The First Wave: The D-Day Warriors Who Led the Way to Victory in World War II

On the early morning of June 6, 1944, thousands of ships of all types dotted the English Channel as far as the eye could see. Hundreds of landing craft plowed through white-capped waves along 60 miles of French beaches to land their cargo of men and materiel to begin the liberation of Nazi-held Europe. Hours earlier, several divisions of British and American paratroopers dropped from the inky darkness to begin the task of securing bridges and crossroads to hinder German responses and pave the way for the main landing forces heading toward the fortified beaches. Historian Kershaw (Avenue of Spies), basing his work on more than 20 years of extensive interviews and other firsthand accounts from D-Day veterans, deftly weaves these stories to put readers in the midst of the battle. The author captures all the mixed feelings of that day: fear, anticipation, excitement, and the selfless acts of courage and heroism encountered in every corner of the battlefield, here focusing on individual soldiers and their stories.