Eighth Army: The Triumphant Desert Army That Held the Axis at Bay from North Africa to the Alps, 1939-45

The astounding epic of the Desert Army, which marched further and fought longer than any army in World War II.The Triumphant Desert Army that Held the Axis at Bay from North Africa to the Alps, 1939-1945. Eighth Army is Robin Neillands's masterful and thrillingly told account of the defeats and the triumphs of the Eighth Army, considered by many to be the most remarkable fighting force of World War Two. Using first hand source material-including personal accounts and interviews with veterans of Eighth Army-Neillands digs deep into the details of the strategies, conflicts, controversies, and politically motivated decisions that plagued, stymied, and galvanized this remarkable group of men. In the desperate days between June 1940 and October 1942, Eighth Army-a British force representing the Free World at war-was the only Western army left to face the growing Axis powers. Though ultimately triumphant, these men faced defeat. They had to surmount obsolete equipment and indifferent command, as well as the enemy-not forgetting their most dangerous foe, Rommel, who met his match in Eighth Army's General Sir Bernard Montgomery. From the battles fought at Sidi Rezegh, Alamein, Sicily, and Cassino-this riveting narrative reverberates with the unstoppable spirit of the men whose strength carried them on a 3,000 mile march to victory.