Richard DOHERTY is an accomplished military historian and author, so it was with a degree of eager anticipation that I began reading this book. I am pleased to say that I was not to be disappointed, for it is another comprehensively researched and well-written book from this author. DOHERTY has a particular interest on the campaign in Italy from September 1943 until May 1945, and I delighted to see that he had written on the subject of the Allies final offensive in that campaign in the Second World War.

In my opinion, there are enough books that cover the battles of Monte Cassino and the landings at Anzio, but too few cover other aspects of this long and drawn out campaign, which lasted twice as long as that in North-West Europe. As DOHERTY explains, the final offensive was a tactical masterpiece, with the British Eighth Army ably led by Lieutenant General McCREERY, and the U.S. Fifth Army by Lieutenant General Lucian TRUSCOTT. The execution of their plans resulted in the total defeat of the German Army in Northern Italy, leading to their surrender on 2 May 1945. DOHERTY captures aspects of the strategic, operational and tactical levels of the campaign, making the book a comprehensive account of this campaign.

There are fourteen pages of photographs in the middle of the book, and a useful series of maps at the beginning. A comprehensive bibliography is included, which is very beneficial to any student of the campaign, and a useful index. All in all, a highly recommended book on an often neglected area of the Second World War. ( )