What Better Place to Die

Axis History Forum

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At each juncture, he learned critical lessons and had opportunities to affect change through measured responses. A legend in his own time, he fought in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and France, and even after being seriously wounded in Normandy, insisted on playing a role in the Battle of the Bulge. Almost all accounts of D-Day are told from the Allied perspective, with the emphasis on how German resistance was overcome on June 6, But what was it like to be a German soldier in the bunkers and gun emplacements of the Normandy coast, facing the onslaught of the mightiest seaborne invasion in history?

What motivated the German defenders, what were their thought processes - and how did they fight from one strong point to another, among the dunes and fields, on that first cataclysmic day? Outnumbered 40 to one, they pursued the enemy army across the mountainous Afghanistan terrain and, after a series of intense battles, captured the city of Mazar-i-Sharif. The bone-weary American soldiers were welcomed as liberators as they rode into the city. Then the action took a wholly unexpected turn.

Published on the 75th anniversary of the battle and utilizing vivid accounts written by the combatants at Guadalcanal, along with marine corps and army archives and oral histories, Midnight in the Pacific is both a sweeping narrative and a compelling drama of individual marines, soldiers, and sailors caught in the crosshairs of history. One of America's preeminent military historians, James D. Hornfischer has written his most expansive and ambitious book to date. Drawing on new primary sources and personal accounts of Americans and Japanese alike, here is a thrilling narrative of the climactic end stage of the Pacific War, focusing on the US invasion of the Mariana Islands in June and the momentous events that it triggered.

A quiet, wealthy plantation owner, Jack Hinson watched the start of the Civil War with disinterest. Opposed to secession and a friend to Union and Confederate commanders alike, he did not want a war.

No Better Place To Die

After Union soldiers seized and murdered his sons, placing their decapitated heads on the gateposts of his estate, Hinson could remain indifferent no longer. He commissioned a special rifle for long-range accuracy, he took to the woods, and he set out for revenge. The famous D-Day landings of 6 June, , marked the beginning of Operation Overlord, the battle for the liberation of Europe. Drawing together the eyewitness accounts of survivors from both sides, plus a wealth of previously untapped sources and documents, Overlord provides a brilliant, controversial perspective on the devastating battle.

When Admiral William Halsey selected Destroyer Squadron 21 to lead his victorious ships into Tokyo Bay to accept the Japanese surrender, it was the most battle-hardened US naval squadron of the war. Through diaries, personal interviews with survivors, and letters written to and by the crews during the war, preeminent historian of the Pacific theater John Wukovits brings to life the human story of the squadron and its men.

On December 16, , the vanguard of three German armies, totaling half a million men, attacked US forces in the Ardennes region of Belgium and Luxembourg, achieving what had been considered impossible - total surprise. In the most abysmal failure of battlefield intelligence in the history of the US Army, , American soldiers found themselves facing Hitler's last desperate effort of the war. The brutal confrontation that ensued became known as the Battle of the Bulge, the greatest battle ever fought by the US Army - a triumph of American ingenuity and dedication.

As part of the massive Allied invasion of Normandy, three airborne divisions were dropped behind enemy lines to sow confusion in the German rear and prevent panzer reinforcements from reaching the beaches. In the dark early hours of D-Day, this confusion was achieved well enough, as nearly every airborne unit missed its drop zone, creating a kaleidoscope of small-unit combat.

Fortunately for the Allies, the th Regimental Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division hit on or near its drop zone. Benefiting from dynamic battlefield leadership, the paratroopers reached the bridge, only to be met by wave after wave of German tanks and infantry desperate to force the crossing. Reinforced by glider troops, who suffered terribly in their landings from the now-alert Germans, the th not only held the vital bridge for three days but launched a counterattack in the teeth of enemy fire to secure their objective once and for all, albeit at gruesome cost.

Murphy provides an objective narrative of countless acts of heroism, almost breathtaking in its "you are there" detail. After the war, he was instrumental in establishing the th RCT Association. As a much younger and less battle scared airborne infantry officer Despite obstacles which began immediately with inexperienced pilots dropping troops in the wrong places, and heavy losses of troops, the bridge was taken and held.

What was in the minds of the men - actually, boys, many of them - through out these days?

Reading "No Better Place to Die" is like having a conversation with the veterans, with first hand accounts that tell exactly what they were thinking, and what kept them going against all the odds. It will cause you to wonder whether you would have what it takes, and inspire you to stand for your convictions however strong the enemy. Feb 28, Marc rated it really liked it.

Tom Hanks joins Dale Dye's D-Day movie as executive producer

The battle for La Fiere Bridge was one of dozens of small actions fought by U. The author, Bob Murphy, was one of the soldiers involved in the battle, but most of the battle narrative is told from the perspective of others who were there. While it would have been interesting to know a bit more about what the author personally experienced, his aim was to provide a recounting of the entire fight, not just his little bit.

Based upon a multitude of interviews and letters, the book takes you through the hectic first days after the Normandy invasion as a small group of paratroopers and glider troops tried to prevent the Germans from getting to Utah Beach. The action is a bit jumbled, but that's to be expected as combat is rarely linear. There are also recollections from civilians who were in the area at the time of the fighting, and a few German soldiers as well. After the war, the author was instrumental in many events and memorials for the 82nd Airborne Division, and many of those are recounted here as well.

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A fine snapshot of one little battle in a big war. Jun 12, Cindy rated it liked it Shelves: This one was a little too detailed, too technical for me in many parts, but the pictures were really what saved it. I also liked the first person accounts at the end. If you are interested in reading about the experience of paratroopers and gliders during the invasion of Normandy, I would not make this my first pick. But it's worth checking out for the pictures alone.

And that was on the kindle, so I'm sure they're even better in print. Aug 07, Diane Depew rated it really liked it. While the author was sometimes repetitive, and the narrative needs some additional editing and proof reading for typos- for those interested in D-day, this work, by a participant, provides a detailed look at one focused battle to secure one river crossing. The book also provides insight into the paratroopers' role in D-day, with a bit of info on the glider groups.

Aug 01, Lindsay rated it liked it Shelves: A detailed look at a specific D-day battle, this was factually put forward. I think it assumes some knowledge of weaponry and the overall E-Day picture.

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