Customer Reviews

Sideshow War: The Italian Campaign, 1943-1945 (Texas A & M University Military History)

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This book gives a general overview of the Allied campaign in Italy from the invasion of Sicily to the end of the war in the Po valley. It focuses more on the Italian Partisans and their role in both the poltics and military action of the time. It is somewhat rambling, but the information contained is worth the effort, especially for those who are either interested in the Italian front specifically, or in an in-depth view of the entire Second World War.

While this book may be interesting to the history buff I caution all seriously wanting to learn the history of WWII and the campaign in Italy: BEWARE!!! It isn't as though author Botjer does not have good style. On the contrary. However, there are minor inacuracies in basic historical facts, the research that was done is sub-par, and it is quite out of date. There are more recent compilations on the Italian Campaign that are more thorough than this. As an academic work it is unnotable. This was written as a high school report, there was nothing new. Also, the research of primary sources was severely lacking, and the secondary sources were not much better. Overall, as a historian Botjet should have utilized more resources and done a better job writing a history on these campaigns.