Rating: 
Summary: Synthesis of other Ambrose books
Review: As mentioned by almost every other review, this book is a synthesis of Ambrose's earlier works about WWII. Overall, it makes for a fine read, but the material will be redundant if you have already finished his other books. Having said that, this book would serve as a good intro to the writing style that Ambrose typically uses in his WWII books. He likes to focus on the people who actually fought the war. From the generals to the privates, he tries to cover all angles in order to tell the best story. And Ambrose is one of the better story tellers around these days. Unfortunately, he sometimes forgets to mention where he gets his stories from, as evidenced by the recent controversy. For those not very familiar with the ETO, this book could serve as a good primer of this theatre, mostly from the American and British perspective. Otherwise, I don't recommend it for anyone familiar with Ambrose's other books, or who is a serious student of WWII because there is not much new here. Lastly, if you decide to buy this book, don't pay full price for this book. It is in every used book store that I have visited recently, usually for a low price.
Rating: 
Summary: This book offers a little of everything...
Review: I was in awe while reading about the responsibilities of the NCO's and Junior Officers in D-Day and for that matter in the rest of the war. The book concentrates more on the typical GI of WWII rather then the higher commissioned officers, however there are some good stories of Patton, Bradley, Eisenhower, and Monty. Reading this book has made me take on other Ambrose novels such as D-Day, and Citizen Soldiers. There was never a lull in the book, always taught me something I didn't know before. Like all Ambrose novels, this is a must read, especially if you want a generalization of the war in Europe.
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