Summary

The Day of Battle

the War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944
notTom
This is the second volume of the Liberation Trilogy (begun in An Army at Dawn, The War in North Africa 1942-1943). It is a comprehensive work of the entire Allied effort to invade Nazi-controlled Europe through its "soft underbelly"(as Winston Churchill put it). From the secret memos sent from Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill to the "just-in-case" letters written by soldiers the night before a battle, Rick Atkinson relates this epic story with utter compassion and meticulous care. While a bit technical at times, he pieces the different components of this far-reaching campaign together in a flawless manner. The heartbreaking tragedies and needless casualties caused by ignorance and the supreme victory gained through hard-nosed determination and bravery gain equal attention in this book. Atkinson uses these counterpoints to illustrate the simple humanity of the people involved in this event that changed world history.