The Longest Winter: The Battle of the Bulge and the Epic Story of World War II's Most Decorated...

The Longest Winter: The Battle of the Bulge and the Epic Story of World War II's Most Decorated Platoon | Alex Kershaw | excellent story of heroism

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The Longest Winter...

	The Longest Winter: The Battle of the Bulge and the Epic Story of World War II's Most Decorated Platoon Alex Kershaw Da Capo Press, 2004 - 344 pages average customer review:based on 55 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

On a cold morning in December, 1944, deep in the Ardennes forest, a platoon of eighteen men under the command of twenty-year-old lieutenant Lyle Bouck were huddled in their foxholes trying desperately to keep warm. Suddenly, the early morning silence was broken by the roar of a huge artillery bombardment and the dreadful sound of approaching tanks. Hitler had launched his bold and risky offensive against the Allies-his "last gamble"-and the small American platoon was facing the main thrust of the entire German assault. Vastly outnumbered, they repulsed three German assaults in a fierce day-long battle, killing over five hundred German soldiers and defending a strategically vital hill. Only when Bouck's men had run out of ammunition did they surrender to the enemy. As POWs, Bouck's platoon began an ordeal far worse than combat-survive in captivity under trigger-happy German guards, Allied bombing raids, and a daily ration of only thin soup. In German POW camps, hundreds of captured Americans were either killed or died of disease, and most lost all hope. But the men of Bouck's platoon survived-miraculously, all of them. Once again in vivid, dramatic prose, Alex Kershaw brings to life the story of some of America's little-known heroes-the story of America's most decorated small unit, an epic story of courage and survival in World War II, and one of the most inspiring stories in American history.

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Must read for WWII buffs

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. A must read for any WWII buff and anyone who wishes to read a true account of American heroism during the Battle of the Bulge.

excellent story of heroism

The other reviews tell it much more eloquently than I can. I would only add that I especially liked the scene after Bouck has been captured and Joachim Pieper enters the house demanding to know why the attack has been held up.

The Baum Task force story illustrates that even Patton was not beyond making mistakes, and for selfish reasons: to save his son-in-law Lt. Colonel Waters.

An excellent read.

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Great book

I enjoyed this book. It follows a platoon through the longest winter. It tells their story in a personal way. The book does not provide an over all view of the war or any the grand strategy stuff. It is fast read, which I can appreciate. The author does throw the occasional stories about the generals, but the book is definitely about the soldiers on the ground.

Fascinating, too long forgotten tale of American heroism deserves a better telling

Alex Kershaw has developed into in an excellent popular chronicler of World War II. "The Longest Winter" is an earlier effort and reading it after first encountering his later - and much better - works demonstrates how Kershaw has grown.

The story, far too long forgotten and untold, of an American platoon that performed heroically in the first hours of the Battle of the Bulge is fascinating and inspiring. One despairs of ever seeing patriotic Americans so willing to sacrifice everything to protect their comrades and their nation.

The problem is that Kershaw hadn't developed his style yet or, one suspects, his confidence. The telling is overlong, much too detailed and far too broad and meandering. Kershaw follows many of his subjects, both the American and German combatants over fifty years. While his knowledge of these men is impressive, displaying it wasn't absolutely necessary. In fact, in some cases it detracts from the story.

Kershaw's writing style is, as well, too matter of fact when he describes the heroic, desperate combat as a handful of young American soldiers held up a mighty German offensive for hours and may have saved the Allied forces from a crippling blow. Again, Kershaw's research was prodigous, but he seems to have felt the need to include all of it. A few facts too many - and not enough drama in his descriptions of the combat.

All in all, Kershaw has still delivered an exceptional military history. The story of the heroic platoon deserves telling and retelling until the end of time. A few men stood firm against a tidal wave of tanks, infantry and artillery. Those who survived were taken prisoner and suffered for months in prison camps and some for decades after because of their wounds and mistreatment. Yet, honors didn't find them immediately and their heroism went unrecognized for decades.

Kershaw is to be lauded for discovering and telling this story and it is to his further credit that he has gone on to develop a more sophisticated style and greater competence. A good book that could have been made better with judicious editing, but still a book every military history buff will delight in.

Jerry

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Another great story of heroism from America's citizen soldiers in WWII Europe

Kershaw does a wonderful job of finally completely documenting the story of these men on the front lines of the Bulge. His writing style is "reader friendly". I think the area where he particularly deserves compliments is the time he's taken to locate and personally interview the men still living or those family members of the now-deceased. For me, the conveyance of the first-hand experiences and recollections makes Kershaw's books more personal, aand I appreciate that.

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