As gripping a retelling of D-day as any available.

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	• Longest Day Ryan Pocket, 1985 average customer review:based on 75 reviews
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highly recommended

As gripping a retelling of D-day as any available.

In the entire breadth and length of world history, few events stir the imagination and possess one's profound interest like World War II. It is probably because, had it not been a so tragic and so real of a war, it would have made for tremendous cinema. Never in this world's history has so much been at stake in an armed conflict; and never has there been a war with so many highs and lows, with mind-boggling twists and more drama and tension than 1000 movies. The early tragic days of war, like Germany's `blitzkrieg' (lightning war) assault on France were tempered by the minor miracles such as the dramatic Allied escape at Dunkirk. The unstoppable force of Rommel's AfrikaCorps conquering of North Africa was soon offset by Britain's dramatic victory and El Alamein and General Patton's dogged quest to push Rommel right out of the African continent. These two examples barely scratch the surface of stories in just the European Theater of World War II (Japan's Pacific War is a whole different set of drama and heroics).

Noted historian, Cornelius Ryan, tackles one of the most ambitious, daring, and momentum-shifting operations of the entire war, the massive Allied invasion of France on June 6th, 1944: D-Day! It had been more than four years since the Germans viciously evicted the Allies from the European proper during the brutal conquering of France. It had also been more than two years since the United States had gotten involved in the war. Yet, despite the length of time and numerous operations (including the conquering of Fascist Italy), the Allies had yet to set foot back on Hitler's `Fortress Europe'. Aside from a failed Canadian invasion attempt to Dieppe some time earlier, no attempt had been made to retake the land and open a second front against Nazi Germany. Finally after months, of planning, the Allies were prepared for begin that `day of days' when the final step towards freeing the world from Hitler's tyranny would begin.

Ryan brings and ingenious gift of storytelling in recounting the tales of the men who planned and the men who fought in this decisive battle. Instead of attempting a dry, academic narrative, Ryan focuses on the personal battles of the men in the conflict. He ranges from expressing Supreme Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower's apprehension and distress over green lighting the mission after having already postponed it once to the fear of the paratrooper who was forced to play dead while he hung from his parachute canopy off a church steeple while German bullets peppered the air around him to the hope of a French family as they realized what was happening and that one day their teenage daughter would end up marrying one of the liberators. The account of how Hitler's advisors refused the believe that this was the true invasion and declined the wake their leader from his nap to get orders lest they feel the Fuhrer's wrath is also vividly depicted. "The Longest Day" is full of rich stories like these.

Ryan breaks his script down into three distinct sections: The Wait (dealing with the preparation and first postponement of the invasion), the Night (dealing with the pre-invasion paratrooper mission to secure bridgeheads and neutralize German resistance to the coming land attack), and the Day (which deals the actually assault). Unlike some historians, Ryan gives a fair and balanced of all the participants involved in D-Day. While British Glider Troops captured crucial bridges that nullified the German counter-offensive potential, Ryan also gives due to the American airborne assaults by the 101st and 82nd airborne divisions. While most of history recalls the bloody price paid by the American soldiers on the sands of `Bloody Omaha' Beach, Ryan does well focus recognition the dramatic obstacles and astounding accomplishments of the British forces at Gold and Sword Beaches and the Canadian contributions at Juno Beach.

D-Day was the most dramatic military operation in terms of manpower, complexity, and risk ever attempted up to that point. While the war would still drag on for almost a year following the success of this invasion, it was clear to many, including the illustrious Rommel, himself, that Germany's last best chance to end the war on favorable terms was over, and it was just a matter of time before the Third Reich was brutally wiped from the earth. Thanks to Cornelius Ryan, all history buff and casual history readers have, in "The Longest Day", an historical document allows us to never to forget how these men, to quote Lincoln, "laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom".

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The classic for eyewitness accounts of D-Day

This book is one which can truly be called "classic". Mr. Ryan's writing never seems stale or tired or, on the other hand, overblown. His topic is epic: the greatest sea-borne invasion ever attempted. On June 6, 1944 the western allies invaded Hitler's Europe across the beaches of Normandy, France, catching Germany in a pincher between themselves in the west and the Soviets in the east. In less than a year, World War II would be over in Europe and Hitler's dream of a thousand-year Reich would die with him in the ruins of Berlin.

The focus of this book is purely on D-Day, together with the few days leading up to it. The story relies almost exclusively on eyewitness accounts. There is enough background to provide context; however, anyone looking for information about the broader war should not use this book as their primary source. Although there is a great deal of factual information, "The Longest Day" is primarily emotional - it evokes, through the words of the participants, the feel of paratroopers jumping into darkness, of seasick infantrymen struggling across endless beaches into enemy fire, of generals having to make decisions affecting tens of thousands of lives based on guesses and gut instinct.

The book is well-balanced between the antagonists. There is considerable material from the German side, giving the perspective from the other side of the beach, and from the headquarters of the defenders as they try to make sense of the reports coming in to them, and as they try to determine whether or not what they are facing is in fact the long-awaited invasion.

One small criticism I have of the book is the lack of maps. Mr. Ryan is meticulous in identifying where each episode occured. Unfortunately, in the absense of maps, the reader is left with no idea where any of these places are, other than generally in Normandy.

This book is highly recommended for anyone who wants D-Day to come alive.

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Still one of the Best

Mr Ryan does a masterful job of telling the thrilling and personall story of the "day of days" June 6th 1944, the allied assault on Normandy by the British, Canadiens, and Americans. I read the book when I was in high school many years ago and it was just as enjoyable when I re-read it recently. The story of the greatest amphibious assault in the history of the world as seen through the eyes and memroies of so many men on both sides make it a book that can not be put down. As we celebrated the 60th aniversary of this world changing battle that was the beginning of the end of Nazi Europe this past June it was only fitting that we read this classic tale again. Oh yes, it is still better than the movie.

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The best book I've ever read about D-day.

This is an excellent book that you could easily read twice. It gives a perspective of both sides of that historical day. Definitely a book you can't put down.

Never-ending Day.

Cornelius Ryan's "The Longest Day" is assembled as a mosaic of scenes occurring at both sides of the Channel and afterwards on France. It shows all the main actors in action, ranging from Generals and Marshals thru Privates to Civilians.

It is divided into three parts: "The Waiting" encompassing since the first invasion planning thru Eisenhower's decision to launch the assault against meteorological odds.
This section reviews German defense plans, displaying Rommel's ingenuity in devising obstacles to the assault; the enormous Allied effort to secretly reunite troops and baggage; the failure of German High Command to acknowledge intelligence of the eminent invasion and finally the hair-raising suspense introduced by stormy weather.
"The Night" describes the massive paratroop and glider-bound troop's assault and how the scattered soldiers, fighting their own fear and disorientation, pushed ahead to conquer their targets.
"The Day" focuses on the beaches' assault, reviewing from "Bloody Omaha" till more calm (comparatively) "Juno".

Based on eye witness accounts the book gives the reader a vibrant relation of the momentous Day. Especially thrilling are the portrayals of American Brig. Generals Theodore Roosevelt and Norman Cotta; the German Maj. Werner Pluskat and the British Lord Lovat and his blow-piper side kick.
Those 24 hours should had seemed, as the title implies, an eternity to everyone involved!

This book stands on par with two more remarkable ones: Toland's "The Battle of the Bulge" and Collins and Lapierre's "Is Paris Burning?"
I warmly recommend this work to WWII buffs and readers interested in first hand accounts of crucial events!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

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