With the invasion of France the following year taking shape, and hot on the heels of victory in Sicily, the Allies crossed into Southern Italy in September 1943. They expected to drive the Axis forces north and be in Rome by Christmas. And although Italy surrendered, the German forces resisted fiercely and the swift hoped-for victory descended into one of the most brutal battles of the war.

Even though shipping and materiel were already being safeguarded for the D-Day landings, there were still huge expectations on the progress of the invading armies, but those shortages were to slow the advance with tragic consequences. As the weather closed in, the critical months leading up to Monte Cassino would inflict a heavy price for every bloody, hard fought mile the Allied troops covered.

Chronicling those dark, dramatic months in unflinching and insightful detail, THE SAVAGE STORM is unlike any campaign history yet written. James Holland has always recounted the Second World War at ground level, but this version telling brings the story vividly to life like never before. Weaving together a wealth of letters, diaries, and other incredible documents, Holland traces the battles as they were fought – across plains, over mountains, through shattered villages and cities, in intense heat and, towards the end, frigid cold and relentless rain – putting readers at the heart of the action to create an entirely fresh and revealing telling of this most pivotal phase of the war.

James Holland is a historian, writer and broadcaster. The author of a number of bestselling histories, including BATTLE OF BRITAIN, DAM BUSTERS, NORMANDY ’44 and most recently BROTHERS IN ARMS. He has also written nine works of historical fiction, including the Jack Tanner novels. He has presented – and written – a large number of television programmes and series for the BBC, Channel 4, National Geographic, and the History and Discovery channels. A three-part documentary series based on his bestselling book NORMANDY ’44 under the same title, can be found on Amazon Prime. James is co-founder of the Chalke Valley History Festival and of WarGen.org, an online Second World War resource site, and presents the Chalke Valley History Hit podcast. He also presents We Have Ways of Making You Talk, a podcast with Al Murray in which they discuss the Second World War. A fellow of the Royal Historical Society, he can be found on Twitter and Instagram as @James1940.

PRAISE FOR JAMES’S PREVIOUS BOOKS:

‘Impeccably researched and superbly written’

Observer

‘James Holland is the best of the new generation of WW2 historians’

Sebastian Faulks

‘Powerful and moving…James Holland’s greatest strength as a military historian is that he brings humanity to his work’

The Spectator

‘Holland debunks many myths about the period that still linger in popular writing…Exceptional.’

Wall Street Journal