Reviews for Bitter victory

The average rating for Bitter victory based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2017-07-07 00:00:00 Jan Kees Saltet My dad, Einar Graff Jr., was an army cryptanalyst attached to the navy during WWII. His work shipboard was to maintain encrypted communication with amphibious landing forces. He served therefore in North Africa, in Sicily and in the Philippines or, more precisely, in the vicinities of Oran, Algeria and of Gela, Sicily, and at the battle and subsequent landings in Leyte Gulf. As Dad approached his 95th year, his end in sight, I began to make a more concerted effort to read about the U.S. campaigns in Africa, Sicily and the Philippines in order to better understand him and his stories of those years in the service. This book has been the first I've read to touch upon the beginnings of the invasion of Italy. Points of contact with Dad's accounts, however, are few. He was really only there for the Gela landings and his stories emphasized the high seas the night beforehand, seas so rough that he, an NCO, could sleep topside, the interior quarters of his ship being awash with vomit--a point made by D'Este. But 'Bitter Victory' is focused primarily on detailing the land war in Sicily--all to the point of showing how, in the author's opinion, the allies, Canadian, British and American, failed to entrap the German forces on the island or to prevent their almost perfect escape to the mainland. Here he seems both thorough and convincing, his account being very well researched and documented. A real military historian would find this book both engrossing and, perhaps, challenging. I am not such a one, the detailed descriptions of particular troop movements and engagements not interesting me as much as the incidental anecdotes, biographical sketches and final conclusions. Still, stepping out of my own shoes, I think this an exceptionally good military history.

Review # 2 was written on 2012-08-02 00:00:00 Thomas Mededma Another superb effort by military historian and biographer Carlo D'Este; this work covers the often-forgotten Operation Husky: the conquest of Sicily by the Americans and the British. This work covers the campaign from both the Allied and Axis points of view, and the view is mostly from the top, as D"Este concentrates on the planning (or lack of same) and execution of the high commands. British general Harold Alexander - the combined ground forces commander - receives special criticism as a leader who wasn't capable of leading or stamping his vision on how the battle should be fought on his subordinates: Montgomery and Patton, so each of them fought their own battle as they saw fit. A very thorough overview of this fascinating campaign, and not to be missed by anyone with an interest in the Second World War.