Victory 1945

Even when Western Allied troops gained a foothold in Normandy, World War II in Europe was far from over. The route to Germanys interior and the Nazis final surrender was long, arduous and blood-stained. The Wehrmachts stubborn resistance and the shocking losses suffered by US, British, Canadian and Free European troops meant that the Allies had to adapt and refine small-unit tactics, battle-drills, and their use of weapons and munitions. The troops who finally met up with the Red Army in Germany were a very different fighting force to the one that struggled up the beaches of northern France. This book offers a comprehensive guide to the late-war Allied troops, exploring their uniforms, equipment, organization and tactics. With emphasis on lessons learned since D-Day, detailed description and accurate colour pictures illustrate the means by which the Allied troops on the ground evolved to the point of winning the war on the Western Front.