Extraordinary eyewitness accounts of Operation Overlord, the greatest seaborne invasion in the history of the world, and the pivotal Battle for Normandy

This is the compelling story of 'the longest day', 6 June 1944 - D-Day - and the fighting that followed, told in the voices of those who were there. First-hand testimonies from French citizens and from soldiers on both sides, include classic accounts by leaders such as Rommel and Bradley and frontline reports by some of the world's finest authors and war correspondents, including Ernest Hemingway. Much of the writing is brutally honest, revealing the harsh reality behind the romanticised vision of D-Day that has become widely accepted.

Highlights include an account of the break-out from Omaha beach by the GI who led it, descriptions by German soldiers of what it was like to face the biggest invasion force ever assembled, a view from Eisenhower's command post, combat reports, diaries and letters of veterans of all forces and services, and eyewitness accounts of the fighting that followed in Normandy, some of the bloodiest struggles of the war.