Category: James Holland

The Ferocious Battle for Normandy

On By Marc NadeauIn Bernard Montgomery, D-Day, Erwin Rommel, France, History, James Holland, Military, Normandy, Penguin Random House Canada, Thomas Babington Macaulay, World War IILeave a comment

In less than 60 days, we will commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the Allied landing in Normandy on June 6th, 1944. The celebrations surrounding that event are already under way. In the last hours, the French Ambassador to Canada travelled to Regina, the capital of Saskatchewan, to present the Légion d’honneur – France’s highest distinction established by Napoleon in 1802 – to a 104-year-old veteran who set foot on the beach on that fateful morning.

As we salute these men and prepare to sadly see the last ones depart for eternity, the need for remembrance becomes ever more crucial. Historians play an essential role on that score. Plenty of great books have been written about the longest day and the campaign that followed.

I just finished reading James Holland’s contribution to that impressive list, through the Ladybird Expert Book series. For anyone wanting to grasp the development of the Battle for Normandy in a summarized and vividly written style, this book is a must.

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Morale: Determining Factor in the Desert War

On By Marc NadeauIn Albert Kesselring, Benito Mussolini, Bernard Montgomery, Desert War, History, James Holland, Michael Herzog, Penguin Random House Canada, Stalingrad, World War IILeave a comment

“It was a combination of weight of arms and the grim determination of the men on the ground as well as air power that brought victory to the British”, writes historian James Holland in his book about The Desert War in the Ladybird Expert series.

The renowned author starts his book with an observation about the lack of enthusiasm among the crowd massed on the square facing the Palazzo Venezia when Italian dictator Benito Mussolini declared war on June 10, 1940. Italians were not fervent about fighting alongside the Germans. The feeling would have fateful consequences in the fight for the Mediterranean.

In October 1940, the Duce decided to invade Greece, probably motivated by the desire to prove his worth to his German ally. It was a bad decision that forced Hitler’s hand to send troops to the Mediterranean theatre. The Führer became obsessed with his southern flank and devoted considerable resources to beef it up.

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“Grit, determination and sacrifice”

On By Marc NadeauIn Italy, James Holland, Military, Monte Cassino, Penguin Random House Canada, Winston Churchill, World War IILeave a comment

In a recent book about FDR and Churchill, historian James B. Conroy recounts how the iconic British Prime Minister convinced the US President to choose the option of attacking the underbelly of the Axis, namely North Africa and Italy, rather than an early landing in France. But more about it later.

Any traveler from Rome disembarking the train at Monte Cassino is granted the unique spectacle of the breathtaking view of the iconic 6th Century Benedictine monastery overlooking the town. Only then can you fully grasp the magnitude of what Allied soldiers endured on their way to Rome.

Yet, despite its cruciality, the Italian front is a poor cousin of World War II history. Renowned historian James Holland’s work contributes to correcting that perception. He notably does so in a brief but evocative book he devotes to The War in Italy as part of the excellent Ladybird Expert series. Between the covers, James Holland notably illustrates that, far from disengaging the enemy, German troops did everything they could to block its way North. For instance, he writes that the bombing of the Monte Cassino Abbey made the position stronger for the 1st Fallschirmjäger paratroopers who reinforced the Gustav Line in that sector. British General Harold Alexander’s 15th Army Group would not be celebrating Christmas 1943 in the Eternal City. Hitler’s troops were anything but a spent force. They would stubbornly defend their positions “for over a year and a half”. On the Allied side, the landings at Salerno (Sicily) were “very nearly a catastrophic failure”, foreshadowing hardships to come.

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How Bill Slim Turned the Tide

On By Marc NadeauIn Bernard Montgomery, British Army, Burma, History, James Holland, Japanese Army, Leadership, Lord Mountbatten, Penguin Random House Canada, South-East Asian theatre, The War in Burma, William "Bill" Slim, World War II2 Comments

Any passerby on Whitehall in London walks in front of three statues representing towering British military figures of World War II. The most iconic one is naturally the one representing Viscount Montgomery, the victor of Alamein. Then there’s one of Viscount Alanbrooke, who headed the British Army during the conflict. The third and last one along the way – if you come from the House of Commons – depicts Viscount Slim, the victor of Burma. While I have devoured countless articles and books about Monty and read many things on Alanbrooke, my knowledge about the last member of the trio is scant at best. Mea culpa.

A few weeks ago, The War in Burma 1943-1944 by renowned military historian James Holland came to my attention. I dove right into it with delight. True to his eloquence and unparalleled expertise (I’m a huge fan of his documentaries and I have another book of his on my shelves), this engaging historian broadened my horizons about an aspect and a figure of World War II about which I knew too little.

Published as part of the Ladybird Expert Book collection, the most recent addition to James Holland series is beautifully enhanced by Keith Burns’ stunning and evocative illustrations summarizes the significance of the much too unknown South-East Asian theatre of World War II. Northwest Burma, the prolific historian writes, was “one of the most inhospitable places to fight in the world.” By the end of 1944, the Japanese were on the move to smash British troops on their way to India, hopefully end the British Raj and thwart the delivery of essential supplies to Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists in China who were also fighting the Japanese toe and nails. The stakes were unparalleled, and the British couldn’t afford to lose any ground. Outnumbered and demoralized, how could they reverse the tide?

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