Synopses & Reviews
The Allied landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944, marked the beginning of the German defeat in the West. Military historian Samuel W. Mitcham, Jr. vividly recaptures the desperation of the Wehrmacht as the thin gray line in Normandy finally snapped, the 5th Panzer and 7th Armies collapsed, and the survivors fled the Allied steamroller in a mad dash back to the Reich. From the reactions of soldiers in the field to military decisions at the highest levels, this is the story of the Reich's unraveling told from a German perspective.
Fighting hedgerow to hedgerow in the pitted Normandy landscape would delay the Allied Advance and make each small victory a costly one. Western forces would achieve their first strategic objective, the port of Cherbourg, but they would find it reduced to rubble, a result of the best-planned demolition in history. Still, the Allies did benefit from an ongoing anti-Hitler conspiracy that relayed false information to Berlin. While German forces would finally bring the Allied juggernaut to a halt on the borders of the Reich itself, this brief success would only delay the inevitable. With colorful descriptions and informative details, Mitcham recounts the German military retreat and the erosion of Germany's stronghold on Europe—as viewed through the eyes of a defiant, but ultimately defeated Wehrmacht.
Review
...a solid "operational history" from the German point of view....Mitcham gives us a decent, single-source account of the German side of the Battle of France....does a decent job of explaining how the German Army fell apart in the summer of '44.ARMOR
Review
Well-written, "Retreat to the Reich" is a welcome addition to historiography of World War II. One of the most valuable aspects of the book is the inclusion in the footnotes of short biographical studies of all of the German generals in the campaign.Bowling Green Daily News
Review
Mitcham places intelligence gathering in its proper perspective, debunking some myths as well....Perhaps the greatest merit of the work is the author's insight into the German Army and its officers. For example, the stories of Erwin Rommel and Gunther von Kluge are exciting to read and concisely told. Those wishing to learn more about the German effort from 6 June to mid September 1944 should read this fine work of military history. It is a solid contribution to the literature on World War Two. Mitcham also provides excellent maps and tables that give the reader a complete picture of the conflict and the strength of German fighting units. Also, the author relates stories of human drama of the conflict, such as that of Sergeant Helmuth Hoerner. Upon reading Mitcham's work, the reader will gain a full understanding of how the Germans were able to recoup at the West Wall following a strong Allied drive, accompanied by massive American and British bombing raids.Gene Mueller Distinguished Professor of Liberal Arts Henderson State University
Synopsis
The Allied landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944, marked the beginning of the German defeat in France. Mitcham recaptures the taste and feel of the Wehrmacht in 1944 as the thin gray line in Normandy finally snapped, the 5th Panzer and 7th Armies collapsed, and the survivors fled the Allied steamroller in a mad dash back to the Reich. From the reactions of soldiers in the field to military decisions at the highest level, this is the story of the Western Front from a German perspective. While finally bringing the Allied juggernaut to a halt on the borders of the Reich itself, this brief success would only delay the inevitable.
About the Author
SAMUEL W. MITCHAM, JR. is an internationally recognized authority on Nazi Germany and the Second World War and is the author of more than 15 books on the subject, including this title's companion volume, Crumbling Empire (Praeger, 2001), Why Hitler? (Praeger, 1997), as well as several dozen articles.
Table of Contents
Setting the Stage for Disaster
Hans von Kluge and the Conspiracy of July 20
The Breakout
The Conquest of Brittany
Hitler Puts His Head Into the Lion's Mouth
The Falaise Pocket: Army Group B in Slaughtered
The Invasions of Southern France
The Retreat Behind the Seine
Beyond the Seine
The Allies Mop Up in France
The "Miracle of the West"
Appendices
Bibliography
Index