Ortona: Canada's Epic World War II Battle [Paperback]

Mark Zuehlke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 19, 2004

In one furious week of fighting in December 1943, the First Canadian Infantry Division took Ortona, Italy, from elite German paratroopers ordered to hold the medieval port at all costs. When the battle was over, the Canadians emerged victorious despite heavy losses. Over 2,500 Canadians died or were wounded there. Military historian Mark Zuehlke blends reminiscences of the Canadians, Germans, and Italians who were there together with a blow-by-blow account of the fighting to create a harrowing, ultimately hopeful rendering of one of World War II's defining moments.

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Douglas & McIntyre; First Trade Paper Edition edition (May 19, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550545574
• ISBN-13: 978-1550545579
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #862,620 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Canada fought bravely too!, March 4, 2008

By 

Mannie Liscum (Columbia, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: Ortona (Hardcover)

Mark Zuehlke is one of Canada's leading academic Second World War historians and his 1999 book, "Ortona: Canada's Epic World War II Battle", represents a fine example of the quality of his research and writing. As an American (hence by default I am likely more American-centric in my readings and studies) I knew nothing (short of having heard of the town) about Ortona's place within the larger context of WWII, or that it holds such a prominent place in the history of Canadian troops to have fought in Europe in 1944-45. Zuehlke has done his job in spades in conveying the importance of Ortona to the Canadian soldiers of WWII.

Clocking in at 382 pp. of formal prose, with an additional 44 pp. for Appendices, Notes and Bibliography, "Ortona" may be a bit long for many readers given that it is dedicated to a single battle period of relatively limited geography, in an oft considered secondary theatre (Italy), away from the more famous and main action (Monte Cassino and Liri Valley), fought by a comparatively small contingent of men from a lesser partner (in fact at that time Canada was considered part of the British Commonwealth forces) in the Grand Allied Coalition. However, Zuehlke does not waste words and his prose flows extremely well, keeping the readers interest throughout. So do not be deterred by the length of a book that may seem 'fringe' at first glance. The story deserves to be told and moreover warrants being read by an audience wider than one limited by nationalistic (Canadian) interest. Most American (and likely British) readers are enamored by stories of their own countrymen and even the Germans in the Second World War, but are much less likely to pick up a book dealing with one of the lesser partners (or even the largest partner - USSR). Here's a chance to pick up a really solid read that will expand your horizons.

Zuehlke does a bang up job researching his topic (as demonstrated by the 44 pp. of Appendices, Notes and Bibliography) and he presents his history with an 'academic' due that is not short on literary flair. There is plenty of human story here, lots of 'bang-em-up, shot-em-up' stuff, and yet he does not sacrifice the meat of history. "Ortona" is worthy of the men who fought in this portion of the war and deserves two hearty thumbs up (4.5stars).

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ortona the first real test, September 8, 2001

By 

Paul Bourgault (Monteal, Quebec Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ortona (Hardcover)

The Canadian have been repeatedly set apart from the grand scheme of the hole war by some historian most of them from England, but in reality they have been deeply involve even if the quantity of man and woman was not as big as other countries.
Ortona gives you a sense of what it is to be a Canadian soldier. Well written, and well depicted, the story of some of the best regiment will give you a grip of the real thing, the fear and the bound that emerge from the hell of the shell and blood.

This book is a must have in any serious collection.

Paul Bougault
2Lt/Fus MR21/34thCBG/RCAC

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Dad Would Have Loved It, September 10, 2007

By 

AvidOldiesCollector (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ortona: Canada's Epic World War II Battle (Paperback)

When I saw this in a bookstore in Toronto a few summers ago, one of my sons knew it would be the perfect birthday gift, as my dad [and, of course, his grandfather] fought with the Canadian Army throughout the battles of Sicily and Italy.

Dad was a sergeant with an anti-tank battery with the 1st Anti-Tank Regiment, and while he was reluctant to discuss the war in any detail, there were times - especially with a few beers under his belt - when he would open up. Even then, however, the horrific battles at the Moro River and Ortona were off usually limits.

Then, in the early days of his brief battle with Alzheimer's, he spoke of those days in the halting, limited vocabulary that is the bane of the disease's sufferers. And I remember him telling how his AT battery would be called in to blast away the top floors of some high buildings in the town and open up gaps in the rubble for the Shermans.

He also spoke of the spooky German withdrawal, saying one day they moved into position only to find them "all gone ... all gone."

How thrilling it was to see these events covered in Mr. Zuehlke's book. Thank you, sir, for the one of the best volumes on the Canadian effort in that theatre of the war. It takes a Canadian author to recognize and credit the actions of the Canadian Army without referring to them as "British forces."