The author has provided a graphic account of the vital struggle for Antwerp, a story that has received very little previous coverage. The text is clear and graphic. The illustration captures the essence of the battle – A Rewarding Read, Recommended.
NAME: Attack on the Scheldt, The Struggle for Antwerp 1944 FILE: R2495 AUTHOR: Graham A Thomas PUBLISHER: Pen & Sword BINDING: hard back PAGES: 212 PRICE: £19.99 GENRE: Non Fiction SUBJECT: Second World War, WWII, World War Two, World War 2, reconnaissance, defence, coast defence, underground army, intelligence, Resistance, beach assault, beach masters, beach markers
ISBN: 1-47385-067-3
IMAGE: B2495.jpg6 BUYNOW: http://tinyurl.com/mq6we4n LINKS: DESCRIPTION: The author has provided a graphic account of the vital struggle for Antwerp, a story that has received very little previous coverage. The text is clear and graphic. The illustration captures the essence of the battle – A Rewarding Read, Recommended. Churchill was initially reluctant to commit to landings in France, because he recognized the considerable obstacles that must be overcome. With the Italian campaign proceeding very slowly, and seeing the available resources for a landing in France, he warmed to the concept. His concerns were fully justified and only some amazing innovation, in the form of special armoured vehicles, landing craft, and artificial harbours, gave the Allies a reasonable prospect of success. There was much soul searching over the best part of the French coast to assault. Both Allied commanders and some German commanders saw Normandy as the best option with the depth of beaches and the relatively light German defences. Had Rommel had his way, even Normandy would have been a very risky option for the Allies. As it was the creative mis-information campaign was to play to Hitler's obsessions and convince the bulk of the German commanders to believe that the attack would fall on Calais. Even so, the Normandy landings were no soft option. The major problem that could not be changed was that Normandy was much further from the German border, leaving a very long supply line that could not be adequately fed from the artificial harbours created on the Normandy beaches. Although Allied air superiority prevented the Panzers from reaching Normandy in time, it could do nothing to prevent the Germans from destroying the ports on the route to Germany. This meant that Antwerp was the only port available for capture to provide supplies for the Allied armies as they approached the German frontier. The Germans recognized the importance of Antwerp, putting up a determined defence, and then committing precious resources to the Ardennes Offensive that was intended to recapture Antwerp and cut critical supplies to the advancing Allied armies. Considering the importance of Antwerp to eventual Allied victory, it is surprising that historians have largely neglected the assaults to capture and hold Antwerp as the northern supply port for the Allies. The author has blended operational reports with vivid first-hand accounts of the fighting to produce a graphic account of the courage, skill and determination of the allies in overcoming the entrenched German positions that fought with equal determination. Without reading this new book, it is impossible to fully understand the final stages of the Second World War in Europe.