SQJ Taipei

This was a good book. I’ve had an interest in the Normandy campaign for years, but still learned some from this book. What was most valuable for me, though, was the coverage of the Italy campaign and the German/Soviet front.

The book was edited by Tony Hall and he compiled a very nice group of authors in the following chapters:

• Europe Invaded
• The Soviet Summer Offensive, 1944
• The Reconquest of the Philippines
• Drive to the Rhine
• The Strategic Bombing Offensive
• War in Italy: The Final Year
• The Ardennes Counteroffensive
• Crossing the Rhine
• The Soviets Enter Germany: The Winter Offensive
• Burma Reconquered, 1944-1945
• From the Rhine to the Elbe
• The Battle for Berlin: April-May 1945
• Island by Island
• The Final Horrors

I liked each chapter, but would have tired of it quickly if not for the use of different authors.

The book is VERY heavy on mentioning specific army groups, divisions, fleets, etc and their commanders. This can be quite difficult to follow because I don’t think there was a SINGLE MAP in the entire book. The names and units all start blending together without a way to picture the setting of the battles described. This meant that I had to go to other sources for maps to get a better context of the battles and campaigns described by the authors. Sometimes it didn’t seem worth the trouble. The book has almost 300 illustrations and over 100 color artifact photos, but NOT A SINGLE MAP! The photos and illustrations are really good, though.

This book is 6/10 but would easily be 8/10 if it had proper maps. I can’t believe there weren’t any maps… wow.

The March to Victory: The Final Months of WWII