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	• Invasion! Theyre Coming!: The German Account of the D-Day Landings and the 80 Days Battle for France ... Paul Carell Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 1994 - 320 pages average customer review:based on 6 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

When was Marcks convinced that this was no diversion but the real invasion? And why did his words fall on deaf ears. Where was Rommel and von Rundstedt and why? There were three German tank divisions within striking distance of the coast and yet they remained in place. One Reg. sat with engines running, within 30 kilometers of the coast. Why did they not receive the orders to advance until it was too late? There was more than Hitler's madness at play, much more. As one reviewer previously noted, some of the maps were less than excellent but Carell's work belongs on the shelf of anyone with more than a passing interest in Normandy and the breakout.

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Interesting - but not enough for the price

I liked this book. I've read many books on WW2. Few have given some of the insights that I have found here. For example, the importance of allied airpower is well known, but in no other book has its power against the enemy been as well documented. I also particulary liked the insights given into the German high command's actions in the battles covered. But there are problems with the book, too. The allied difficulties in the Normandy hedgerows are not specifically delt with. Also, the maps are poor. Finally, this is an expensive book. Is it worth the money? I would wait for the paperback.

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Beginning of the End: The Vanquished Perspective

Paul Carell's book "Invasion! They're Coming!", as the subtitle ('The German Account of the D-Day Landings and the 80 Days' Battle for France') suggests, presents the story of the Allied invasion from the German viewpoint rather than the one so oft presented - that of the Victors - whether presented from the American or British perspective. This English translation (by David Johnston) of the original German text provides the English-speaking world with a unique look into how it felt to be on the receiving end of the largest amphibious invasion ever staged. In June of 1994 the mighty Wehrmacht was no longer so mighty, with much of the "Atlantic Wall" of "Fortress Europa" being manned by old men, young boys and conscripts from occupied Europe. This is not to say that Hitler's defense, a la F.M. Erwin Rommel, was not impressive and daunting - in fact it was both. While the "Atlantic Wall" was far from impregnable as Nazi propaganda proported, Rommel's command had, with never quite enough resources or personnel, created a formidable barrier to the Allied invasion. Moreover, not all German troops were sub-par. There were veteran units with a cadre of experienced and battle hardened junior officers and NCOs to manage the less than ideal fighting troops. There were also veteran Waffen SS battle units in Normandy and West-Central France, both armored and not. Thus, while denuded relative to their hay-days of May 1940-July/August 1941, the German's soldiers were capable of mounting a defense that would seriously test the Allied invasion tide. Most would say that the invasion was a foregone conclusion, decided more by the material superiority of the Allied troops than their fighting ability, nothing in war is ever assured with General Chance being present.

Carell's book vividly tells the story of the invasion, from perceptions of its possibility, the long-held belief that the Normandy invasion was merely a diversionary attack, to the Allied breakout and then obvious defeat of the Western German Army. Carell (and/or the translator) writes with a flair that keeps the readers attention and paints a picture that makes one feel as if they are looking out on the thousands of vessels disgorging troops onto Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword beaches that 6th of June, or feeling the effects of the persistent Allied 'jabo' (fighter-bomber) attacks of troops in transit to the MLR, or the what it felt like to take part in the headlong retreat to escape the Falaise pocket. Seeing these events from the Victors side cannot give a reader the same sensation since writers from the Allied camp can't honestly capture the firsthand experiences of the Germans. Having said all these things it is important to note that Carell is writing from the standpoint of the defeated, and in doing so inevitably presents the story in the brightest light possible form the German perspective. Thus, the reader should take certain accounts with a grain of salt - while the conclusions are unarguable, the path to those conclusions can be different between victor and vanquished accounts. In fairness one should be aware that the victors are not immune to the "best spin" approach to storytelling! This caveat aside, Invasion! They're Coming! is a solid read worth reading, and should be of interest to serious and casual students of WWII equally, if for different reasons. All in all 4 stars.

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Carell shows the incredible effect allied airpower has on the battle at all times. Most devasting, was probably the allied counter-espionage campaign, that had Hitler's HQ convinced that Normandy was merely a feint, the real invasion coming at Pas de Calais.

Numerous smaller combat actions show the incredible capabilities of the German Army, even at this stage of the war. I would agree with a previous review that the maps can be a bit confusing. Overall, for anyone really interested in knowing the full story of the Normandy campaign, I think this book is a "must have", definitely one of my all time favorites.

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reviews: page 1, 2



On the 50th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy: a revised and updated edition of Paul Carell's great classic.June 6, 1944 - D-Day. The day when, after years of preparation, Germany's opponents in the west - the USA and England - began the sec

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