Ardennes 1944

The Battle of the Bulge

By: Antony Beevor

Narrated by: Sean Barrett

The prize-winning historian and best-selling author of D-Day and Stalingrad reconstructs the Battle of the Bulge in this riveting new account.

On December 16, 1944, Hitler launched his "last gamble" in the snow-covered forests and gorges of the Ardennes in Belgium, believing he could split the Allies by driving all the way to Antwerp and forcing the Canadians and the British out of the war. Although his generals were doubtful of success, younger officers and NCOs were desperate to believe that their homes and families could be saved from the vengeful Red Army approaching from the east. Many were exultant at the prospect of striking back.

The Allies, taken by surprise, found themselves fighting two panzer armies. Belgian civilians abandoned their homes, justifiably afraid of German revenge. Panic spread even to Paris. While some American soldiers, overwhelmed by the German onslaught, fled or surrendered, others held on heroically, creating breakwaters that slowed the German advance.

The harsh winter conditions and the savagery of the battle became comparable to the Eastern Front. In fact, the Ardennes became the Western Front's counterpart to Stalingrad. There was terrible ferocity on both sides, driven by desperation and revenge, in which the normal rules of combat were breached. The Ardennes - involving more than a million men - would prove to be the battle that finally broke the back of the Wehrmacht.

In this deeply researched work, with striking insights into the major players on both sides, Antony Beevor gives us the definitive account of the Ardennes offensive that was to become the greatest battle of World War II.

©2015 Antony Beevor (P)2015 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“One of the finest narrative military historians now writing.... What makes Ardennes 1944 so effective…is not just the vividness of the prose, the clarity of the author’s presentation of tactical events or his skill at evoking through description and careful quotation the look and even smell of the battlefield. Beevor also does a brilliant job of weaving together the grand operational and the tactical narratives, showing how the decisions of generals do, or do not, shape circumstances on the ground.” (The New York Times Book Review)

“A panoramic and intricately detailed account.” (USA Today)

“[A] searing account.... A salutary reminder of that thin veneer detected by Freud between the civilized and the primitive in each of us. Ardennes 1944 ought to prompt some careful reflection on our modern age.” (The Wall Street Journal)

good review of the battle

a good review of the 1000s of different horror stories of a vicious battle ... well worth listening to...

Excellent book and masterfully narrated

Very well written and easy to listen to. I liked the information detailing the lead up to the offensive itself, specifically the parts detailing the battle in the Hurtgen forest. I also enjoyed the narrators authentic pronunciations of unit names and his "American voice ".

Another great one from Beevor

Fantastic overview of one of the most bitter struggles on the Western Front. Of particular interest to this reader was the presentation of the impacts the offensive had on the civilian population. Well done.

outstanding account of a war within a war

I had heard the phrase "battle of the bulge." This story was incredibly moving and reminded me of those who sacrificed all for the life I now enjoy.

Another Beevor Great

Ardennes 1944 is another fantastic addition to Beevor's stable of WW2 books. I have read and re-read Stalingrad and The Fall of Berlin multiple times and I am betting that Ardennes 1944 gets added to that list. A great, insightful, historically based resource for anyone interested in this WW2 battle.

GEN Patton had Ivory handled pistol grips

GEN Patton’s pistols had Ivory grips with his initials inscribed. They were NOT made of pearl.

Excellent all around.

a must have in any body's history library. very sorry to reach the end of it.

Great depth of historical information

Provides details that are not commonly written about WWII. Narrated well and keeps the listener attentive.

Amazing.

I love history, but the main reason I bought this audiobook was because Sean Barrett narrated it. Love his style of narration and accent.

Lots of new insights

really enjoyed this book. I am an avid reader of WW2 and found this to be engaging and full of new information and detail. loved the narrator too