Eisenhower and Berlin, 1945: The Decision to Halt at the Elbe [Paperback]

Stephen E. Ambrose (Author)

Book Description

Series: Norton Essays in American History | Publication Date: May 2000

In the final months of World War II, with the Allied forces streaming into Germany on two fronts, a major decision had to be made: where to draw a stop line to prevent an accidental clash between the Russian and the Anglo-American armies.

Behind this decision lay another. Whose forces would be the first to reach Berlin? General Dwight David Eisenhower, supreme commander of the British and American armies, chose to halt at the Elbe River and leave Berlin to the Red Army. Could he have beaten the Russians to Berlin? If so, why didn't he? If he had, would the Berlin question have arisen? Would Germany have been divided as it was? Would the Cold War have assumed a direction more favorable to the West? In a narrative of steady fascination, Stephen E. Ambrose describes both the political and the military aspects of the situation, sketches the key players, explains the alternatives, and considers the results. The result is a sharply focused light on an important question of the postwar world. This paperback edition features a new introduction by the author. Maps

Editorial Reviews

Review

An able and convincing brief, defending Eisenhower's decisions. -- American Historical

The most authoritative, succinct statement of the argument that Eisenhower was correct in his decision. -- Choice

About the Author

The distinguished historian Stephen E. Ambrose is the author of several best-selling books on World War II and was an editor of the Eisenhower Papers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; Norton Trade Pbk. Ed edition (May 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393320103
• ISBN-13: 978-0393320107
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #881,541 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Stephen Ambrose was a renowned historian and acclaimed author of more than 30 books. Among his New York Times best-sellers are: Nothing Like It in the World, Citizen Soldiers, Band of Brothers, D-Day - June 6, 1944, and Undaunted Courage.He was not only a great author, but also a captivating speaker, with the unique ability to provide insight into the future by employing his profound knowledge of the past. His stories demonstrate how leaders use trust, friendship and shared experiences to work together and thrive during conflict and change. His philosophy about keeping an audience engaged is put best in his own words: "As I sit at my computer, or stand at the podium, I think of myself as sitting around the campfire after a day on the trail, telling stories that I hope will have the members of the audience, or the readers, leaning forward just a bit, wanting to know what happens next." Dr. Ambrose was a retired Boyd Professor of History at the University of New Orleans. He was the Director Emeritus of the Eisenhower Center in New Orleans, and the founder of the National D-Day Museum. He was also a contributing editor for the Quarterly Journal of Military History, a member of the board of directors for American Rivers, and a member of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council Board. His talents have not gone unnoticed by the film industry. Dr. Ambrose was the historical consultant for Steven Spielberg's movie Saving Private Ryan. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks purchased the film rights to his books Citizen Soldiers and Band of Brothers to make the 13-hour HBO mini-series Band of Brothers. He has also participated in numerous national television programs, including ones for the History Channel and National Geographic.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Why Ike decided not to capture Berlin in 1945., May 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Eisenhower and Berlin, 1945: The Decision to Halt at the Elbe (Paperback)

This is a short book about why Ike did not use the opportunity to capture Berlin in 1945. This is an earlier book before Ambrose became widely known, and to be honest more scholorly and less reader friendly. It is a short read.

Ike did not sanction the capture of Berlin for a number of reasons. First, Berlin was in the Soviet sphere in Germany, and second because his troops were not in as good a position as the Russians of taking the Nazi capital. The cost in human lives would also be great, especially if the city would have to be handed back to the Russians. For these reasons, Ike decided that Berlin was not worth the risk, and sent his forces toward Leipzig. Ike made a sound military decision.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars MORE LIKE A THESIS PAPER THAN A BOOK, May 12, 2000

By 

Jeffrey M. Hyder (Knoxville, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eisenhower and Berlin, 1945: The Decision to Halt at the Elbe (Paperback)

I am a hugh fan of Stephen Ambrose. However, this very small book was a great disappointment. First of all its only about 100 pages plus appendices. It is more like reading a college history report. Stephen Ambrose is my favorite history author but, he seems to have a blind spot when it comes to Eisenhower. In Ambroses eyes he can do no wrong. If you want a much more detailed viewpoint of the battle for Berlin read The Last Battle by Cornelius Ryan.

12 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Ambrose is overrated. READ THE LAST BATTLE, July 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Eisenhower and Berlin, 1945: The Decision to Halt at the Elbe (Paperback)

After reading Citizen Soldiers, D-Day, and Band of Brothers, I came to one conclusion. Ambrose is great at interviewing veterans and taking those interviews and making pretty good books out of them. However, he should not attempt to analyze the strategy of several generals in World War 2. Ambrose is ignorant to the fact that even though our allies in the east were communists, they still bled alot more than the Western Allies did and suffered far more from the wrath of the Third Reich. Ambrose is a fool for criticizing Cornelius Ryan's The Last Battle. Ryan was able to interview hundreds from BOTH sides of the war. While Ambrose just interviews Americans, Ryan interviewed Americans, British, Russians, and Germans. Also don't forget that Ryan was able to interview all the key players of the Battle of Berlin; Ike, Bradley, Chuikov, Rokossovskii, Heinrici, and too many more for me to list here. If you want a great account of the Battle of Berlin and the decision of the West not to attack the capital, read Ryan's The Last Battle. Take it from a guy who was with our troops and interviewed ALL of the major players in the battle.