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Rating: 
Summary: Very informative
Review: Mr Copp's book is a must for any serious student on Normandy, and the Canadian contribution. While it helps to have an understanding of the Commonwealth campaign in Normandy, it is not required. I enjoyed Mr. Copp's unique "Canadian" look at much facts and criticisms leveled at the Canadian Forces. I feel that Mr. Copp brilliantly dispelled many of the facts that have seen as truths of the campaign. A great read for a student of Normandy, Canada, and the War.
Rating: 
Summary: Ranks with Keegan, surpasses D'Este
Review: The much vaunted and overly glamorized 12th SS were systematically destroyed in the fields of Normandy in three short months. And who did it? Primarly, a bunch of civilians from Canada - clerks and farmers, mailmen and college students, athletes and fathers. I know what you're thinking, surely that's because they had all that artillery and air power, sheer mass against those few brave tactical geniuses Liddell Hart admired so much. True, the western allies did have advantages, most obvious in the air (but tactical air power was hardly a deciding factor on the battlefield,) but they were the ones storming across open fields into well entrenched positions manned with automatic weapons, mortars, assault guns and heavy tanks including the Tiger. If you think Wittmann was brave charging into Villers Bocage in a 57 ton behemoth, how much braver did you have to be in a Sherman without the armor protection or deadly 88mm? If you're interested in having your eyes opened to what the fighting in Normandy was really like, read this book. No, the Canadians weren't supermen, but they weren't inept either. They, like their German counterparts, fought long and hard against difficult odds. This book goes a long way to provide some much needed balance to the story of Normandy. The 3rd Canadian Infantry Division came ashore on the 6th of June and did themselves, their country and the cause of freedom proud. Don't believe me? Read the book. Terry Copp is among the finest military historians writing today. Check out his sources, no Stephen Ambrose here, this guy does real research.
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