Retreat to the Reich: The German Defeat in France, 1944 [Hardcover]

Samuel W. Mitcham Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000 | ISBN-10: 027596857X | ISBN-13: 978-0275968571 | Edition: 1

The Allied landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944, marked the beginning of the German defeat in the West. Military historian Samuel W. Mitcham, Jr. vividly recaptures the desperation of the Wehrmacht as the thin gray line in Normandy finally snapped, the 5th Panzer and 7th Armies collapsed, and the survivors fled the Allied steamroller in a mad dash back to the Reich. From the reactions of soldiers in the field to military decisions at the highest levels, this is the story of the Reich's unraveling told from a German perspective. Fighting hedgerow to hedgerow in the pitted Normandy landscape would delay the Allied Advance and make each small victory a costly one. Western forces would achieve their first strategic objective, the port of Cherbourg, but they would find it reduced to rubble, a result of the best-planned demolition in history. Still, the Allies did benefit from an ongoing anti-Hitler conspiracy that relayed false information to Berlin. While German forces would finally bring the Allied juggernaut to a halt on the borders of the Reich itself, this brief success would only delay the inevitable. With colorful descriptions and informative details, Mitcham recounts the German military retreat and the erosion of Germany's stronghold on Europe--as viewed through the eyes of a defiant, but ultimately defeated Wehrmacht.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The German forces' reactions to challenge and to their ultimate expulsion from occupied France by U.S. and British forces are the focus of this study, covering the campaigns of June to September 1944. Mitcham, a professor at the University of Louisiana, marshals serious detail here, from German orders of battle in various actions (including compositions of units) to notes with biographical sketches of many Wehrmacht commanders. Some are fascinating and attest to scholarship, yet for a lay reader their bulk is tedious and threatens to obscure the broader themes. But for the determined reader, Mitcham conveys a documented sense of the main sectors and phases of battle, how fronts advanced, the commanding personalities, the stubborn resistance and the progressive gutting of the German forces. Adding dimension are, for example, explanations of why German forces came to be confined in the Falaise pocket, of how Paris escaped destruction via a Nazi general's scruples and of how the failed July conspiracy to assassinate Hitler debilitated the military in France. This volume offers a focused resource for the specialist and buff, but is not likely to appeal to generalists. Illustrations not seen by PW. (Nov.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“[e]asy to read and would be useful for those just beginning the study of the campaign in France in1944.”–Marine Corps Gazette

“...a fascinating reprise from the other side of the battle studies, especially in regards to the Falaise Gap. Given that this book is written from predominantly German sources, it will probably cause you to wonder about the picture you had formed previously of the fighting from D-Day through the balance of 1944...interesting in its coverage of the battle for France, as well as for its extensive footnoting of mini-biographies of almost every major participant on the German side...For someone interested in the Second World War period in Europe, I would strongly recommend a careful read of etreat to the Reich.”–Canadian Military Journal

“Retreat to the Reich provides those interested in World War II with a meticulously researched and highly detailed account of German forces fighting in western France in the summer of 1944 from the perspective of those who were fated to stand against the greatest armada in the history of warfare.”–Parameters

“...a solid "operational history" from the German point of view....Mitcham gives us a decent, single-source account of the German side of the Battle of France....does a decent job of explaining how the German Army fell apart in the summer of '44.”–ARMOR

“Mitcham picks up where others left off, offering a fresh perspective on one of the most important campaigns of World War II.”–Star Banner

“Well-written, "Retreat to the Reich" is a welcome addition to historiography of World War II. One of the most valuable aspects of the book is the inclusion in the footnotes of short biographical studies of all of the German generals in the campaign.”–Bowling Green Daily News

“Samuel Mitcham, a combat veteran, is a gifted writer and America's foremost expert on the German armed forces and their campaigns during World War II.”–William B. Breuer author of War and American Women

“Mitcham places intelligence gathering in its proper perspective, debunking some myths as well....Perhaps the greatest merit of the work is the author's insight into the German Army and its officers. For example, the stories of Erwin Rommel and Gunther von Kluge are exciting to read and concisely told. Those wishing to learn more about the German effort from 6 June to mid September 1944 should read this fine work of military history. It is a solid contribution to the literature on World War Two. Mitcham also provides excellent maps and tables that give the reader a complete picture of the conflict and the strength of German fighting units. Also, the author relates stories of human drama of the conflict, such as that of Sergeant Helmuth Hoerner. Upon reading Mitcham's work, the reader will gain a full understanding of how the Germans were able to recoup at the West Wall following a strong Allied drive, accompanied by massive American and British bombing raids.”–Gene Mueller Distinguished Professor of Liberal Arts Henderson State University

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Praeger Trade; 1 edition (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 027596857X
• ISBN-13: 978-0275968571
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,830,213 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid contribution to the ETO literature - View from the other side of the hill, March 27, 2008

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Mannie Liscum (Columbia, MO United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Retreat to the Reich: The German Defeat in France, 1944 (Hardcover)

Samuel W. Mitcham's "Retreat to the Reich: The German Defeat in France, 1944" is solid look, mostly from the German perspective, at the action in Northwest Europe from the June 6 (1944) Allied invasion of Festung Europa to the failed Ardennes counteroffensive of mid-to-late December '44. While the war in Europe didn't end for another 5 months, the events of the six months Mitcham covers here are generally considered the period on the Western front that contributed most significantly to the ultimate Anglo-American-Soviet defeat of Germany (with the Soviet actions on the Eastern playing the overall dominant role). In focusing on this period of action from the German side of the equation, Mitcham - a noted historian who has contributed much to our current knowledge of the German army of WWII - has helped to fill in portions of the larger puzzle that are generally lacking on other accounts and analyses of the same period and geographical realm. Not surprisingly, given Mitcham's expertise, "Retreat to the Reich" contains much by way of German Order of Battle information (Mitcham has written one of the definitive books on the Werhmacht OB; "Hitler's Legions", 1985, ISBN-10: 0812829921) as the action is described. Sometimes this approach becomes a bit tedious to read, but one certainly cannot claim Mitcham fails as a quality historian. This is not to say that Mitcham has generated a prose that is difficult or uninteresting, rather it is deep in historical content in a way that not all readers may enjoy. Certainly those more serious about their historical readings/studies will thoroughly enjoy "Retreat to the Reich", while it may be more hit-or-miss as enjoyment for the casual reader of Second World War history. Three stars for writing style, 4.5 stars for historical prowess; 4 stars overall.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Decent Overview of German Defeat in France, 1944, March 8, 2001

By 

Aussie Reader ""Rick"" (Canberra, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Retreat to the Reich: The German Defeat in France, 1944 (Hardcover)

This new book from Samuel W. Mitcham, Jr., author of numerous books on the German armed forces during World War Two, is another great addition to literature on that subject. In this book the author covers the German defeat in France after the Allied invasion in June 1944. In just over 270 pages Mitcham offers the reader an interesting account of the German measures to defeat the Normandy invasion, the story is well told and the narrative flowed along quite smoothly.

The book is no where as detailed as the classic account by Carlo D'este, `Decision in Normandy' published in 1983. However it does offer a very good overview of the invasion at Normandy and the fighting in the bocage country along with the subsequent invasion of Southern France. The story continues with the Allied drive to the Rhine and the failed airborne operation `Market Garden'. One of the best points about this book is that it offers a biography of each of the major commanders and a mini history of each major fighting unit. The author presents this information in a way that it does not interrupt the story, it enhances it.

There are a number of first hand accounts by participants on both sides of the fighting and the author makes a number of interesting observations about the German and Allied forces and their commanders. The photographs supplied were OK but I think could have been better presented and I am a bit suspicious about some of the captions. The main disappointment with this book is the standard of the maps. They could have been a lot better and more detailed. This seems to be a common problem with a number of books on the market at the moment and I only hope that some publishers take note.

Overall I found this book to be an interesting and enjoyable read and I think that most people who have an interest in this subject should enjoy it. I would make the point however that this is more of a general overview of this campaign and not a detailed combat history. Regardless of that I hope the author intends to follow on with a book covering the Ardennes Offensive and the final drive into Germany.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just perfect for the fans of military details, March 7, 2007

By 

Dimitrios (Greece) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Retreat to the Reich: The German Defeat in France, 1944 (Hardcover)

I believe that Mr Mitcham is today the leading expert on the German Army and its officer corps during World War II and this book is a real gem for everyone who's looking for a nice account of the German defeat in France in 1944. It starts with the D-Day invasion and goes on with the bocage battles, the "Cobra" breakout, the Mortain - Falaise terrible battle, the Allies' advance to the Seine and Paris and the reach of the German frontier. Instead of what happens often in other military history books, Mitcham's works are a joy to read, because they are very well written, contain a wealth of rare material and information (especially the numerous biographical sketches of German officers), and most important, they do not have mistakes commonly found elsewhere, like the designation of units and formations, the ranks of German officers, the spelling of their names etc. I wish Mr Mitcham will offer us many more titles in the future, using always his talent for smooth writing, detail and professional research. His books remain always in my library as valuable and credible sources of reference.