Book 1

Normandy 1944

by Stephen Badsey

Published 25 January 1990

D-Day, 6 June 1944, saw the largest amphibious landing operation in history. From ports and harbors on the southern coast of England, an armada of troopships and landing craft launched the Allied assault on the mainland of Europe. Stephen Badsey provides a concise account of the Normandy campaign, from the fiercely contested landings, to the struggle to capture Caen, the 'Cobra' breakout, and the dramatic pursuit of the Germans to the River Seine. Included are a large number of black and white photos and several color maps.

D-Day, 6 June 1944, saw the largest amphibious landing operation in history. From ports and harbors on the southern coast of England, an armada of troopships and landing craft launched the Allied assault on the mainland of Europe. Stephen Badsey provides a concise account of the Normandy campaign, from the fiercely contested landings, to the struggle to capture Caen, the 'Cobra' breakout, and the dramatic pursuit of the Germans to the River Seine. This was the crucial campaign of the Western theater--after the Battle of Normandy, the only question was how soon the war would end, not who would win it. Badsey investigates the circumstances that led to this great Allied victory.

Air superiority, numbers, and the initiative all greatly aided the British and Americans in their struggle against the Germans, as did the latter's disorganization at their highest level of command. Troops and equipment are discussed, as is the terrain that they had to operate in. Badsey clarifies the problems that the bocage caused for offensive armored operations and shows how the Allies overcame them to eventually surround the Germans in the Falaise pocket. Included are a large number of black and white photos and several color maps, all of which serve to illustrate Allied progress and give the reader a sense of the soldier's experience in Normandy.


Book 24

Arnhem 1944

by Stephen Badsey

Published 27 May 1993
Market Garden' was one of the most audacious, and ultimately controversial, operations of the Second World War a joint penetration, by an armoured column and a large-scale airborne drop, to punch a decisive hole in the German defences. If it had succeeeded, the war could have ended in 1944. Yet the two-pronged attack failed in its objectives. This book details how, instead of being relieved after 48 hours as expected, British paratroopers were cut off for nine days. Facing two unexpected SS Panzer divisions the Allies were eventually evacuated across the Rhine after putting up an incredible fight: of the 10,000 men involved less than 2,000 survived. Campaigns 5, 24, 74 and 75 are also available in a single volume special edition as 'Into the Reich'.