Countdown to D-Day

The German Perspective

By: Peter Margaritis

Narrated by: Roger Clark

Length: 28 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

In December 1943, with the rising realization that the Allies are planning to invade Fortress Europe, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel is assigned the title of General Inspector for the Atlantic Wall. His mission is to assess their readiness.

His superior, theater commander, crusty old Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, who had led the Reich to victory in the early years of the war, is now fed up with the whole Nazi regime. He lives comfortably in a plush villa in a quiet Paris suburb, waiting for the inevitable Allied invasion that will bring about their final defeat.

General der Artillerie Erich Marcks, badly injured in Russia, is the corps commander on the ground in Normandy, trying to build up the coastal defenses with woefully inadequate supplies and a shortage of men to fulfill Rommel's demands. Marcks is convinced that the Allies will land in his sector, but no one higher up the chain of command seems interested in what he thinks.

Countdown to D-Day takes a detailed day-to-day journal approach, tracing the daily activities and machinations of the German High Command as they try to prepare for the Allied invasion.

©2019 Peter Margaritis (P)2019 Tantor

Unexpectedly good !

Enjoyed the book immensely. It is a detailed account of the days leading the the Normandy invasion, delivered in a absorbing manner.
One of the readings you wish would never end.
Highly recommended to military history enthusiasts.

Rommel

Great way to really know what happened in Normandy 1944. Rommel changed everything. THANK goodness the top Germans didn't let Rommel have his Way with the tanks. JUST think about it. Had they let Rommel have his Way. I believe D-DAY would have failed or could have been another anzio.

An unexpected gem

With a new work on D-Day appearing on a seemingly weekly basis, one can be forgiven for overlooking this gem from Peter Margaritis. But for once, a book's claim of offering a unique perspective on the events leading up to D-Day, is actually accurate.

The vast majority of books on the topic focus either on the Allies' preparation or events from D-Day onwards, and certainly that is where most of the action was. But this work, which focuses on the superhuman efforts that Rommel and his staff undertook to try and put up some sort of defensive front in the months before the invasion, is utterly compelling.

Hopelessly short on everything from staff to equipment, Rommel's tireless - truly tireless, the man barely ever slept - quest to shore up the Western front is an inspiring study of keeping heart in impossible and, ultimately, hopeless circumstances.

Long, detailed and filled to the brim with the kinds of minutiae that make WW2 enthusiasts dizzy with excitement, I heartily recommend this.

Unbelievable Minute Detail

Peter Margaritas has a narrative masterpiece with this work. Yes it is dense, and yes it is VERY detailed. But that shouldn't deter anyone with interest in the subject. And yes, it is Rommel-centric to the point of ignoring everyone else. But one has to remember that Rommel was that important to the lead up to D-Day and German command in the most chaotic years of 1943-1944. What Margaritas does so well is detail a German command in complete confusion and under no illusions that the war is winnable. And therefore Hitler and his commanders toggle between euphoria and despair from moment to moment. And all the while the Allied invasion is assured, a plan to assassinate Hitler is underway, involving key persons in all areas of German hierarchy. It's truly a wonder. And Roger Clark is a main reason to listen. He's extraordinary when narrating a work like this. Not many can pull this off. He brings history to life, which is a gift in itself. BRAVO.

Incredible

Another rock start performance by Roger Clark, who never stumbles over German words 18 letters in length. Margaritis paints a phenomenal portrait of the inner workings of the Reich leading up to and through the first days of the D-Day invasion. Details abound, without diving too far into the weeds. Bravo!

Desperately needed a good editing.

I definitely enjoyed this book! I wish an editor had tightened it up as many other reviews have mentioned. There were so many repeat lines it was sometimes distracting. But again, it was fantastic at bringing to life the day to day lives of the Germans and comparing/contrasting how inefficient the German command structure was as compared to the Allies. One quickly realizes that neither Rommel or von Rundstedt stood much of a chance against the Allied invasion.

Grrrrrate WW2 history insight.

Enthralling. I could not put this book down. A must read for WW2 buffs.

Well worth the length

I enjoyed the length of this bookAnd how much about how much it revealed the chaos, the futility surrounding much of the German side of the war

its was really good

I really like hearing the other side of stories. Knowing both sides gives you a better understanding of history .

We’ll . . .

Could’ve used some editing. Rommel does a lot of paperwork. I was surprised about some of the info in this book. So much from the allies perspective, it added a more nuanced view of dday in Normandy.