Fallschirmjager vs US Soldier

<p><b>Written by an authority on the Normandy battle, this book examines the battles between German airborne troops and US Army forces in July 1944.</b><br><br>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.<br><br>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).</p>