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Holocaust Studies: Critical Reflections (Variorum Collected Studies)
by Steven T. KatzThe great majority of Holocaust scholarship concentrates heavily, if not almost completely, on the Final Solution from the German side. The distinctive feature of this book, both individually and as a collection, is its concentration on the Holocaust from a Judeo-centric point of view. The present essays make a unique contribution by exploring issues such as: the effect of events specifically on Jewish women and children; the character of the Nazi policy of slave labor in as much as this essential program resulted in different treatment with regard to Jews as compared to other workers; how the destruction of European Jewry has been responded to by Jewish thinkers; and how Jewish values, such as the well-known principle that "all Jews are responsible for each other," were exemplified and lived out during the war. The collection also includes an essay on Elie Wiesel, and another that explores the much discussed, very controversial issue of Jewish resistance, as well as several essays on philosophical and comparative issues raised by the Shoah.
Holocaust Survivors in Postwar Britain: Community and Belonging
by Ellis SpicerThis book pays particular attention to the experiences of younger child survivors of the Holocaust, considering how they kept in touch with one another, and how they integrated into larger cohorts of survivors settling in postwar Britain. Digging deeper than ever before into their postwar circumstances exposes the process of rebuilding shattered lives and the evolution of community relations, including both the beneficial and re-traumatising effects engendered by these networks. Newly conducted interviews put the experiences of younger survivors centre stage. These individuals did not receive much attention or status as survivors until the 1990s, and whilst they represent the most active cohort of survivor speakers in the UK, their narratives and community relations have been markedly absent from academic study.
Holocaust!: The Shocking Story of the Boston Cocoanut Grove Fire
by Paul BenzaquinFirst published in November 1959, this is the bestselling account of the fire at The Cocoanut Grove, a premier nightclub during the post-Prohibition 1930s and 1940s in Boston, Massachusetts, on the night of November 28, 1942.It was the scene of the deadliest nightclub fire in history, killing 492 people and injuring hundreds more. The scale of the tragedy shocked the nation and briefly replaced the events of World War II in newspaper headlines. It led to a reform of safety standards and codes across the U.S., and to major changes in the treatment and rehabilitation of burn victims internationally.Written by radio broadcaster and Boston Globe journalist, Paul Benzaquin, this book is widely regarded as one of the most harrowing tales in the annals of disaster: a story of panic and desperation, of chaos and utter fear, it is also a story of almost incredible courage and ingenuity in the midst of despair.What gives this story lasting value is its emphasis on the aftermath of the fire: the medical innovations wrought by hospital workers in their attempt to save lives; the change in safety regulations brought about by the official enquiry in to the causes of the fire.Paul Benzaquin has scrupulously sifted facts from fancy and with powerful dramatic force molded these and other important elements into a stunning narrative, making Holocaust! a powerful book.Unmissable reading.Contains a detailed layout plan of The Cocanut Grove illustrated with over 20 black-and-white photographs.
Holocaust: An American Understanding
by Deborah E. LipstadtImmediately after World War II, there was little discussion of the Holocaust, but today the word has grown into a potent political and moral symbol, recognized by all. In Holocaust: An American Understanding, renowned historian Deborah E. Lipstadt explores this striking evolution in Holocaust consciousness, revealing how a broad array of Americans--from students in middle schools to presidents of the United States--tried to make sense of this inexplicable disaster, and how they came to use the Holocaust as a lens to interpret their own history. Lipstadt weaves a powerful narrative that touches on events as varied as the civil rights movement, Vietnam, Stonewall, and the women's movement, as well as controversies over Bitburg, the Rwandan genocide, and the bombing of Kosovo. Drawing upon extensive research on politics, popular culture, student protests, religious debates and various strains of Zionist ideologies, Lipstadt traces how the Holocaust became integral to the fabric of American life. Even popular culture, including such films as Dr. Strangelove and such books as John Hershey's The Wall, was influenced by and in turn influenced thinking about the Holocaust. Equally important, the book shows how Americans used the Holocaust to make sense of what was happening in the United States. Many Americans saw the civil rights movement in light of Nazi oppression, for example, while others feared that American soldiers in Vietnam were destroying a people identified by the government as the enemy. Lipstadt demonstrates that the Holocaust became not just a tragedy to be understood but also a tool for interpreting America and its place in the world. Ultimately Holocaust: An American Understanding tells us as much about America in the years since the end of World War II as it does about the Holocaust itself.
Holocaust: The Nazis' Wartime Jewish Atrocities
by Stephen Wynn“Trace[s] the developing Holocaust from the Odessa Massacre . . . a very good point to start into understanding this terrible genocide.” —FiretrenchIn Holocaust, Stephen Wynn looks at the build up to the Second World War, from the time of Hitler’s appointment as Chancellor of Germany in January 1933, as the Nazi Party rose to power in a country that was still struggling to recover politically, socially and financially from the aftermath of the First World War, while at the same time, through the enactment of a number of laws, making life extremely difficult for German Jews. Some saw the dangers ahead for Jews in Germany and did their best to get out, some managed to do so, but millions more did not. The book then moves on to look at a wartime Nazi Germany and how the dislike of the Jews had gone from painting the star of David on shop windows, to their mass murder in the thousands of concentration camps that were scattered throughout Germany. As well as the camps, it looks at some of those who were culpable for the atrocities that were carried out in the name of Nazism. Not all those who were murdered lost their lives in concentration camps. Some were killed in massacres, some in ghettos and some by the feared and hated Einsatzgruppen.“Historical studies like Holocaust: The Nazis’ Wartime Jewish Atrocities are increasingly necessary to remind present and future generations of what can happen when the forces of bigotry and racially motivated hatred goes unchecked in even the most civilized of nations.” —Midwest Book Review
Holy Murder: The Story of Porter Rockwell
by Charles Kelly Birney HoffmanHoly Murder, first published in 1934, is a fascinating, controversial look at the “Avenging Angel” of the Mormon Church, Porter Rockwell. The authors trace the violent history of the Mormon Church beginning with its origins in New York and Illinois, to the flight of its members and their settlement near the Great Salt Lake. Citing numerous sources and interviewing witnesses and descendants, the exploits of Rockwell are detailed to form a picture of a man on the one hand kind to children and his friends, while on the other capable of the most grisly murders of perceived enemies of the church. Although open to criticism for its anti-Mormon bias, attempting to accurately portray Rockwell is difficult as he did not keep a personal diary and many of his activities were shrouded in secrecy. Included are 12 pages of illustrations.
Holy Terror (Rogue Warrior #13)
by Richard MarcinkoNo one has ever accused Richard Marcinko -- aka Rogue Warrior® -- of being an altar boy, but in the latest installment of his bestselling series, Demo Dick finds himself darkening the aisles of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, tracking a group of terrorists who want to turn the world's largest Catholic church into the world's biggest Roman candle. A trip to Italy for Dick Marcinko turns into more than pasta and gondola rides. Nothing and no one is sacred as Marcinko sprays irreverent asides, targeting everything from antiterror wannabes to the nuns who taught him in parochial school. Called "the real deal" by Vince Flynn, the bestselling author of Memorial Day, Marcinko entertains, informs, and even finds time to genuflect in his new book. Visiting a NATO conference in Rome, Demo Dick blisters bureaucratic ears with a speech about Europe's vulnerabilities and the need to get serious about terrorism. He caps off his talk with an impromptu demonstration of the threat, unmasking a plot to kill the conferees seconds before it begins -- and just in time to play volleyball with a live hand grenade. The action ratchets up from there as the former SEAL commander is shanghaied to Sicily to help investigate the attempted theft of nukes from a U.S. base. Is the Mafia involved? Or is this the work of Saladin, a shadowy extremist trying to step into bin Laden's shoes? A high body count lends credence to both theories, but before Demo Dick can untangle the plot, his firm is hired to track down "shrinkage" in a courier operation in Asia. Since said shrinkage involves data and currency worth hundreds of millions of dollars, Demo Dick anticipates a Rogue-sized finder's fee. But he soon discovers the job is a trap. Lured to a cave filled with outrageously hungry tigers in the Thailand jungle, Demo Dick sucks cat breath before being saved by the beautiful if prickly Trace Dahlgren and veteran Rogue sideman Al "Doc" Tremblay. Marcinko has only escaped the frying pan for the fire; he rides a hijacked jet back to Italy, where Saladin plans to wrap up the plot's loose ends in a bonfire at the center of the Eternal City. In Holy Terror, Marcinko mixes his trademark wit and wisdom with nonstop action in a romp across Europe and Asia.
Holy War in Ancient Israel
by Gerhard Von RadTranslation of Der Heilige Krieg im alten Israel from German into English.
Holy War, Inc.: Inside the Secret World of Osama Bin Laden
by Peter L. BergenOn September 11, 2001, the world in which we live was changed forever. The twin towers of the World Trade Center came crashing down, one side of the Pentagon burst into flame, and more than six thousand men, women, and children lost their lives in the most deadly terrorist attack on American soil. As shocking as it was, it had been long in the making: The assault was the most sophisticated and horrifying in a series of operations masterminded by Osama bin Laden and his Jihad group -- an organization that CNN's terrorism analyst Peter Bergen calls Holy War, Inc. One of only a handful of Western journalists to have interviewed the world's most wanted man face to face, Peter Bergen has produced the definitive book on the Jihadist network that operates globally and in secrecy. In the course of four years of investigative reporting, he has interviewed scores of insiders -- from bin Laden associates and family members to Taliban leaders to CIA officials -- and traveled to Afghanistan, Yemen, Egypt, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom to learn the truth about bin Laden's al Queda organization and his mission. Immense in scope and unnerving in its findings,Holy War, Inc. reveals:How bin Laden lives, travels, and communicates with his "cells. " How his role in the crushing defeat of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan made him a hero to Muslims all over the world -- and equipped him to endure a long and bloody siege. How the CIA ended up funding -- to the tune of three billion dollars -- radical, anti-American Afghan groups allied to bin Laden. How the attacks that foreshadowed the destruction of the World Trade Center -- among them the bombings of the American embassies in Africa and the warship USSColein Yemen -- were planned and executed. The dimensions of bin Laden's personal fortune, and why freezing his assets is both futile and nearly impossible. The ideology of bin Laden's number two, the man who has influenced him most profoundly in his holy war -- the Egyptian Ayman al Zawahiri. What we can expect from Islamist extremists in the future. Above all, Peter Bergen helps us to see bin Laden's organization in a radically new light: as a veritable corporation that has exploited twenty-first-century communications and weapons technologies in the service of a medieval reading of the Koran and holy war. Holy War, Inc. is essential reading for anyone trying to understand tomorrow's terrorist threats and the militant Islamist movements that could determine the fate of governments -- and human lives -- the world over. Both author and publisher will donate a portion of the proceeds from this book to United Way's September 11th Fund for the relief of victims of the World Trade Center attacks.
Holy War: Book Three of the Saladin Trilogy
by Jack HightIn HOLY WAR, the final book of the Saladin Trilogy, telling the story of the legendary war leader who united Arabia, Saladin recaptures Jerusalem from the Crusaders, and prepares for his ultimate battle against Richard the Lionheart. A full-blooded historical adventure novel for all fans of Conn Iggulden, Bernard Cornwell, Anthony Riches, Ben Kane, Robyn Young and Simon Scarrow.While Saladin ruthlessly sets about uniting the whole of Arabia under his rule, the Kingdom of Jerusalem is torn apart by treachery and intrigue, and when the murderous knight Reynald of Chatillon raids a caravan heading from Damascus to Mecca and rapes Saladin's sister, the scene is set for war.In June 1187, Saladin marches into the Kingdom with an army of over 24,000 and imposes a crushing defeat on the Crusader forces at the Horns of Hattin. It is only a matter of time before he marches on a panicked and demoralized Jerusalem.But what about Saladin's longtime ally, the Saxon knight John of Tatewic? In the face of annihilation, is he friend or foe? It will take all John's knowledge of the man he calls his brother to negotiate a peaceful fate for Jerusalem - but this is not the end of the story. For in England the soon-to-be crowned King Richard has pledged revenge and a new Crusade . . .
Holy Warrior: A Novel of Robin Hood (The Outlaw Chronicles #2)
by Angus DonaldRobin Hood and his sidekick, Alan Dale, battle Saracens in the Crusades and treachery in his camp in this historical adventure by the author of Outlaw.In 1190 A.D. Richard the Lionheart, the new King of England, has launched his epic crusade to seize Jerusalem from the Saracens. Marching with the vast royal army is Britain’s most famous, feared, and ferocious warrior: the Outlaw of Nottingham, the Earl of Locksley—Robin Hood himself. With his band of loyal men at his side, Robin cuts a bloody swath on the brutal journey east. Daring and dangerous, he can outwit and outlast any foe, but the battlefields of the Holy Land are the ultimate proving ground. And within Robin’s camp lurks a traitor—a hidden enemy determined to assassinate England’s most dangerous rogue.Richly imagined and furiously paced, featuring a cast of unforgettable characters, Holy Warrior is adventure, history, and legend at its finest.
Holy Warriors: A Modern History of the Crusades
by Jonathan PhillipsWhen George Bush inaugurated the War on Terror in 2001, he referred to it as a 'crusade'. A medieval Crusade could be defined thus: a holy war initiated by the Pope on God's behalf in which the participants took the cross and received remission for their sins. The First Crusade, launched in 1095, ushered in a period of almost 200 years of Christian rule in the Levant, yet over time crusades were directed against a variety of opponents, not just Muslims in the Middle East: against Cathar heretics, political enemies of the papacy, the Mongols, pagan tribes of northern Europe, and the Ottoman Turks, well into the sixteenth century. While the notion of fighting for one's faith fell into disrepute during the Enlightenment, whose proponents viewed the idea as primitive and barbaric, in reality the cultural engines of romanticism and orientalism gave the memory of the crusades a significant boost in the nineteenth century. The notion of moral right buttressed by royal authority helped to drive the expansion of European power through imperialism and colonialism, and in both World Wars the theme of crusading was used as a call to arms. As Jonathan Philips demonstrates in this timely and revealing study, crusading has proven to be a remarkably adaptable and long-lasting phenomenon, embedded in the actions and consciousness of the West for centuries. Unlike other histories of the Crusades this one firstly comes up to the present day and secondly, avoids a chronological slog through the whole movement. Instead it drills a series of bore holes into the key aspects and moments: The First Crusade, Richard the Lionheart and Saladin, the Templars, the Jihad, etc. Thirdly, it is incredibly vivid and accessible - we hear the swords, taste the food, see the sights and feel the heat.
Holy Wars: 3000 Years of Battles in the Holy Land
by Gary L. Rashba&“A compelling tale of how this spiritually and politically charged area of the globe has long been a place of pivotal battles&” (Library Journal). Today&’s Arab-Israeli conflict is merely the latest iteration of an unending history of violence in the Holy Land—a region that is unsurpassed as witness to a kaleidoscopic military history involving forces from across the world and throughout the millennia. Holy Wars describes three thousand years of war in the Holy Land with the unique approach of focusing on pivotal battles or campaigns, beginning with the Israelites&’ capture of Jericho and ending with Israel&’s last full-fledged assault against Lebanon. Its chapters stop along the way to examine key battles fought by the Philistines, Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Crusaders, and Mamluks—the latter clash, at Ayn Jalut, comprising the first time the Mongols suffered a decisive defeat. The modern era saw the rise of the Ottomans and an incursion by Napoleon, who only found bloody stalemate outside the walls of Akko. The Holy Land became a battlefield again in World War I when the British fought the Turks. The nation of Israel was forged in conflict during its 1948 War of Independence, and subsequently found itself in desperate combat, often against great odds, in 1956 and 1967, and again in 1973, when it was surprised by a massive two-pronged assault. By focusing on the climax of each conflict, while carefully setting each stage, Holy Wars examines an extraordinary breadth of military history—spanning in one volume the evolution of warfare over the centuries, as well as the enduring status of the Holy Land as a battleground.
Hombres en guerra
by Alvah BessieLa obra maestra olvidada sobre la guerra civil española que fascinó a Ernest Hemingway. Hombres en guerra es un clásico que habla de soldados en la línea de fuego, y uno de los mejores testimonios jamás escritos sobre cualquier guerra. Su autor, Alvah Bessie, fue un escritor y periodista estadounidense que en 1938 combatió en la guerra civil española como voluntario de la Brigada Lincoln. Al volver a su país convirtió los cuadernos que había escrito durante la contienda en la base de este libro, que fue publicado en inglés en 1939 -gracias al apoyo de Ernest Hemingway-, coincidiendo con la invasión de Polonia por parte de la Alemania nazi. Pronto Bessie se convirtió en un reconocido guionista de la Warner Brothers. Sin embargo, en 1950, tras ser acusado por el macartismo de pertenecer al Partido Comunista, fue uno de los Diez de Hollywood, el grupo de personas obligadas a abandonar la industria cinematográfica. Estamos, pues, ante una obra de no ficción que posee un alto valor histórico y literario. En ella Alvah Bessie narra su llegada a España, su incorporación a la Brigada Lincoln, su adiestramiento y su participación en la batalla del Ebro; comparte con nosotros sus marchas nocturnas hasta la primera línea de fuego y los momentos de intimidad... Y al hacerlo nos ofrece un testimonio, entrañable y profundamente humano, de aquellos hombres y mujeres que vinieron de todos los rincones del mundo para luchar por una misma causa.
Home Before Morning: The Story of an Army Nurse in Vietnam
by Lynda Van Devanter Christopher MorganLynda Van Devanter was the girl next door, the cheerleader who went to Catholic schools, enjoyed sports, and got along well with her four sisters and parents. After high school she attended nursing school and then did something that would shatter her secure world for the rest of her life: in 1969, she joined the army and was shipped to Vietnam. When she arrived in Vietnam her idealistic view of the war vanished quickly. She worked long and arduous hours in cramped, ill-equipped, understaffed operating rooms. She saw friends die. Witnessing a war close-up, operating on soldiers and civilians whose injuries were catastrophic, she found the very foundations of her thinking changing daily. <P><P> After one traumatic year, she came home, a Vietnam veteran. Coming home was nearly as devastating as the time she spent in Asia. Nothing was the same ― including Lynda herself. Viewed by many as a murderer instead of a healer, she felt isolated and angry. The anger turned to depression; like many other Vietnam veterans she suffered from delayed stress syndrome. Working in hospitals brought back chilling scenes of hopelessly wounded soldiers. A marriage ended in divorce. The war that was fought physically halfway around the world had become a personal, internal battle.<P> Home before Morning is the story of a woman whose courage, stamina, and personal history make this a compelling autobiography. It is also the saga of others who went to war to aid the wounded and came back wounded ― physically and emotionally ― themselves. And, it is the true story of one person's triumphs: her understanding of, and coming to terms with, her destiny.
Home Before the Leaves Fall
by Ian SeniorThe German invasion of France and Belgium in August 1914 came within an ace of defeating the French armies, capturing Paris, and ending the First World War before the autumn leaves had fallen. But the German armies failed to score the knock-out blow they had planned. The war would drag on for four years of unprecedented slaughter. There are many accounts of 1914 from the British point of view. The achievements of the British Expeditionary Force were the stuff of legend, but in reality there were only four divisions in the field; the French and Germans had more than 60 each. The real story of the battle can only be told by an author with the skill to mine the extensive German and French archives. Ian Senior does this with consummate skill, weaving together strategic analysis with diary entries and interview transcripts from the soldiers on the ground to create a remarkable new history. In addition, all previous classic histories on the subject either focus virtually exclusively on the British experiences or are now very out-of-date such as Barbara Tuchman's Guns of August (1962) or Sewell Tyng's Campaign of the Marne (1935).Supported by up numerous sketch maps, extensive archival research and poignant first-hand accounts, Home before the leaves fall is an accessible, narrative account of the German invasion that came within an ace of victory, that long hot summer.
Home Fires Burning
by Belinda J. DavisChallenging assumptions about the separation of high politics and everyday life, Belinda Davis uncovers the important influence of the broad civilian populace--particularly poorer women--on German domestic and even military policy during World War I.As Britain's wartime blockade of goods to Central Europe increasingly squeezed the German food supply, public protests led by "women of little means" broke out in the streets of Berlin and other German cities. These "street scenes" riveted public attention and drew urban populations together across class lines to make formidable, apparently unified demands on the German state. Imperial authorities responded in unprecedented fashion in the interests of beleaguered consumers, interceding actively in food distribution and production. But officials' actions were far more effective in legitimating popular demands than in defending the state's right to rule. In the end, says Davis, this dynamic fundamentally reformulated relations between state and society and contributed to the state's downfall in 1918. Shedding new light on the Wilhelmine government, German subjects' role as political actors, and the influence of the war on the home front on the Weimar state and society, Home Fires Burning helps rewrite the political history of World War I Germany.
Home Fires Burning
by Karen HouppertAs taps echoes across the cookie-cutter housing areas of upstate New York’s Fort Drum, the wives turn on the evening news, both hoping for and dreading word of their husbands overseas. It’s a ritual played out on military bases across the nation as the waiting wives of Karen Houppert’s extraordinary new book endure a long, lonely, and difficult year with their husbands far from home. Houppert, a prize winning journalist, spent a year among these women, joining them as they had babies, raised families, ran Cub Scout troops, coached soccer–and went to funerals. The waiting wives include Lauren, twenty-six, whose Navy SEAL husband was killed in Afghanistan; Heidi, peace activist and Army wife whose life is a daily struggle with her conscience; Crystal, a nineteen-year-old raising two babies on a shoestring while her husband fights in the Middle East; Tabitha, who becomes the alleged victim of murderous domestic violence at the hands of her Special Operations boyfriend; and Danette, once an Army brat and now a devoted Air Force wife, who teaches, raises two teens, and fills her days with endless volunteer work. Houppert shows that these women make some of the same sacrifices of their personal liberties as their husbands do and yet garner none of the respect accorded their spouses. Today, these military wives find themselves torn between an entrenched tradition that would keep them in a Leave It to Beaver family ideal and a modern social climate suggesting that women are entitled to more–a career of their own, self-determination, and a true parenting partner. Meanwhile, the military concocts family-friendly policies and spends millions on new programs designed to appease military wives–and to maintain them as staunch supporters who will encourage their husbands’ reenlistment. The Army likes to say that it “recruits soldiers, but retains families. ” And indeed, the future of the all-volunteer force hinges on the success ofthismission. Though Army brass speak glowingly of the “Army Family Team,” this team is often deeply divided over strategy–and even goals. A gritty, behind-the-scenes look at the tour of duty from the domestic front, Home Fires Burning provides a fascinating, fresh look at an enormous American institution and the families that live in its shadow. From the Hardcover edition.
Home From War: How Love Conquered the Horrors of a Soldier's Afghan Nightmare
by Marnie Summerfield Smith Martyn Compton Michelle ComptonLance Corporal Martyn Compton's life was changed beyond recognition when he was blown up in a Taliban ambush that killed three of his colleagues. His survival was described as a 'miracle', as he suffered third-degree burns to 75 per cent of his body. He endured 15 operations and doctors used shark cartilage as a base for new skin on his face.But he did not have to face this gruelling ordeal alone. From the moment she heard of his near-fatal wounds, Martyn's fiancée Michelle Clifford found an inner strength to help them both face the future. During Martyn's treatment, Michelle kept a diary in which she revealed the innermost thoughts and emotions she wished she could relay to her wounded partner.Home From War gives a rare insight into the story behind the headlines when soldiers die or are injured. It is also the account of Martyn's battle for adequate compensation. This exploration of how one courageous man came to terms with losing his handsome young face cannot fail to inspire.
Home Front
by John A. BrayThe author of Flags of Our Sonsdelivers an immaculately researched, fast-paced thriller that plunges the reader right into the intrigue of the Civil War. A young and penniless boy, Johnny Madigan lies about his age to become a Union soldier. But after fighting his way through some of the most brutal conflicts of the American Civil War and surviving terrible wounds, Johnny now faces an even deadlier battlefield: he must fight on the home front. Johnny has proven himself a skilled spy. His commanders send him back to New York to penetrate an underground counterfeiting gang supplying forged US currency to the South. As he infiltrates the deadly cabal of plotters, he is sent to Canada where a murderous Confederate spy ring is plotting an armed uprising to take over New York City and hold it hostage—and so win the war for the Confederacy. But in Canada, it is impossible for Johnny to tell which side is which. Suspected by some of the plotters, he is seduced by the beautiful Letitia—a key member of the gang. Her orders are to expose him. Johnny dreams of returning to his childhood sweetheart, the girl who kept him alive as a destitute youth in the city’s slums. But Letitia is proving difficult to resist. At stake are Johnny’s heart, his life—and the outcome of the Civil War itself. “This is the Civil War in close-up, in all its fury and glory. A fantastic, captivating read.” —Richard Foreman, author of the Spies of Rome series
Home Front Girls
by Loretta Nyhan Suzanne HayesDear Glory,Loneliness is built into the fabric of this war, isn’t it? I say a little prayer before I stick my hand in the mailbox. The “Rockport, Massachusetts” stamp on the front of an envelope means the clouds will part, revealing a brilliant sun….It’s January 1943 when Rita Vincenzo receives her first letter from Glory Whitehall. Glory is an effervescent young mother from New England, impulsive and free as a bird. Rita is a Midwestern professor’s wife with a love of gardening and a generous, old soul. These two women have nothing in common except one powerful bond: the men they love are fighting in a war a world away from home.Brought together by an unlikely twist of fate, Glory and Rita begin a remarkable correspondence. The friendship forged by their letters allows them to survive the loneliness and uncertainty of waiting on the home front, and gives them the courage to face the battles raging in their very own backyards. Connected across the country by the lifeline of the written word, each woman finds her life profoundly altered by the other’s unwavering support.Filled with unforgettable characters and unbridled charm, Home Front Girls is a timeless celebration of the strength and solidarity of women. It is a luminous reminder that even in the darkest of times, true friendship will carry us through.Previously published as I’LL BE SEEING YOU.
Home Front: North Carolina during World War II
by Julian M. PleasantsAt the outset of World War II, North Carolina was one of the poorest states in the Union. More than half of the land was rural. Over one-third of the farms had no electricity; only one in eight had a telephone. Illiteracy and a lack of education resulted in the highest rate of draft rejections of any state. The citizens desperately wanted higher living standards, and the war would soon awaken the Rip Van Winkle state to its fullest potential. Home Front traces the evolution of the people, customs, traditions, and attitudes, arguing that World War II was the most significant event in the history of modern North Carolina. Using oral history interviews, newspaper accounts, and other primary sources, historian Julian Pleasants explores the triumphs, hardships, and emotions of North Carolinians during this critical period. The Training and Selective Service Act of 1940 created over fifty new military bases in the state to train two million troops. Citizens witnessed German submarines sinking merchant vessels off the coast, struggled to understand and cope with rationing regulations, and used 10,000 German POWs as farm and factory laborers. The massive influx of newcomers reinvigorated markets--the timber, mineral, textile, tobacco, and shipbuilding industries boomed, and farmers and other manufacturing firms achieved economic success. Although racial and gender discrimination remained, World War II provided social and economic opportunities for black North Carolinians and for women to fill jobs once limited to men, helping to pave the way for the civil and women's rights movements that followed. The conclusion of World War II found North Carolina drastically different. Families had lost sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, and brothers and sisters. Despite all the sacrifices and dislocations, the once provincial state looked forward to a modern, diversified, and highly industrialized future.
Home Run: Allied Escape and Evasion in World War II
by Howard R. Simkin"This book belongs on every World War II bookshelf, filling in the gaps on what is known about this oft-mentioned but little understood topic of wartime escape and evasion." —The NYMAS ReviewImagine that you are deep behind enemy lines. Your plane was shot down or perhaps you have just escaped from a prisoner of war camp. The enemy is hunting you, seeking to throw you behind barbed wire for the duration of the war. What will you do? Do you have a plan, and the skills, to make it to friendly territory? During World War II, the Germans and Japanese held over 306,000 British and 105,000 U.S. service members as prisoners. The number of successful evaders and escapers, both U.S. and British, exceeded 35,000. Many of these were aircrew, who received intense training because of the high risk that they would have to evade or escape. This book will relate how they fared in enemy hands or managed to remain free. This book provides a complete overview of U.S. and British escape and evasion during World War II. It tells the story of the escape and evasion organizations, the Resistance-operated lines, and the dangers faced by the escapers and the evaders in a logical and compelling narrative. Heroism, betrayal, sacrifice, and cowardice are all elements of this fascinating part of the rich tapestry of World War II.
Home Squadron
by James C. RentfrowThis study examines the transformation of the United States Navy as a fighting organization that took place on the North Atlantic Station between 1874 and 1897. At the beginning of this period, the warships assigned to this station were collectively administered by a rear-admiral, but were operationally deployed as individual units, each of whose actions were directed by their captains. By 1897 the North Atlantic, or "Home" Squadron as it was known, was a group of warships constituting a protean battle fleet - that is, an organized body moving and fighting in close-order, which meant that the actions of the captains were directed by a commanding admiral. The process of the development of an American battle fleet resulted in the construction of a new organizational identity for the North Atlantic Squadron. This process was as critical as the eventual outcome. It was not linear, but one in which progress in critical areas was modulated by conflicting demands that caused distraction. From 1874-1888, exercises in fleet tactics under steam were carried out sporadically utilizing existing wooden cruising vessels. From 1889-1894, the last wooden cruisers were decommissioned and the Squadron consisted entirely of new steel warships. Ad-hoc concentrations of vessels for purposes besides exercise and training retarded the continued development of doctrine and tactics necessary for a multi-ship fighting capability during this time. However, much work was done to develop a concept of multi-ship operations. From 1895-1897, the identity of the North Atlantic Squadron as a combat unit solidified. Tactical exercises were held that had specific offensive and defensive wartime applications. These exercises were necessary to develop a combat capability. The results of this study demonstrate that the United States government had an interest in developing an offensive naval combat capability as early as the 1870's. Based on the record of the North Atlantic Squadron, it is argued that imperial aspirations, in the sense of possessing a capability to restrict the actions of other great powers in the Caribbean region, existed prior to the War of 1898. However, the process of change often resulted in the appearance of capability without the rigorous exercise necessary to possess it.