1st Us Army (Normandy 1944)

Rating:
Summary: a new look at a famous campaign
Review: The US First Army was the overall command for American troops in France from D-Day until the breakout from Normandy when Patton's Third Army was added to the mix. Patton's Third Army gets more press, but the First Army was the senior partner and was right beside the Third all the way into Germany. This French-produced publication looks at the US First Army in Normandy. Overall the traslation from the original French is quite good. The book is organized by location and follows the efforts of the Americans to drive the Germans back to create a secure lodgement in Europe and then to liberate France. The content is heavily pictorial and includes over 200 newly pubished photos as well as some old favorites. Some photos offer comparisons between an area during combat and current pictures of the rebuilt buildings. There are better books describing the course of the battle and the strategic implications, but this volume will be welcomed by many historians due to its excellent graphics. It really compliments a WW2 historical collection.