- Table View
- List View
Silence over Dunkerque
by John R. TunisA historical novel about one man&’s experience of the evacuation of Dunkirk: &“A lively tale around one of the turning points of World War II&” (The New York Times). Sergeant Edward Williams of the Second Battalion was among the first British troops to land in France, just across the English Channel from his family in Dover, after the declaration of war in September of 1939. Battles have been few and far between since then, in what the Germans have been calling der Sitzkrieg—the sitting war. In May 1940, under the leadership of their new prime minister, Winston Churchill, the British are hoping to stem the tide of Nazi invasion along their southern border. But now, flanked to the east and west by German troops and cut off from the Allies further south, Sergeant Williams and his battalion must retreat to Dunkerque in the north, and escape by sea is their only hope.
Silence Was Salvation
by Cathy A. FriersonRoughly ten million children were victims of political repression in the Soviet Union during the Stalinist era, the sons and daughters of peasants, workers, scientists, physicians, and political leaders considered by the regime to be dangerous to the political order. Ten grown victims, who as children suffered banishment, starvation, disease, anti-Semitism, and trauma resulting from their parents’ condemnation and arrest, now freely share their stories The result is a powerful and moving oral history that will profoundly deepen the reader’s understanding of life in the U. S. S. R. under the despotic reign of Joseph Stalin.
Silenced Victims of Wartime Sexual Violence (Post-Conflict Law and Justice)
by Olivera SimicThe condemnation of wartime sexual violence as a gross violation of human rights has received widespread support. While rape and other forms of sexual violence have attracted considerable local and international attention, this often excludes wartime sexual violence among women belonging to so-called ‘perpetrator’ war-torn nations. This book explores the silence surrounding women’s experiences of wartime sexual violence within academic, legal and public discourses. Olivera Simić argues that the international criminal law and feminist legal discourse on wartime sexual violence can construct a problematic victim hierarchy that excludes and misrecognises certain women’s experiences of sexual violence during and after armed conflict. The book focuses on the experiences of Bosnian Serb women, where the collapse of the former Yugoslavia led to brutal war and gross human rights violations throughout the 1990s. Two decades after the war, women in Bosnia and Herzegovina are still facing the legacies of the violence in the 1990s. Through this case Simić argues that while all women survivors of rape face problems of stigma, shame and lack of political visibility, their legal and symbolic status differ according to their ethno-national identity. Drawing on interviews with Bosnian Serb women survivors of rape in Bosnia and Herzegovina, feminist activists, local media, documentary and archival sources, the book examines ‘post-conflict justice’ as it is seen, lived and interpreted by women who belong to ‘perpetrator’ nations and will be of great interest and use to researchers, students and practitioners within post-conflict law and justice, international criminal law, security studies and gender studies.
Silencing the Bomb: One Scientist's Quest to Halt Nuclear Testing
by Lynn R. SykesIn December 2016, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists moved their iconic “Doomsday Clock” thirty seconds forward to two and a half minutes to midnight, the latest it has been set since 1952, the year of the first United States hydrogen bomb test. But a group of scientists—geologists, engineers, and physicists—has been fighting to turn back the clock. Since the dawn of the Cold War, they have advocated a halt to nuclear testing, their work culminating in the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which still awaits ratification from China, Iran, North Korea—and the United States. The backbone of the treaty is every nation’s ability to independently monitor the nuclear activity of the others. The noted seismologist Lynn R. Sykes, one of the central figures in the development of the science and technology used in monitoring, has dedicated his career to halting nuclear testing. In Silencing the Bomb, he tells the inside story behind scientists’ quest for disarmament.Called upon time and again to testify before Congress and to inform the public, Sykes and his colleagues were, for much of the Cold War, among the only people on earth able to say with certainty when and where a bomb was tested and how large it was. Methods of measuring earthquakes, researchers realized, could also detect underground nuclear explosions. When politicians on both sides of the Iron Curtain attempted to sidestep disarmament or test ban treaties, Sykes was able to deploy the nascent science of plate tectonics to reveal the truth. Seismologists’ discoveries helped bring about treaties limiting nuclear testing, but it was their activism that played a key role in the effort for peace. Full of intrigue, international politics, and hard science used for the global good, Silencing the Bomb is a timely and necessary chronicle of one scientist’s efforts to keep the clock from striking midnight.
Silent and Unseen
by Alfred Scott MclarenIn Silent and Unseen, veteran submarine commander Captain Alfred S. McLaren describes in riveting detail the more significant events that occurred early in the Cold War during his seven years, 1958-1965, onboard three attack submarines: the USS Greenfish (SS-351), USS Seadragon (SSN-584), and USS Skipjack (SSN-585). Through myriad stories and anecdotes, his book focuses on the development of attack-boat tactics and under-ice exploration techniques. The commanding officers that a young submarine officer serves with will determine how well prepared he will be to assume his own command years later. This was particularly true in attack submarines, during the early high-risk years of the Cold War. They were continually at sea, and each reconnaissance and intelligence collection mission was of potentially great, and sometimes extraordinary, value to the government of the United States of America. The missions more often than not required closing of the potential enemy to collect the intelligence desired, generally within weapons range. But, unlike a war patrol, the U. S. attack boat had to remain completely undetected; then withdraw as silently and unseen as it approached. Greenfish was one of the most successful Pacific diesel submarines when McLaren served aboard her as a watch and weapons officer during an era when she and other diesel boats executed all Cold War missions and overseas deployments. McLaren then reported to Seadragon in time to serve as a watch officer, as she became the first nuclear submarine to transit from the Atlantic to the Pacific via the Arctic Ocean. En route, she examined the underside of icebergs, conducted the first underwater survey and passage through the Northwest Passage, and surfaced at the North Pole. He subsequently served as diving officer, an engineering department division officer and as weapons officer during a series of Cold War missions and a lengthy Western Pacific deployment. Silent and Unseen concludes with a recounting of the author’s experiences as diving officer, navigator, and chief engineer onboard what was then world’s fastest and most advanced submarine, USS Skipjack (SSN-585) during the Cuban Missile Crisis, two Cold War missions, and the very intensive and exciting period of new tactical and weapons development which followed to counter a rapidly emerging Soviet nuclear submarine threat
The Silent Attack: The Fallschirmjäger Capture of the Bridges of Veldwezelt, Vroenhoven & Hanne 1940
by Óscar González Thomas Steinke Ian Tannahill&“An enthralling account of how German Special Forces fought to take and hold the key river crossings to allow the main German Army to swarm into France.&”—Firetrench Much has been written about the capture of Fort Eben-Emael in Belgium by German paratroopers, on May 10, 1940. This operation marked the first use of gliders and shaped charges—and proved it possible to drop paratroopers behind enemy lines. Training, secrecy, accuracy and speed linked to the element of surprise made these men lethal, causing chaos among Belgian soldiers. However, it should be stressed that these paratroopers were part of a larger group: The Sturmablteilung Koch (Koch Assault Group), the elite of the Luftwaffe in 1940, whose mission was not only to take Eben-Emael, but also the three bridges over the Alberto Canal near Veldwezelt, Vroenhoven, and Kanne. The success of the attack on Belgium and France would depend on the rapid conquest of those bridges. The aim of this book is to show how the assault on the Albert Canal bridges was planned and carried out, based on documents, records and evidence, and also through many photos never published until now. Every detail—from the creation of the Koch Assault Group to the final attack—has been impeccably researched, as well as verified through testimonies of Belgian and German soldiers. &“An impressive and beautifully presented book, with a meticulously researched, clear and readable narrative which is generously supported by innumerable photographs, first-hand accounts and a complete list of all those who took part. This must be considered an important addition to the library of airborne literature.&”—Pegasus Archive
Silent Cavalry: How Union Soldiers from Alabama Helped Sherman Burn Atlanta--and Then Got Written Out of History
by Howell RainesA Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist reveals the little-known story of the Union soldiers from Alabama who played a decisive role in the Civil War, and how they were scrubbed from the history books.&“It is my sincere hope that this compelling and submerged history is integrated into our understanding of our nation, and allows us to embrace new heroes of the past.&”—Imani Perry, professor, Harvard University, and National Book Award–winning author of South to AmericaWe all know how the Civil War was won: Courageous Yankees triumphed over the South. But is there more to the story?As Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Howell Raines shows, it was not only soldiers from northern states who helped General William Tecumseh Sherman burn Atlanta to the ground but also an unsung regiment of 2,066 Alabamian yeoman farmers—including at least one member of Raines&’s own family.Called the First Alabama Cavalry, U.S.A., this regiment of mountain Unionists, which included sixteen formerly enslaved Black men, was the point of the spear that Sherman drove through the heart of the Confederacy. The famed general hailed their skills and courage. So why don&’t we know anything about them?Silent Cavalry is part epic American history, part family saga, and part scholarly detective story. Drawing on the lore of his native Alabama and investigative skills honed by six decades in journalism, Raines brings to light a conspiracy that sought to undermine the accomplishments of these renegade southerners—a key component of the Lost Cause effort to restore glory to white southerners after the war, even at the cost of the truth.In this important new contribution to our understanding of the Civil War and its legacy, Raines tells the thrilling tale of the formation of the First Alabama while exposing the tangled web of how its wartime accomplishments were silenced, implicating everyone from a former Confederate general to a gaggle of Lost Cause historians in the Ivy League and a sanctimonious former keeper of the Alabama state archives. By reversing the erasure of the First Alabama, Silent Cavalry is a testament to the immense power of historians to destroy as well as to redeem.
The Silent Child: Haunting and thought-provoking historical fiction set during WWII
by J.G. Kelly'Outstanding. Heartstopping. Brilliant. A story that scorches the page, searing in its honesty and profoundly moving in its emotional impact. The characters reach out to you and challenge your preconceptions in this testament to a tragic chapter of history that moved me to tears. It holds up a dark and shocking mirror to our world, yet ultimately it is a triumphant tale of light within darkness. This is an important, powerful novel that everyone should read' KATE FURNIVALLSHE CAN'T HAVE A FUTURE UNTIL SHE HAS A PAST.1944LEO STERN arrives at the Nazi camp at Borek with his wife Irena and his two daughters. The Sterns are spared from the gas chamber when they witness a murder. But in a place that humanity has deserted, Leo is forced to make unimaginable choices to try to keep his family alive. 1961 For seventeen years, Hanna has been unable to remember her identity and how she was separated from her family at the end of the war, until the discovery of a letter among her late uncle's possessions reveals her real name - HANNA STERN - and leads her to Berlin in search of her lost past.Helped by former lover Peter, Hanna begins to piece together the shocking final days of Borek. But Hanna isn't the only one with an interest in the camp, and lurking in the shadows is someone who would prefer Hanna's history to remain silent. Based on in-depth research and beautifully written, this a novel of memory and identity, and the long shadow of war.'This book was such a beautifully written book that will stay with me for a long time. The storyline was emotive and heart wrenching and the characters were well developed and have a special place in my heart. I didn't want this book to end. Nothing I could say would do this book justice, I cannot recommend this book enough' Reader review
The Silent Child: Haunting and thought-provoking historical fiction set during WWII
by J.G. Kelly'Outstanding. Heartstopping. Brilliant. A story that scorches the page, searing in its honesty and profoundly moving in its emotional impact. The characters reach out to you and challenge your preconceptions in this testament to a tragic chapter of history that moved me to tears. It holds up a dark and shocking mirror to our world, yet ultimately it is a triumphant tale of light within darkness. This is an important, powerful novel that everyone should read' KATE FURNIVALLSHE CAN'T HAVE A FUTURE UNTIL SHE HAS A PAST.1944LEO STERN arrives at the Nazi camp at Borek with his wife Irena and his two daughters. The Sterns are spared from the gas chamber when they witness a murder. But in a place that humanity has deserted, Leo is forced to make unimaginable choices to try to keep his family alive. 1961 For seventeen years, Hanna has been unable to remember her identity and how she was separated from her family at the end of the war, until the discovery of a letter among her late uncle's possessions reveals her real name - HANNA STERN - and leads her to Berlin in search of her lost past.Helped by former lover Peter, Hanna begins to piece together the shocking final days of Borek. But Hanna isn't the only one with an interest in the camp, and lurking in the shadows is someone who would prefer Hanna's history to remain silent. Based on in-depth research and beautifully written, this a novel of memory and identity, and the long shadow of war.'This book was such a beautifully written book that will stay with me for a long time. The storyline was emotive and heart wrenching and the characters were well developed and have a special place in my heart. I didn't want this book to end. Nothing I could say would do this book justice, I cannot recommend this book enough' Reader review
The Silent Child: Haunting and thought-provoking historical fiction set during WWII
by J.G. KellySHE CAN'T HAVE A FUTURE UNTIL SHE HAS A PAST.1944LEO STERN arrives at the Nazi camp at Borek with his wife Irena and his two daughters. The Sterns are spared from the gas chamber when they witness a murder. But in a place that humanity has deserted, Leo is forced to make unimaginable choices to try to keep his family alive. 1961 For seventeen years, Hanna has been unable to remember her identity and how she was separated from her family at the end of the war, until the discovery of a letter among her late uncle's possessions reveals her real name - HANNA STERN - and leads her to Berlin in search of her lost past.Helped by former lover Peter, Hanna begins to piece together the shocking final days of Borek. But Hanna isn't the only one with an interest in the camp, and lurking in the shadows is someone who would prefer Hanna's history to remain silent. Based on in-depth research and beautifully written, this a novel of memory and identity, and the long shadow of war.(P) 2022 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
Silent Cry: The True Story of Abuse and Betrayal of an NFL Wife
by Dorothy J. NewtonRaised near New Orleans as one of six children, Dorothy Newton was surrounded by abuse and poverty as she grew up. But she became the first in her family to graduate from college and moved out of poverty. She then began to live out her dreams in Dallas of a better home and life when she married celebrity superstar football player Nate Newton. She had gone from poverty to the pinnacle of success. She was married to a handsome, successful, famous professional athlete, who was a three time Super Bowl Champion and six time Pro-Bowler for the Dallas Cowboys.But all that glittered was not gold.Before long the relationship turned abusive. She found herself living in the world she thought she had escaped in her years growing up. The world did not see her suffering behind closed doors—she was betrayed, treated abusively, threatened continually. Dorothy was trapped with no one to talk to and nowhere to run. In this book Dorothy shares her experiences of pain, loss, survival, hope, recovery, and victory. A gripping story throughout, A Silent Cry is a testament to Dorothy&’s will to live and the peace that comes with hope in the God who sees and hears your tears—even when no one else does.
The Silent Day: A Landmark Oral History of D-Day on the Home Front
by Max ArthurOn 6 June 1944 Britain woke up to a profound silence. Overnight, 160,000 Allied troops had vanished and an eerie emptiness settled over the country. The majority of those men would never return. This is the story of that extraordinary 24 hours.Using a wealth of first person testimonies, renowned historian Max Arthur recounts a remarkable new oral history of D-Day, beginning with the two years leading up to the silent day which saw the UK transformed by the arrival of thousands of American and Canadian troops. We also hear the views of the American troops, who quickly formed strong views of both the British military and civilian populations. Then, on that June morning, many Britain people woke up to discover that vast areas of the country, which had throbbed with life only the day before, were now empty and silent. Civilian workers found coffee pots still warm on the stove but not a soul to greet them. Many women - and children - felt bewildered and betrayed.Then, throughout that day and the days that followed, the whole population gathered around wireless sets, waiting for news. There are powerful testimonies from families of who lost loved ones on the beaches of Normandy, and dramatic personal accounts from young widows who had never had the chance to say goodbye.THE SILENT DAY is an original and evocative portrait of a key event in world history, and a poignant reminder of the human cost of D-Day.
The Silent Day: A Landmark Oral History of D-Day on the Home Front
by Max ArthurOn 6 June 1944 Britain woke up to a profound silence. Overnight, 160,000 Allied troops had vanished and an eerie emptiness settled over the country. The majority of those men would never return. This is the story of that extraordinary 24 hours.Using a wealth of first person testimonies, renowned historian Max Arthur recounts a remarkable new oral history of D-Day, beginning with the two years leading up to the silent day which saw the UK transformed by the arrival of thousands of American and Canadian troops. We also hear the views of the American troops, who quickly formed strong views of both the British military and civilian populations. Then, on that June morning, many Britain people woke up to discover that vast areas of the country, which had throbbed with life only the day before, were now empty and silent. Civilian workers found coffee pots still warm on the stove but not a soul to greet them. Many women - and children - felt bewildered and betrayed.Then, throughout that day and the days that followed, the whole population gathered around wireless sets, waiting for news. There are powerful testimonies from families of who lost loved ones on the beaches of Normandy, and dramatic personal accounts from young widows who had never had the chance to say goodbye.THE SILENT DAY is an original and evocative portrait of a key event in world history, and a poignant reminder of the human cost of D-Day.
The Silent Deep: The Royal Navy Submarine Service Since 1945
by James Jinks Peter Hennessy'The Ministry of Defence does not comment upon submarine operations' is the standard response of officialdom to enquiries about the most secretive and mysterious of Britain's armed forces, the Royal Navy Submarine Service. Written with unprecedented co-operation from the Service itself and privileged access to documents and personnel, The Silent Deep is the first authoritative history of the Submarine Service from the end of the Second World War to the present. It gives the most complete account yet published of the development of Britain's submarine fleet, its capabilities, its weapons, its infrastructure, its operations and above all - from the testimony of many submariners and the first-hand witness of the authors - what life is like on board for the denizens of the silent deep.Dramatic episodes are revealed for the first time: how HMS Warspite gathered intelligence against the Soviet Navy's latest ballistic-missile-carrying submarine in the late 1960s; how HMS Sovereign made what is probably the longest-ever trail of a Soviet (or Russian) submarine in 1978; how HMS Trafalgar followed an exceptionally quiet Soviet 'Victor III', probably commanded by a Captain known as 'the Prince of Darkness', in 1986. It also includes the first full account of submarine activities during the Falklands War. But it was not all victories: confrontations with Soviet submarines led to collisions, and the extent of losses to UK and NATO submarine technology from Cold War spy scandals are also made more plain here than ever before. In 1990 the Cold War ended - but not for the Submarine Service. Since June 1969, it has been the last line of national defence, with the awesome responsibility of carrying Britain's nuclear deterrent. The story from Polaris to Trident - and now 'Successor' - is a central theme of the book. In the year that it is published, Russian submarines have once again been detected off the UK's shores. As Britain comes to decide whether to renew its submarine-carried nuclear deterrent, The Silent Deep provides an essential historical perspective.
Silent Descent
by Dick CouchA U.S. spy has gone missing. A Navy Seal team is sent to bring him back.
Silent Enemy
by Tom YoungEstimated time of arrival: Never...When a terrorist bombing strikes a police training center in Kabul, Afghanistan, many are killed. The wounded, including Sergeant Major Sophia Gold, are loaded onto a C-5 Galaxy bound for Germany. But after takeoff, aircraft commander Michael Parson receives a message: the jihadists have placed bombs on planes leaving Afghanistan--and his is one of them. They are trapped in the air. And if they descend, they will die.As the aircraft deteriorates and the patients grow worse, Parson, Gold, and the crew are pushed to the breaking point--and their biggest challenge has yet to show itself.For the enemy is already closer than any of them can dare to imagine...
The Silent Hero: A true escape story from World War II
by George SheaThe true story of a young deaf French boy, Pierre, who rescues an Allied pilot and helps him back across enemy lines during World War II.
Silent Hunters: German U-boat Commanders of World War II
by Theodore P. SavasWhen World War II erupted across Europe in 1939, Germany knew it could not hope to compete with the Royal Navy in a head-to-head naval war. Left with no viable alternatives, the U-Bootwaffe wagered everything on the submarine in a desperate attempt to sink more tonnage than the Allies could construct. Some of these “silent hunters” who slipped out of their shelters along Europe's shores to stalk their prey have enjoyed considerable recognition in the years since. While most aspects of the bitter struggle have been told and retold from both the Axis and Allied points of view, the careers of some highly effective U-boat commanders have languished in undeserved obscurity. The profiles of six such commanders are presented in this collection of essays. They include Englebert Endrass, whose spectacular career before being lost off the coast of Gibraltar is described here by his best friend and fellow ace Enrich Topp, who wrote this while on his 15th War Patrol; Karl-Friedrich Merten, who was ranked among the war's top tonnage aces; Ralph Kapitsky, whose U-615 suicidal surface-to-air battle in the Caribbean allowed many of his fellow submariners to escape into the Atlantic; Fritz Guggenberger, who sank an aircraft carrier and organized the biggest POW escape attempt in American history; Victor Oehrn, a former staff officer of Karl Dönitz's; and Heinz Eck, who was executed by the British.
Silent Killer: Grant’s Logistical Requirements
by Lt-Col Philip M. MattoxThis monograph examines Grant's campaign of 1864-1865 from a logistics perspective. It answers the following questions: 1. Did logistical systems change for the emerging operational level of war? 2. Did Civil War field logistics form today's concepts at the operational level? 3. Were logistics planning factors derived from Napoleon? It concludes with a discussion of how Grant's systems impacted on 1992 logistics systems. The monograph examines the history and formulation of operational requirements for the logistician. Discussed in detail is the necessity for theater base support, visibility and distribution, and the requirement for logistical planning factors. The conclusion is that each of these elements allows the commander to phase his operations, reduce risks and complete a campaign without creating operational pauses or logistical culmination. Finally, the paper compares 1864 principles with principles utilized during Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
Silent Killers: Submarines and Underwater Warfare
by James DelgadoJames P Delgado, President and CEO of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology and author of Nuclear Dawn (Osprey), presents a detailed, stunningly visual, examination of the history and development of the submarine and its role in naval warfare, from the first practical experiments with submersible craft to the development of the modern nuclear submarine. Calling on his training as a nautical archaeologist who was among the first explorers to dive the Titanic, Delgado recreates the story of the sub from the bottom up--that is, through eerie photographs of subs at the bottom of the sea. In addition, he explores submarine technology, from wooden to iron to steel hulls, from hand-cranked to nuclear powered propulsion, from candle light to electricity, from gunpowder "torpedoes" to nuclear missiles Since the time of Jules Verne, submarines have been a topic of great interest to maritime and military fans and Delgado's new book explores all of the submarine's triumphs and tragedies, successes and failures in this fascinating and compelling illustrated history.
The Silent Man (John Wells Series #3)
by Alex BerensonStealing warheads from the heart of Russia's nuclear complex isn't easy. It requires money, coordination, ingenuity, sleight-of-hand, and just a touch of luck. But if you're determined enough, if you're willing to die--and to kill--to get inside, anything is possible. CIA agent John Wells thought he'd reached his limits when he nearly died while stopping a plot that could have drawn the United States and China into war. Wells is exhausted and his nights are filled with disturbing dreams, but he knows he must gather his strength. He has made many enemies, and the world won't stay quiet for long. Nevertheless, he is not prepared for what is about to happen. Wells and his colleague--and fiancee--Jennifer Exley are on their way to work at Langley when traffic comes to a standstill. An accident has blocked the bridge ahead. Wells begins to get a bad feeling, a feeling that gets worse when he spots the motorcycle zooming up between cars toward him. Within a few minutes, several people will be dead or severely injured, Exley among them, and Wells will be a man possessed. Wells believes he knows who is behind the attack. He wants revenge for himself, despite the pleas of his bosses at the CIA, and even of Exley, that he wait. But as he tracks his adversaries to Russia, and then Europe, he will find much more than he expects. An Islamic terrorist plan of unimaginable/consequences is in motion. As he tries to stop it, Wells will have to decide how much his honor is worth-- and whether he can face losing the woman he loves. Real-world threats, authentic details, a scenario both dramatic and plausible--Berenson's new novel is another "timely reminder of the extremely precarious way we live now" (The Washington Post).
The Silent Man
by Alex BerensonThe New York Times bestselling author of The Ghost War and The Faithful Spy CIA agent John Wells has spent years in the company of evil men. He's paid the price and is beginning to doubt if he can ever live a normal life. And when a powerful adversary from his past finds him, Wells must once again enter the fray. For his country. For his soul. For revenge...
Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce
by Stanley WeintraubIt was one of history's most powerful -- yet forgotten -- Christmas stories. It took place in the improbable setting of the mud, cold rain and senseless killing of the trenches of World War I. It happened in spite of orders to the contrary by superiors; it happened in spite of language barriers. And it still stands as the only time in history that peace spontaneously arose from the lower ranks in a major conflict, bubbling up to the officers and temporarily turning sworn enemies into friends. Silent Night, by renowned military historian Stanley Weintraub, magically restores the 1914 Christmas Truce to history. It had been lost in the tide of horror that filled the battlefields of Europe for months and years afterward. Yet in December 1914 the Great War was still young, and the men who suddenly threw down their arms and came together across the front lines -- to sing carols, exchange gifts and letters, eat and drink and even play friendly games of soccer -- naively hoped that the war would be short-lived, and that they were fraternizing with future friends. It began when German soldiers lit candles on small Christmas trees, and British, French, Belgian and German troops serenaded each other on Christmas Eve. Soon they were gathering and burying the dead, in an age-old custom of truces. But as the power of Christmas grew among them, they broke bread, exchanged addresses and letters and expressed deep admiration for one another. When angry superiors ordered them to recommence the shooting, many men aimed harmlessly high overhead. Sometimes the greatest beauty emerges from deep tragedy. Surely the forgotten Christmas Truce was one of history's most beautiful moments, made all the more beautiful in light of the carnage that followed it. Stanley Weintraub's moving re-creation demonstrates that peace can be more fragile than war, but also that ordinary men can bond with one another despite all efforts of politicians and generals to the contrary.
Silent Night
by Stanley WeintraubSILENT NIGHT brings to life one of the most unlikely and touching events in the annals of war. In the early months of WWI, on Christmas Eve, men on both sides left their trenches, laid down their arms, and joined in a spontaneous celebration with their new friends, the enemy. For a brief, blissful time, remembered since in song and story, a world war stopped. Even the participants found what they were doing incredible. Germans placed candle-lit Christmas trees on trench parapets and warring soldiers sang carols. In the spirit of the season they ventured out beyond their barbed wire to meet in No Man's Land, where they buried the dead in moving ceremonies, exchanged gifts, ate and drank together, and joyously played football, often with improvised balls. The truce spread as men defied orders and fired harmlessly into the air. But, reluctantly, they were forced to re-start history's most bloody war. SILENT NIGHT vividly recovers a dreamlike event, one of the most extraordinary of Christmas stories.
Silent Rebellion (The Vastness #1)
by Blake HausladenThis novella is part one of The Vastness, also available as a collection.Emilia, a girl who lives inside her head with numbers as a slave to a city that consumes all those like her. Emi quickly becomes the center of a vast rebellion as a magic grows inside her, unparallel to anything known.“The main character is very complex and the story is full and complete for a novella. I hope to see Emilia in future novels to learn more about her. I highly recommend all three books by this very detailed and complex author.” – Amazon ReviewThe Vastness is the third and final omnibus collection to the Vesteal Series. The Vastness takes us deep into the capital of Bessradi, following the chaos of Native Silver, where new magic is emerging. Ghosts stir, the ground shakes, and an unknown magic has been unleashed. Blood soon becomes as important as air, and our characters struggle to keep the world balanced.In the end, the war will be over, but which side will win?“I tried to hold his threads together, but I could not touch them. His being came apart, and I was splashed with a sick wash of darkness.” - EmiYou can read the trilogy in full volumes, or broken up into five novellas each.The Vestal SeriesA tale of violent magic, intrigue, and statecraft, the Vesteal Series is the story of four souls that are banished beyond the edge of the map to a land of gnarled forests, ancient magic, and the site of a terrible murder. Their struggles to survive will put them at odds with their families, their nation, and the very powers that shaped the world.1. Ghosts in the Yew Novella 1 - Beyond the Edge Novella 2 - Opposing Oaths Novella 3 - Reckless Borders Novella 4 - Bayen's Women Novella 5 - Falling Tides2. Native Silver Novella 1 - Sutler's Road Novella 2 - Forgotten Stairs Novella 3 - Thrall's Wine Novella 4 - Corsair Princess Novella 5 - Tanayon Born 3. The Vastness Novella 1 - Silent Rebellion Novella 2 - The River War Novella 3 - The Blinded Novella 4 - Crimson Valley Novella 5 - Singer's Reward