The battle of the Falaise Pocket, in August 1944, was the turning point in the Normandy campaign. By early August the German Army was in turmoil: while it was managing to hold back the Allies, the defense involved resources that could not be replaced, and the Allies ruled the skies above. In late July, American troops broke through the American lines and pushed south and east, while British and Canadian troops pushed south. Although unable to counter these offensives, Hitler refused to permit the commander Army Group B, Field Marshal von Kluge, to withdraw. Instead he was ordered to launch a counteroffensive at Mortain, the result being that the Germans ended up further into the Allied envelopment. On 8 August Montgomery ordered that the Allied armies converge on the Falaise area-by 21 August the Allies had linked up and sealed the pocket, trapping around 50,000 Germans inside. While many soldiers did eventually escape the encirclement, the losses were catastrophic and by the end of the month Army Group B had retreated across the Seine, ending the battle of Normandy. This illustrated account examines the battle from the failed offensive at Mortain, looking at both German and Allied perspectives, using maps, diagrams and profiles to complete the story.

About the Author
Yves Buffetaut is a French historian, owner of Ysec Editions and Editor of two military magazines, Tranchees, about WW1 and Batailles, on WW2. He has written more than 100 books on both

Reviews
This is a superb series, primarily for the photos...' * Miniature Wargames 11/07/2019 *
A great read, a great resource, recommended. * Scale Military Modelling International Magazine 29/04/2019 *
This glossy, illustrated title features all the leaders, profiles the tanks and vehicles, and mixes the history with copious photos from the area. It's a handy guide to the end of the Normandy Campaign. * The Armourer 03/06/2019 *



Book Information
ISBN 9781612007274
Author Yves Buffetaut
Format Paperback
Page Count 128
Imprint Casemate Publishers
Publisher Casemate Publishers