My current preoccupation with 20th century warfare has scooped up two random purchases that were “I might read that one day” plus a rebuy for the third time – this time I read it cover to cover!
“The Murder of Admiral Darlan” does not leap into most peoples mind as a book worthy of a second look unless maybe it was a Napoleonic era study. Quite simply Admiral Darlan led on the wrong side for too long before switching sides only to be murdered. So no need to read the book then. Wait – it is written by an american and is not really about the murder at all. It details just how close the allies came to mess up Operation Torch before they landed! And there is still plenty of action. If you want ideas for gaming its worth a look.
The General de Gaulle memoirs were published by Collins in London in 1955 the year after Dien Bien Phu (1954) definitively signalled the end of French Indochina. The first part 1940-42 is all about defeat and survival. And de Gaulle emphasises the Empire as his sustaining source in a way english speakers might not appreciate, not least as the British Empire had its own story to wrestle with. The brief Northern France actions and the sheer chaos of an uncertain France as belief fell away offers yet more ideas for the wargamer. I still think a country defeated in 1815, conquered in 1870 and nearly overrun again in 1914 and finally part annexed by its neighbour in 1940 always has an interesting story to tell.
Charles Whiting has been a prolific author of war stories. Many are written under nom de plumes such was his rate of production.
His book about Operation Torch feels different to the other two books. He was not there but he went to war at 16 (illegally) and marched across northern europe in an armoured reconnaissance unit ending up in Germany. So I think you can say his writing is very observational with concern for the moment. Perhaps though you can match that in de Gaulle when he talks about french tank attacks in northern France and Tompkins relaying details of the “uprising which failed”.
As a trilogy these three books are complimentary and work. In my view you read de Gaulle and get suitably downhearted and deeply suspicious of everything Vichy as well as Britain and the USA! There is some action but mostly positioning. Then you read Peter Tompkins and the upbeat Americans just about holding together the idea they should be in Europe via North Africa and that Vichy could still be a good angle: More action and some spectacular moments not least in Algiers. Finally the action really kicks off with Whiting and ends with Von Arnim, Rommel followed by Montgomery and Kesselring all pitching up in Tunisia with an already frustrated Patton, Clark, Fredenhall and of course Eisenhower. Even Alexander gets a look in.
The 1942/43 battles involved German, Italian, Vichy, Free French, US and British Empire and Home forces on land, at sea and in the air. With lots of confusion, poor weather and both out of date and brand new technology these stories lack for nothing.
The three books cover the period well, in a way I don’t think any one book can.
De Gaulle starts us off in 1940 and provides the approach including some useful Africa maps to show context – North Africa was not simply below Spain and Italy.
Then Admiral Darlan fleshes out the North African situation and the US interest building to the uprising and invasion events in detail. The murder provides the context.
Finally kasserine provides in effect what follows and how armies of five major countries and their allies end up facing off in hills west of Tunis.
In each case the overlapping narratives compliment each taking different lines amongst the same information. That means repetition is not noticeable.
Oh I did not mention on Kasserine Pass – the first moment in WW2 the US troops went head to head with the Germans and came up short.
So if you want a diversion from the perrenial Normandy Landings, El Alamein, Stalingrad or indeed Blitzkrieg then read these three books and get caught up in a veritable confusion of events and participants!
The Wargaming Erratic 