Books for Prep | |
by: Rick Atkinson  List Price: $14.95 Amazon.com's Price: $9.99 You Save: $4.96 (33%)Prices subject to change. Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Dewey Decimal Number: 940.54215 Edition: 1 Format: Kindle Book Label: Henry Holt Manufacturer: Henry Holt Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 791 Publication Date: October 02, 2007 Publisher: Henry Holt Release Date: October 02, 2007 Studio: Henry Holt Related Items:
Editorial Review: Amazon.com Review: Amazon Best of the Month, November 2007: Topping a Pulitzer Prize-winning effort is tough; finding originality in a World War II narrative is even tougher. Yet Rick Atkinson accomplishes both with The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944. His previous work, An Army at Dawn, won the 2003 Pulitzer in history, but Atkinson has managed to set the bar even higher with his second installment in "The Liberation Trilogy." He descends upon each battlefield with rich historical perspective, tactical analysis, and chilling frontline observations. Cocksure Hollywood bravado is sparse, as Atkinson depicts soldiers fighting for honor, not glory. "We did it because we could not bear the shame of being less than the man beside us," explains one soldier's diary. "We fought because he fought; we died because he died." The result is an incredible portrayal of the courage, sorrow, and determination that came to define our greatest generation. --Dave Callanan Product Description: In the second volume of his epic trilogy about the liberation of Europe in World War II, Pulitzer Prize winner Rick Atkinson tells the harrowing story of the campaigns in Sicily and Italy. In An Army at Dawn--winner of the Pulitzer Prize--Rick Atkinson provided a dramatic and authoritative history of the Allied triumph in North Africa. Now, in The Day of Battle, he follows the strengthening American and British armies as they invade Sicily in July 1943 and then, mile by bloody mile, fight their way north toward Rome. The Italian campaign's outcome was never certain; in fact, Roosevelt, Churchill, and their military advisers engaged in heated debate about whether an invasion of the so-called soft underbelly of Europe was even a good idea. But once under way, the commitment to liberate Italy from the Nazis never wavered, despite the agonizingly high price. The battles at Salerno, Anzio, and Monte Cassino were particularly difficult and lethal, yet as the months passed, the Allied forces continued to drive the Germans up the Italian peninsula. Led by Lieutenant General Mark Clark, one of the war's most complex and controversial commanders, American officers and soldiers became increasingly determined and proficient. And with the liberation of Rome in June 1944, ultimate victory at last began to seem inevitable. Drawing on a wide array of primary source material, written with great drama and flair, this is narrative history of the first rank. With The Day of Battle, Atkinson has once again given us the definitive account of one of history's most compelling military campaigns. Average Rating:
 Rating:  - I hope the third installment is as good!This is an excellent follow on to "An Army at Dawn". These books should be required reading in all high school history classes. Atkinson gives you a view of the war's events from several different perspectives quoting official documents all the way to letters home. All in all a very interesting read which will give you yet another reason to admire the men and women who fought for us. Rating: - great bookOutstanding combination of presentation of the Italian campaign in terms of overall strategy as well as details of battles at individual unit/soldier level. The writing is superb and truly brings the War in Italy alive. The author gives us a real understanding of the major individual military commanders and political figures as well as the rivalries between the Americans and the British. The enormous challenges of getting the two armies to function as one are also covered extremely well - plus ... Read More Rating:  - Long Awaited Second Volume of the TrilogyRick Atkinson's THE DAY OF BATTLE takes up where AN ARMY AT DAWN left off. The United States, British, and other Allied forces prepare for the invasion of Sicily prior to the defeat of Panzer Armee Afrika in Tunisia. Landing in Sicily the Allied forces conquer the island in 30 days. Despite flagging Italian resistance, German troops give the Allies a taste of what they can expect on the Italian mainland. In an economy of force mission the Germans inflict heavy casualties on British and American ... Read More Rating: - WonderfulThis is an extraordinarily well-researched military history that also manages to fully convey the human tragedy of Allied operations in Italy. I truly thank Mr. Atkinson for devoting his considerable skills to this subject. My father served in the 36th Infantry Division and was badly wounded at San Pietro. Of all the young guys he went through training with, he was the only one who made it home (you know things are bad when you're "lucky" to have just been badly-wounded). An awful lot of young ... Read More Rating: - We can learn from the pastMr. Atkinson produced a wonderful product. In the second of his trilogy of World War II, he has written an accurate historical document while giving the reader a real feel for the human beings involved. Further, he allowed historical quotes from those involved to draw conclusions about the campaign that still trouble many some 65 years later. I eagerly await Part Three! 
In association with Amazon.com | |