Travel across the battlefields of WWII with this beautiful book combining historical images, full-color aerial photography, and informative text.   In June 1944, Allied forces invaded Nazi-occupied France, beginning a sweep of fierce battles that would eventually liberate Western Europe. With aerial photography, historic images, maps, and other illustrations, Race to the Rhine brings readers to the fateful grounds where men sacrificed their lives for freedom.   The destruction of German forces in Normandy's Falaise pocket was a decisive victory: by September, British troops were in Ghent and Liege; Canadian forces liberated Ostend, and in northeast France, Patton's Third Army was moving rapidly to the German border. The liberation of the Low Countries would not prove as straightforward, however. Operation Market Garden--Montgomery's brave thrust toward the Rhine at Arnhem--ended in failure with over six thousand paratroopers captured.   In late October, belated operations began to clear the Scheldt Estuary and open the port of Antwerp to the Allies. Belgium was almost free of the Nazi yoke, and the Netherlands looked likely to be cleared before Christmas. Then, on December 16, came a major German counter-offensive in the Ardennes. It turned out to be Hitler's last try: the American defenders held, and in the spring, the Rhine was finally gained.   Perfect for the armchair traveler or for those who want a historic guide as they visit significant sites, Race to the Rhine supplies essential information on the places that best represent the battles today.