AfterD-DayisoneofasmallbutgrowingbodyofworksthatexaminetheAlliedliberatorsofFrance.ThisstudyfocusesonboththeFrenchexperienceoftheU.S.ArmyandtheAmericansoldiers’reactiontotheFrenchduringtheliberationanditsimmediateaftermath.DrawingonFrenchandAmericanarchivalmaterials,aswellasdozensofmemoirs,diaries,letters,andnewspapers,RobertLynnFullerfollowsFrenchandAmericaninteractions,startingintheskiesoverFrancein1942andendingwiththeliberationofAlsacein1945.FullerpaysspecialattentiontoFrenchlifeinthewarzones,wherelivingunderconstantshellingofferedamiserableexperienceforthoseforcedtoendureit.TheFrenchstoicallywithstoodthosetravails--sometimesinflictedbytheAmericans--whentheysawtheirsacrificesasthepriceofliberationandvictoryoverGermany.AsFullershows,whentheFrenchdidnotbelieveafflictionsbroughtbytheAmericansadvancedthecauseofsuccess,theirtolerancewaned,sometimesdramatically.FullermaintainsthattheAlliedbombingofFrancewasanimportantyetoftenoverlookedchapterofWorldWarII,onethatinflictedmoredeathanddestructionthanthegroundwarstilltocome.Yetthegroundcampaign,whichbeganwiththeAlliedinvasionofNormandy,unleashedenormousviolencethatkilled,injured,orrenderedhomelesstensofthousandsofFrenchcivilians.FullerexaminesFrenchandAmericanrecordsofthefateofciviliansintheprincipalbattlezones,NormandyandLorraine,aswellasinoverlookedliberatedregions,suchasOrl矇anaisandChampagne,thatlargelyescapedwidespreaddamageandcasualties.DespiteFrenchgratitudetowardtheAmericansfortheliberationoftheircountry,relationsbegantocoolinthefallandwinterof1944asprogressonthebattlefieldslowedandthenappearedtoreversewiththeGermanoffensiveintheArdennes.RevealinginstarkdetailtheexperiencesofFrenchcivilianswiththeAmericanmilitary,AfterD-DaypresentsacompellingcodatoourunderstandingoftheAlliedconquestofGerman-occupiedFrance.
