Title: D DAY Through German Eyes - The Hidden Story of June 6th 1944 Pdf
Almost all accounts of D Day are told from the Allied perspective, with the emphasis on how German resistance was overcome on June 6th 1944. But what was it like to be a German soldier in the bunkers and gun emplacements of the Normandy coast, facing the onslaught of the mightiest seaborne invasion in history?
What motivated the German defenders, what were their thought processes - and how did they fight from one strong point to another, among the dunes and fields, on that first cataclysmic day? What were their experiences on facing the tanks, the flamethrowers and the devastating air superiority of the Allies?
This book sheds fascinating light on these questions, bringing together statements made by German survivors after the war, when time had allowed them to reflect on their state of mind, their actions and their choices of June 6th.
We see a perspective of D Day which deserves to be added to the historical record, in which ordinary German troops struggled to make sense of the onslaught that was facing them, and emerged stunned at the weaponry and sheer determination of the Allied soldiers. We see, too, how the Germans fought in the great coastal bunkers, perceived as impregnable fortresses, but in reality often becoming tombs for their crews.
Above all, we now have the unheard human voices of the individual German soldiers - the men who are so often portrayed as a faceless mass.
German Primary Source Material What I find fantastic about this book is that it almost entirely composed of primary source material--direct interviews with German survivors of the D-Day invasion by the Allies. The format is clear and organized. Each soldier is briefly described or introduced, and then follows a series of questions and answers. I am guessing that the editor of the book selected the best interviews from the records compiled by the interviewer, his father, a German war correspondent. But that is only a guess. I write this because each account is so informative and clearly constructed, a miniature masterpiece of memory of the events of June 6, 1944 at a particular point in the momentous battle raging on a much larger scale.The questions and answers are mostly direct and unvarnished, giving us honest insight into not only the experiences of typical German soldiers, but their attitudes and beliefs as well. The author provides the briefest of commentary at the end, refreshing as well. We get and are bombarded by plenty of opinions and interpretations of history. It was a relief to be left alone to ponder these soldiers' accounts for oneself.Some particular points that stood out to me: I was surprised by how some writers were themselves surprised by the ferocity, anger and hatred of the Allied soldiers they encountered in battle. This struck me as both naive and ignorant, but I also realize I can only dimly imagine how their perspective was shaped by the German political and cultural experience. They also mentioned how they viewed their mission as defending Europe as part of a broader pan-European coalition against Communism, international corporations and finance, etc. Reference was made more than once to non-German personnel serving as part of the German forces. The execution of Allied soldiers by SS troops in particular was familiar to me from reading about the Battle of the Bulge and the Russian front, but it sounds like it was quite widespread based on these D-Day accounts. The inclusion of this point, very unfavorable to the German cause, deepens my respect for the trustworthiness of these interviews. Finally, the detailed descriptions of the gruesomeness of World War II combat is another example of the work's authenticity and accuracy.For those interested in World War II and honest history, I highly recommend this book.This Book Is Likely Fake - What a Shame My original review was 5 Stars (below), I changed it to one star because this book is most likely fake. If something seems too good to be true, then it probably is. That was the case with this book. I devoured the first book and wrote the 5 star review prior to reading the second book. The second book's Typhoon bomb anecdote seemed too far fetched. That's when I researched this book and found numerous website discussions challenging this book's authenticity. One historian's search was unable to find any trace of the author's grandfather having worked at the German publications mentioned therein. So far, I haven't found any defense from the book's author.This book's author must come forward and defend the book and the anecdotes therein. I believe there are two sides to every story and I will keep an open mind. Please address this issue.My original 5 Star Review"I have never read a book like this before. The personal anecdotes are descriptive and chilling. This book is highly recommended for WWII readers."
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Tags: B00VX372UE pdf,D DAY Through German Eyes - The Hidden Story of June 6th 1944 pdf,ebook,Holger Eckhertz, Holger Eckhertz, Sprech Media,D DAY Through German Eyes - The Hidden Story of June 6th 1944,DTZ History Publications,Biography & Autobiography / Military,History / Military / World War II
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