Those Who Hold Bastogne

The True Story of the Soldiers and Civilians Who Fought in the Biggest Battle of the Bulge

De: Peter Schrijvers

Narrado por: John Lee

Hitler's last gamble, the Battle of the Bulge, was intended to push the Allied invaders of Normandy all the way back to the beaches. The plan nearly succeeded, and almost certainly would have, were it not for one small Belgian town and its tenacious American defenders who held back a tenfold larger German force while awaiting the arrival of General George Patton's mighty Third Army.

In this dramatic account of the 1944-45 winter of war in Bastogne, historian Peter Schrijvers offers the first full story of the German assault on the strategically located town. From the December stampede of American and Panzer divisions racing to reach Bastogne first, through the bloody eight-day siege from land and air, and through three more weeks of unrelenting fighting even after the siege was broken, events at Bastogne hastened the long-awaited end of WWII.

Schrijvers draws on diaries, memoirs, and other fresh sources to illuminate the experiences not only of Bastogne's 3,000 citizens and their American defenders, but also of German soldiers and commanders desperate for victory.

©2014 Peter Schrijvers (P)2015 Tantor

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Using fresh sources and deft writing, Peter Schrijvers develops a panoramic and compelling boots-on-the-ground illumination of one of the Bulge's most epic battles." (Patrick K. O'Donnell, author of Dog Company)

Excellent!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

By far the most complete story of Bastogne I've ever heard. Really enjoyed it!

Who was your favorite character and why?

All of the 101st.

Have you listened to any of John Lee’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Nope

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

None

Never Again Is My Take Away

This is the brutally honest and detailed narrative of just one month of WWII’s human carnage on the Western Front. A critically pivotal battle that hung in the balance as the ‘Fascist Reich’ made its last attempt to push the Allies back to Normandy with innocent civilians caught in the cross fire.

At times I could not bare to learn of the extensively traumatic mass causalities that had to suffer horrendous wounds, executions, starvation, disease and harsh weather exposure from, for example, Ill equipped uniforms to protect them from the constant freezing winter cold of which there was no escape.

Notably our troops were seriously out matched to the Nazis/Panzer armaments et al. So it was simply a battle of attrition for the Allies to eventually liberate Bastogne at a terrible cost.

The author brings us directly into the hellish embattled “all or nothing” fighting juxtaposed to the chronological events happening in and around Bastogne, nearly giving at times minute by minute accounts. All from the high command strategies down to the infantry having to execute them.

This thoroughly detailed account is humbling and honors their bravery and deaths-the ultimate sacrifice.

My parents lost two cousins in this battle (buried there) and one who survived, serving in the 101st/506th Easy Company Airborne.

And… it was during the Christmas season-peace on earth, goodwill toward man (humanity)?

History is in the details

If you are interested in the fog and chaos of war this book is a good one. It also includes a good look at the sufferings and slaughter of the innocent bystanders

Great Sory, Poor Narrator Choice

This has wounderful, first hand stories, which are a great insite into the critical point of the Battle of the Bulge. the narrator's English/Scottish accent is out of place while narrating American dialect. when the Narrator does General Patton' s quotes, he sounds like a bad rendition of Carry Grant trying to imitate Humphrey Bogart.

More if the truth

Many think that the battle of the bulge was just a 7 to 10 day event
My uncle was with Patton 3 rd Army for this fight and it took over 6 long weeks after the fight for Bastoin was over to push back the Germans lines

It was a turning point at the cost of many a young man