Sicily '43: The First Assault on Fortress Europe

[Larry deZeng]

As someone looking back over 70 years of World War II historiography, it amazes me how these titles keep on coming. It seems like each new generation gives rise to its stable of prolific authors who can rewrite old volumes on the same subject, update them by adding an ounce or two of new material and do it quickly. While reading the publisher's blurb for this one, I couldn't help thinking of the U.S. Army Office of the Chief of Military History's Sicily and the Surrender of Italy, Green Series, WashDC: 1965, 607 pages. It will be interesting to see how much the new work by author Holland provides that's not in the 55-year-old OCMH title, which has been the "bible" on this subject for the past two generations. Additionally, it appears that the OCMH book is now available on the internet free of charge.

Larry deZeng