Alamein: War without Hate (Paperback)

In just over 400 pages of tense and illuminating narrative we learn more than just the 'what, why & how' of the battle. As readers we get the chance to have a glimpse into the lives of the soldiers who fought in this campaign. We read about soldiers from all parts of the Commonwealth and their German and Italian enemies and we get an idea why this campaign was known as the "war without hate".

The story was presented in a lively and interesting manner and although I have read quite a few books on this battle the story was fresh and retained my interest throughout. I found that at times the authors presented accounts with humor and sometimes a little sarcasm but at all times with fairness to soldiers on both sides of 'no-mans land'. There may not be much that is new here but this book does offer a refreshing and easy to read account of one of World War Two's more famous battles.

I also found that at times whilst reading this book I really got caught up in the lives of some of the participants and I was sadden by many of the outcomes. This is the story about the ordinary infantrymen, tankie, artillerymen, pilot, sailor and civilian, on both sides of the conflict. I really enjoyed the stories from these men and women and it was pleasing to see that the poor old Italian soldier get a fair place in this account. The author's style of writing was captivating and drew me into the narrative with ease, and I enjoyed many of the little snippets of information they provided on a range of subjects and characters...

This is a good story, well presented and well written. I am sure that many readers who enjoy WWII history will enjoy this book immensely.

By borrowing the subtitle War Without Hate they might have slipped into a misleading account of a soft-focus, rather comfortable sort of conflict. They make their point but leave you in no doubt just what a campaign like this means in terms of human loss. Why were we able to beat a better-equipped enemy who was also better-generalled (at least initially)? Because we had some outstanding junior officers and senior NCOs, many more of whom gave their lives in this campaign than in other armies and other wars. The account of the Rifle Brigade's action at Snipe, as well as a number of other accounts of individual acts of bravery (generally linked to a high degree of situational awareness), show how such people enabled Monty to achieve his objectives. And the stories are gripping.

I enjoyed the discussions of the generals in particular. There is some uncomfortable reading here, though, because of the comparisons between the two sides. Although the authors do not dwell on Montgomery, they leave you in no doubt how outstanding his contribution was; and, despite being a professional soldier not known for his tolerance or humanity, he understood that he needed to tailor his plan to the limitations of his citizen army.

I had the luxury of reading the book over Christmas and New Year, and so hardly put it down until I had finished it. I look forward to the next one.