Half of the book is a detailed description; mainly told in the words of participants; of three battles fought over four days in the Rhineland south of Goch between 27 February and March 2 1945. The battles were between 3rd Division supported by 6 Guards Armored Brigade; and 8. Fallschirmjäger Division. For the first time the combined actions of over 50;000 men during 96 hours have been analyzed from the ground up in an unprecedented attempt to provide understanding of a significant military event. 3 Scots Guards said of Winnekendonk; "It is suggested that this will surely rank as one of the finest small scale tank/infantry battles ever executed and well worthy of more close study." The fighting was bloody and heroic; and some controversial aspects are explained for the first time. The other half of the book is an analysis of the units and people involved in the two divisions and their supporting armor and aviation. An answer is provided as to why only two months before the end of hostilities; 21 Army Group could manage only quite slow and costly progress. The answer comes from the analysis; and is tested through comparison with the contemporary Canadian Operation Blockbuster; and with two battles in the Hitler Line. Evidence is provided that there is no truth to recent claims that Montgomery's generalship was efficient and saved lives. Instead; it is shown that the military hierarchy; including Churchill; ignored the all-arms operational methodology under unitary command which Sir John Monash had developed to bring victory in 1918. In the Second World War; by contrast; the Royal Armored Corps and 2 TAF never integrated with the infantry and artillery; and were never suitably equipped; being bound to the cultic pursuit of mobility. General Elles required that the Infantry Tank be immune to all German antitank guns; and his Matilda II was a major reason for the deliverance from Dunkirk and for the success of Operation Compass in North Africa. Compared with the Hundred Days of 1918; the author suggests that the British Armed forces in 1945 were relatively less efficient in all respects except that of killing German civilians in area bombing. This book's fully documented and researched conclusions provide a new and controversial interpretation of 21 Army Group.
#8294688 in Books 2011-03-31Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 7.99 x .93 x 5.00l; .99 #File Name: 1907256911418 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. very interestingBy rgilbalthough it is very interesting some of the hypothosis's are not up todate it is a good read if you are interested in this type of history2 of 3 people found the following review helpful. One of the reasons of is decline was is poor irrigation and agriculture knowldedgeBy josephI read the contents of this book at his website and is totally lunacy. He starts by stating "The Quichua-Aymara race which inhabited Peru was inferior to the Mexican in general mental culture; if not in mental capacity; is is proved by its inability to invent any method of written communication or any adequate time-reckoning. In imitative art; too; the Peruvians were weak; save in pottery and rude modelling; and their religion savoured much more of the materialistic; and was altogether of a lower cultus."Maybe he needs a history lesson; here goes-The first civilization in the Americas was in Caral; Peru about 5;000ac. That is 3;500 years before the first civilization in Mexico; the Olmecas-The Aztec is really not considered an empire in the true sense of the world. It was a confederacy-The maya is a central america civilization but for some reason; mexicans will want you to believe it is of mexican descent only. One of the reasons of is decline was is poor irrigation and agriculture knowldedge.-The inca empire is the culmination of thousands of years of civilizations before inca existed. They domesticated cotton and built pyramids at the same time that Egypt.-Most of the crops that ancient mexican civilization developed came from South America; peru specially.-Also read Christian Duverger studies that point to andean migration to the michoacan region. The ancient tarasca civilization that settled in mexico pacific region has its linguistic roots in andean culture. Mr Duverger claims that ancient peruvians had direct contact with ancient mexicans and not the other way around..Do not recommend this book1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Very accurateBy OMB713The book is just plain out great and is a classic that should be read by any who are interested in ancient Mexico and Peru. Very interesting and well written; the reader will be delighted to a treat of facts and historical myths and truths.
