Want to learn more about the WWII history that will be covered on this year’s Historians Masterclass? You’re in luck. History Happy Hour co-hosts Rick Beyer and Chris Anderson did a special episode on what you can expect on the 2023 tour.
As noted in a teaser about the “Normandy Breakout Masterclass” episode, “When it comes to WWII, a huge amount of attention is (rightly) focused on D-Day. But the following days and weeks, as Allied troops try to break-out of the Normandy Beachhead against fierce German resistance, is often given short shrift. In April, Chris and Rick will be two of the four historians conducting the Stephen Ambrose Historical Tours 2023 Masterclass, which will dive into just that story.
Fellow historians Matt Broggie, Erik Flint, and Hugh McDonald Buchanan joined Rick and Chris to talk about the fascinating aspects of the breakout, Normandy to Paris, and the sites the will be visiting on the trip.”
Normandy Breakout: Recommended Reading
In the episode, Rick and Chris discuss the books they recommend reading about the Normandy Breakout. Whether or not you’re joining them for the Masterclass, there’s some fascinating reading here.
- Decision in Normandy by Carlo D’este
- Six Armies in Normandy by John Keegan
- Caen: Anvil of Victory by Alexander McKee
- Beyond the Beachhead by Joe Balkoski
- Breakout and Pursuit by Martin Blumenson
- Operation Neptune by Craig Symonds
- War Stories Volume 1: D-Day to the Liberation of Paris by Robert O’ Babcock
Join Rick and Chris on the Historians Masterclass 2023
This year, the Masterclass will explore the Breakout at Normandy, code name Operation Cobra, the Allied plan to take Brittany and trap the remaining German army in Normandy. Expect a boots-on-the-ground experience as historians share knowledge and collaborate with each other.
