Fields Of War

MWSA Review

How many times have you visited a historical site and appreciated its historical significance but really had no serious reference book to enrich your visit which in reality would tell the rest of the story? I have been to many such sites and even upon visiting the gift shop was disappointed to find no such reference book that would add information to my visitation.

If you ever have the chance or desire to visit the battlefields of WWII in northern France you are in luck as I would strongly suggest the historical reference book titled Fields Of War. Contained herein is a complete historical reference to many of the battles to include D Day to the relief of Paris. Included in Robert Mueller’s observations and research we find the inclusion of names and actions of where how and why they were done. Mueller observes the present day battlefields as they are and how they compare to when the battles were fought on those grounds.

Mueller provides directions and helpful hints as to where to go and how to get there. Telephone numbers and websites of museums and cemeteries and memorials are provided. This is an excellent historical reference book to be used in the enrichment of your travels to these historical sites.

Reviewed by: Dick Geschke (2014)

Author's Summary

On 6 June 1944, 156,000 American, British, and Canadian servicemen fought ashore on beaches along the Normandy coast or landed from the air to begin wresting back Nazi occupied Europe. The D-Day invasion was the largest amphibious landing in history. Although successful, it was only precursor to months of the deadly fighting necessary to dislodge stubborn German defenders from the Norman countryside and eventually liberate France.
As a visitor’s guide, Fields of War: Battle of Normandy presents the actual locations of key events in the struggle to free France from German occupation. Each battlefield visit begins with a succinct history of events followed by a description of the intense military action that determined success or failure. The narrative revolves around the stories of the privates, NCOs, and junior officers whose sacrifices made success possible. Extensive detailed maps illustrate the flow of the battle across the landscape and the units that participated. Detailed driving instructions and GPS co-ordinates direct visitors to each battlefield site. Descriptions of museums, memorials, cemeteries, and surviving artifacts are given along with their hours of operation. Mailing, email, and web addresses are also provided.