Antony Beevor's new book, D-Day. Who's going to get it?

[The Larch]

Apparently he makes a few statements that may be surprising/controversial, such as stating that casualty rates amongst soldiers during Overlord were even higher that on the Eastern Front, that French civilians died by the thousands during the pre-landing bombing raids (which are qualified as akin to war crimes) and further operations, summary executions of German POWs, and the like. Americans might enjoy that Monty is shown in a particulary bad light.

Here's the Torygraph review, free of any possible liberal peacenik contamination. 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/5401452/Beevors-D-Day.html

[Ed Anger]

Maybe when I can get it used for 5 bucks. One thing I have, is a ton of Normandy books.

Americans might enjoy that Monty is shown in a particulary bad light.

Monty is still outside Caen.

[grumbler]

Apparently he makes a few statements that may be surprising/controversial, such as stating that casualty rates amongst soldiers during Overlord were even higher that on the Eastern Front...

Actually, that claim is not for Overlord, but for the follow-up fighting in the bocage, and I doubt this holds true for the contemporary fighting in Russia, because operation Bagration inflicted  almost 50% casualties on Army Group Center.

I think I will get this book.  Beevor is readable, credible, and only a trifle over-enthusiastic for "scoops."

[Syt]

I just realized I have no books about WW2. I do have half a dozen Napoleonics books and over a dozen WW1 books, though, plus a number of books about other periods.

[Razgovory]

Apparently he makes a few statements that may be surprising/controversial, such as stating that casualty rates amongst soldiers during Overlord were even higher that on the Eastern Front...

Actually, that claim is not for Overlord, but for the follow-up fighting in the bocage, and I doubt this holds true for the contemporary fighting in Russia, because operation Bagration inflicted  almost 50% casualties on Army Group Center.

I think I will get this book.  Beevor is readable, credible, and only a trifle over-enthusiastic for "scoops."

I don't know, the Germans were losing alot of people in Normandy.

[Warspite]

Apparently he makes a few statements that may be surprising/controversial, such as stating that casualty rates amongst soldiers during Overlord were even higher that on the Eastern Front...

Actually, that claim is not for Overlord, but for the follow-up fighting in the bocage, and I doubt this holds true for the contemporary fighting in Russia, because operation Bagration inflicted  almost 50% casualties on Army Group Center.

I think I will get this book.  Beevor is readable, credible, and only a trifle over-enthusiastic for "scoops."

Op Overlord included the follow-up fighting in the bocage.

But yes, I agree with you about Beevor. In fact I have a copy sitting right next to me but I have to send it away for review.

[Norgy]

I've already gotten it in the mail. 

[grumbler]

Op Overlord included the follow-up fighting in the bocage.

Correct.  I had confused the terminal date of Neptune with the terminal date for Overlord, but Overlord continued to D+90.

[saskganesh]

Apparently he makes a few statements that may be surprising/controversial, such as stating that casualty rates amongst soldiers during Overlord were even higher that on the Eastern Front...

Actually, that claim is not for Overlord, but for the follow-up fighting in the bocage, and I doubt this holds true for the contemporary fighting in Russia, because operation Bagration inflicted  almost 50% casualties on Army Group Center.

I think I will get this book.  Beevor is readable, credible, and only a trifle over-enthusiastic for "scoops."

I don't know, the Germans were losing alot of people in Normandy.

over a half million killed, wounded, prisoner in Bagration; about half that in Overlord.

unless, we are talking kill efficiency ratios or something, which is so Vietnam.

[dps]

Apparently he makes a few statements that may be surprising/controversial, such as stating that casualty rates amongst soldiers during Overlord were even higher that on the Eastern Front...

Actually, that claim is not for Overlord, but for the follow-up fighting in the bocage, and I doubt this holds true for the contemporary fighting in Russia, because operation Bagration inflicted  almost 50% casualties on Army Group Center.

I get the impression from the reviews that he's comparing a relatively short period of intense combat in Normandy with the entire East Front campaign.

[Alatriste]

Apparently he says smoething like this (extracted from a newspaper article in Spanish)

'German losses at Normandy reached 2,300 men per division each month, the Allies 2.000. In the East the Germans lost 1.000, and the Russians about 1.500'.

Sadly, the periodist didn't include the time scope for that Eastern statistic, but I think it's evident that German losses during 'Bagration' were way higher than 1,000 men per division and month. Probably Beevor just wanted to refute the myth that combat in the West was  in any sense 'easier' or less bloody.

If the average Allied division lost 6,000 men during the 90 days from June 6th to September 6th, its infantry probably was almost bled white. Of course, if the average German division lost 7,000 men during the same period, there was pretty much no division left by September!

[CountDeMoney]

I'll get it if it's in paperback.
Any historian that puts Monty properly in his place as a colossal assfuckstick earns my money.

[Brazen]

At a bit of a tangent, I want to get Dad a book on the Berlin Airlift for fathers' day. Is this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Berlin-Airlift-Bob-Clarke/dp/0752440926/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244545246&sr=8-1

any good or can anyone recommend anything else?

[Josephus]

It's on my Wish List.

[Warspite]

I'll get it if it's in paperback.
Any historian that puts Monty properly in his place as a colossal assfuckstick earns my money.

Your opinion is duly noted and ignored.