olderndirt wrote on Jun 8
th, 2010 at 9:50pm:
Quote:I am reading Stephen Ambrose book on the subject.
Most of his early work, before he become a book factory like Michener, is absolutely great - especially the Eisenhower stuff. The first twenty minutes of 'Saving Private Ryan' is more meaningful than any book about D-day.
I would disagree.
Yes the hell on the beach is most important.
But how bad would have been without the air war, dispersing the Luftwaffe.
Or the diversion campaign to convince the German's the landing would be elsewhere.
Or the dead "officer's" body that happened to have a set of false plans?
It is also important to learn about the failure of the High Command to actually have a defnse plan that did not rely on one man to release needed reserves.
No, Movies are good. Books better.
Alot of his books were partially written and sitting on his shelf for a while, until he hit it big with Band of Brothers. Then the publisher was BEGGING him for more.
I met him once, at the University of Cincinnati, when I was a young history student. He was just getting ready to publish Undaunted Courage. In the end, like all really good historians, he was a story teller at heart.
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