D-Day Deception - (Stackpole Military History) by Mary Kathryn Barbier (Paperback)

About the Book

A much-needed reassessment of the deception operation that preceded the Allied invasion of Europe in World War II.

Book Synopsis

Before landing in France on D-Day, June 6, 1944, the Allies executed an elaborate deception plan designed to prevent the Germans from concentrating forces in Normandy. The lesser-known first part, Fortitude North, suggested a threat to Norway. The more famous Fortitude South indicated that the invasion would occur at the Pas de Calais rather than Normandy, largely by creating a fictitious army group under Gen. George S. Patton. While historians have generally praised Operation Fortitude, Barbier takes a more nuanced view, arguing that the deception, while implemented well, affected the invasion's outcome only minimally.A much-needed reassessment of the deception operation that preceded the Allied invasion of Europe in World War II Involves double agents, fake equipment, phantom units, and famous commanders

Review Quotes

"Barbier (history, Mississippi State U.) provides a comprehensive account of Operation Fortitude from planning to conclusion that pays more attention to Fortitude North than many previous accounts and, in addition to presenting the Allied perspective, discusses German responses. In her final assessment, she judges the impact of Fortitude to be minimal."-SciTech Book News

About the Author

Mary Kathryn Barbier is a professor of history at Mississippi State University, where she teaches American history, military history, and grand strategy. She is also the author of Kursk (978-0-7603-1254-4) and coauthor of Strategy and Tactics (978-0-7603-1401-2).