In this gripping book, David Lee brings together the remarkable stories of soldiers involved in close-quarter fighting during the Second World War. These first-person accounts take the reader directly to the heart of the battle and bring home the brutal reality of war, plain and simple, with no heightened colour or exaggerated emotion. Inside these pages you will find the story of when a battalion of British soldiers trained in the traditional manner came up against the Waffen SS, whose formidable training bore close resemblance to the Commandos'. For the desert war there is a detailed look at how a rifle battalion held the snipe position against overwhelming odds, and how that same battalion was virtually wiped out when it later went to Italy. For the Far East, Lee shows how hatred of the Japanese Army gave impetus to British soldiers fighting at Kohima and American soldiers at Iwo Jima. And finally there is the poignant story of a US infantry regiment on D-Day. Together these accounts provide a unique record of combat during Second World War and bear testament to the indomitable spirit of the men who fought there. AUTHOR: David Lee is the author of the highly acclaimed 'Beachhead Assault: The Story of the Royal Naval Commandos in World War II' another collection of eyewitness narratives. SELLING POINTS: ? A close-up view of what it was really like to fight at the sharp end in World War II ? Covers actions from each theatre of the war, with in-depth analysis ? Comprehensive coverage of weapons and tactics ? Contains numerous first-hand accounts from veterans ? Demonstrates that a crucial factor for a unit's success in battle was the type of training it received
