The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944 (The Liberation Trilogy)
by: Rick Atkinson
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Amazon.com Review:
Amazon Best of the Month, November 2007: Topping a Pulitzer Prize-winning effort is tough; finding originality in a World War II narrative is even tougher. Yet Rick Atkinson accomplishes both with The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944. His previous work, An Army at Dawn, won the 2003 Pulitzer in history, but Atkinson has managed to set the bar even higher with his second installment in "The Liberation Trilogy." He descends upon each battlefield with rich historical perspective, tactical analysis, and chilling frontline observations. Cocksure Hollywood bravado is sparse, as Atkinson depicts soldiers fighting for honor, not glory. "We did it because we could not bear the shame of being less than the man beside us," explains one soldier's diary. "We fought because he fought; we died because he died." The result is an incredible portrayal of the courage, sorrow, and determination that came to define our greatest generation.--Dave Callanan
Product Description:
Amazon Best of the Month, November 2007: Topping a Pulitzer Prize-winning effort is tough; finding originality in a World War II narrative is even tougher. Yet Rick Atkinson accomplishes both with The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944. His previous work, An Army at Dawn, won the 2003 Pulitzer in history, but Atkinson has managed to set the bar even higher with his second installment in "The Liberation Trilogy." He descends upon each battlefield with rich historical perspective, tactical analysis, and chilling frontline observations. Cocksure Hollywood bravado is sparse, as Atkinson depicts soldiers fighting for honor, not glory. "We did it because we could not bear the shame of being less than the man beside us," explains one soldier's diary. "We fought because he fought; we died because he died." The result is an incredible portrayal of the courage, sorrow, and determination that came to define our greatest generation.--Dave Callanan
Product Description:
In the second volume of his epic trilogy about the liberation of Europe in World War II, Pulitzer Prize winner Rick Atkinson tells the harrowing story of the campaigns in Sicily and Italy In An Army at Dawn—winner of the Pulitzer Prize—Rick Atkinson provided a dramatic and authoritative history of the Allied triumph in North Africa. Now, in The Day of Battle, he follows the strengthening American and British armies as they invade Sicily in July 1943 and then, mile by bloody mile, fight their way north toward Rome.
The Italian campaign’s outcome was never certain; in fact, Roosevelt, Churchill, and their military advisers engaged in heated debate about whether an invasion of the so-called soft underbelly of Europe was even a good idea. But once under way, the commitment to liberate Italy from the Nazis never wavered, despite the agonizingly high price. The battles at Salerno, Anzio, and Monte Cassino were particularly difficult and lethal, yet as the months passed, the Allied forces continued to drive the Germans up the Italian peninsula. Led by Lieutenant General Mark Clark, one of the war’s most complex and controversial commanders, American officers and soldiers became increasingly determined and proficient. And with the liberation of Rome in June 1944, ultimate victory at last began to seem inevitable.
Drawing on a wide array of primary source material, written with great drama and flair, this is narrative history of the first rank. With The Day of Battle, Atkinson has once again given us the definitive account of one of history’s most compelling military campaigns.
The Italian campaign’s outcome was never certain; in fact, Roosevelt, Churchill, and their military advisers engaged in heated debate about whether an invasion of the so-called soft underbelly of Europe was even a good idea. But once under way, the commitment to liberate Italy from the Nazis never wavered, despite the agonizingly high price. The battles at Salerno, Anzio, and Monte Cassino were particularly difficult and lethal, yet as the months passed, the Allied forces continued to drive the Germans up the Italian peninsula. Led by Lieutenant General Mark Clark, one of the war’s most complex and controversial commanders, American officers and soldiers became increasingly determined and proficient. And with the liberation of Rome in June 1944, ultimate victory at last began to seem inevitable.
Drawing on a wide array of primary source material, written with great drama and flair, this is narrative history of the first rank. With The Day of Battle, Atkinson has once again given us the definitive account of one of history’s most compelling military campaigns.
Alternate Versions:
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- One of the Best Books I've Read
I have read 25-30 WWII history books and this ranks among the best.There is too little written about the Italian campaign and this book helps to fill a gap.I love the way Atkinson tells the tale in this book and his book the first book in the trilogy, An Army at Dawn.He does a fine job of covering the sequence of events and helping readers to see the significance of these events.One thing that makes his books very readable, for me is the way we weaves the stories, conversations and information ... Read More
Rating: 
- The endless struggle
'The Day of Battle' is the second book in Rick Atkinson's Liberation Trilogy. This book chronicles the invasion of Italy. We see the army that invaded North Africa preparing for their next mission. The first step is the taking of Sicily. After Sicily the army moves to the mainland at Salerno and northward.
I found this book as fascinating as Atkinson's first book in the series. We see an army that struggle terribly in North Africa, amek some fo the same mistakes in Italy, but were at times ... Read More
Rating: - The Best on the Italian Campaign Yet
I have been an avid reader of WWII books for many years. Good ones are getting harder to come by. The Italian Campaign has all too often been presented in a confusing and tedious manner. Not so with this book. I learned much about this campaign that I did not previously know and it was very well presented. Quite a readable book.
Rating: - Almost Overwhelming in Detail
When I finished reading Rick Atkinson's "The Day of Battle," I knew more about the World War II liberation of Italy than I ever thought I would need to know.Atkinson is a prize-winning author and deservedly so, but his research into and coverage of both the large plans and the everyday minutiae of battle for nearly six hundred pages can be overwhelming.
The book's subtitle is The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944, and Atkinson doesn't miss a minute of it.The reader feels like an imbedded ... Read More
Rating: - Great book
Often the War in Italy is overlooked when talking about WWII.I loved this book and I was able to learn a great deal about the campaign.Atkinson has a remarkable ability to paint pictures with his words, something that is rare in modern works.He did a fantastic job and I would recommend to anyone.
- One of the Best Books I've ReadI have read 25-30 WWII history books and this ranks among the best.There is too little written about the Italian campaign and this book helps to fill a gap.I love the way Atkinson tells the tale in this book and his book the first book in the trilogy, An Army at Dawn.He does a fine job of covering the sequence of events and helping readers to see the significance of these events.One thing that makes his books very readable, for me is the way we weaves the stories, conversations and information ... Read More
- The endless struggle'The Day of Battle' is the second book in Rick Atkinson's Liberation Trilogy. This book chronicles the invasion of Italy. We see the army that invaded North Africa preparing for their next mission. The first step is the taking of Sicily. After Sicily the army moves to the mainland at Salerno and northward.
I found this book as fascinating as Atkinson's first book in the series. We see an army that struggle terribly in North Africa, amek some fo the same mistakes in Italy, but were at times ... Read More
- The Best on the Italian Campaign YetI have been an avid reader of WWII books for many years. Good ones are getting harder to come by. The Italian Campaign has all too often been presented in a confusing and tedious manner. Not so with this book. I learned much about this campaign that I did not previously know and it was very well presented. Quite a readable book.
- Almost Overwhelming in DetailWhen I finished reading Rick Atkinson's "The Day of Battle," I knew more about the World War II liberation of Italy than I ever thought I would need to know.Atkinson is a prize-winning author and deservedly so, but his research into and coverage of both the large plans and the everyday minutiae of battle for nearly six hundred pages can be overwhelming.
The book's subtitle is The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944, and Atkinson doesn't miss a minute of it.The reader feels like an imbedded ... Read More
- Great bookOften the War in Italy is overlooked when talking about WWII.I loved this book and I was able to learn a great deal about the campaign.Atkinson has a remarkable ability to paint pictures with his words, something that is rare in modern works.He did a fantastic job and I would recommend to anyone.
