The Story of D-Day by Bruce Bliven Jr. | Goodreads
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U.S. Landmark Books #62

The Story of D-Day

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A factual, dramatic, eyewitness account of the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II is illustrated with maps and photographs

151 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1956

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About the author

Bruce Bliven Jr.

20 books2 followers
Bruce Bliven Jr. was born on Jan. 31, 1916, in Los Angeles but moved to New York when he was 17 months old. He later said, ''Fifty-four years later, I began to write New York history to find out where I was.''

He wrote three books about the city's history and one about the whole state, ''including Buffalo,'' as he said in a remark published in ''Contemporary Authors.''

His father, a journalist, was managing editor of The New Republic. The son inherited his father's liberal stance and joined him in quitting the Descendants of the American Revolution in February 1941 after the group opposed the Lend Lease Act aiding countries fighting the Nazis.

Mr. Bliven wrote briefly for a newspaper in Stroudsburg, Pa., and for The Manchester Guardian, the British paper, before graduating from Harvard in 1937. He then wrote editorials for The New York Post, leaving to serve in World War II.

''I was a lieutenant in the field artillery and took part in the D-Day landings in Normandy and wrote a children's book about it a dozen years later to find out what happened,'' he said. That book was ''The Story of D-Day, June 6, 1944'' (Random House, 1956).

When he returned to civilian life, he became a magazine writer who ranged across many subjects with deep knowledge but ''did not wear it on his sleeve,'' said Philip Hamburger, another New Yorker writer.

He met his wife, the former Naomi Horowitz, at The New Yorker, where she was a writer, and they had a son, Frederic.

Mr. Bliven was a prolific writer of popular books and magazine articles on subjects as diverse as military campaigns and the history of the typewriter. He died on January 2, 2002, at his home in Manhattan. He was 85.

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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for KOMET.
1,151 reviews134 followers
June 29, 2019
A very good book. This was the first book about "D-DAY" that I read while a student in elementary school almost 40 years ago.
Profile Image for TE.
324 reviews10 followers
May 11, 2023
"To us is given the honor of striking a blow for freedom which will live in history, and in the better days ahead, men will speak with pride of our doings." These were the words of General Bernard Law Montgomery, composed even before the events occurred - such was the realization of the momentous nature of the undertaking on which they were about to embark. But, for the events, and the sacrifices of the men who died striking that blow for freedom, several of which are featured in this book, to live on, people must first learn of and remember them, and then pass them on to posterity.

This is what this entire book series is about, and this edition is a perfect example of why they are so vital to the education of present and future generations of Americans.

As this short book describes, the Invasion of Normandy was one of the most momentous events in the history of human civilization - it remains the largest amphibious assault in history. All told, more than 150,000 soldiers from the US, Britain and Canada stormed the beaches of Normandy, which turned the tide of the war. The book also does an admirable job of describing what was nearly an unmitigated catastrophe: as many others have noted, it is miraculous that the day ended as it did, with the allies successfully landing, breaking through what Hitler believed was the impenetrable "Atlantic Wall."

Most of the difficulty was due to bad weather, as the book notes. Cloud cover resulted in a chaotic scattering of the paratroopers, who often ended up miles from their intended drop zones. Shelling and bombing meant to clear the area of enemy troops prior to the invasion, meant to minimize Allied casualties, were utterly inaccurate and ineffective due to poor visibility, meaning that many of the German defensive positions along the shore which were supposed to have been destroyed in advance of the troops' landing on the beaches, weren't, resulting in mass casualties far more devastating than even top brass had initially estimated. Much equipment, which would have made the landing much less costly in terms of lives, including critical tanks and artillery, were lost due to rough seas.

In short, everything that could go wrong, did: yet still, the Allies, largely due to the efforts and sacrifices of the individual men on the ground, without the large-scale weapons of war which could have protected them, won the day. Despite devastating losses, ALL FIVE BEACHES HAD BEEN TAKEN by nightfall on that same day, June 6, 1945.

Perhaps the most poignant aspect of this particular volume is the inclusion of stories of the individuals who made all the difference, and the very American notion, proven time and again, that one person can turn the tide, with singularly heroic acts above and beyond the call of duty. In this case, these efforts not infrequently resulted in their untimely deaths. These moving portraits of the brave men whose ultimate sacrifices carried the day should live on, and continue to inspire generations of young people who should honor and appreciate the deeds which cut their young lives tragically short.

Even in the planning stages of the mass invasion, military strategists acknowledged that the number of casualties was likely to be staggeringly high, but they saw no other option to establish a foothold on the continent, from whence an all-out push toward Berlin could begin. Reportedly only days before the invasion, then-General (and later President) Dwight D. Eisenhower was informed that that casualties among the paratroopers, who were to be sent in in advance of the attack on the beach, could reach as high as 75 percent.

Some of those who made the ultimate sacrifice: Private Ingram E. Lambert, of a C Company infantry outfit, took up a bangalore torpedo used to blast a path through minefields and barbed wire, crawled over a sea wall where he and his compatriots were pinned down, and attempted to set off the charge. In doing so, he was cut down by machine gun fire - but his platoon leader then took up the effort, which was successful. This allowed his entire company to advance and make it to safety. His newspaper obituary states that he was the son of mother Emily and late father Lorenzo. He entered the army on July 22, 1943, and went overseas in Jan., 1944. He posthumously received a purple heart and a Presidential citation. Ingram is laid to rest alongside his mother, who died in 1974. It appears that he may have been an only child.

Another featured in the book who made the ultimate sacrifice was Lieutenant Colonel Thornton L. Mullins, Commanding Officer of the 29th Infantry Division, 111th Field Artillery Battalion, US Army, who was hit twice before a third, fatal abdominal gunshot wound took his life, at age 31. He marshaled a ragtag company of confused and exhausted troops who were similarly pinned down behind a sea wall to take up rifles and fight their way to higher ground. He then began directing the men to safety, and reportedly gained immortality by telling his troops "To Hell with our artillery mission - we're infantrymen now!" Leading a tank forward, he directed its fire against a German emplacement, successfully taking it out, but as he started toward another tank across an open stretch, he was shot and killed by a sniper.

Impromptu leadership was critical to the success of the day, due to the complete chaos of the unintentional mis-landings and disorganized confusion of battle. Another unidentified lieutenant reportedly rallied his troops with the words, "are you going to lay there and get killed, or are you going to get up and do something about it?" In the end, of course, it was the efforts of all which led to unlikely success: the men who bailed water out of their landing vessels with their helmets when swamped by rough seas; the men whose ingenuity and quick thinking saved a single piece of artillery, which made a tremendous difference and in turn saved untold American lives once it made landfall; and those who did whatever was necessary to get the job done, like the two above examples and countless more like them, often at the cost of their own lives.

The book likewise notes that "each member of each first-wave assault section had countless assistance backing him up. These were not only the service men in the assault, the reinforcements in England, the troops on their way overseas and those in training in all the Allied countries, but also millions of civilians who were engaged in war work and war production. So each man in the first-wave assault section represented everything that those 'behind him' - as the phrase went - had accomplished." This reminds me of the old saying, "a soldier fights not because of what's in front of him, but on account of what's behind him."

If you want to visit young P.F.C. Ingram Eastabrook Lambert today, you can go to his final resting place in Union Cemetery, in Ramsey, New Jersey. A member of Company C, 116th Infantry, 29th Infantry Division, Maryland Army National Guard, Lambert's story was published in "National Guard Magazine," June, 2014 (Vol. 68, No. 6). You can also read more about him on FindAGrave (Memorial ID# 36730817). LTC Mullins received a posthumous Distinguished Service Cross for his heroism. He is interred in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Henrico County, Virginia. You can also read more about him on FindAGrave (Memorial ID# 31884280). He left behind a wife, Edna Brock, whom he had married in 1936. She died in 2002, at the age of 87. You can also leave a virtual flower and a note in gratitude for these and other men of The Greatest Generation who fell in defense of freedom, in what many have called "The Last Just War."

It's also important to remember, however, that many who fell that day NEVER made it home. The first Allied cemetery in Europe was dedicated just two days after the D-Day invasion, on June 8, 1945. Thousands of Americans, Canadians and other Allied troops are still interred there, far from their homelands, where they rest eternally alongside those with whom they fought and died. A memorial site in Bedford, Virginia, similar to the Vietnam Memorial, features bronze plaques representing every Allied troop who fell that day: the figure stands at 4,414, 2,501 of whom were Americans, for that 24-hour period known as D-Day. Many more died of their injuries in the days following, of course. The highest casualties occurred at Omaha Beach, where more than 2,000 US troops were killed, wounded or were listed as missing. The site of Bedford, Virginia was chosen by the US Congress, in fact, on account of the so-called "Bedford Boys," 19 young locals who were among the first to land on Omaha Beach, who perished that day, representing the highest per capita loss of any community in the nation.

This volume is also unique among many of the others in the series, in that the author actually lived the events he writes about: Bruce Bliven, Jr. was one of those who took part in the D-Day invasions, serving as a second lieutenant in the 29th Division Artillery. This volume was originally published in 1956, so the events were probably quite fresh in his memory. I don't want to rehash the confusing array of events which occurred that day, and the many subsequent days, but this book does a good job of providing an overview of the first wave of the assault. It represents an age-appropriate description of the triumphs and many, many tragedies which occurred on that fateful day, and subsequent days, 335, to be precise, as the allies pushed on toward ultimate victory and the unconditional surrender of Germany and one of the most terrible, but great armies ever assembled. Highly recommended - indeed, essential - reading for children and adults alike. Let us never forget the sacrifices of the men who fought and died nearly 80 years ago, and to always remember that freedom ain't free.
214 reviews
June 7, 2019
Received this book as a Christmas gift in 1957. Pulled it out to reread during the 75th anniversary of D-day. I found it thrilling as a 9 year old.
1 review1 follower
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October 15, 2019
In the book “The story of D-Day” it shows what all happened during d-day and leading up to it. Everybody was sad and it was a very hard war to be in. The days leading up the weather was terrible and they needed the perfect weather to arrive on the beach. A lot of the boats with the men and equipment collapsed under the waves. The days of the attack needed to be a full moon and clear skies so they could see during the invasion. The boat was called a “LCVP” which carried either men and equipment, or a tank or a land vehicle. Unfortunately under the pressure of the waves about half of the LCVP’s sank. There were multiple “waves” of the attack and the front line would be the worst. Most of the troops on the frontline got shot while getting off the boat because they couldn't really defend themselves. It's a good book on describing d day and if your into war then I would recommended reading it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
28 reviews
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March 13, 2020
This is the true story about the war many young men die from this war. On June 6, 1944: The amphibious invasion the world had ever seen was launched, involving thousands of ships, incredible planning and preparation, and a million courageous soldiers, sailors, and airmen willing to sacrifice their lives for victory. Author and journalist Bruce Bliven were there that day, on the beaches of France, and he recounts it all, from the risky plans developed by the American and British military leaders through the daring landing itself. Most important, he shares stories of individual bravery shown by soldiers who waded or parachuted ashore in what became the turning point of the war.
April 5, 2021
The book “The story of D-Day” by Bruce Bliven, Jr. is a non-fiction book. If you are interested in history or WWII this would be a great book for you. The book tells about the different men like Lambert and Mullins who took a leap of faith to turn around D-Day and the entire war. It talked about the strategic planning and the strategies behind such a massive attack. It portrayed the desperate fight of each side. I liked this book because it wasn’t altered to be made more of a story like a historical-fiction book may have been. It is the straight truth of what happened that cool and quiet June morning in Normandy, France.
41 reviews8 followers
May 19, 2019
I really enjoyed reading this book. Inspired by the movie "Saving Private Ryan", D-Day is a topic that I love and know a lot about, and this book taught me even more about this major turning point of WWII. Most movies, games, and books show only a section of Omaha Beach (such as Dog Red or Easy Green). Each invasion points had different geographies, and this book explains every one of them. Some had to climb a cliff using ropes, and some were out in the flat open beach. This book even thoroughly explained the preparation stage and the aftermath. Made me love this event even more.
Profile Image for Justin Rose.
318 reviews9 followers
November 30, 2017
Bliven gives a journalist's perspective of Invasion of Normandy. Encased in the facts leading up to June 6, 1944, and the lasting impact of that day, stories of individual heroism, bravery, and loss intrigue the reader.
This book is rightly placed in the juvenile section of the library. The word use and grammar target younger readers. Technical terms and statistics are also simplified.
14 reviews
October 11, 2018
First fun fact the author and journalist Bruce blimey. Was on the Normandy landings in 1944.
This book takes you on a experience events on d-day giving us both big pictures of that day along with personal and individual bravery,initiative, and personal sacrifices The would ensure victory.
Profile Image for Melissa Lee.
71 reviews
July 6, 2019
Well written account of one of the most important days in history. This book was written by a soldier that participated in the battle. Includes pictures and a map of the coastline
Profile Image for Julie.
3,133 reviews49 followers
November 10, 2019
A good overview of D-Day for middle grade level. Honestly, with all the things that went wrong, it's a miracle the operation succeeded - a testament to the men involved.
Profile Image for Grant.
1,136 reviews6 followers
November 15, 2022
A classic that I read and reread many times growing up and that I have now read to my child. While the historiography has moved considerably forward Bliven's study remains relevant and relatable.
Profile Image for Jamie.
267 reviews
December 12, 2016
Excellent living history book. Worked well as a read aloud for our homeschool.
11 reviews
January 19, 2011
This book is called Invasion-The Story of D-Day by Bruce Bliven Jr. This book is about the invasion of Normandy, France by American, British , and Canadian armed forces during World War II. These forces were also known as the Allies. The allies were fighting against Adolf Hitler and his german army who were trying to take over all of Europe. D-Day was June 6, 1944. D-Day was the term used by the army to mean the day of any attack. Hitler had built concrete and barbed wire barriers all along the beaches of Normandy to stop the seaborne invasion by the allies. He called this barrier his Atlantic Wall. I was surprised to learn that more than 2,800,000 men were in the allied expidition force. The author was in Normandy on D-Day and he tells this story in a way that you can see the war in your head. Many things went wrong during the invasion: the weather was bad and the beaches were booby trapped by the germans. It made me sad to find out that many of the allied soldiers died during the invasion. My favorite chapter was called "Out of The Sky" it's about when the allies first started parachuting out of planes and took out the german machine gunners. After 11 months of fighting the war finally ended. I really like the way the author wrote this book because it teaches you about war. This book is really enjoyable and easy to read. Read it to find out more about the brave men who fought in the war. I recommend this book to anyone who likes war stories. You can find it at any library or book store.
122 reviews11 followers
November 5, 2013
The Sterling Point series is great non-fiction for later elementary and early middle school students. It gives good information, is well written, and plenty of detail. This detail includes reality, but it doesn't have too much overly gratuitous violence. This introduces kids to the reality of war without giving them nightmares. My son read this one too and liked it very much. He's moved on to All Quiet on the Western Front now, but this was perfect for earlier.
Profile Image for Hannah.
69 reviews
December 11, 2008
This easy-reading book was all about what the title is, which was on June 6, 1944. So many thing went wrong in the Allies' plans and so many brave men died. Generally, I thought it was a pretty sad book because of all the death and hopelessness. But in the end the Allies' work paid off, and they were able to break into Hitler's Atlantic Wall.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Collin.
1,037 reviews42 followers
May 2, 2012
Good, younger-children-age info about the greatest amphibious attack of WWII. It got dry when describing the functions of the different sorts of soldiers and their equipment, but, as usual, the best parts were about the very different, very courageous men who fought during Operation Overlord. Nice beginner's start.
Profile Image for Riley.f.
8 reviews
October 24, 2012
I did enjoy this book but at some points it started to get a little bit overwhelming at different places because of the intense war strategies and the things that were going on at that time. But I would still give this book a 3 out of 5 because it was a good non-fiction book and I would recommend this book to people who enjoy war books and non-fiction books.
8 reviews
December 5, 2011
I thought this book was a great informational and exciting book. I like all war-related books because that type of stuff interests me. I highly recommend it to anybody that is interested in war books.
Profile Image for Carolyn.
159 reviews3 followers
March 29, 2010
Great overview of an amazing orchestration of machines and men and bravery.
45 reviews5 followers
July 8, 2010
I am not a big war story fan but I did enjoy learning about the heroes of this life changing day for our country.
Profile Image for Colton Campbell.
2 reviews8 followers
October 1, 2012
This gives an account of the perceptions of the brave soldiers
during those first 24 hours, and the actual realism of what happened. Loved it!
Profile Image for Miles.
32 reviews
March 29, 2015
Wonderful; full of information on D-Day. Perfect for history enthusiasts and those who just want the bones of the information.
Profile Image for Val.
118 reviews8 followers
March 31, 2017
Nothing I have ever read has infuriated me more. I am so proud of every man who took part in this horrible invasion.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews

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