2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Feb 14, 2016 13:50:06 GMT -5
My wife surprised me with a couple WW2 books today. She know exactly what type of books I like and peruses my library carefully to insure she doesn't get something I already have. She bought me: ALAMO IN THE ARDENNES by John C McManus and Cover Up at Omaha Beach by Stern. They both focus on pivotal events in the Battle for Northern Europe and prove that as widely covered as D-Day and the Buldge have been there remain countless untold stories and new facts that only recently have been revealed. Both use released, previously classified documents, after action reports (both US and German) and lots of first hand account oral histories.
I have read prior works from both writers and like their passion for history and style. I know I will enjoy both books and relish what no doubt will be new discoveries.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Feb 19, 2016 13:47:59 GMT -5
As predicted both books were informative with fresh insight into events I have read a great deal about previously but shared perspectives, first hand accounts and information only released in 2005. (Classified for 60 years). The Cover Up at Omaha Beach concerns the extensive and dramatic battle to assault and secure a heavily fortified Artillery Site about a mile behind Point Du Hoc. This battle was fought by largely members of the 5th RANGER Battalion with a few members of the 2nd Battalion and Infantry of the 29th Infantry Division. We are all familiar with the scaling of the cliffs at Point Du Hoc and the statement that the guns had been removed. We all probably know that five howitzers or cannons were found sitting in an orchard just down the road from the point and that these guns were silently destroyed by a few Rangers with thermite grenades with as many as 100 Germans in a meeting 60 yards away. All the books, articles,after action reports and films cover that story but this book delves into a far more critical action against a huge (16 guns,massively fortified battery at Maisey that was operational and firing for 3 full days on Omaha beaches and ships at sea. This battery was ignored by history inspite of the significant role it played in the Battle. Before the war was over the positions existance seemed to have been carefully covered up both figuratively and actually as it was carefully bulldozed over by someone and buried in 1 to 2 meters of dirt. The author suggests the US Military did so...but why? The book reads like a mystery of sorts and raises many interesting questions while answering far more.
The discovery and restoration of the battery positions has been a real boon to the visitor experience in Normandy as the site was quite completely untouched for 60 years. The author was trapsing around Normandy looking for a site to build a museum on and investigating a location marked on a map found in a WW2 Rangers field trousers as "heavily fortified, heavy resistance". When he got there he found nothing but a vast, empty, overgrown clearing. As he walked about there were numerous concrete floors and foundations for what he assumed were destroyed structures until he noticed they had ventilation chimneys! He was standing not on the floors but on the roofs of a massive complex of bunkers. He quietly and discretely bought up the entire site from multiple landowners and pieced together his story. My favorite parts of the book (as always) were the numerous first hand accounts from the many veterans he tracked down. I also like exposing so called experts and debunking authoritarian sources that nearly always refuse to be wrong and ridicule anyone with fresh insight. Too often history is written and then rewritten by later authors almost entirely on the earlier works. " facts" are uncovered that support the existing theories and hints that contradict are ignored as they don't fit the status quo. Gary Stern sets a lot right with this book and solves a lot of those puzzles that just never quite fit.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Feb 19, 2016 21:48:08 GMT -5
There are great pictures and interesting supportive and follow up discoveries that can be read and viewed online. Just Google Maisey battery and enjoy. The discovery of this site and his book stirred up the WW2 history community and it's interesting to see how they have reacted to it. Because of agendas and pride many continue to downplay any role it had in the landings to the point of being rediculous. There is no doubt it's resistance surprised the Allies on D-Day and that the planners fell hook line and sinker to Rommels use of Point Du Hoc as a distraction away from the actual main battery. There is also no doubt in my mind that it contributed greatly to the slaughter on Omaha.
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