Editorial Content When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
Reporter and historian Garrett M. Graff has created a remarkable oral retelling of the D-Day saga, when 160,000 troops stormed the beaches of Normandy in World War II. As Andy Rooney, then a correspondent for Stars and Stripes, said, “There have only been a handful of days since the beginning of time on which the direction the world was taking has been changed for the better in one 24-hour period by an act of man. June 6th, 1944, was one of them.”
Claiming to have reviewed 5,000 personal stories, memoirs and histories, Graff has whittled down his quoted sources to a still-impressive 700 voices. All of these are compiled into a narrative flow as one person after another provides readers with a first-person view of D-Day.
"For those familiar with the events surrounding D-Day, WHEN THE SEA CAME ALIVE provides a granular view of what happened before, during and after the morning of June 6th. Those who only know the broad outlines will find it to be a very useful, often riveting primer."
Graff begins with a review of how the war began and progressed until 1943, when the Allies determined that an invasion of the Continent was necessary in order to retake the countries overrun by Nazis. How the plans evolved and training ensued is told from various perspectives, with the author providing the necessary narrative bridge to ensure a coherent chronology.
All the while, Graff reminds readers of what could go wrong with this ambitious operation --- from rough seas, to German intelligence discovering the landing sites, to a strong counteroffensive. It’s interesting but also horrifying to read about the landing itself, with its appalling number of Allied casualties. Often the stories end there, but Graff points out that the fighting continued along the beaches for days after the landing.
While well-known voices such as those of Eisenhower, Churchill and Averell Harriman are scattered throughout, as the action gets closer to June 1944, the focus turns to the soldiers themselves. Interspersed between the comments from the mostly American, British and Canadian troops are poignant quotes from the German soldiers and French locals.
Alexandre Reynaud, the mayor of Sainte-Mère-Église, one of the first towns that was liberated, describes seeing the American soldiers: “Their wild, neglected look reminded us of Hollywood movie gangsters. Their helmets were covered with a khaki coloured net, their faces were, for the most part, covered with grime, like those of mystery book heroes.” The mayor proceeds to accompany the Americans to where the German commander usually spent his time, but he “together with his entire anti-aircraft unit, had taken off.”
For those familiar with the events surrounding D-Day, WHEN THE SEA CAME ALIVE provides a granular view of what happened before, during and after the morning of June 6th. Those who only know the broad outlines will find it to be a very useful, often riveting primer.
Teaser
June 6, 1944 --- known to us all as D-Day --- is one of history’s greatest and most unbelievable military triumphs. The surprise sunrise landing of more than 150,000 Allied troops on the beaches of occupied northern France is one of the most consequential days of the 20th century. Now, Pulitzer Prize finalist Garrett M. Graff, historian and author of THE ONLY PLANE IN THE SKY and WATERGATE, brings them all together in a one-of-a-kind, bestselling oral history that explores this seminal event in vivid, heart-pounding detail.
Promo
June 6, 1944 --- known to us all as D-Day --- is one of history’s greatest and most unbelievable military triumphs. The surprise sunrise landing of more than 150,000 Allied troops on the beaches of occupied northern France is one of the most consequential days of the 20th century. Now, Pulitzer Prize finalist Garrett M. Graff, historian and author of THE ONLY PLANE IN THE SKY and WATERGATE, brings them all together in a one-of-a-kind, bestselling oral history that explores this seminal event in vivid, heart-pounding detail.
About the Book
From the New York Times bestselling author of THE ONLY PLANE IN THE SKY and the Pulitzer Prize finalist for WATERGATE comes the most complete and up-to-date account of D-Day --- the largest seaborne invasion in history and the moment that secured the Allied victory in World War II --- featuring hundreds of eyewitness accounts.
June 6, 1944 --- known to us all as D-Day --- is one of history’s greatest and most unbelievable military triumphs. The surprise sunrise landing of more than 150,000 Allied troops on the beaches of occupied northern France is one of the most consequential days of the 20th century. Now, Pulitzer Prize finalist Garrett M. Graff, historian and author of THE ONLY PLANE IN THE SKY and WATERGATE, brings them all together in a one-of-a-kind, bestselling oral history that explores this seminal event in vivid, heart-pounding detail.
The story begins in the opening months of the 1940s, as the Germany army tightens its grip across Europe, seizing control of entire nations. The United States, who has resolved to remain neutral, is forced to enter the conflict after an unexpected attack by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor. For the second time in 50 years, the world is at war, with the stakes higher than they’ve ever been before. Then in 1943, Allied leaders Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill meet in Casablanca to discuss a new plan for victory: a coordinated invasion of occupied France, led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Failure is not an option. Over the next 18 months, the large-scale action is organized, mobilizing soldiers across Europe by land, sea and sky. And when the day comes, it is unlike anything the world has ever seen.
These moments and more are seen in real time. A visceral, page-turning drama told through the eyes of those who experienced them --- soldiers, nurses, pilots, children, neighbors, sailors, politicians, volunteers, photographers, reporters and so many more --- WHEN THE SEA CAME ALIVE “is the sort of book that is smart, inspiring, and powerful --- and adds so much to our knowledge of what that day was like and its historic importance forever” (Chris Bohjalian) --- an unforgettable, fitting tribute to the men and women of the Greatest Generation.
Audiobook available; read by Edoardo Ballerini and Garrett M. Graff, with a full cast
