The Steel Wave: A Novel of World War II

Excellent book which continues the story of WW II in Africa/Europe from the first book of the series - The Rising Tide which was also excellent and an interesting/enjoyable read. I truly enjoyed reading about WW II in Africa/Europe being a Marine officer who is looking forward to the Pacific side of the war where us Marines excelled in the island battles against the Japanese. The author weaves a very interest account of the battles in Sicily, Italy and France forward from both an infantryman's view and that of the leaders. The personalities, courage and fighting elements and enemy is very well displayed. Also, the details of preparing for and going into Normandy is excellent and makes one feel they are part of it. It shows the fear, courage and fighting of the American soldier. I was both amazed and thankful for the details as told in the story. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in American war history.

What I found amazing about this book was how simply enjoyable it was to read - yet - it pass on a ton of information, information that I didn't know even though I am well versed in the history of WW2. I was stunned how again and again and again friendly fire killed our own people and those responsible would rather turn to back-biting than admit fault, how screw-ups of maps and/or incorrect intelligence again killed thousands of our own and how most the landings (the invasions) were seriously in doubt and only by perseverance, luck and mistakes by the enemy (and Hitler's horrible command and control) did we succeed. The author was able to paint this picture so the reader could feel the doubt, worry and grief when tragedy struck. Yes, an enjoyable read yet very informative even for amateur historians. Excellent!

This book is over 500 pages. Eisenhower is now supreme commander of Allied Forces in Europe. Italy (the soft under belly of Europe), is being brutally defended by the Germans. There is virtually no progress so it is pushed aside as the path to Berlin. The American forces there under Mark Clark call it “a tough old gut.”Eisenhower conceives of Operation Overlord (D Day). This is masterful story of deception and execution. The Germans believe that the invasion will take place at Calais and keep the bulk of their Panzer amour there. The coastal defense is in the hands of Germany’s most talented general, Erwin Rommel. Rommel, however, is continually frustrated by the meddling of Hitler and his general staff. Germany is beginning to be overrun on its eastern front. It pulls more and more of its resources to that theater leaving Rommel little to work with. Rommel is also out of favor with the general staff because he tells them the truth (not what they want to hear). So to punish him they starve his supplies.The story of this invasion is nightmarish. Degual refuses to cooperate unless he is made supreme commander. The weather is disastrous. Tactically almost everything goes wrong from the panic drop of airborne troops into swamps and lakes to major equipment failure to the slaughter on Omaha Beach to the outright recalcitrance of Montgomery to follow command, one comes to see how close the Allies were to being thrown back into the Atlantic.

Jeff Shaara writes his books with a clear ability to put the reader at the site, so we can almost feel the horror of war, the look of the countryside, and the frustration when thing do not go well. The personal tragedies are visible, but not unduly gory. He looks at the war from the point of view of many different people, including fictional accounts about Eisenhower, Rommel, Montgomery, Patton, and other people we have all learned about, so we really understand the internal and external interaction, and difficulties, experienced by both sides. The invasion of the Normandy beaches was well-covered when I was a child. I know several people who were there. This book makes their experience real.

Outstanding book which i have recommended to all my friends and family. Great story which we are well familiar with but told in such a bold, wonderful way that you don't mind re-learning some of the historical facts. The historical facts are accurate, the dialogue is excellent and believable. I can't say enough good things about this book but suffice it to say, i am in the process of reading all his other books relating to WW11 I may even hit a couple of the Civil War books he has written although that war is not as interesting to me as. WW11. In sum, a great, interesting, well written, exciting book which I HIGHLY recommend. i wold give it six stars if i could.

I recently had the opportunity to tour the D-Day beaches in Normandy, Our tour also included the museums at Pointe du Hoc, the Peace Museum in Caen, and at Arromanches (Mulberry B); as well as a visit to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. Mr Shaara's novel so closely paralleled the narrative provided by our tour guide that it was like an audio book! I am a retired Army officer who has studied Operation Overlord and I was amazed at many of the facts that were included in the book. I have read several of his books, including the first novel in this trilogy, but this has to be my favorite - so far. He and his father are/were great writers and I very much appreciate their work.

I am a big fan of the father and son team of Michael and Jeff Shaara's historical novels. My first was Michael's "the Killer Angels" about the Battle of Gettysburg. Jeff shares his late father's writing style; pulling you into action through the eyes of characters both historically significant and obscure.The only shortcoming I can think of is that some of the characters introduced near the beginning of the book such as the British commando and the German Machine gunner simply "disappeared" and their stories were left at "loose ends." However, I guess in the context of modern warfare, the "disappearance" of individuals is, of course, not unheard of. It would have been nice though to see some narrative of the Machine gunners actions as the allies stormed ashore on the beaches of Normandy.Well worth the time if you love history.

Never forget, when reading books about history in general and the World Wars in particular, that we know how they turn out! We forget that the people living, in this case, World War Two, had no idea if and when the war would end and how it would turn out. it is easy for us to look back and be critical of individuals and actions.Jeff Shaara has done another excellent job of bringing history to life, getting inside some of history's greatest persons and giving the reader an inkling of their problems. Naturally, The Steel Wave is heavily biased towards the American effort and gives the impression that we were just waiting to be told what to do by Eisenhower and his officers. Montgomery is portayed as a procrastinating dodderer for not keeping pace with the American advance, though I do understand that the British and Canadian forces met a stronger force of the German army in the northern sector. Leigh-Mallory fares badly, too, blamed for bombing American troops on at least two occasions.The book is a good, easy read and the characters grow well. The author is respected for his research and I have read all his US Civil War books with enjoyment and have another three volumes waiting to be read. However, if you believe that Great Britain played any part in the battles after Normandy, you need to read a different book.

An excellent novel and a darn good read. If you are British however, it is somewhat insulting. Those eternal latecomers, the Yanks - in true 'Private Ryan' or Errol Flynn style - win through again by being 'thrusting' whilst the Brits are 'careful'. It's a Patton versus Montgomery (Sicily race for Messina or Mark Clark's idiotic useless 'liberation' of Rome) battle again & one wonders how they ever had time between scoring off each other to fight the Hun. Ike comes across as the great mediator with Tedder as his only reliable Brit. Our former Colonials seem to forget that Britain stood alone for three years when all of Europe was surrendering & 'collaborating' & experience breeds not only fortitude but steadfastness & yes - a certain amount of caution & reluctance to mirror the bloodbaths of WWI battles. Roosevelt alone helped Britain with lease-lend whilst middle (& much of it German sympathetic) America dawdled as in WW1.Buy the book & the superb American Civil War books by the same author but don't be blind to the prejudice naturally born of the author's nationality.Let's not forget it was US gen Bradley who halted Patton's masterful advance at Falaise in meeting up with Monty's forces to seal the gap. Also Monty had far more difficult terrain to deal with.

I got all 3 of this series and I could NOT get rid of then quick enough.

A solid recount of the planning, launch and repercussions of the D-Day landings in 1944. The fiction is minimal and the research is significant. Quite readable but definitely not a novel.

Mr Shaara does a great job,believable characters etc.