-depth and personal account of the last great Allied assault of World War II—an unforgettable story of extraordinary courage and military folly, when strategic considerations took second place to the glory-seeking of top commanders.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Charles Whiting is Britain's most prolific military writer with over 250 books to his credit. He saw active service in the Second World War, serving in an armoured reconnaissance regiment attached to both the U.S. and British armies. He is therefore able to write with the insight and authority of someone who, as a combat soldier, actually experienced the horrors of World War II --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Casemate Pub (December 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932033076
• ISBN-13: 978-1932033076
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,875,492 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The bloody crossing of the Rhine River., November 26, 2004

By 

Kevin M Quigg (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Bounce the Rhine (The West Wall Series) (Hardcover)

Whiting's books are good reads, even though he has written so many of them. This is a book which describes the rivalry of the Allies in breaking the final barrier into the Thousand Year Reich. By crossing the Rhine, Germany was exposed to the military spearheads of the Western Allies into the very heart of the Nazi Empire. Competition was between the English, Americans, Canadians, and the French. Whiting paints a poor portrait of Montgomery and his competitors of Patton, Bradley, and Hodges. The American generals are shown as disregarding the orders of the Supreme Commander in order to sabotage the reputation of the "Old Fart" Montgomery. In the end, Montgomery came in third for the race of bouncing the Rhine. Hodges and Bradley beat him in crossing the Rhine. Despite all this, thousands of lives were spent in competition between the Allied Generals.
Whiting does an adequate job of describing the various battles before and after the crossings. This is the fourth book I have read from Whiting and I believe his books inspire a good interest in World War II.