Day of the Panzer: A Story of American Heroism and Sacrifice in Southern France

Amateur historian Danby resurrects “the forgotten campaign of World War II” in this excellent popular history. While the world's attention was focused on Normandy, a second, smaller invasion—Operation Dragoon—landed on the French Riviera on August 15, 1944, to open another supply route for Allied troops. When Hitler ordered a “general withdrawal from France” on August 16, the Allies rushed to trap and destroy the retreating enemy. But a shortage of fuel and German rearguard attacks foiled the Allied plan. While Danby provides an overview of the entire campaign, he focuses on a single, pivotal battle at the village of Allan where one infantry company encountered a German army corps headquarters. The infantrymen fought heroically and prevailed despite heavy losses—including the author's grandfather. The fight to liberate southern France is often derisively called the “Champaign Campaign,” but the action at Allan was one of many fierce small-unit clashes that argue otherwise. Danby's revisionist view of the campaign—supported by extensive research including dozens of interviews with survivors—is a sprightly and evocative tribute to the troops of Operation Dragoon. 16 pages of photos; maps. (July)