This is an excellent study of the impact of the Second World War on one part of France, with the area chosen well to give us an account of life under Vichy and then German rule, the struggles of the Resistance, and the military account of Operation Dragoon.

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History of War

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and learnt more about what happened in the region during WW2. Part of what grabbed my attention was to discover that this included the city of Grenoble, where one of our daughters now lives. I also learnt that a museum of the Resistance on the Vercours is not too far from them, and it is now on my list of places to visit when we next travel to visit Grenoble.
I will happily recommend this book.

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Military Model Scene, Robin Buckland

The author has provided a complete and well-researched study of the French Resistance groups, Allied agents and Special Forces operating against the Germans in the South of France. The story of the resistance in the South of France has been covered far less than the situation in Northern and Western France, a deficiency corrected by this very readable book. – Very Highly Recommended.

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Firetrench

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France Magazine, June 2020

It was certainly a good read of which I learnt quite a bit from, as I said earlier the Killing Fields of Provence are like the forgotten D-Day with far more publicity going to the one in northern France. This book comes with and excellent array of clear maps and illustrations to help form the picture in the mind, and towards the end of the book you have I must say high quality sections on abbreviations, a timeline, sources both published and unpublished and notes. All of which really do add to the weight and quality of this book in making it a must read and excellent stature. I’m going to give this a well-deserved 5 out 5 stars.

UK Historian

Click here to listen to James Bourhill speak with broadcaster Noah Tetzner

Stories of the Second World War podcast

Pen and Sword produce to their normal high standard with good glossy images that are relevant.

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Army Rumour Service (ARRSE)

This book is a very detailed and well researched account of the progress of the war in Southern France. It necessarily focuses on the efforts of the various French resistance groups and the German counter efforts as well as the Allied landings in 1944. The narrative is pacey and at no time is the reader saturated in detail so that the overview is obscured. A well constructed narrative history of a region that was subsidiary to the main efforts in Northern Europe but was important to the eventual outcome.

Michael McCarthy. Battlefield Guide

Michael McCarthy