By Stephen A Hart.
The Allied drive south from Caen.
Following the successful 6 June 1944 D-Day landings on the coast of German occupied Normandy, Allied 21st Army Group commander General Bernard Montgomery tasked Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds' II Canadian Corps with mounting a major offensive form the Bourguebus Ridge. The resulting Operation Totalize sought to capture the high ground north of Falaise, tie down German armour and seal the forming pocket of enemy forces.
The highly detailed and superbly illustrated book recounts in full detail the build up to and execution of the operation. It also examines the command challenges provided by the initial break in phase and the attempt to employ innovative infantry tactics to overcome the bitter resistance offered by elite Waffen-SS formations, including the Hitlerjugend of 12.SS-Panzer-Division.