Book Review: The British Liberation Army: 1944-45

Archives

by Charles Whiting

Stroud, Glos.: The History Press, 2008/Chicago: Independent Publishing Group, 2010. Pp. 192. Illus., biblio., index. $34.95. ISBN: 1862274401

The British Liberation Army is a soldier’s-eye view of British and Canadian operations during the Liberation of northwestern Europe, from the eve of D-Day thrugh the aftgermath of VE Day.

Whiting, who died in 2007, was the author of over 250 volumes in military history, among them . Skorzeny , The Other Battle of the Bulge: Operation Northwind, andDisaster at Kasserine.  In this book, he touches upon strategy, policy, and inter-allied politics only when necessary to put the experiences of the troops into proper context.  So what we get is what the ordinary soldier, enlisted and officer, experienced in training, in transit, in combat, as a prisoner-of-war, on occupation duty, and even as a “volunteer” in the German Army.  This gives often unique angles on the nature and experience of battle, not to mention a grim reminder of the cost of war, even in victory. 

Although not a scholarly treatment, this is worthwhile reading for anyone interested in the common soldier at war.

---///---



Reviewer: A. A. Nofi, Review Editor   


Buy it at Amazon.com

X

ad

Help Keep Us From Drying Up

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling.

Each month we count on your contributions. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage.
Subscribe   Contribute   Close