Cherbourg 1944: The first Allied victory in Normandy

by Steven J. Zaloga, Steve Noon (Illustrator)

Overview

Steven Zaloga offers up a rigorous and absorbing study of the first major Allied operation in Normandy after the D-Day landings – the capture of Cherbourg. Blending expert analysis, specially commissioned artwork and illustrative maps, this book tells the story of the bitter struggle to capture this vital point. Cherbourg was recognized by both the German and Allied High commands as crucial to the Allied foothold in Normandy – it was the nearest major port and was desperately needed by the Allies for major logistical operations to support their forces on long stretches of open beach. Hitler, on the other hand, declared Cherbourg to be a 'Festung' (fortress), a designation everyone knew to mean that its defenders were to fight to the last man. After a grueling struggle that involved several distinct tactical phases to overcome the different elements of Cherbourg's defence, the campaign resulted in a bittersweet Allied victory, the drama and significance of which are explained in full in this work.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472806659
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	03/20/2015
Series:	Campaign , #278
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	96
File size:	19 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Steven J. Zaloga received his BA in History from Union College and his MA from Columbia University. He has worked as an analyst in the aerospace industry for over two decades, covering missile systems and the international arms trade, and has served with the Institute for Defense Analyses, a federal think tank. He is the author of numerous books on military technology and military history, with an accent on the US Army in World War II as well as Russia and the former Soviet Union.

Steve Noon was born in Kent, UK, and attended art college in Cornwall. He's had a life-long passion for illustration, and since 1985 has worked as a professional artist. He has provided award-winning illustrations for the publishers Dorling Kindersley, where his interest in historical illustration began. Steve has illustrated over 30 books for Osprey.
Steven J. Zaloga received his BA in History from Union College and his MA from Columbia University. He has worked as an analyst in the aerospace industry for three decades, covering missile systems and the international arms trade, and has served with the Institute for Defense Analyses, a federal think tank. He is the author of numerous books on military technology and history, including NVG 294 Allied Tanks in Normandy 1944 and NVG 283 American Guided Missiles of World War II. He currently lives in Maryland, USA.
Steve Noon was born in Kent, UK, and attended art college in Cornwall. He's had a life-long passion for illustration, and since 1985 has worked as a professional artist. He has provided award-winning illustrations for the publishers Dorling Kindersley, where his interest in historical illustration began. Steve has illustrated over 70 books for Osprey.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The strategic situation 4

Chronology 7

Opposing Commanders 8

German commanders

American commanders

Opposing Forces 12

German forces

American forces

Opposing Plans 20

German plans

American plans

The Campaign 23

Expanding the beachhead

The battle for the gun batteries

Culling off the Cotentin

Plan Heinrich

North to Cherbourg

Choerbourg Landfront

Breaching the Cherbourg Landfront

Festung Cherbourg

The battle or Fort du Roule

Demolition of the port

Naval gun duels off Cherbourg

The fall of Festung Cherbourg

Clearing the pastern strongpoints

Clearing the Jobourg Peninsula

Opening the port of Cherbourg

Aftermath 90

The Battlefield Today 92

Further Reading 94

Index 95