Includes bibliographical references (pages 511-544) and index.

Foreword -- Part I: A world at war. War begins -- War comes to America -- 1943 -- The start of SHAEF -- Crossing the pond -- The American invasion -- Building the Atlantic Wall -- Keeping secrets -- Operation Fortitude -- The Mulberry Plan -- At Slapton Sands -- Exercise Tiger -- The transportation plan -- Picking the date -- Into the sausages -- Keep calm and carry on -- Learning the details -- Spring in Normandy with the Germans -- The D-Day weather forecast -- Part II: The landing. A note on chronology and military terminology -- Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's order of the day -- Paratroopers take off -- Operation Coup de Main -- The 6th airborne arrives in Normandy -- The paratrooper skytrain -- Night in the hedgerows -- Liberation comes to Sainte-Mère-Église -- Neptune rises -- Confusing the enemy -- Ashore in Normandy -- In the air over the beaches -- Heading ashore at Utah -- Naval forces at Utah -- The second wave at Utah -- The rangers at Pointe du Hoc -- Omaha beach -- Into the devil's garden -- Ashore at Omaha -- Getting off Omaha beach -- Afloat off Omaha beach --Jig sector, Gold beach -- The Green Howards take King sector -- Ashore at Juno -- Sword beach -- The news spreads -- Part III: The end of D-Day. Holding the eastern flank -- The walking wounded -- The Battle of La Fière Bridge -- Afternoon for the Germans -- End of D-Day -- Epilogue.