The Human Face of D-Day: Walking the Battlefields of Normandy: Essays, Reflections, and Conversations with Veterans of the Longest Day [Hardcover]

War and conflict are human creations and Nightingales book draws on human interaction and experience underpinned by historical context. He describes the strategy and operations only to the depth necessary to frame the significance of the human experiences placed in the events.  Military ReviewEver since Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy, the men who survived have sought to return, to honor their dead, and to teach others of what they went through to liberate Europe.Soldier Keith Nightingale has conducted terrain walks in Normandy for over forty years with veterans, active-duty military, and local French civilians. Over the decades Nightingale conducted dozens of formal interviews and informal conversations with many of the principals of the day, including Generals Bradley, Collins, Gavin, Ridgway and Hill. Added to this rare, new primary material from the top brass are numerous conversations with lower-ranking vets who did the heavy lifting, many of which took place as they actually walked the battlefield with NightingaleMajor Howard of Pegasus Bridge; LTC Otway of Merville Battery; Captain Piper of La Fi?re Bridge; LTC Vandervoort, CO of the 2-505/82d; Cpt Raeen of the 5th Rangers; Lt Dick Winters of Br?court Manor; PFC Marcucci of Omaha Beach; and SSG Lem Lomell of Pointe Du Hoc.This unique approach to D-Day combines the authors discussions with veteran and civilian participants in D-Day, his personal reflections on Operation Overlord, and the insights that occuroften at the very site of a battle. Interspersed with veterans remarks, Nightingales personal essays are inspired by specific discussions or multiple interviews. Taken together, the succinct, human observations of these participants illuminate the hard facts to create a unique work of long-lasting interest that will attract specialists, military history buffs, armchair generals, and general readers alike.This unique approach to D-Day combines the authors discussions with veteran and ló5