Normandy '44: D-Day and the Epic 77-Day Battle for France

By James Holland

D-Day, June 6, 1944, and the seventy-six days of bitter fighting in Normandy that followed the Allied landing, have become the defining episode of World War II in the west—the object of books, films, television series, and documentaries. Yet as familiar as it is, as James Holland makes clear in his definitive history, many parts of the OVERLORD campaign, as it was known, are still shrouded in myth and assumed knowledge.

Drawing freshly on widespread archives and on the testimonies of eye-witnesses, Holland relates the extraordinary planning that made Allied victory in France possible; indeed, the story of how hundreds of thousands of men, and mountains of materiel, were transported across the English Channel, is as dramatic a human achievement as any battlefield exploit. The brutal landings on the five beaches and subsequent battles across the plains and through the lanes and hedgerows of Normandy—a campaign that, in terms of daily casualties, was worse than any in World War I—come vividly to life in conferences where the strategic decisions of Eisenhower, Rommel, Montgomery, and other commanders were made, and through the memories of paratrooper Lieutenant Dick Winters of Easy Company, British corporal and tanker Reg Spittles, Thunderbolt pilot Archie Maltbie, German ordnance officer Hans Heinze, French resistance leader Robert Leblanc, and many others.

For both sides, the challenges were enormous. The Allies confronted a disciplined German army stretched to its limit, which nonetheless caused tactics to be adjusted on the fly. Ultimately ingenuity, determination, and immense materiel strength—delivered with operational brilliance—made the difference. A stirring narrative by a pre-eminent historian, Normandy ‘44 offers important new perspective on one of history’s most dramatic military engagements and is an invaluable addition to the literature of war.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press
• Release date: Jun 4, 2019
• ISBN: 9780802147097

James Holland

James Holland was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, and studied history at Durham University. A member of the British Commission for Military History and the Guild of Battlefield Guides, he also regularly contributes reviews and articles in national newspapers and magazines. He is the author of Italy's Sorrow: A Year of War, 1944-1945; Fortress Malta: An Island Under Siege, 1940-1943; Together We Stand: North Africa 1942-1943 – Turning the Tide in the West; and Heroes: The Greatest Generation and the Second World War. His many interviews with veterans of the Second World War are available at the Imperial War Museum. James Holland is married with two children and lives in Wiltshire.

Reviews for Normandy '44

[tommi180744 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A comprehensive account of the build-up, events and aftermath of D-Day, June 6th, 1945, with (I'm delighted to note) due weight given to Royal Navy for its magnificent contribution during & follow-up to the successful embarkation, Channel crossing & landings on 6 beaches on the French coast. D-Day was an Allied invasion of mainland western Europe: a joint-enterprise of American, British, Canadian, Free French & Colonial military by Sea, Air & Land: it is therefore pleasing to read the author has provided thorough description of the superb British & Empire forces participation whilst giving proper weight, but not over-stating the role of the equally gallant USA forces.

[santhony_35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a meticulously researched and painstakingly presented account of the 1944 Battle of Normandy, from the days leading up to the D-Day invasion to the Allied “break-out” seventy-seven days later.Oftentimes, books that are this painstakingly researched can be a chore to read, and such is the case here. Amateur and military historians will likely eat this prose up, but the casual reader will bog down in the dense detail of which unit of which regiment, led by which officers were tasked with taking which designated crossroads or hill. The maps are of some help, but many times did not identify specific place names or locations referenced in the body of the work. Also, these maps were all bunched together in the front of the book, instead of located on the pages in which they were referenced. When the author disengages from the minute detail, the writing is far more entertaining and enlightening.To sum up, this is fine piece of scholarship and excellent military history, but not necessarily what you are looking for if you are a casual reader, or reading strictly for enjoyment. My view of this work suffered from my having followed it up with Max Hastings’s treatise on Vietnam, which is equally as well researched, but presented in a form easily accessible by the reader. In my opinion, this work has a specific target audience, of which I am not necessarily a member.

[graeme.bell3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's Holland. What more can you say. Maps, pictures, diagrams and a great read.

[stroudley-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

James Holland has an interest in describing the logistics and materiel side of the D-Day campaign, which was staggering in its scale and complexity. He also describes the personal stories in a series of cameos which describe what it was like to be there. I take the point of previous reviewers regarding the amount of information, and the names of units, regiments etc. I also struggled a little with the maps. However, I was gripped by reading the book and reckon this was one of the best accounts of D-Day that I have read, so would certainly recommend it.