Fighting In Normandy: The German Army from D-Day to Villers-Bocage [Hardcover]

David Isby (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 23, 2002

The Allied landings on the Normandy beaches in June 1944 were brilliantly executed but proved to be just the opening phase of a desperately-fought campaign. The German Army responded to the invasion with as much ferocity and force as it could muster, showed tenacity and determination and turned the struggle for Normandy into a brutal and prolonged campaign. This important compilation of in-depth accounts by German commanders given the task of turning the tables on the invaders is crucial to a full understanding of the battle for Normandy. The accounts David Isby has selected, all written soon after the war's close for American military intelligence, cover German attempts to stem the invasion, dramatic defensive battles in the Norman countryside and attempts to implement a series of counterattacks. This vital source material presents the German perspective on the fighting, from regimental to corps level, and graphically illustrates the wealth of problems faced by an army on the very brink of destruction.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Greenhill Books (February 23, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1853674605
• ISBN-13: 978-1853674600
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,494,649 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Starting in 1970, he became the first employee of Poultron Press, which became Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI), the publisher of conflict simulations and Strategy & Tactics, Moves and other magazines. For nine years he contributed to magazines and books published by SPI and functioned as copy editor of Strategy & Tactics and in other editorial staff positions. He participated in the design and development of many SPI products. He researched for simulations such as War in Europe, War in the Pacific, Campaign for North Africa, and many others. He designed a number of simulations including Soldiers (1972)(1914-15 tactical land combat), Air War (1977)(1950s-80s air combat), To The Green Fields Beyond (1978)( the Battle of Cambrai 1917) and Tannenberg (1978)(the 1914 East Prussia campaign).

In addition to his work at SPI, he published D-ELIM, a wargaming "fanzine" and designed or contributed to games published by other publishers including Rand Game Associates, Avalon Hill and Enola Games.

He received a Game Designer's Guild award for Air War in 1977 and Charles S. Roberts (now Origins) Awards in 1978 (for To the Green Fields Beyond) and, in 1979, as a member of the Hall of Fame.

He practiced law in New York City (including defending Stephen A. Donaldson, "Donny the Punk"). His first book was Weapons and Tactics of the Soviet Army (London, 1981, Jane's). In Washington, first as a congressional staff member and, subsequently, as a consultant on national security issues, working for a number of firms with a range of governmental and private sector clients. He continued to write extensively on national security and military history topics, being author or editor of over 20 books and 350 essays and articles in publications including International Defense Review, USA Today, Washington Times, Jane's Defense Weekly, Strategic Review, Comparative Strategy, Jamestown Terrorism Monitor, and Jane's Intelligence Review.

He has testified before both House and Senate committees as a independent expert. He has appeared extensively in the media including MacNeil-Lehrer, The McLaughlin Group, CNN, C-SPAN, Fox & Friends, Voice of America, Nightline and The New York Times. He has lectured at many staff colleges including National Defense University, US Army War College, US Army Command and General Staff College, Air Command & Staff College, US Marine Corps Command and General Staff College, Naval Postgraduate School, and other institutions.

Since 1980, he has worked extensively on the Afghanistan issue, and has written several books and many articles on the subject. He has been a frequent visitor to the region and has also participated as a director of The Committee for a Free Afghanistan Inc., a non-governmental organization working on the Afghanistan issue. He was condemned by the (pre-glasnost) Soviet government for his writings and activities on Afghanistan.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First eight days, May 3, 2002

By 

Thomas J. Tucker (Birmingham, Al United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fighting In Normandy: The German Army from D-Day to Villers-Bocage (Hardcover)

This book covers the German army from D-day to D+7. Each day begins with an overview by the editor, David C. Isby. The OKW war diary comments on the conflict follow. These summaries are helpful, but the real meat on the coconut are the specific descriptions of the actual German units doing the fighting and the problems they faced as well as successes and failures experienced for each day. Most the the narratives are based on recollections of the officer participants whose rank varied. They are dominated by the general officers, naturally. The volume closes with some overview comments by some of the senior German officers involved in the fighting.
This book is a useful addition to any library concerning the Normandy campaign. Despite the many German units involved, the organization of the material is easy to follow. There are interesting tidbits spread through it as well as some opinions about the quality of the allied forces. No surprise, they didn't think much of the competence of the British leadership although the courage of the British soldiers was admired.
Pride in the German army is evident, and its ability to respond to the invasion described through these dispassionate commentaries is impressive. Example: despite taking the brunt of the attack at Omaha Beach, the 352nd infantry division was still a cohesive entity at the end of the eight days. Even though its losses were terrible, it remained in the line fighting the invaders.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Primary Source, Poor Editing!, January 10, 2005

By 

Gregory Canellis "Student of military history... (Tuckerton, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fighting In Normandy: The German Army from D-Day to Villers-Bocage (Hardcover)

This volume in the "World War II German Debriefs" series covers the week of 7-13 June 1944, when the German forces in Normandy were contemplating how to throw the Allied invasion forces back into the sea. It contains succinct transcribed reports by German staff officers submitted to the U.S. Army Intelligence staff after the war. The first seven "Parts," coincide with the dates 7-13 June inclusively. "Part Eight" is a Summery of "Panzers in Normandy," while "Part Nine" covers "The Reasons for the Defeat." There are roughly ten reports per Part, covering all aspects of the invasion front, command decisions, deployment of units, strategy and tactics. Each Part begins with a brief historical synopsis by David C. Isby, the book's editor. Since the end of World War II, historians have criticized the reports stemming from the other side of the hill. Too much repetitiveness of German officers blaming Adolf Hitler, they claim, for his paranoid micro-managing of paper armies, which, in the case of the D-Day invasion, was his decision to hold back Panzer reserves too far from the beaches for a swift counterattack. The German emphasis on Allied material advantages, particularly air superiority, is another of the chief criticisms of the historians. There are some of those conclusions here as well, but there are many insightful and interesting morsels contained within these pages. For example, the first German reinforcements to enter the fray were Anti-Aircraft units that were deployed strategically along vital German supply routes. Although this decision did not alleviate the Allied control of the air, it made them pay a heavier toll for strafing German columns. Secondly, a mysterious "lost order" incident occurred when an order deriving from the U.S. V Corps, detailing the entire American plans for the invasion of Normandy, washed ashore and into German hands. Probably not since General Robert E. Lee's famous lost order at the Battle of Antietam, has such a twist of fate occurred. Fritz Ziegelmann, a staff officer with 352. Infanterie-division, could not believe what he held in his hand on June 7. On the journey up the chain of command, its importance diminished, however. After languishing at Seventh Army (7. Armee) Headquarters for several days, it finally reached Rommel's Army Group B. There, according to Ziegelmann, the American order was not taken seriously; what else would explain the piece-meal arrival of German reinforcements? Though informative, these reports are sometimes dry, and otherwise dull. Their principle significance is that of a primary resource for researchers. Absent is any semblance of an Introduction explaining how, why, where, and by whom, these German Debriefs were conducted. This is inexcusable! A one-page Introduction would suffice, and add vital information to the collection. In addition, a brief biological blurb of each author of the reports would have been a major asset. Transcribing reports is easy, researching their origin and authors takes time, effort, and money, something the publisher was not willing to invest. Finally, there are no explanatory notes about the content of these reports what-so-ever. Thus, the diligent researcher has no choice but to rely on the integrity of the copying and editing (or lack there-off) process for authenticity. But, for those who cannot journey to the respective archival repositories, this collection offers a substantial window of the defenders of Normandy.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A fair book that could (and should) have been better., November 2, 2004

By 

Joseph R. Nacy (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fighting In Normandy: The German Army from D-Day to Villers-Bocage (Hardcover)

This book is fair, so far as it goes. The translating, on the whole, is excellent -- very little hard-to-understand language. The photographs are so-so, but contribute very little. As I read the book, I found two things irritating: First, there is a frequent use of German Army abbreviations, but there is no glossary or other translation (simple paretheticals would have sufficed). Second, there are only a few maps and they are either so pale, so small, or so cluttered as to be virtually useless.

The information given is interesting and well put, allowing for a certain formality of style. The reader certainly leaves the book with an understanding of the problems facing the German commanders.

All in all, it's a shame. The idea is splendid, but the execution is disappointing. It falls down on the side of clarity, and that could have been avoided.