THE SAVAGE STORM

The acclaimed World War II historian returns with an account of the first months of the Allies’ World War II campaign to free Italy from Nazi rule.

Holland, the author of Brothers in Arms and Big Week, draws on a number of on-the-ground accounts by participants from all sides of the conflict: diaries, personal letters, and other contemporaneous sources, many previously unpublished. Consequently, in addition to the perspectives of the generals and national leaders, readers experience the viewpoints of ordinary American, British, Canadian, and German soldiers, along with a number of Italians. The author structures the narrative chronologically, which means it jumps from one part of the front to another in the same chapter. Even readers familiar with Italian geography are likely to consult maps to follow the action. In one sense, this emphasizes Holland’s overall point—that the campaign was inherently chaotic, due to the mountainous terrain over which it was fought as well as the faulty planning on both sides. For the Allies, invading Italy was meant to draw Axis forces from Normandy and fulfill Stalin’s demands for a second front. However, this strategy meant that, in preparation for D-Day, too many landing craft and supply ships were withdrawn to England, leaving the troops in Italy short of supplies and reinforcement. On the German side, rival generals Rommel and Kesselring had different ideas how to defend the peninsula, and Hitler changed his mind on which one to back in mid-stream. For soldiers and civilians on the ground, the result was often little short of a nightmare. Holland effectively conveys the drama on the front lines while giving a comprehensive account of what was going on at the strategic level.

A riveting, often appalling look at an under-recognized part of the fight against Hitler—a must for WWII buffs.