Tragedy at Dieppe

With trademark vibrant style, the tenth volume in Mark Zuehlke's Canadian Battle series tells the story of the 1942 Dieppe raid. Nicknamed "The Poor Man's Monte Carlo,” Dieppe had no strategic importance. The decision to assault it with the largest raid mounted to that date was political. Britain was under intense pressure to launch a major cross-Channel attack against France and, since 1939, Canadian troops had amassed and trained there for the invasion of Europe that would finally occur in 1944. But the Canadian public and many politicians were impatient to see Canadian soldiers fight sooner. Drawing on rare archival documents, personal interviews, and other sources, Mark Zuehlke examines how the raid came to be and why it went so tragically wrong. From the clash of personality and ambition between those masterminding the raid to the experiences of the common soldier left to carry it out, Zuehlke tells the story vividly and uncompromisingly. Ultimately, Tragedy at Dieppe honors the bravery and sacrifice of those who fought and died that fateful day and is a fitting tribute timed to commemorate the raid's 70th anniversary.

Mark Zuehlke is hailed as Canada's leading popular military historian. He was shortlisted for the 2007 Pierre Berton Award for popularizing Canadian history and is the author of more than 20 books, including nine devoted to military history. Also the coauthor of The Canadian Military Atlas, he lives in Victoria, British Columbia.