’44: In Combat from Normandy to the Ardennes

A remarkable history of 1944, packed with eyewitness accounts from the beaches of D-Day to the Siegfried Line, captures what the Second World War was like from those who fought in it.

The perfect book for fans of Stephen E. Ambrose, Cornelius Ryan, and Rick Atkinson.

On June 6, 1944, the Allies pulled off the most audacious amphibious landing on the beaches of Normandy. The Germans had been taken by complete surprise, and it seemed like the tide had turned in the battle for Europe. Yet, just six months later, the Allies would be halted in the Ardennes, while the Germans launched a massive counter-offensive in what has become known as the Battle of the Bulge.

While the strategic decisions of generals that caused these events have been discussed in countless books, it is rare that you are able to understand them from the viewpoint of ordinary soldiers. In this book, Charles Whiting recreates the combat soldiers’ world down to the most intimate details: their weapons, the food they ate, how they learned to cope with the ever-present threat, how they lived in hope, and died in agony.

’44 is a gripping testament to the fighting men who fought from the beaches of Normandy to the snow-laden hills of the Ardennes.

Praise for the work of Charles Whiting:
‘’44 re-creates the combat soldiers’ world of more than fifty years ago. Whiting’s depiction of the campaign makes this volume a seminal work of World War II history that is neither romantic nor glorious.’ Dominic J. Caraccilo, Author of The Ready Brigade of the 82nd Airborne in Desert Storm.

‘Rich in detail about the soldiers on both sides and studded with anecdotes of their experiences-heroic, tragic, ironic, and sometimes humorous―Whiting’s book is a powerful reminder that war is neither romantic nor glorious.’ World War II History

‘provides … unique insights that most historians fail to capture’ Armo