Synopsis
"A first-class historian."—The Wall Street Journal
Praise for William Breuer's Previous Works
THE GREAT RAID ON CABANATUAN
"An exciting narrative presented by a first-rate storyteller."—Publishers Weekly
"Absorbing reading. . . . The book's great virtue is that it allows a number of the rapidly diminishing band of the survivors of the whole experience to have their say."—Booklist
RETAKING THE PHILIPPINES
"Vivid . . . skillfully written."—Los Angeles Times
GERONIMO
"Brings to life how airborne soldiers survived, how the human will prevails . . . against overwhelming enemies, tactical failures, and even death."—The New York Times
RACE TO THE MOON
"Another smasher by Breuer, who specializes in thrilling reports of WWII spycraft and warfare."—Kirkus Reviews
DEVIL BOATS
"Fast-paced, detailed, and satisfyingly dramatic."—World War II magazine
It was an historic alliance between nations at war determined to defeat the Axis armies. But behind the facade of solidarity, other conflicts raged. Driven to halt the forces that had overrun Europe, Asia, and Africa, the British and the Americans argued over every command and strategy, neither side trusted the Soviets, and the French griped incessantly.
William B. Breuer's dramatic behind-the-scenes narrative reveals for the first time the full extent of the internal conflict that ripped through the high command. British commanders thought the Americans too anxious to open a western front in Europe—to prove the point they gave the go-ahead to a suicidal assault on France. Americancommanders believed the British were stalling for time to bleed the Soviets to improve England's position in postwar Europe. General Douglas MacArthur, whose war in the Pacific took a backseat under the "Germany first" strategy, had bitter differences of opinion with almost everyone in the U.S. command, particularly the navy admirals he had to fight alongside. Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, the British commander of Allied ground forces, was roundly de-spised by the American generals for his haughty self-righteous attitude and cautious approach. And General Dwight Eisenhower, supreme commander of the Allied troops, faced the near-impossible task of assuaging the enormous egos of the Allied military and government leaders, keeping the coalition together, and at the same time, winning the war.
Feuding Allies is a gripping story of wrangling, backstabbing, rivalries, and jealousies. This fast-paced account sheds new light on the most charismatic and renowned figures of World War II—Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin, de Gaulle, Eisenhower, MacArthur, Patton, and Montgomery—and reveals just how high passions ran on the road to victory.
Publishers Weekly
Breuer, a writer of popular histories of WWII (Hoodwinking Hitler), focuses here on personality clashes and policy conflicts within the Allied coalition in WWII. Politicians and generals alike sometimes seemed to spend more time feuding with each other than fighting the Axis, according to Breuer, who emphasizes the human aspects of these feuds. The Allied leaders were men of strong will who deferred readily to no one. Substantive differences within and among the states of the alliance were correspondingly magnified. What was unusual was Allied success at compromising or camouflaging such divisions as the three-way tensions among Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt; the tempestuous relationship between supreme Allied commander Dwight D. Eisenhower and British field marshal Bernard L. Montgomery; and the Pacific rivalry between Army and Navy long enough to destroy their common enemies. A breezy read for military/diplomatic history buffs. Photos. (Oct.)