Fields of Fire: The Canadians in Normandy (Joanne Goodman Lectures)

This study of Canadian arms in the Normandy campaign turns the usual analysis of events on its head. Very much gunning for the conclusions of previous historians, Copp goes through a close tactical and operational analysis to conclude that the Canadians should not be considered the scapegoats of the perceived failures of the campaign, but the work horses of the Montgomery's forces. Any failings that can be attributed to the Canadians can just as easily be found in the other Allied formations so far as Copp is concerned, and there should be more respect for the performance of the "rational soldier-civilian" in the face of having to cope with the cream of the Wehrmacht, ground favorable to the defense, and air & gunnery support that was show more pushing against the limitations of period technology.

To a degree, you can consider this "normal" history in action. This is as the paradigm of examining operational effectiveness (Dupuy, Van Creveld, D'Este, etc.) in military history generated counter-intuitive results that cried out for a new explanatory narrative in Copp's view. show less

The book did indeed center on the involvement of the Canadian Army in the Normandy Campaign. I was disappointed however in that the book did not present anything that was characteristic of these troops, that is, anything uniquely 'Canadian' which stood them apart from their brethren, the British. The contributions of these men was presented at a rather high level and had more of operational flavor than I had hoped.
All in all, the book was thorough and quite readable. I came away with a better understanding of this Corps but not the deeper understanding of the men who comprised it,