In the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, a small detachment of British airborne troops stormed the German defense forces and paved the way for the Allied invasion of Europe. Pegasus Bridge was the first engagement of D-Day, the turning point of World War II. This gripping account of it by acclaimed author Stephen Ambrose brings to life a daring mission so crucial that, had it been unsuccessful, the entire Normandy invasion might have failed. Ambrose traces each step of the preparations over many months to the minute-by-minute excitement of the hand-to-hand confrontations on the bridge. This is a story of heroism and cowardice, kindness and brutality -- the stuff of all great adventures.
Pegasus Bridge
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Editorial Reviews
Review
Los Angeles Herald Examiner All the vividness of a movie, and all the intelligence -- in every sense -- of fine military history.
Drew Middleton The New York Times Book Review An illuminating account of an operation as strategically important as any fought on D-Day.
James Pitts New Orleans Times A little gem. One that will be drawn from by historians of the future.
Noland Norgaard The Denver Post The best war story this reviewer has ever read.
Drew Middleton The New York Times Book Review An illuminating account of an operation as strategically important as any fought on D-Day.
James Pitts New Orleans Times A little gem. One that will be drawn from by historians of the future.
Noland Norgaard The Denver Post The best war story this reviewer has ever read.
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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
71 of 74 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Stephen Ambrose has done a remarkable job in giving the reader a front row seat to the fighting at Pegasus Bridge. His writing takes you right to the action and flows over into the heat of battle as if you were there at the time of the attack.
He vividy describes the training leading up to the assault on bridge in such detail that you may need to set aside the book to rest, and catch your breath from the rigors of the last double time march.
Even though this aspect of the invasion (Pegasus Bridge) encompasses such a small area, the high level of detailed research lends itself to a wonderful account of the early morning hours of 6 June 1944.
This book is very easy to read and is a must for those intrigued by the battle that took place at this simple stone bridge over the Caen Canal in the Norman countryside.
31 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Having been stationed in Germany for three years I was fortunate enough to travel to many of the WWII battlegrounds that exist in Europe and the beaches that made up Operation Overlord is one trip that I will never forget. Before making the trip I read "Citizen Soldier," "D-Day" and "Pegasus Bridge" all written by Stephen Ambrose. I carried "D-Day" and "Pegasus Bridge" with me during my trip to use as a reference as I visited 4 of the 5 beaches involved in the D-Day invasion.
"Pegasus Bridge" is the story of the men from D company from the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry Regiment of the British 6th Airborne Division. Ambrose does a masterful job of relating the story of these men and tying to results of the battle to the overall operation of D-Day. Ambrose gives the background on the training of the men, personal insights of many of the men, and the man who held them all together Major John Howard.
As good as Ambrose tells the story of D company nothing compares to actually standing on that bridge and the feeling that you get thinking that right here is where the D-Day invasion began! Ambrose has included some great photos and drawing of the gliders landing site. When you visit the bridge itself you will find markers indicating the locations of the first three gliders and it is only then you will realize what a magnificent job of piloting Staff Sergeant Jim Wallwork did in landing the nose of his glider "to break through the barbed wire" as requested by Major Howard. Some the machine gun nest are still there beside the bridge and gives you an idea of what the men faced. The original bridge, replaced with a modern bridge, but thankfully was saved and is located nearby as part of a museum.
"The first place liberated in France" is what the Gondrée's café has as a label according to a plague affixed over the entrance to the café. If you do not go inside you will miss a stunning collection of "Pegasus" military memorabilia! If you are lucky, you might even meet Madam Gondrée, who was a child at the time of the battle, and was still running the café at the time of my visit. She sat with friends and me and related a few stories concerning the story of the bridge and their current fight with the local government to preserve the café and other local building from a campaign to broaden the canal.
As I walk around outside the café and bridge site, I used Ambrose's book to take me through the battle almost moment by moment. I could almost hear Lt. Brotheridge's Sten gun rattle off as he killed one of the two guards on the bridge that night and sadly wonder if he knew what he and his men accomplished that night as he lay dying only moments after engaging the Germans.
If have any interest in the D-Day invasion then you cannot go wrong with this book. Ambrose does a wonderful job in presenting the story. The book is easy to read; I finished it in two days, yet does not insult your intelligence. If you do visit the Normandy region make sure you block out at least half a day to visit the bridge and Madam Gondrée's café you will not be disappointed. Ste.-Mère-Église is another place not to miss, but that is another story.
"Pegasus Bridge" is the story of the men from D company from the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry Regiment of the British 6th Airborne Division. Ambrose does a masterful job of relating the story of these men and tying to results of the battle to the overall operation of D-Day. Ambrose gives the background on the training of the men, personal insights of many of the men, and the man who held them all together Major John Howard.
As good as Ambrose tells the story of D company nothing compares to actually standing on that bridge and the feeling that you get thinking that right here is where the D-Day invasion began! Ambrose has included some great photos and drawing of the gliders landing site. When you visit the bridge itself you will find markers indicating the locations of the first three gliders and it is only then you will realize what a magnificent job of piloting Staff Sergeant Jim Wallwork did in landing the nose of his glider "to break through the barbed wire" as requested by Major Howard. Some the machine gun nest are still there beside the bridge and gives you an idea of what the men faced. The original bridge, replaced with a modern bridge, but thankfully was saved and is located nearby as part of a museum.
"The first place liberated in France" is what the Gondrée's café has as a label according to a plague affixed over the entrance to the café. If you do not go inside you will miss a stunning collection of "Pegasus" military memorabilia! If you are lucky, you might even meet Madam Gondrée, who was a child at the time of the battle, and was still running the café at the time of my visit. She sat with friends and me and related a few stories concerning the story of the bridge and their current fight with the local government to preserve the café and other local building from a campaign to broaden the canal.
As I walk around outside the café and bridge site, I used Ambrose's book to take me through the battle almost moment by moment. I could almost hear Lt. Brotheridge's Sten gun rattle off as he killed one of the two guards on the bridge that night and sadly wonder if he knew what he and his men accomplished that night as he lay dying only moments after engaging the Germans.
If have any interest in the D-Day invasion then you cannot go wrong with this book. Ambrose does a wonderful job in presenting the story. The book is easy to read; I finished it in two days, yet does not insult your intelligence. If you do visit the Normandy region make sure you block out at least half a day to visit the bridge and Madam Gondrée's café you will not be disappointed. Ste.-Mère-Église is another place not to miss, but that is another story.
48 of 51 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If you've seen "The Longest Day" you may recall the scene in which a small band of glider-borne commandos seizes a bridge and defends it until relieved by Lord Lovett and his commandos. What you may not know is that this was a singular event- the very first combat engagement of D-Day and the first and only use of this technique by the Allies in the war.
Ambrose is one of the best contemporary historians to write about World War 2, always managing to be both accurate and entertaining. Here, he gives us profiles of the men involved on both sides of the battle, the development of the glider assault technique, a detailed minute-by-minute account of the fighting, and the story of the aftermath of the battle and the lives of the men (and women) after the war, up to the 50th Anneversary D-Day ceremonies in France.
If you're a history buff, this book is a must-have for your library. If you're interested in a more accurate verison of the details surrounding the battle than the movie presented, read the book. And if you simply want to understand a little better how ordinary men can acheive the extraordinary when called on to do so, read this book.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great WW11 Book
Book was a gift for my brother who said he enjoyed reading it. About the valiant British paratroopers taking and holding a key bridge on D-DAY.
Published 1 month ago by BRODY
5.0 out of 5 stars
I Loved it
Having visited Normandy 6 times over the past thirty years, I feel like I know Major John Howard, what a
remarkable man and leader of heroes.
remarkable man and leader of heroes.
Published 1 month ago by Bruce Van Brocklin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exciting and filled with riveting detail.
Ambrose captures the nature of British and German strategic thinking in this minute by minute accounting of the taking of one of the genuine strategic points at the beginning of... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Gary Umlauf
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good Book
This was a page turner for me. It gets into detail about the operation to capture the bridge on D-Day by the British. A nice supplement for the D-Day invasion. Would recommend it. Read more
Published 5 months ago by bat12
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good historical account
This isn't the greatest of Stephens Books, but it is worthy of any collector and historian. The book recalls the men and eventsthat allowed the British Glider and Parachute... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Jeff Dawson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great quick read
This was a great quick read. If you like Ambrose and like WW2 stories you need to read this book. There are some great insights. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Travis Hopkins
4.0 out of 5 stars
small but interesting saga
A thorough look at a key moment on D-Day with some discussion of overall D-Day events. Interesting but mostly for those who already have read one of the numerous overviews of the... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Raymond Reott
5.0 out of 5 stars
D-Day 6/6/1944
This is a wonderful look at what happened behind the lines on D-day 6/6/1944.
Steven E Ambrose just keeps inviting us to the D-Day museum in New Orleans!
Steven E Ambrose just keeps inviting us to the D-Day museum in New Orleans!
Published 20 months ago by Timothy Denton
2.0 out of 5 stars
Good Start But Limited Detail on the Defense of the Bridges on D-day
First let me start off by saying I loved Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest, also by Ambrose. Read more
Published 23 months ago by JH
4.0 out of 5 stars
Big Things Come in Small Packages
This book is only about 150 pages short but it is long on information and eyewitness accounts of one of the most pivotal battles of D-Day. Read more
Published on February 2, 2011 by John E. Nevola
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