The Fighter-Bomber in the Normandy Campaign: The Role of 83 Group

Authors

Christopher Evans, Wilfrid Laurier UniversityFollow

Abstract

The dichotomy between popular and academic history is, for most historians, and readers, an uncomfortable one. A book that appeals to a mass audience risks the scorn of academia, whereas a scholarly work may never reach beyond the confines of the university. While there are exceptions to this rule, John Keegan’s The Face of Battle being perhaps the most famous, by and large academic study runs parallel with popular accounts and rarely the twain meet. No where is this more prevalent in the study of military history than the question of the role played by tactical air power in the Normandy campaign. With over a half century of intense study and voluminous publication this subject continues to defy a comprehensive reconciliation. It has therefore remained an area of constant debate.

Recommended Citation

Evans, Christopher "The Fighter-Bomber in the Normandy Campaign: The Role of 83 Group." Canadian Military History 8, 1 (1999)