D-Day: The Battle for Normandy

Renowned historian Antony Beevor's D-Day The Battle For Normandy is an easy to read book written in populist style that should appeal to the first time reader or those that who have little knowledge on the subject. Copious footnotes, good maps and a very useful bibliography. The footnotes are not numbered, I wish they had been. 3 sections of plates. Obviously well researched.

My biggest complaint was that nearly half the book was not about D-Day nor the battle for Normany but covered events after the breakout. I also caught a few typos and the River Rance was at one point called the River Cance. My edition is the 70th anniversary edition and I would have thought that a few minor corrections would have been noted and corrected.

I found the criticism of the various commanders both Allied and Axis interesting. The effect on the Norman civilian population made very sad reading. The little covered (or cared about) treatment of civilian population is in my opinion not covered well enough in the vast majority of military history. The treatment of women accused of Collaboration Horizontale is an unfortunate stain on the French nation and I agreed with the authors comment that it was “jealousy masquerading as moral outrage” considering that vast majority of the populace really did little to hinder the invaders.

In the end a good read for me without reaching great heights.