Over 1,400 Interviews
The late Stephen E. Ambrose used over 1,400 interviews for his history of the D-Day invasion.
This “oral history” approach brings the reader into the heart of the battle through eye-witness testimony. The tales of the front line infantryman sweeps the reader up into their personal histories.
Individual and Small Unit Stories
Told from the point of view of the soldier and small unit level, Ambrose often failed to describe larger unit actions or explained how the individual actions fit into the total picture. Canadian and British beachheads receive little coverage. Historical controversies are often given minimal coverage. These are simply good stories of many personal experiences
The book is not a textbook for lessons on strategic decision-making or to answer big-picture questions. Ambrose touches on these larger issues in a general focus, but that is not his focus.
The courage of Small Unit Leaders
This is a book about the American achievement in Normandy. The individual courage and independence of the American small unit leaders is the big story of this book.
Ambrose is right on target as he tells the story of their braveness and toughness. I originally read and reviewed the book in 1999.
