The Folly of Generals: How Eisenhowers Broad Front Strategy Lengthened World War II [Hardcover]

Throughout the book, Colley uses postwar comments by German generals to support his arguments.  New York Journal of BooksImagine how many lives would have been saved had the war in Europe finished in December 1944 instead of five months later... David Colley analyzes critical mistakes made by the Allied supreme commander, General Dwight Eisenhower, in the last nine months of the war. He argues that had Eisenhower been more adept at taking advantage of several potential breakthroughs in the Siegfried Line in the fall of 1944 the war in the European Theater of Operations might have ended sooner.The book details the American penetration of the Siegfried Line in mid-September and their advance into Germany at Wallendorf before the troops were called back. It also examines in detail operations in the Stolberg Corridor and the actions of General Lucian Truscott. It compares the battles at Wallendorf and Stolberg with Operation Market Garden, and assesses the effectiveness of these operations and the use of the troops. Eisenhower later called off another operation in November 1944, already in progress, to cross the Rhine and destroy the German 1st Army north of Strasbourg. American and German generals believe this operation would have shortened the war.The Folly of Generals explores these potential breakthroughsalong with other strategic and tactical mistakes in the ETO and in Italy, some never before revealedthat might have shortened the war by a considerable margin.An examination of mistakes made by the Allied supreme commander General Dwight Eisenhower in 194445, and their implication for the shape of the last nine months of World War II.Colley discusses how decisions made by Allied Supreme Commander Eisenhower lengthened the war in Europe.Examines lesser-examined aspects of the Allied advance through Europe, such as the American advance at Wallendorf, and Truscott's plan to close the Belfort Gap.Draws on postwar interviews with senior German commanders as well as lS-