When Christer Bergström published the first English edition of his ground-breaking mammoth work The Ardennes 1944-1945: Hitler’s Winter Offensive in 2014, it hit the World War II community with the impact of an earthquake. Based upon tremendous research into primary sources and interviews with very many of the veterans, this book turned the previous image of the Battle of the Bulge completely upside-down.
Although tearing apart many myths that surrounded this battle it has hardly received any negative criticism – with such scrutiny has the author treated the sources and source references. This book has been called the new main reference work on the battle. It still remains at the very edge of historical research on this epic battle.
Especially the veterans from the Battle of the Bulge have praised the work as completely outstanding.
”At last a book which tells the truth about the Battle of the Bulge. It was a living hell!”
– That was the reaction on the book by Cornelius French, a veteran from U.S. 6th Armored Division ”The Super Sixth” in the Battle of the Bulge. This reaction is the typical by the many veterans from both sides that have read the book.
Among other overwhelmingly positive reviews, here is a small sample:
”The book is a tremendously accurate portrayal of a pivotal WWII winter battle in unforgiving forested terrain. Thank you very much for your effort.”
– Review by U.S. veteran from the Battle of the Bulge Colonel John M. Nolan, 30th Infantry Division.
”Overall, Bergstrom’s book probably ranks as the single best volume, with the most meat, the most photos, the best ancillary material, and the best maps.”
– Review by Bill Stone at Stone & Stone Second World War Books, 21 December 2014.
”I have never read a more outstanding World War II book. The most interesting thing about the book is that some previous assertions have to be revised, such as that the Battle of the Bulge was over when the Patton relieved Bastogne. Other news is that Manteuffel considered the plan to be ’brilliant.’ There is much, much more of the same kind! Many myths are convincingly dispelled. It is amazing how the author has been able to obtain all this credible and detailed information.”
– Review by Lars Navander, lieutenant colonel and former Intelligence Officer at the Swedish Headquarters.
Read more reviews on the book by clicking here.
The first two editions of The Ardennes 1944-1945, a mammoth book of over 500 pages in A4 size, have been sold out. With this new edition, the book is divided into two volumes.
This new Volume I deals with the background of and the build-up for the offensive, the surprising German strike, and the tremendous – and previously overlooked – German successes during the first period of the offensive. The previously covered-up German successes and American failures are presented and detailed and carefully analyzed.
The new Volume II deals with various turning points in the battle:
First the failure of SS-Kampfgruppe Peiper, the Allied Air Force’s severing of the German supply lines around Christmas, and Patton’s counter-offensive.
Next, the bitter defeat sustained by Patton’s Third U.S. Army in the tank battle at Bastogne, and several other German victories in tank battles that have previously been covered up in history writing, how the Luftwaffe actually gained air superiority, and the German offensive restarted in January 1945. Although the bloody battles in January 1945 cost both sides higher losses per day than in December 1944, they have been neglected in previous history writing. Here they are described in detail. The reason why the Ardennes Offensive failed is discussed, as are its quite significant repercussions.
- 270 pages in each volume
- Size: A4 (large size)
- Hard cover
- Over 300 photographs in total
- Several clear maps
- QR codes with links to film clips from the actual battle
- Appendices
The Ardennes 1944-1945 has been published in numerous languages: French, Spanish, Polish, Swedish, and Chinese. New foreign editions are about to emerge.
Published in December 2020!
Price per volume: £72.00 / $99.00 USD /84.90 EUR / 845 SEK
Order your personally signed copy from the author at vaktelforlag@gmail.com
See the concluding Volume II here.
