PROLOGUE
1. Germany First
2. ARCADIA
3. <"We've Got to Go to Europe and Fight>"
4. The Mediterranean Tar Baby
5. Casablanca to COSSAC
6. Brits and Yanks
7. <"Some Damn Things Called LST's>"
8. SHAEF and ANCXF
9. Duck, Fox, Beaver, Tiger
10. <"O.K. We'll Go>"
11. D-Day: The Invasion
12. D-Day: The Beaches
13. D-Day: The Crisis
14. <"The Shoreline Was Just a Shambles>"
15. <"A Field of Ruins>"
EPILOGUE
Craig L. Symonds is Professor of History Emeritus at the United
States
Naval Academy. He is the author of many books on American naval
history,
including Decision at Sea: Five Naval Battles That Shaped American
History; The Battle of Midway; and Lincoln and His Admirals,
co-winner of the Lincoln Prize in 2009.
"[Symonds] has written a marvellous account of Operation Neptune.
While emphasizing the American side of the equation, he is
even-handed and covers the British side of events with sensitivity
and generosity. He is a rare American historian in his willingness
to credit the contribution of the British and essentially accepts
that it was a genuine partnership between, if not equals in the
material sense, certainly so in the moral one...Symonds provides
an
excellent account of the strategic planning, discussions and
compromises that led to the invasion of June 1944...This is a
useful history of Operation Neptune. It tells a neglected story
well and it is a story
that deserves to be known much better. Symonds book is an excellent
addition to the shelf of anyone interested in the Second World War
and I recommend it accordingly."--The Northern Mariner
"[A] fascinating, multi-layered story... Symonds has an excellent
eye for telling details and arresting quotes from the ordinary
participants." --Daily Beast
"Neptune is a sweeping account . . . Symonds is lucid and incisive.
His writing is as good as Rick Atkinson's . . . accessible, sharp
and faithful to the human foibles of the protagonists whose plans
and courage bore fruit on June 6, 1944." --ARMY
"Excellent... Symonds has produced a terrific account of the heroic
role the U.S. Navy played in making the D-Day landings a success."
--Charleston Post and Courier
"Symonds employs his extensive knowledge and skill at synthesis to
turn an oft-told story into vibrant on-the-scene history... Symonds
touches all the bases... The landing is especially well narrated.
Solid writing has the reader feeling the suspense, where the
outcome is already known." --Sea History
"[A]n impressive account... Most accounts of the D-Day invasion
start with landing craft opening their gates as courageous men rush
out into German gun fire, Symond's brilliant narrative starts years
earlier with American entry into WWII. The reader gains an
incredible appreciation for the logistical masterpiece completed by
Allied leaders and the careful, all-important buildup of the
'special relationship' between the United States and Great
Britain... a must
read for this year's important 70th Anniversary of D-Day."
--Breitbart.com
"Neptune is unquestionably a work that makes major contributions to
the field... a finely written piece of history... It is very
readable and hard to put down." --Proceedings
"In Neptune, prolific naval historian and longtime US Naval Academy
professor (now emeritus) Craig Symonds describes in fascinating
detail Allied planning and preparation for the defeat of Germany in
1944 . . . Neptune fills a lacuna in D-day literature by its
unusually thorough treatment of the naval requirements for the
successful invasion of northern Europe. And, too, his extensive use
of archival materials and relevant personal papers and
documents allows him to elucidate the naval planning, preparation,
and organization for Operation Neptune in far greater detail than
do previous works." --Michigan War Studies Review
"In this well-written, engaging volume, Craig Symonds, Professor
Emeritus at the U.S. Naval Academy, makes an original contribution
to the historiography of the Normandy landings... Symonds
masterfully mixes the big picture, operational descriptions with
colorful, illuminating firsthand accounts from the sailors....
Symonds has an especially strong feel for naval command. His
personal profiles and assessment of the key leaders such as Bertram
Ramsay, Alan
Kirk, Morton Deyo, Philip Vian, and Don Moon are arresting and
unforgettable. One suspects that his analysis of these important
personalities will substantially influence and inform
subsequent
generations of Neptune historians...Neptune is a truly original and
important contribution, one that substantially rounds out our
understanding of the Normandy invasion." --Robert C. McMannus,
Journal of Military History
"This superb volume is the first comprehensive account in a half
century of the vital naval operations that lifted the liberating
legions to France, landed them on D-Day, and supported them. Craig
Symonds ranges with easy command from often fractious strategic
planning sessions to the searing experiences of young sailors in
the crucible of fire-drenched beaches. Neptune is at once an
important scholarly contribution and a great read."
--Richard B. Frank, author of Guadalcanal and Downfall: The End of
the Imperial Japanese Empire
"Craig L. Symonds, one of America's greatest military historians,
scores a triumph with Neptune. In this masterpiece of historical
scholarship Symonds sheds new light on how FDR mobilized the U.S.
Navy for the D-Day landings of June 6, 1944. His archival work is
dazzling. Highly recommended!" --Douglas Brinkley, Professor of
History at Rice University, CBS News Historian, and author of The
Boys of Point du Hoc
"Craig Symonds brings to vivid life the Allied assault from the sea
on Normandy. He has written a clear, comprehensive, and often
thrilling account of the massive and complex invasion--a tale of
heroism and folly, genius and muddle. Neptune is an invaluable
contribution to the history and literature of D-Day." --Evan
Thomas, author of Sea of Thunder and Ike's Bluff
"The prose is distinguished by the author's ability to
simultaneously present an academic history supported by excellent
research while captivating the reader with the individual
narratives of soldiers and sailors who participated in the
operation. Symonds has crafted an enjoyable and informative read
for anyone interested in the history of WWII." --Publishers
Weekly
"Acclaimed naval historian Symonds has the teacher's patient touch
and big-picture knowledge to accessibly present the truly
incredible scope of this largely naval endeavor." --Kirkus Reviews
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