Overview

Among the most famous battles that American forces fought in World War II, the Battle of the Bulge helped define the U.S. soldier in the Good War. The sheer scale of destruction--with almost as many American soldiers killed during the battles 39 days as in all 80 days of the D-day and the ensuing Normandy campaign--continues to occupy military historians and veterans with endless speculation about what happened and what might have. This photographic history recreates the triumph of American arms against the vaunted Nazi war machine's desperate all in attack--a victory that significantly shortened World War II in Europe and saved most of Western Europe from the Soviets. In harrowing images, the book revisits the only destruction of an American division in Europe in World War II--the 106th Infantry Division, which suffered almost all of its casualties in the first three days of the battle. It shows the air forces, armored forces, and infantry on both sides thrown into the Bulgenearly a million men in a meat grinder of terrible ferocity. Included is the most famous atrocity committed against Americans in Europe during the war: the Malmedy Massacre in a grim photographic record. Battle of the Bulge is a brilliant pictorial account of one of the greatest battles of all time, this book is a lasting tribute and testament to American might in the fight against tyranny.

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9780760335680

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Army Magazine Military historian and author John R. Bruning wanted to tell the story of this battle 'through the photographs taken by brave and dedicated combat cameramen, ' and he does so in The Battle of the Bulge. The text is accompanied by more than 400 photographs, some never before published. The majority of them are black and white, with a few color photographs interspersed. They portray not only American troops, but Germans as well, with snowy forest expanses and decimated urban ruins serving as backdrops. Some photos were taken in the heat of battle; others in the sad aftermath....Along with the photographs, Bruning provides a detailed account of the battle, beginning with background discussion of the race to the Seigfried Line and analysis of Hitler's plan. He then gives a detailed play-by-play of the action--the moves and countermoves on various sections of the battlefield....The images in The Battle of the Bulge convey with stark honesty the brutality of war, along with the fraternity and solidarity it inspires. Sixty-five years after the largest land battle in U.S. Army history, those American soldiers who 'played a vital role in defeating the Third Reich's last offensive and turned it into a death spasm instead of a victory march' still stand as the 'ultimate symbol of who Americans are as a nation and a people.' The Free Lance-Star The body of work dealing with the 1944-45 Battle of the Bulge is extensive, yet in his photographic history, John R. Bruning adds to it by providing further understanding of its importance and, more impressively, what participants went through. The 300-page book is made up of several hundred photographs, many of which have never been published. These photos draw you into the world of the soldiers. Frigid conditions, exhaustion, victory, defeat and death are all conveyed through the lenses of combat photographers from both sides of the battle....In addition to being an excellent addition to any military hi

Army Magazine Military historian and author John R. Bruning wanted to tell the story of this battle 'through the photographs taken by brave and dedicated combat cameramen, ' and he does so in The Battle of the Bulge. The text is accompanied by more than 400 photographs, some never before published. The majority of them are black and white, with a few color photographs interspersed. They portray not only American troops, but Germans as well, with snowy forest expanses and decimated urban ruins serving as backdrops. Some photos were taken in the heat of battle; others in the sad aftermath....Along with the photographs, Bruning provides a detailed account of the battle, beginning with background discussion of the race to the Seigfried Line and analysis of Hitler's plan. He then gives a detailed play-by-play of the action--the moves and countermoves on various sections of the battlefield....The images in The Battle of the Bulge convey with stark honesty the brutality of war, along with the fraternity and solidarity it inspires. Sixty-five years after the largest land battle in U.S. Army history, those American soldiers who 'played a vital role in defeating the Third Reich's last offensive and turned it into a death spasm instead of a victory march' still stand as the 'ultimate symbol of who Americans are as a nation and a people.' The Free Lance-Star The body of work dealing with the 1944-45 Battle of the Bulge is extensive, yet in his photographic history, John R. Bruning adds to it by providing further understanding of its importance and, more impressively, what participants went through. The 300-page book is made up of several hundred photographs, many of which have never been published. These photos draw you into the world of the soldiers. Frigid conditions, exhaustion, victory, defeat and death are all conveyed through the lenses of combat photographers from both sides of the battle....In addition to being an excellent addition to any military history buff's collection, this book will serve as a reminder of the overwhelming hardships faced by American soldiers one cold and dangerous winter 65 years ago.

Army Magazine<br> Military historian and author John R. Bruning wanted to tell the story of this battle 'through the photographs taken by brave and dedicated combat cameramen, ' and he does so in The Battle of the Bulge. The text is accompanied by more than 400 photographs, some never before published. The majority of them are black and white, with a few color photographs interspersed. They portray not only American troops, but Germans as well, with snowy forest expanses and decimated urban ruins serving as backdrops. Some photos were taken in the heat of battle; others in the sad aftermath....Along with the photographs, Bruning provides a detailed account of the battle, beginning with background discussion of the race to the Seigfried Line and analysis of Hitler's plan. He then gives a detailed play-by-play of the action--the moves and countermoves on various sections of the battlefield....The images in The Battle of the Bulge convey with stark honesty the brutality of war, along with the fraternity and solidarity it inspires. Sixty-five years after the largest land battle in U.S. Army history, those American soldiers who 'played a vital role in defeating the Third Reich's last offensive and turned it into a death spasm instead of a victory march' still stand as the 'ultimate symbol of who Americans are as a nation and a people.' <p> The Free Lance-Star<br> The body of work dealing with the 1944-45 Battle of the Bulge is extensive, yet in his photographic history, John R. Bruning adds to it by providing further understanding of its importance and, more impressively, what participants went through. The 300-page book is made up of several hundred photographs, many of which have never been published. These photos draw you into the world of the soldiers. Frigid conditions, exhaustion, victory, defeat and death are all conveyed through the lenses of combat photographers from both sides of the battle....In addition to being an excellent addition to any military hi

Author Information

John R. Bruning has been a professional military historian and writer since 1990. He is the author of Crimson Sky: The Air Battle for Korea, Jungle Ace, Elusive Glory, Ship Strike Pacific, Luck of the Draw, and The Devils Sandbox: With the 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry at War in Iraq. He served as an embedded civilian historian with the 2/162 during Operation Southern Comfort, the postHurricane Katrina relief operation in New Orleans. Bruning also has numerous articles, documentaries, multimedia CD-ROM programs, flight simulators, and museum displays to his credit. He lives in Independence, Oregon.

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