by Rick Atkinson
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Product Description
In the second volume of his epic trilogy about the liberation of Europe in World War II, Pulitzer Prize winner Rick Atkinson tells the harrowing story of the campaigns in Sicily and Italy In An Army at Dawn—winner of the Pulitzer Prize—Rick Atkinson provided a dramatic and authoritative history of the Allied triumph in North Africa. Now, in The Day of Battle, he follows the strengthening American and British armies as they invade Sicily in July 1943 and then, mile by bloody mile, fight their way north toward Rome.
The Italian campaign’s outcome was never certain; in fact, Roosevelt, Churchill, and their military advisers engaged in heated debate about whether an invasion of the so-called soft underbelly of Europe was even a good idea. But once under way, the commitment to liberate Italy from the Nazis never wavered, despite the agonizingly high price. The battles at Salerno, Anzio, and Monte Cassino were particularly difficult and lethal, yet as the months passed, the Allied forces continued to drive the Germans up the Italian peninsula. Led by Lieutenant General Mark Clark, one of the war’s most complex and controversial commanders, American officers and soldiers became increasingly determined and proficient. And with the liberation of Rome in June 1944, ultimate victory at last began to seem inevitable.
Drawing on a wide array of primary source material, written with great drama and flair, this is narrative history of the first rank. With The Day of Battle, Atkinson has once again given us the definitive account of one of history’s most compelling military campaigns.
Amazon.com Review
Amazon Best of the Month, November 2007: Topping a Pulitzer Prize-winning effort is tough; finding originality in a World War II narrative is even tougher. Yet Rick Atkinson accomplishes both with The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944. His previous work, An Army at Dawn, won the 2003 Pulitzer in history, but Atkinson has managed to set the bar even higher with his second installment in "The Liberation Trilogy." He descends upon each battlefield with rich historical perspective, tactical analysis, and chilling frontline observations. Cocksure Hollywood bravado is sparse, as Atkinson depicts soldiers fighting for honor, not glory. "We did it because we could not bear the shame of being less than the man beside us," explains one soldier's diary. "We fought because he fought; we died because he died." The result is an incredible portrayal of the courage, sorrow, and determination that came to define our greatest generation. --Dave Callanan
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Average Customer Review:
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
 The Lady Be Good, 2008-09-17
A lot of information about the end of World War II in Italy &
the fight to get as many of the guys out of the dessert.If you know anything about the " Lady Be Good " you will enjoy this book.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 Spoiled by An Army at Dawn, 2008-09-09
Having read Rick Atkison's An Army At Dawn first, I was spoiled by his immensely readable style, coupled with his first class research and the compelling nature of the North African campaign. In a sense, the Day of Battle bogs down just as the Italian campaign did and I found pushing through pages 200 to about 350 very slow going. A relatively minor quibble, though, as Atkinson provides enlightening details of this often ignored corner of WWII. Anxious to see the last installment of the trilogy, to be entitled "Victory at Dusk??"
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Engrossing History, 2008-07-28
Though very interesting, the writing itself lacks the immediacy of "An Army At Dawn." It does, however, whet the appetite for the third volume of the trilogy.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Another forgotten corner of the war , 2008-07-28
This is the first book I have read by the author Rick Atkinson it will not be the last. A very compressive look at the Italian campaign of World War Two a bloody mindless war of grueling conflict; that if you are unfamiliar with the Italian campaign reads more like an account of the Vietnam War. From the Rapido to Monte Cassino you will not be able to put the book down.
A masterful job the author is clear in his denunciation of the Nazi hierarchy but goes far to show that the individual solider on the American or German side had little influence or choice in overall policy. This does not forgive or erase various atrocities committed but it does make the people committing them seem more human.
My favorite part of the book was defiantly the brief description of the exploits of Wojtek a bear from Iran embedded with a Polish unit whose job it was to hurl artillery shells.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Great Job, 2008-06-07
Another wow from Rick Atkinson. Loved this book as much as an Army at Dawn. Can hardly wait for #3 in the liberation trilogy.
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