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The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944
The Day of Battle The War in Sicily and Italy 19431944
Author: Rick Atkinson
?A triumph of narrative history, elegantly written, thick with unforgettable description and rooted in the sight and sounds of battle.??The New York TimesIn An Army at Dawn?winner of the Pulitzer Prize?Rick Atkinson provided a dramatic and authoritative history of the Allied triumph in North Africa. Now, in The Day of Bat...  more », he follows the strengthening American and British armies as they invade Sicily in July 1943 and then, mile by bloody mile, fight their way north toward Rome.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.
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ISBN-13: 9780805088618
ISBN-10: 080508861X
Publication Date: 9/16/2008
Pages: 848
Rating:
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 10

4.1 stars, based on 10 ratings
Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover
Members Wishing: 6
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hardtack avatar reviewed The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944 on + 2719 more book reviews
This is the second book in Rick Atkinson's trilogy of the American Army in the European theater during World War II. His first, An Army at Dawn, received the Pulitzer Prize in History, and well deserved it.

The Day of Battle covers the war in Sicily and Italy, a time of heavy casualties and intense frustration for the allies. Some historians suggested that this book was also worthy of the Pulitzer Prize. My personal opinion is that while this is an outstanding history of that campaign, it does not match An Army at Dawn. However, it is an important addition to the history of that campaign and should be read by anyone interested enough in World War II to understand what happened and why. I was particularly interested in the activities of the French Corps and the depictions of the American corps and divisional commanders. You do not find this type of information in a "general" book covering the overall campaign.

As such, it is a valuable addition to my library and I look forward to the last book in his trilogy.


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