D-Day to Berlin

by Andrew Williams

Nightfall, 6 June 1944. D-Day is over and the Allies have carved a tenuous foothold in 'Fortress Europe'. The future of Europe hangs in the balance as Hitler's formidable SS Panzer troops threaten to drive them back into the sea. D-Day to Berlin is the remarkable story of the Allied struggle for survival - the battle from the beaches of Normandy to the heart of Hitler's Reich and ultimate victory just eleven months later. The campaign to free Europe from Nazi oppression through the collective operations from D-Day to Berlin mark one of the greatest ever military offensives. The Allies overcame initial setbacks to inflict a devastating defeat on Hitler's crack divisions in France - a victory that was threatened just months later in the bitter winter fighting of the Battle of the Bulge. The final crossing of the Rhine and the advance into Germany changed the course of European history forever. In D-Day to Berlin we meet men and women from both sides - British, American and German soldiers - whose bravery and endurance made the final push through Europe the defining drama of the Second World War.

Genres: History, World War II, Military History

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Andrew worked as a senior producer on BBC Television's flagship current affairs programmes, Panorama and Newsnight, covering the major stories of the day. In 1997 he moved to BBC Documentaries and spent the next eleven years writing and directing television documentaries and drama documentaries for the BBC and international co-producers, including the award winning series, 'The Battle of the Atlantic'. He has written two best selling histories of the Second World War; 'The Battle of the Atlantic', and 'D-Day to Berlin'. His first novel, 'The Interrogator', was shortlisted for the CWA Ian Fleming Thriller of the Year Award and the Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Award, and it was the Daily Mail's debut thriller of 2009. His second, 'To Kill A Tsar', was one of the Daily Mail's thrillers of 2010 and was shortlisted for The Scott Prize for Historical Fiction and the Ellis Peters Award. HIs 1960's espionage thriller, Witchfinder, was one of The Times Literary Supplement Books of the Year. Set inside the British intelligence services in the weeks following the defection of master spy, Kim Philby to the Soviet Union, it tells the story of an MI5 and CIA mole hunt that spirals dangerously out of control. Andrew's latest novel, The Prime Minister's Affair, is the story of a plot to blackmail a Labour Prime Minister and bring down the British Government. The Daily Mail described Andrew 'as one of Britain's most accomplished thriller writers', and the Times Literary Supplement noted that 'if le Carré needs a successor, Williams has all the equipment for the role.'

For background to his books and more on the author, visit: http://www.andrewwilliams.tv You can follow and discuss the books with Andrew on Facebook at AndrewWilliamsbooks or follow on twitter @AWilliamswriter.

Reviews

[Tom Oldale · Rating 4 out of 5]

What elevates this book above many others in its category is its fantastic use of eye witness accounts and diary entries by people who actually lived through this horrendous period of human history.

There are many memorable, upsetting and fascinating first hand recollections that are so powerful and almost alien to our generation that has known only peace, that they stick with you for a long time after reading about them.

I already knew a fair amount about this period of WW2 but still I found this book informative and well written in terms of individual events. I learnt a lot of new information and at times I even felt the intensity and tension of battles that I already knew ended a certain way.

The only reason I gave this 4 and not 5 stars is I feel it gets a little bogged down in the politics and for me I would have liked a more detailed account of certain smaller skirmishes with maps and more in depth tactics to accompany it. Sometimes information on battles and smaller encounters can feel a little thin. Although this is just my personal preference.

This book is a great source of information and intrigue on this period of the Second World War and it also sheds more light on lesser known events, especially towards the end of the war, that need to be highlighted.

[Irl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating read, particularly how ill prepared the Allies were for hedgerow fighting as they pushed to Caen and Cherbourg. In the end, welding railway lines from the beach defences into snowploughs at the front of tanks to knife though.

[Claire]

A basic, but well written and researched narrative account of the Allied campaign in Europe from D-Day to the end of World War Two. Makes good use of the personal accounts of both Allied and German soldiers, and is particularly good on the squabbles, personality clashes and ego wars that were rife among and between the British and American high commands. A good introductory account of this series of campaigns, and does not flinch from showing the horrors of war.