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The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944 (The Liberation Trilogy)
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Product Description
The Italian campaign’s outcome was never certain; in fact, Roosevelt, Churchill, and their military advisers engaged in heated debate about whether an invasion of the so-called soft underbelly of Europe was even a good idea. But once under way, the commitment to liberate Italy from the Nazis never wavered, despite the agonizingly high price. The battles at Salerno, Anzio, and Monte Cassino were particularly difficult and lethal, yet as the months passed, the Allied forces continued to drive the Germans up the Italian peninsula. Led by Lieutenant General Mark Clark, one of the war’s most complex and controversial commanders, American officers and soldiers became increasingly determined and proficient. And with the liberation of Rome in June 1944, ultimate victory at last began to seem inevitable.
Drawing on a wide array of primary source material, written with great drama and flair, this is narrative history of the first rank. With The Day of Battle, Atkinson has once again given us the definitive account of one of history’s most compelling military campaigns.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #1520 in Books
- Published on: 2007-10-02
- Released on: 2007-10-02
- Number of items: 1
- Binding: Hardcover
- 816 pages
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Amazon Best of the Month, November 2007: Topping a Pulitzer Prize-winning effort is tough; finding originality in a World War II narrative is even tougher. Yet Rick Atkinson accomplishes both with The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944. His previous work, An Army at Dawn, won the 2003 Pulitzer in history, but Atkinson has managed to set the bar even higher with his second installment in "The Liberation Trilogy." He descends upon each battlefield with rich historical perspective, tactical analysis, and chilling frontline observations. Cocksure Hollywood bravado is sparse, as Atkinson depicts soldiers fighting for honor, not glory. "We did it because we could not bear the shame of being less than the man beside us," explains one soldier's diary. "We fought because he fought; we died because he died." The result is an incredible portrayal of the courage, sorrow, and determination that came to define our greatest generation. --Dave Callanan
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Atkinson surpasses his Pulitzer-winning An Army at Dawn in this empathetic, perceptive analysis of the second stage in the U.S. Army's grassroots development from well-intentioned amateurs to the most formidable fighting force of World War II. The battles in Sicily and Italy developed the combat effectiveness and the emotional hardness of a U.S. Army increasingly constrained to bear the brunt of the Western allies' war effort, he argues. Demanding terrain, harsh climate and a formidable opponent confirmed the lesson of North Africa: the only way home was through the Germans: kill or be killed. Atkinson is pitilessly accurate demonstrating the errors and misjudgments of senior officers, Field Marshal Sir Harold Alexander, Gen. Mark Clark and their subordinates commanding corps and divisions. The price was paid in blood by the men at the sharp end: British and French, Indians and North Africansâabove all, Americans. All that remained of the crew of one burned-out tank were the fillings of their teeth, for one example. The Mediterranean campaign is frequently dismissed by soldiers and scholars as a distraction from the essential objective of invading northern Europe. Atkinson makes a convincing case that it played a decisive role in breaking German power, forcing the Wehrmacht onto a defensive it could never abandon. (Oct. 2)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Bookmarks Magazine
The Day of Battle continues the story Rick Atkinson told in An Army at Dawn; a future volume, about the Normandy invasion, will complete Atkinson’s Liberation Trilogy. Day of Battle, like Army at Dawn, excels at presenting the complexities of war to a popular audience. Notably, Atkinson puts a human face on the carnage with three-dimensional depictions of Churchill, FDR, and General Pattonâ€"as well as lesser-known leaders and common soldiers. Exceptionally well researched and compellingly written, the book offers gripping accounts of high-level strategizing and on-the-ground fighting. A few critics cited thin analyses of command decisions, a bias toward the Americans’ experience, and some florid writing. Overall, however, Day of Battle is "a fitting testament to the GIs of the Fifth Army and the Italian campaign" (Washington Post).
Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc.
Customer Reviews
Great Job
Another wow from Rick Atkinson. Loved this book as much as an Army at Dawn. Can hardly wait for #3 in the liberation trilogy.
The Day of Battle
Makes every Allied Commander a complete DUNDERHEAD. Atkinson has evidently joined the "Blame America First" crowd! I would think he could find some positive snippet in the data he reviewed (173 pages of notes & selected sources). In his exaustive research,
it seems he fails to realize that we did infact win the war.
Another Winner
Rick has followed the first volume of his WWII trilogy with another winner. The first book "An Army at Dawn" captures the amatuer performance of a great Army learning to fight. This book captures the beginning of the Army's maturity as a fighting force and the growth of it's leadership.The tragic Airborne operation is painful to read. The unending battle of egos between Patton and Mongomery is tragic. Rick captures the story of the Sicily and Italian campaign with the great skill.
Well worth any WWII History Buffs time.
