World War II Database

The first hours of the Normandy invasion by the Allied forces were crucial. If the Allied succeed, they would gain a foothold in Western Europe from which they could advance toward Germany. Anything less than total success, let alone failure, would lead to horrific casualty figures. It was with this kind of pressure on his shoulders that Dwight Eisenhower gave the order for the Allied air and naval armada to deliver over 150,000 troops to the invasion beaches.

The Normandy Campaign, particularly the actions on D-Day, is a topic that many books had covered. Works such as Band of Brothers, Currahee!, and The Germans in Normandy all told the story of Normandy with each of their own specific focus. Ken Ford and Steven Zaloga's new book Overlord: The D-Day Landings takes a broad look at the opening chapters of the campaign, chronicling what is considered one of the major turning points of the European War. In fine detail, it reviews the German Normandy defenses, the Allied preparation and planning for the assault, the decision makers (both on strategic and tactical levels) of each side, and the unfolding at each of the five invasion beaches. With all those topics covered, it is an exhaustive account of the Normandy landing which ranks high among other works of similar scope. Osprey is a publisher known for its ability to use photographs and maps to supplement the narratives effectively, and once again this is done most wonderfully.

Overlord: The D-Day Landings will remain at my study within easy reach as my ready reference for the Normandy beach assault.