Nothing Less Than Full Victory: Americans at War in Europe, 1944-1945 (Ausa)

At the onset of World War II, the U.S. Army was a third-rate ground force of 145,000 with some generals who still believed in the relevance of horse cavalry. Its soldiers were untrained, its doctrine out of date, and its weapons hopelessly obsolete. Four years later, the U.S. Army was engaged in a global war with a force of more than 8 million men armed with modern weapons and equipment. Nothing Less than Full Victory is the story of how American ground troops in Europe managed to defeat one of the most proficient armies in history. The author, a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army, draws on his twenty years of experience in military logistics and eight years of scholarly research to examine the Army s remarkable transformation. Focusing on areas rarely considered in other books on World War II, Edward G. Miller analyzes the performance of American soldiers in the 1944 45 campaign in western Europe against a background of logistics, organization, training, and deployment. In doing so, this groundbreaking work refutes decades of assumptions to reset the historical framework for comparison of U.S. and German performance over the course of the campaign. Lieutenant Colonel Miller s skillful melding of little-known individual and small-unit combat action with the various facets of generating, deploying, and projecting power allows the reader to understand as never before the true significance of what took place. This book is published in cooperation with the Association of the United States Army. At The Onset Of World War Ii, The U.s. Army Was A Third-rate Ground Force Of 145,000 With Some Generals Who Still Believed In The Relevance Of Horse Cavalry. Its Soldiers Were Untrained, Its Doctrine Out Of Date, And Its Weapons Hopelessly Obsolete. Four Years Later, The U.s. Army Was Engaged In A Global War With A Force Of More Than 8 Million Men Armed With Modern Weapons And Equipment. Nothing Less Than Full Victory Is The Story Of How American Ground Troops In Europe Managed To Defeat One Of The Most Proficient Armies In History. The Author, A Retired Lieutenant Colonel In The U.s. Army, Draws On His Twenty Years Of Experience In Military Logistics And Eight Years Of Scholarly Research To Examine The Army's Remarkable Transformation. Focusing On Areas Rarely Considered In Other Books On World War Ii, Edward G. Miller Analyzes The Performance Of American Soldiers In The 1944-45 Campaign In Western Europe Against A Background Of Logistics, Organization, Training, And Deployment. In Doing So, This Groundbreaking Work Refutes Decades Of Assumptions To Reset The Historical Framework For Comparison Of U.s. And German Performance Over The Course Of The Campaign.--book Jacket. Beginnings -- From Factory To Foxhole, 1940-1942 -- Indoctrination, 1942-1943 -- The Enemy -- Neptune, June-july 1944 -- To The Reich, July-august 1944 -- At The Westwall, September-october 1944 -- Bloody Autumn, October-november 1944 -- No Way Out, November 1944 -- Holiday Season, November-december 1944 -- Lorraine, October-december 1944 -- Winter Interlude, 1944-1945 -- The Roer Dams, January-february 1945 -- Across The Saar River, January-february 1945 -- Like A Bolt From The Blue, March-april 1945 -- Genesis To Greatness, Spring 1945. Edward G. Miller. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 315-332) And Index. deployment and operations At the outset of World War II the US Army was profoundly unprepared for war. After years of interwar neglect, it faced enormous challenges in mobilization, training, deployment and operations. Even late in the war, US troops were often undersupplied and the Germans had the technological edge.