The folly of generals : how Eisenhower's broad front strategy lengthened World War II

Imagine how many lives would have been saved had the war in Europe finished in December 1944 instead of five months later... David Colley analyzes critical mistakes made by the Allied supreme commander, General Dwight Eisenhower, in the last nine months of the war. He argues that had Eisenhower been more adept at taking advantage of several potential breakthroughs in the Siegfried Line in the fall of 1944 the war in the European Theater of Operations might have ended sooner. The book details the American penetration of the Siegfried Line in mid-September and their advance into Germany at Wallendorf before the troops were called back. It also examines in detail operations in the Stolberg Corridor and the actions of General Lucian Truscott. It compares the battles at Wallendorf and Stolberg with Operation Market Garden, and assesses the effectiveness of these operations and the use of the troops. Eisenhower later called off another operation in November 1944, already in progress, to cross the Rhine and destroy the German 1st Army north of Strasbourg. American and German generals believe this operation would have shortened the war. The Folly of Generals explores these potential breakthroughs—along with other strategic and tactical mistakes in the ETO and in Italy, some never before revealed—that might have shortened the war by a considerable margin. Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1 Why Market Garden Chapter 2 Why Not Wallendorf Chapter 3 Schnee Eifel Continuation of Wallendorf attack by 9th ID – Troops Chapter 4 Lost Opportunity Chapter 5 Why Not the Stolberg Corridor Chapter 6 Disaster at Arnhem Chapter 7 The Aftermath of Arnhem Chapter 8 Fateful Decision at Falaise Chapter 9 Lucian King Truscott Jr. Chapter 10 Vulnerable Switzerland Chapter 11 Strasbourg Chapter 12 The River Crossings: The Details Chapter 13 Moving Up Chapter 14 The Attack Chapter 15 Ike Balks Chapter 16 Why Not Cross the Rhine Chapter 17 No Friend of Devers Chapter 18 Ike Cautious, Inexperienced 268 Chapter 19 If Devers Had Crossed 284 Chapter 20 Lost Opportunity at Valmonte, Italy Chapter 21 Escape From Husky Chapter 22 Paris Liberated, the War Extended Chapter 23 Reserves Chapter 24 Brittany Chapter 25 Lorraine Chapter 26 Other Lost Opportunities "Throughout the book, Colley uses postwar comments by German generals to support his arguments." New York Journal of Books Imagine how many lives would have been saved had the war in Europe finished in December 1944 instead of five months later... David Colley analyzes critical mistakes made by the Allied supreme commander, General Dwight Eisenhower, in the last nine months of the war. He argues that had Eisenhower been more adept at taking advantage of several potential breakthroughs in the Siegfried Line in the fall of 1944 the war in the European Theater of Operations might have ended sooner. The book details the American penetration of the Siegfried Line in mid-September and their advance into Germany at Wallendorf before the troops were called back. It also examines in detail operations in the Stolberg Corridor and the actions of General Lucian Truscott. It compares the battles at Wallendorf and Stolberg with Operation Market Garden, and assesses the effectiveness of these operations and the use of the troops. Eisenhower later called off another operation in November 1944, already in progress, to cross the Rhine and destroy the German 1st Army north of Strasbourg. American and German generals believe this operation would have shortened the war. The Folly of Generals explores these potential breakthroughsalong with other strategic and tactical mistakes in the ETO and in Italy, some never before revealedthat might have shortened the war by a considerable margin. Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1 Why Market Garden Chapter 2 Why Not Wallendorf Chapter 3 Schnee Eifel Continuation of Wallendorf attack by 9th ID Troops Chapter 4 Lost Opportunity Chapter 5 Why Not the Stolberg Corridor Chapter 6 Disaster at Arnhem Chapter 7 The Aftermath of Arnhem Chapter 8 Fateful Decision at Falaise Chapter 9 Lucian King Truscott Jr. Chapter 10 Vulnerable Switzerland Chapter 11 Strasbourg Chapter 12 The River The Details Chapter 13 Moving Up Chapter 14 The Attack Chapter 15 Ike Balks Chapter 16 Why Not Cross the Rhine Chapter 17 No Friend of Devers Chapter 18 Ike Cautious, Inexperienced 268 Chapter 19 If Devers Had Crossed 284 Chapter 20 Lost Opportunity at Valmonte, Italy Chapter 21 Escape From Husky Chapter 22 Paris Liberated, the War Extended Chapter 23 Reserves Chapter 24 Brittany Chapter 25 Lorraine Chapter 26 Other Lost Opportunities An examination of mistakes made by the Allied supreme commander General Dwight Eisenhower in 1944-45, and their implication for the shape of the last nine months of World War II. "Why did the Allies not take advantage of these opportunities to end the war in 1944? This is the substance of The Folly of Generals." -- Introduction, page xiv