If Chaos Reigns: The NearDisaster and Ultimate Triumph of the Allied Airborne Forces on DDay, June 6, 1944

Gentlemen, do not be daunted if chaos reigns; it undoubtedly will. So said Brigadier S. James Hill, commanding officer of the British 3rd Parachute Brigade, in an address to his troops shortly before the launching of Operation Overlordthe DDay invasion of Normandy. No more prophetic words were ever spoken, for chaos indeed reigned on that day, and many more that followed.Much has been written about the Allied invasion of France, but awardwinning military historian Flint Whitlock has put together a unique packagethe first history of the assault that concentrates exclusively on the activities of the American, British, and Canadian airborne forces that descended upon Normandy in the dark, predawn hours of 6 June 1944. Landing into the midst of the unknown, the airborne troops found themselves fighting for their lives on every side in the very jaws of the German defenses, while striving to seize their own key objectives in advance of their seaborne comrades to come.Whitlock details the formation, recruitment, training, and deployment of the Allies parachute and glider troops. Firstperson accounts by the veterans who were therefrom paratroopers to glidermen to the pilots who flew them into the battle, as well as the commanders (Eisenhower, Taylor, Ridgway, Gavin, and more)make for compelling, youarethere reading. If Chaos Reigns is a fitting tribute to the men who rode the wind into battle and managed to pull victory out of confusion, chaos, and almost certain defeat.Author/military historian Flint Whitlock graduated from the Armys Airborne School at Ft. Benning, GA, in 1965 and spent five years on active duty, including a combat tour in Vietnam. He is the author of nine books, six of which are about World War II, and is currently the editor of WWII Quarterly. He has appeared in documentaries on The History Channel and on the Fox Channels War Stories with Oliver North, and now lives in Denver, CO.Table of ContentsForeword by Martin K.A. MorganPrefaceIntroductionChapter 1: The Germans Brilliant IdeaChapter 2: Training a Brit ParatrooperChapter 3: America Joins the FightChapter 4: Canada: Standing on GuardChapter 5: Getting Gliders Off the GroundChapter 6: The Germans on the DefensiveChapter 7: The All Americans PrepareChapter 8: Pathfinders and ParadummiesChapter 9: The British/Canadian PreparationsChapter 10: The Sharpening of KnivesChapter 11: The Decision to GoChapter 12: The British/Canadian TakeOff & DropChapter 13: Target: SainteMregliseChapter 14: The Canadian DropChapter 15: The 101sts JumpChapter 16: Shootout at the WXYZ Complex, the Fight for Brcourt Manor, and Other SkirmishesChapter 17: Battle for the Orne BridgesChapter 18: Disaster at the Merville BatteryChapter 19: Securing Pegasus BridgeChapter 20: Death at the Chteau, Battle at the CrossroadsChapter 21: Battle of SainteMregliseChapter 22: Coming in on a Wing and a PrayerChapter 23: Hell in the HedgerowsChapter 24: The Battle for ChefduPont & La Fire BridgeChapter 25: DDay Plus 1And BeyondChapter 26: The Battle for BrvilleChapter 27: Final Fight for La FireChapter 28: The Battles for Carentan & GraignesEpilogueAcknowledgmentsSourcesBibliographyIndex