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Falaise Gap

Discussion in 'WWII General' started by Krystal80, Jul 18, 2010.

  1. Krystal80

    Krystal80 Member

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    What is the best book to read about the Falaise Gap? I have found several on amazon.com and would like to get the best one. Thanks everyone
    Krystal
     
  2. macrusk

    macrusk Proud Daughter of a Canadian WWII Veteran

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    victory at falaise: the soldiers' story by Brigadier-General Denis Whitaker and Shelagh Whitaker with Terry Copp. Gen. Whitaker was there.

    Fields of Fire Terry Copp - which details the Canadian Operations in Normandy.

    The Guns of Normandy George Blackburn. From the viewpoint of the Artillery. Mr. Blackburn was a Veteran of WWII and kept diaries of his time and made use of his newspaper skills in recording a riveting account of the 4th Field Regiment's experiences throught out Normandy.

    There may be other books recommended by Forum members which specifically write about the Falaise Gap, but as this was a largely Canadian and British action, it is necessary to read books by Canadians who were there to understand what was happening.
     
  3. sniper1946

    sniper1946 Expert

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    Death at the falaise gap...1944 by Jack Livesey, ISBN 9780752448558
    After D-Day, the Allies sought to encircle and destroy the German Seventh Army and Fifth Panzer Army (part of which effort included an unsuccessful air campaign that remains controversial to this day), leaving tens of thousands dead. The campaign leading to the formation of the Falaise Pocket is rife with myths, and in this book Jack Livesey has gone back to primary sources to throw new light on what actually happened. Addressing every aspect of the battle, from both the ground and air conflict to the roles played by the different nations, he offers a definitive account of a controversial campaign. He brings his extensive technical expertise to bear when discussing the capabilities and shortcomings of the weapons involved (some of them revolutionary, such as napalm) and examines the real effectiveness (or lack of it) of the rocket-firing Typhoons of the RAF's Tactical Air Force.
     
  4. Krystal80

    Krystal80 Member

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  5. Martin Bull

    Martin Bull Acting Wg. Cdr

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    We 'reviewed' Tucker-Jones' book here : -

    http://www.ww2f.com/wwii-books-publications/23676-falaise-flawed-victory.html

    Two that I like for a more general overview are James Lucas/James Barker's 'The Killing Ground' ( Batsford, 1978 ) and, despite it's age still one of my favourites, 'The Battle Of The Falaise Gap' by Eddy Florentin ( Elek, 1965 ).

    Much more specialised, and not easy to find, is Wilhelm Tieke's 'In The Firestorm Of The Last Year Of The War'. This contains the most dramatic and immediate first-hand accounts from Waffen-SS who crossed the River Dives under fire.
     
  6. Greg Canellis

    Greg Canellis Member

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    From the American perspective: An older favorite from a great late author is Death of a Nazi Army: The Falaise Pocket by William Breuer. Patton's Gap: An Account of the Battle of Normandy by Richard Rohmer is also good. A good overview outlining the intrigue between the major high ranking participants, is The Battle of the Generals: The Untold Story of the Falaise Pocket, The Campaign That Should Have Won World War II By Martin Blumenson. The memoirs of Eisenhower, Bradley, Montgomery and Patton (published posthumously) also give their side of the controversy. Enjoy.

    Greg C.
     
  7. macrusk

    macrusk Proud Daughter of a Canadian WWII Veteran

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    Great book selections - now if I only had time to sit down and read them all!
     

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