Sicily '43 The first assault on fortress Europe

Historian Holland (Normandy '44) chronicles the 1943 Allied invasion of Sicily in this expert account. In 38 days, 160,000 American, British, and Canadian troops overcame geographical challenges and fierce German resistance to reach the Straits of Messina. Holland documents how Allied commander Gen. Sir Harold Alexander arrayed his invading forces; recounts how the Tuskegee Airmen helped counter the Luftwaffe; notes cooperation between American intelligence agents and local Mafia dons; and argues that the Sicily invasion provided crucial lessons for the D-Day landings in Normandy. Holland also offers astute assessments of commanders Bernard Montgomery ("highly competent" yet seemingly unaware of his "appalling rudeness") and George Patton ("obsessed with fears of failure and his own mortality") and includes the perspectives of frontline combatants and eyewitnesses, including Canadian infantryman Farley Mowat and American reporter Ernie Pyle. Aspects of the Sicily campaign, Holland writes, recalled the trench warfare of WWI; one of the final battles, for the mountain fortress of Troina, was "a terrible, bloody slugging match," where "horrendously depleted" German forces matched "every act of astonishing heroism from the Americans." Marshalling a wealth of primary and secondary sources into an engrossing narrative, Holland fills a yawning gap in histories of WWII. This magisterial account is a must-read for military history fans. (Nov.)

Even before the Allies secured victory in North Africa, they turned their eyes towards establishing a foothold on the European continent. Initially, the Americans argued for a cross-channel attack into France, while the British advocated for an offensive to knock Italy out of the war. Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily, would be up to that point the largest amphibious task force assembled and would require an unprecedented amount of cooperation between army, navy, and air forces. Historian Holland (Normandy '44) covers the operation giving attention in equal measure to the men, tactics, and weapons used by all sides: British, American, Italian, and German, paying special attention to the role played by Allied air forces in driving the Luftwaffe from Sicily. Holland thoroughly describes events from the planning of Husky by commanders, the individual actions of troops as they fought across the island, and the Allied effort to capture the city of Messina from battle-hardened German soldiers. Based on extensive archival research, firsthand accounts, and interviews, Holland paints a detailed portrait of both Sicily and the battle. VERDICT An excellent and accessible telling of the invasion that will be enjoyed by military history and World War II enthusiasts alike.--Chad E. Statler, Westlake Porter P.L., Westlake, OH