Page 95 - History of War - Issue 25-16

REVIEWS

EISENHOWER’STHORNONTHERHINE

Writer: Nathan N Prefer Publisher: Casemate Price: £19.99 Rele
THE NEGLECTED STORY OF HOW ONE DIE-HARDGERMANARMYHELDUPTHEALLIE
ADVANCE INTO THE NAZI HEARTLAND FOR WEEKSAFTERTHEBATTLEOFTHEBULGE
Nathan N Prefer has a reputation for re- about in depth, even becoming – thanks in
examining World War II battles that history, part to Hollywood – a cornerstone of American
for whatever reason, has overlooked, and military folklore. The large-scale i ghting that
in Eisenhower’s Thorn On The Rhine, he’s took place at the same time further south,
uncovered a humdinger. however, in the Colmar Pocket, has all but been
According to the master narrative of history, forgotten – long overshadowed perhaps by the
the end of World War II in Europe goes a little like headline-grabbing Battle of the Bulge. Until
this: by the winter of 1944, the Western Allies now, thanks to Prefer’s highly engaging account
were thundering across France and the Lowlands of what unfolded.
after the Normandy Invasion that summer, The Colmar Pocket was named for the pretty
chasing the Nazi hordes back into Germany. Then Alsatian town at the epicentre of an area of
in December of that year, Hitler launched his stubborn German resistance that jutted into the
counteroffensive in the Ardennes – the famous south of the Allied line. While the Allies, once
Battle of the Bulge. Despite heavy casualties, they had repelled the Ardennes counteroffensive,
the Americans eventually managed to repel it made progress along the rest of the front
and by spring 1945, Eisenhower’s troops had throughout January, German forces clung on in
crossed the Rhine and were closing in on Berlin, this region of Alsace well into February, ensuring
while Zhukov’s Soviet armies attacked it from the the i ghting stayed well west of the Rhine. The
east. Lots of explosions, Hitler shoots himself in resistance presented was deadly, the casualties
a bunker, a few more explosions, the end. It’s a colossal, and the heroism displayed – on both
tale of epic proportions and it’s easy to see how sides – almost unprecedented. Indeed, the
some of the i ner detail gets missed along the USA’s highest military award, the Medal of
way, but let’s rewind a little. Honor, was doled out dozens of times during
In the winter of 1944, the Allied Front Line the i ghting – most famously to Audie Murphy,
zigzagged its way across Western Europe from who became the country’s most decorated
the North Sea to Switzerland. The Battle of the combatant of the war and later a Hollywood star
Bulge, in fact, came about as a direct result of himself. All of which makes it even more curious
the jagged nature of the front, even lending its why it has taken so long for a signii cant study
nam t that parti ular a ti n It wa a itt rly to emerge on what was clearly a highly dramatic
and costly encounter.
“THIS IS A MAGNIFICENT TESTAMENT TO THE HUMAN CAPACITY

FOR SELF DESTRUCTION”

INNOCENCE SLAUGHTERED

ed by: Jean Pascal Zanders Publisher: Uniform Press
e: £28 Released: Out Now
DETHEBIRTHANDTERRIBLELEGACYOFCHEMICALWARFARE

horror that scientiic and military the eyes of the soldiers and civilians who
tutions can concoct when united in a bore witness to gas attacks and the various
mon cause is laid bare in this moving newspapers that reported on the “barbarity”
boration between various historians. of the Germans.
22 April 1915, the German Imperial However, despite the vitriol directed
unleashed 150 tons of chlorine gas at the initial perpetrators, both sides
their trenches on the Ypres Salient, eventually utilised gas in their efforts to
ring in the start of chemical warfare as secure victory. Photographs and posters
cloud descended upon the unfortunate of troops from all sides, maimed in various
ch soldiers opposing them. ways by substances such as Mustard gas,
is horrendous event is the main theme emphasise the point forcefully throughout
book that explores subjects ranging this book.
the birth of weaponised chemicals at This is a magnii cent testament to the
ands of Fritz Haber to the German High human capacity for self destruction via the
mand’s interpretation of the ethics of war means of chemical warfare and the progress
their subsequent doubts about using gas of various organisations seeking to end it. It
eak the stalemate on the Western Front. is sobering to think that, despite the success
e outraged reaction to this terrifying of the Chemical Weapons Convention, gas is
lopment is examined in detail through still being used in the Syrian Civil War.

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