The D-Day Encyclopedia [Hardcover]

David G. Chandler (Editor), James Lawton Collins (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0132036215 | ISBN-13: 978-0132036214 | Publication Date: October 1993

A reference work on what Eisenhower called "the longest day", D-Day 6 June 1944. It examines the people and events surrounding this amphibious invasion, and includes contributions from both participants and military historians.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

A hefty one-volume encyclopedia covering the D-Day invasion of Normandy by the Allies in 1944, and issue on its 50th anniversary, this work presents the facts around that monumental event with alphabetized entries, accompanied by maps, charts, and black-and-white photos. It is strictly a reference work, the writing, by a host of experts well known in the academic and military fields, and edited by Chandler of the Royal Military Academy in England, provides the facts in a thorough but undramatic fashion. The many subjects that this vast work encompasses include logistics, materiel, intelligence and counterintelligence, and personnel movements. The selection of photos of the personalities, places, and hardware is adequate, but for the cost of the volume, the contrast in the photographs is occasionally too poor to make them of much use. Every entry has its own bibliography. There exists no comparable reference work. Meant for academic collections, it draws together the most complete collection of data on this event and its associated military actions to make an exhaustive resource. Main selection of the Military Book of the Month Club.
- Mel D. Lane, Sacramento, Cal.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

The Simon and Schuster Encyclopedia of World War II (1978) has long been considered a standard source because of its comprehensive, objective treatment of battles, strategies, officers, statesmen, weapons, treaties, etc. Now, in time to commemorate the upcoming fiftieth anniversary of D-Day on June 6th, comes an entirely new work on Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of northwest Europe.

The more than 400 signed entries in The D-Day Encyclopedia cover in considerable detail the period June 6-18, the latter being the date on which the beachhead was secured. Most of the 141 contributors--academicians and military professionals--are from Great Britain and the U.S., but a number are from Germany and other European countries and Canada. The coeditors, Chandler and Collins, are, respectively, a historian at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, and a retired U.S. Army officer who landed at Utah Beach and now serves as a military historian. The nine-member editorial board includes an equal number of British, German, and American scholars.

The core of the encyclopedia consists of approximately 40 articles on Allied and German army divisions and brigades and on the higher organizational units to which they belonged. Similar attention is given to naval and air force units. Articles of varying length cover 11 Allied countries and German- and Allied-flag ships.

The 175 biographies are for heads of state (Roosevelt, Mackenzie King, etc.) and Allied and German officers of one-star rank or higher who commanded a division or its equivalent. While half of these individuals are also in the Simon and Schuster Encyclopedia, the sketches in The D-Day Encyclopedia more precisely state their D-Day contributions. For example, the Patton entry in the 1978 encyclopedia does not mention his D-Day whereabouts. All entries conclude with bibliographies of sources in English, German. and French. In addition, there are the informative articles Archival Sources (with separate discussions of Allied and German archives) and Bibliography (limited to literature in English).

More than 350 black-and-white photographs of individuals, aircraft, ships, weapons, and field equipment accompany articles. Maps depict such information as American-held beaches at midnight on June 6th, British Commonwealth war cemeteries, and the U.S. Army VII Corps beachhead at the end of D-Day. The text is also enhanced with charts, graphs, and statistics (e.g., an organizational chart of the Seventh Army, casualties of the 82d Airborne Division during the Normandy campaign).

The volume concludes with a synoptic table of contents that lists entries under such headings as Army Topics, Navy Topics, and Biographies; a list of German military units and their English-language equivalents (e.g., Luftwaffe--German Air Force); a table of comparative ranks; and a glossary. Three appendixes reprint Eisenhower's order of the day for June 6th, a top-secret directive from Hitler, and a digest of the plan for Operation Overlord. A detailed index has numerous see and see also references.

This work is a perceptive, authoritative, and substantive contribution for scholars, students, and general readers seeking a perspective on what has been called "the single most complex and significant amphibious operation in all history." A recommended purchase for public and academic libraries.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 665 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (October 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0132036215
• ISBN-13: 978-0132036214
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.7 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,779,985 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Reference Book On D-Day, October 9, 2009

By 

Dave Schranck "Dave" (Anaheim Ca) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The D-Day Encyclopedia (Hardcover)

This volume is the result of the collaboration of many academics and historians and is loaded with all kinds of info about the first 12 days of the invasion. This book is well balanced in regards to coverage of Army, Navy, Air Force and the people who commanded those organizations and those that made an impact within thos organizations on the war. There is a good representation of the divisions of both sides that fought at Normandy that includes their history as well as their general actions taken in France. There are many biographies, with portraits, of officers who influenced the planning and execution of the invasion on the Allied side as well as Germans who did everything they could to thwart those actions.
This is a relatively large book at 11 in. by 8.5 in and 665 pages that is laid out in alphabetical order. It contains many nice photos and some maps to help your reading and though the book has a wealth of information, I frequently had to study the extensive Index to find my interested topic. For example, If you go to the "O" section looking for the Overlord Plans you won't find them. You have to look under COSSACK Plans to read about the detailed process of bringing Neptune and Overlord to fruition. This happens fairly often. A feature that was appreciated was that running throughout the book, the contributors would include additional reading choices if their comments peaked your interest on a specific topic.
For enthusiasts, this book would be an excellent supplement but its no replacement for books you may already own. Books by Ambrose, Balkoski, McManus, Kershaw, Eisenhower and others. If you can find a copy reasonably priced it would be worth it.