Summary of Richard Hargreaves's The Germans in Normandy

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview: #1 The French countryside was dotted with obstacles and wooden crosses, which were symbols of the German occupation. The German army knew that the days of their comparatively idyllic existence were drawing to a close by 1944.#2 In the summer of 1940, there was no thought of an invasion in the minds of Germany s soldiers basking in the glory of victory over their traditional foe. But as the German Army advanced into the Soviet Union in 1941, it began to realize that it needed to rest its troops.#3 Rundstedt was the OB West, and he was frustrated with the situation in France. He had no authority over the air and naval units, and Hitler and his closest advisers on the Wehrmacht High Command oversaw operations in the west.#4 The German occupation of France was not good for the discipline of the German soldier. The activities in Paris, which were severely restricted, led to a rise in attacks, rapes, assaults, and misdemeanours.