2024 the best armed forces in the world review

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THE ESSENTIAL HISTORY OF US INVOLVEMENT IN WORLD WAR II.

Exploring the friction between American and European leaders, this riveting book also delves into the aerial war over Germany, the bombing of Dresden and the final surrender of the Nazis.

Charles B. MacDonald fought in the Battle of the Bulge as a captain at just twenty-one years of age, and gained the Purple Heart and Silver Star. His sources for The Mighty Endeavor include U.S. Army records, extensive original documents and interviews with non-commissioned officers, privates and other participants including General Eisenhower and General Bradley.

The result is a comprehensive, fascinating and thought-provoking book that is essential reading for anyone with an interest in modern and military history.

The Mighty Endeavor tells the gripping story of American participation in World War II, covering dramatic episodes such as the landing in North Africa, D-Day, the liberation of Paris and the Battle of the Bulge.

PRAISE FOR THE MIGHTY ENDEAVOR:

‘A highly readable look at the struggle to liberate Europe from Nazi oppression.’ Miami Examiner

‘Mr. MacDonald’s knowledge, perception, and insight, together, with his narrative power and grace, are impressive.’ Martin Blumenson, historian

‘No other military historian of World War II has Charles MacDonald’s insight . . . The Mighty Endeavor is an objective account, impeccably accurate, eminently fair and, just as important, always readable.’ John Toland, historian and author of The Rising Sun

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This author knows what it is like to face death and can translate how soldiers in the same situation feel.’ HSJ J.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘An absorbing examination of the American involvement both before and during WW2.’ Brian F.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Written almost 40 years ago, it still reigns supreme as the best single book yet written on the overall American involvement in the ETO during World War II.’ Dinsdale

Charles B. MacDonald was a Deputy Chief Historian for the United States Army. During the war, he rose to the rank of Captain of the 23rd Infantry of the 2nd Division and was awarded the Purple Heart and the Silver Star. He also wrote A Time for Trumpets among other books. He died in 1990.

From the Publisher

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CVBGQNF1
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lume Books Biography & WW2 History, A Joffe Books Company (February 8, 2024)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 8, 2024
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2444 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 685 pages
Reviewer: Charles Kovacs
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: This is an excellent general military history of the US forces in Europe ...
Review: This is an excellent general military history of the US forces in Europe in WWII. The book was copyrighted in 1968, consequently enthusiasts and scholars of this subject are unlikely to find anything new here. However, for all others, this book is still perhaps the best for an introduction and overview of what American forces accomplished in Europe, and how they did it. As other reviewers have already noted, Charles MacDonald was one of the best, and perhaps the best American military historian, and his scholarship and literary skill are among the reasons for this. He is not at all pedantic, even while describing the many details that are essential for understanding how the US Army was composed and armed, and how command decisions were made, including the political and personal rivalries that were an important part of this history.Most of this book is at the operational level, but always in a clearly described context of what was happening at the corps, army, and army group level, as well as in the realm of "grand strategy." There are also many descriptions of small battles, down to the company level; these are exciting without being maudlin, and they serve to make readers understand, just what was happening on the ground once higher level decisions were made.At the strategic level, I thought the author was too kind to Eisenhower, and too critical of Patton, but this is just a personal opinion.Just one more point: the author's bibliographical notes at the end of book should not be neglected, they provide a good summary of the historiography of this subject.

Reviewer: Michael Lapelosa
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Excellent Book!!!!
Review: This book describes the American effort during WWII. Starting in North Africa and ending on the Elbe River the author describes the evolution of the American soldiers, sailors, and airmen as they became essential players in the destruction of Nazi Germany. Among the highlights are famous episodes such as the landing in North Africa, Kasserine Pass, Salerno and Anzio, D-Day, the liberation of Paris, the Battle of the Bulge, the crossing of the Rhine, and the race across Germany. The scope of the book is very comprehensive, including the conflicts between American and other Allied leaders over strategy, the important Battle of the Atlantic, the air war, and, of course, the monumental land campaigns. The author starts with the delicate balance involved in the build-up to war, and the decision to concentrate on victory in Europe first. The famous personalities are described, including, Marshall, Eisenhower, Patton, Mark W. Clark, Hitler, Mussolini, as well as other British and German military leaders which is informative and enlightening. Not to be neglected are the stories of individual soldiers which are sprinkled throughout the narrative. The prose is solid and the text readable, having just the right amount of detail. The book is balanced, thought provoking, very comprehensive, and provides context and perspective of these historic events.The only disappointment I have is that my Kindle edition has no maps. This detracted from my ability to follow the movements of the armies and the flow of events. Even just a few gereral maps would have been very beneficial.

Reviewer: Kindle Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A World War II. History Lesson by CNN (TME) (AAFITETIWWII)
Review: CBM. has presented a historical data trail of the fire coming start of World War II. The data is factual, but presented in such a manner that the reader may feel as if he or she is reading fiction material. COM's careful tracking from one event to another teaches a history course as good as any presented in the War Colleges of the Army and Navy. The writer is very descriptive with each phase of history as the War is planned, prepared for and fought. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS

Reviewer: Hektor
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Best Written WW2 History, If You Have Time To Read About It in Just One Book
Review: MacDonald has done the impossible. He tells a very large canvas story of the war in Europe, especially suited for young readers who may have time only to read just one book on WW2. While remaining rigorously concise, he includes every detail of the most complex land-air-sea strategy and warfighting that the reader must not miss. What stands above his meticulous accuracy and immersive narrative style is his mastery over words. He keeps the reader deeply interested in the people who prepared for and fought the most consequential and destructive war in modern history, and why they did it.

Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Very informative read
Review: I grew up listening to a generation of heroes that told of stories of D day from a uncle who steered landing craft , worked with a man who lost a heal taking out a German machine gun nest in north Africa and apprenticeship with a survivor of Battle of the Bulge. He later gave me a German artillery officers pistal mostly because he could no longer find ammo for it, 7.63 30 mauser cartridge. Most of the men were alcoholics, seeing what they saw and endured I can't fault them. If they had not won the world would awful.God Bless them all.

Reviewer: Kindle Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: America's army fights in North Africa and Europe during WW 2
Review: An excellent overview of the American army's part of the battle against fascism in the European theater of war. I would have liked to have some more information about the army's role in dealing with concentration camp survivors and displaced persons.MacDonald paints a fairly even handed portrait of the figures involved in the narrative.I would recommend this book as a readable overview for anyone interested in WW2 .

Reviewer: rickyice
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Needs more information
Review: Not as thorough as I expected. I have read a few books (and series of books) that were more informative. It's good enough for a younger reader though as a starter book on the subject.

Reviewer: Joe D. White
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Superior book to bring together all the WW II campaigns and how they overlapped each other.
Review: There are no dislikes to report. It was especially interesting to get to know the incompetent as well as the competent figures in this endeavor. I would more than recommend it to any WW II events reader. j

Reviewer: Kevin Taylor
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Good book a good history of American forces in Europe it just proves we couldn't have won the war without American aid .

Reviewer: Leith Campbell
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Outstanding. Could not believe the number of servicemen who died by 'friendly fire'.

Reviewer: Steve Waters
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Very well written and researched book - gives a great perspective on events without bias. Well worth a read.

Reviewer: Archie
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: A blunt assessment of the mismatch between America’s awesome capacity to produce the men and materials to wage war and its slow mastering of its appropriate usage in eventually defeating Germany in WW2.

Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: This man is a very good writer. Well researched and detailed.good analysis.