Review:

Decision in Normandy explores the decision making process that formed a battle plan, and then evaluates how it played out, it is thought provoking for those interested in military strategy. However, there is a repetitive refrain here about Bernard Montgomery, that comes back again and again. However, no one, including D’Este, sees Monty as any sort of massive failure as a strategist in what was ultimately a successful invasion and break out.

The author critically examines General Montgomery and the British army’s actions during this campaign and finds much to fault. The army suffers from failure of coordination and a lack of manpower at the strategic level. The author takes Monty to task with an in-depth examination of what he claimed to do, or was going to do, and what he actually did. There was a difference! Chapter 26 on the Falaise action (or lack of it) was hard to follow, yet the failure to close the pocket wasn’t fatal.