On 6 June 1944, 156,000 American, British, and Canadian servicemen fought ashore on beaches along the Normandy coast or landed from the air to begin wresting back Nazi occupied Europe. The D-Day invasion was the largest amphibious landing in history. Although successful, it was only precursor to months of the deadly fighting necessary to dislodge stubborn German defenders from the Norman countryside and eventually liberate France. As a visitor's guide, "Fields of War: Battle of Normandy" presents the actual locations of key events in the struggle to free France from German occupation. Each battlefield visit begins with a succinct history of events followed by a description of the intense military action that determined success or failure. Extensive detailed maps illustrate the flow of the battle across the landscape and the units that participated. Detailed driving instructions and GPS co-ordinates direct visitors to each battlefield site. Descriptions of museums, memorials, cemeteries, and surviving artefacts are given along with their hours of operation. Mailing, email, and web addresses are also provided.
Before retiring, Robert Mueller led USCG surface rescue operations post-Hurricane Katrina. He is currently the vice president of compliance at a towboat company and an adjunct professor at Tulane University.
2014 USA Best Book Award Winner in the Military History Category
2014 Reader Views First Place Award in Travel Category
2014 Military Writers Society of America Bronze Medal for Military Reference
2014 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist Award
2014 Foreword Reviews' INDIEFAB Book of the Year Finalist in the War & Military Category
2015 Independent Publisher Book Awards Bronze Medal for Best Regional Non-fiction - Europe
The book is a remarkable tribute to the sacrifice made by American soldiers and by their counterpart, the allied troops. - Richard R. Blake, Reader Views
comprehensive reference and resource, as fascinating to armchair travelers as it is useful to tourists interested in seeing the battlefield firsthand. - Midwest Book Review
Weve seen them all in the movies, but theres nothing quite like standing on one of the famous World War II battlefields in France to really understand what soldiers went through. And if youre going to go, theres probably no better primer on the subject to take with you than this new book by Robert Mueller. - Kevin Wierzbicki, Campus Circle
This is an excellent historical reference book to be used in the enrichment of your travels to these historical sites. - Dick Geschke, Military Writers Society of America
