Fallschirmjäger vs US Soldier

Written by an authority on the Normandy battle, this book examines the battles between German airborne troops and US Army forces in July 1944. For six weeks in the summer of 1944, US forces tasked with capturing the vital road hub of Saint-Lô in Normandy struggled to make progress amid the bocage – hedgerow country interspersed with marshland, where infantry would have to do most of the fighting. The Germans deployed some of their toughest infantrymen, the renowned Fallschirmjäger – highly motivated, well-equipped Luftwaffe volunteers formed around cadres of veterans – to defend this sector. Despite the American superiority in terms of armour, aircraft and materiel, the US infantrymen would need to evict the Germans in an exhausting series of close-quarter battles. Featuring expert analysis, carefully chosen photographs and newly commissioned artwork, this book compares the combatants’ ethos, doctrine and training and assesses their performance during three key engagements: the German raid on Mont Castre (July 6/7); the brutal struggle for Hill 192 (July 11–13); and the climactic battles for Saint-Lô (July 11–21).