So I went to the local chapters to pick out my next book. I was there, for 2 hours tying to decide what book to get. So after the 2 hours I left the store with....NOTHING.

I couldn't decide. I'am looking for a book that gives factual information on the battles in Western Europe. I'am not into personal accounts books, I'am more looking for books that give tactical reasoning behind each armies moves. Then explains why and how they did it. (ie maps graphs etc.)
Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks in advance

__________________

Facta non verba. "Deeds, not words"

hmmm..no one seems to care

__________________

Facta non verba. "Deeds, not words"

(SS Steel Storm : Waffen-SS Panzer Battles on the Eastern Front 1943-1945 (Hardcover)
by Tim Ripley) If you want to know the OStfront as well.

and

SS: Steel Rain: Waffen-SS Panzer Battles in the West 1944-1945 (Hardcover)
by Tim Ripley

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/186...lance&n=283155

I liked these books as they describe the more important battles and yet are not like 1,000 pages thick. Unfortunately describing the latter phase of war only.

__________________

It's actually not easy to recommend one book covering the ovrall situation in Western Europe. It tends to be fragmented into major actions ( D-Day, the Breakout, Market-Garden, Hurtgen, Bulge etc ) each of which has its own library of books.

In my own collection, possibly the best overview from D-Day to the Elbe is Russell F. Weigley's misleadingly-titled 'Eisenhower's Lieutenants' which does not deal with the personal level but sticks with strategy and major movements - the 'bigger picture'.

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

I agree it' tough to recommend 1 book for the Western Europe. I wasn't looking for that, I appoligize for wording it wrong.

Like everyone else...I've read lots on D-Day, now I'am trying to read more about the aftermaths ie Hurtgen, The Canadians push towards Holland etc. Thanks for the info..I will be sure to check them out.

__________________

Facta non verba. "Deeds, not words"

For the Holland operations, try the following:

"The Race for the Rhine Bridges" by McKee 1971 - covers the 3 campaigns in 1940, 1944 and 1945. Nicely written by somebody who was there.

Then try "Corps Commander" by General Horrocks who also was there but tells a story from a different perspective.

Then try "The Battle for Antwerp" by General J.L. Moulton. Plenty of maps.

Finally, but not least, try "The Forgotten Battle" Overloon and the Maas Salient 1944-45 by A. Korthals Altes.

One other, as a prelude perhaps, would be "The Battle of the Falaise Gap" by Florentin

For the American perspective and if you want a book that you can read during a long flight, perhaps (because this one is a very easy read) is Peter Mansoor's "The GI Offensive in Europe- The Triumph of American Infantry Divisions, 1941-45". If you read this one then turn to Hastings' "Armageddon" you might get a very close feel for the trajedy of the Huertgen Forest campaign.

All of the above books can be had, used, via alibris.com

__________________
If dogs don't go to heaven, I'd like to go where they go.

I suggest the books by Denis Whitaker; Tug Of War and Rhineland I can recommand. Denis Whitaker was an officer in the Canadian Army in WW2 (Royal Hamilton Light Infantry) and survived Dieppe. He was with the regiment all through the NW Europe campaign. The books are not so much about his own experiences as they are the product of his own research, interviews with veterans, and, of course, his own insight in these campaigns.

"The Forgotten Battle " is also good, I must say, but besides that there aren't that many books that describe the Canadian liberation of Holland in any great detail, which is more than a pity. There are a lot of (Dutch) books/booklets covering the liberation of a certain town/region, but these are usually hard to get, in Dutch and not very well researched.

__________________
"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" - Homer Simpson

Try The Far Shore by R. Adm Edward Ellsberg USN. It is a side of D-Day you didn't pay much attention to. And, no, it has nothing to do with the naval action off shore really.

__________________
Man of the Year 1942

Regards, Richard

Definitely agree with that, those are great books.

__________________

I'am having a tough time finding these books that you kindly reccomend. I'am from a small town, so I don't have any big book stores with vast choices in regards to WW2.

Any recomendations where to look...

Oh yeah...I don't like spending a lot of money lol

__________________

Facta non verba. "Deeds, not words"

For new books or older books which are still in-print, you can't really beat Amazon. They have a Canadian website at ; -

http://www.amazon.ca/

And for out-of-print books, you will find the World's best selection at Bookfinder on : -

http://www.bookfinder.com/

Many forum members - myself included - use these two all the time.

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Hey thanks! I'am looking now!

__________________

Facta non verba. "Deeds, not words"