Breakout From Juno: First Canadian Army and the Normandy Campaign, July 4-August 21, 1944 (Canadian Battle)

The ninth book in the Canadian Battle Series, Breakout from Juno , is the first dramatic chronicling of Canada's pivotal role throughout the entire Normandy Campaign following the D-Day landings. On July 4, 1944, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division won the village of Carpiquet but not the adjacent airfield. Instead of a speedy victory, the men faced a bloody fight. The Canadians advanced relentlessly at a great cost in bloodshed. Within 2 weeks the 2nd Infantry and 4th Armoured divisions joined coming together as the First Canadian Army. The soldiers fought within a narrow landscape extending a mere 21 miles from Caen to Falaise. They won a two-day battle for Verrières Ridge starting on July 21, after 1,500 casualties. More bloody battles followed, until finally, on August 21, the narrowing gap that had been developing at Falaise closed when American and Canadian troops shook hands. The German army in Normandy had been destroyed, only 18,000 of about 400,000 men escaping. The Allies suffered 206,000 casualties, of which 18,444 were Canadians. Breakout from Juno is a story of uncommon heroism, endurance and sacrifice by Canada's World War II volunteer army and pays tribute to Canada's veterans. "The first dramatic chronicling of Canada's pivotal role throughout the entire Normandy Campaign following the D-Day landings. On July 4, 1944, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division won the village of Carpiquet but not the adjacent airfield. Instead of a speedy victory, the men faced a bloody fight. The Canadians advanced relentlessly against Hitler's finest armoured divisions, at a great cost in bloodshed. Initially, only the 3rd Division was involved. But in a couple of weeks two other Canadian divisions--2nd Infantry and 4th Armoured--along with a Polish division and several British divisions came together as First Canadian Army. While their generals wrangled and planned, the soldiers fought within a narrow landscape extending a mere 21 miles from Caen to Falaise. The Canadians won a two-day battle for Verrières Ridge starting on July 21, costing them 1,500 casualties. More bloody battles followed, until finally, on August 21, the narrowing gap that had been developing at Falaise closed when American and Canadian troops shook hands. The German army in Normandy had been destroyed, only 18,000 of about 400,000 men escaping. The Allies suffered 206,000 casualties, of which 18,444 were Canadians. Breakout from Juno is a story of uncommon heroism, endurance and sacrifice by Canada's World War 2 volunteer army. This ninth volume in the Canadian Battle Series pays tribute to Canada's veterans at a time when many Canadians, young and old, are actively engaged in acts of remembrance."--Publisher's website The ninth book in the Canadian Battle Series, __Breakout from Juno__, is the first dramatic chronicling of Canada's pivotal role throughout the entire Normandy Campaign following the D-Day landings. On July 4, 1944, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division won the village of Carpiquet but not the adjacent airfield. Instead of a speedy victory, the men faced a bloody fight. The Canadians advanced relentlessly at a great cost in bloodshed. Within 2 weeks the 2nd Infantry and 4th Armoured divisions joined coming together as the First Canadian Army. The soldiers fought within a narrow landscape extending a mere 21 miles from Caen to Falaise. They won a two-day battle for Verrières Ridge starting on July 21, after 1,500 casualties. More bloody battles followed, until finally, on August 21, the narrowing gap that had been developing at Falaise closed when American and Canadian troops shook hands. The German army in Normandy had been destroyed, only 18,000 of about 400,000 men escaping. The Allies suffered 206,000 casualties, of which 18,444 were Canadians. __Breakout from Juno__ is a story of uncommon heroism, endurance and sacrifice by Canada's World War II volunteer army and pays tribute to Canada's veterans. Introduction: A Formidable Array -- Little Short Of Hell -- A Murderous Beating -- Hopeless Situation -- Day Of Revenge -- A Terrible Dream -- Most Successful Operation -- Little Excuse For It -- Offensive Spirit -- Expensive Victories -- Greenhorners -- We Need Help -- Not A Pleasant Picture -- Desperate Move In The Dark -- Violence Of Battle -- A Stone Wall -- Simple Plans -- Sheer Slaughter -- Jaws Dropped -- The Fullest Success -- Many Anxious Moments -- That'll Be A Tough One -- Come What May -- What A Stupid Place -- Without A Hitch -- The Mad Charge -- A Molten Fire Bath -- Guns Chattering -- A Little Wild -- A Hellhole -- Epilogue: The Normandy Campaign In Memory -- Appendix A: Principal Commanders In The Normandy Campaign -- Appendix B: The Canadian Army In The Normandy Campaign (combat Units Only) -- Appendix C: Canadian Infantry Battalion (typical Organization) -- Appendix D: Canadian Army, German Army, And Waffen-ss Order Of Ranks (lowest To Highest) -- Appendix E: Army Decorations. Mark Zuehlke. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 478-489) And Indexes. With its trademark "you are there" style, Mark Zuehlke's ninth book in the Canadian Battle Series chronicles the First Canadian Army's bitter and costly combat debut in World War II - the breakout from Normandy's beaches to the closure of the Falaise Gap. On July 4, 1944 - after a month-long stalemate - 3rd Canadian Infantry Division attacked the village of Carpiquet and adjacent airfield. In a fierce battle against the fanatical 12th SS (Hitler Youth) Panzer Division, the Canadians won the village but not the airfield. A speedy victory had been anticipated. Instead, they faced a bloody fight to win a very small piece of real estate - a precursor of what lay ahead in the ensuing weeks. Hitler had ordered the beachhead contained at all costs, arraying his finest armoured divisions so that they squared off against the Canadian divisions in one battle after another. The Canadians advanced relentlessly, but at a great cost in bloodshed. Initially, only 3rd Division - which had... HIS027160,HIS07100