Curatola, John M. Armies Afloat. How the Development of Amphibious. Operations in Europe Helped Win World War II

The storming of the Normandy beaches by American forces on 6 June 1944 is one of the most famous moments in American military history. But behind this iconic assault lies a long overlooked story of learning and innovation. Significantly, the amphibious forces that went ashore that day were predominantly Army soldiers supported by sailors and pilots. However, before the army could embark on such an endeavour, it had to learn how to conduct amphibious operations against a contested coastline. Developing this capability required a concerted, focussed effort. The strategy for amphibious assaults, which required a comprehensive joint effort of air, naval and ground forces, was developed over the course of four years. In Armies Afloat, John Curatola guides the reader through the development of the U.S. Army's amphibious capabilities by examining six components: command and control relationships, ship-to-shore movement, naval fire support, air support, establishing a beachhead, and logistics and communications. The men, materiel, processes, and coordination involved in developing such a large-scale amphibious capability was something truly new in warfare. Through a constant process of evaluation and review, US forces adapted their methods at all levels of the war and successfully overtook - and eventually defeated - the European Axis powers.