Merry Christmas!

Remember Pearl Harbor

History in every century,

records an act that lives forevermore.

We'll recall as in to line we fall,

the thing that happened on Hawaii's shore.

Let's REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR

As we go to meet the foe

Let's REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR

As we did the Alamo.

We will always remember

how they died for liberty,

Let's REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR

and go on to victory.

Words by Don Reid. Music by Don Reid and Sammy Kaye. Republic Music Corp., NYC, 1941.

The Deceivers: Allied Military Deception in the Second World War

The Wall Street Journal says it best: "This scholarly yet entertaining magnum opus is the definitive account of all the stratagems used by the Allies against the Axis in World War II."

The Deceivers: Allied Military Deception in the Second World War is a monumental work by Thaddeus Holt. It is, indeed, a magnum opus, clocking in at 1,148 pages (which includes a highly detailed bibliography, maps, appendixes, and index) full of intrigue, danger, and, of course, deception.

Holt was the first to have access to the recently declassified and surviving records of numerous important documents pertaining to war-time Allied deception. His highly detailed prose delivers a compelling portrait of the extreme lengths taken by the Allies to win World War II.

The sheer magnitude of research that went into this book is hard to fathom, but it also makes it a must-have source for those interested in this particular aspect of World War II for scholarly purposes or for sheer entertainment. It ably meets both purposes.

Visit Skyhorse Publishing to learn more about The Deceivers and other great history titles!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review purposes only. I was not compensated monetarily.

Enjoy a World War II Christmas

I've just found the perfect Christmas gift for all World War II enthusiasts: a compilation of 49 radio shows, songs, and live broadcasts during the Christmas holiday from the World War II era.

And all for $5.

No, I'm not being paid to share this information with you. I just happen to think it's an incredibly good deal and one that you shouldn't pass up!

Visit Old Time Radio Catalog to order the Christmas CD and don't forget to browse through the hundreds of other CDs available!

Veterans Day 2010

God bless all the veterans, past and present, of the U.S. Military Forces. Thank you for keeping the United States a FREE nation!

Do We Need an Enemy? Guest Post by Lisbeth Eng

Since the end of World War II, all of our former foes are now staunch allies: Germany, Japan and Italy. Even Russia, our WWII ally, turned enemy during the Cold War, is back to being a friend (or at least a cordial acquaintance). Germany, often seen as the most evil entity of World War II, is now our partner in Afghanistan and one of the leading democracies of the world. This is not an accident. I believe it proves that people are people, though politics, circumstances and occasionally an insane leader (i.e. Hitler) can turn an entire nation into an enemy.


My recently released World War II romance novel, In the Arms of the Enemy, takes place in 1944 Italy and the characters are Italian partisans, Italian Fascists and German soldiers. At this point in the war, Italy has surrendered to the Allies and Mussolini has been deposed. Mussolini is imprisoned, then “rescued” by German commandos and brought to Germany for an audience with Hitler. The Führer convinces Il Duce to return to Italy as a puppet dictator, while the German army takes control of the north, and tries to hold back the Allied forces advancing from the south. The Italian Resistance fights the Germans and their Fascist allies by any means possible. Though not recognized as regular combatants under international treaties in effect at the time, they participate in combat against the German forces, as well as in sabotage and espionage missions.

Isabella Ricci, the heroine of In the Arms of the Enemy, serves her country as a member of the Italian Resistance. She has been an anti-Fascist for years, but her zeal is inflamed after she witnesses the unjust execution of her own brother by the Germans. She does not engage in combat; she is a spy. Her mission is to seduce a German officer into revealing military secrets, which she then passes on to her comrades in the Resistance. Further complicating matters for her is the fact that her boyfriend and commander, Massimo Baricelli, sends her on this espionage/seduction mission.

There is no individual villain in my book. The principal characters, whether German or Italian, are portrayed as human beings with their own personalities, strengths and flaws. I do not gloss over the atrocities committed by the German army in Italy between 1943 and 1945. I allude to them, but that is not the main focus of my book. I have done extensive research on the war and the Holocaust and have read perhaps a little too much about all the horrible things Germans did. But I have also researched ordinary German soldiers and have read their memoirs. There was a German Resistance, unfortunately rather unsuccessful in defying National Socialism in their country. An excellent introduction to the subject is Conscience in Revolt – Sixty-Four Stories of Resistance in Germany, 1933-45 by Annedore Leber, available in English translation from Westview Press.

But the German Resistance is not the focus of my book either. In the Arms of the Enemy is the story of ordinary people who, either by choice or circumstance, are caught up in the horror that was World War II, and how these human beings react to the situation in which they find themselves.

As a people, do we need an enemy? During wartime, the enemy is clearly defined. Looking back on World War II, we Americans can pride ourselves in having helped defeat one of the most evil men of the 20th century, Adolf Hitler, and halting his aggression. We have since become close allies of Germany, our former enemy, and were instrumental both in helping the decimated people of that country rebuild after the war, and in German Reunification, celebrated almost exactly twenty years ago. Old enemies have become friends and partners.

Today, the US is again at war, and we currently have new enemies. I can only hope that someday, as we did with the Germans, Japanese and Italians, we can put that enmity aside, form fruitful partnerships and forge peace. Millions of people – Americans, Britons, French, Poles, Soviets, Jews, Germans, Japanese, Italians and countless others – perished in the Second World War. Perhaps war is an unavoidable consequence of human existence. Perhaps war itself is the enemy. But I continue to hope for peace and reconciliation.


BIO: An English major in college, Lisbeth Eng has also studied Italian, German and French. Lisbeth is a native New Yorker and has worked as a registered representative in the finance industry for the past 25 years. Her first novel, In the Arms of the Enemy, is available in e-book and paperback at The Wild Rose Press. Lisbeth invites you to visit her at http://www.lisbetheng.com/.

Coming Soon: Guest Post from New Author of World War II Novel

I'm excited to announce that Lisbeth Eng will be blogging here at the Best of World War 2 about her new novel, In the Arms of the Enemy, a World War 2 romance with a very unique setting: 1944 Italy.

Lisbeth will be blogging on a very interesting topic: "Do We Need an Enemy?" on October 25.

You won't want to miss this!

The Unlikely Spy

Daniel Silva is an immensely talented writer. Since he wrote his debut thriller, The Unlikely Spy, he's gone on to write several other thrillers, most notably those featuring the Israeli special agent, Gabriel Allon.

But The Unlikely Spy is a first-rate World War II thriller. Hard to put down, with numerous twists and turns, and incredibly fast paced, it's one of those rare treats you can't wait to finish to see what happens, but hate for it to end because it's that good.

The "unlikely" hero of this novel is Alfred Vicary, a history professor recruited by old friend Winston Churchill to work on the Double Cross System and "control" all the German agents who've been turned against the Fatherland.

Unfortunately, Germany has a sleeper agent in London, Catherine Blake, a ruthless spy just waiting for the opportune moment to strike. She soon gets her chance when her handlers, the Abwehr, want information on the specific location of the Allies' attack on France.

In the classic race against time, Vicary has to uncover who this woman is, how she operates, who her contact is in England, and how he can stop her.

Even though we all know the outcome of the Normandy Invasion and that the secrets surrounding it were a success, you can't help but feel panicky that Catherine Blake will somehow get that information to Hitler and his cronies and thus alter the outcome of the war. Yes, Silva is that good at tension, pacing, and characterization.

Vicary's character is unusual for heroes. He's not the suave, debonair, young man who gets the ladies and the bad guys at the end. Instead, he's a deeply reflective, middle-aged gentleman more used to the hallowed halls of the university than the spy chasing game. But the ravages of war, the late nights, the lack of sleep, the stress, the tough decisions, and the moral conundrums all create a man at odds with his present world, yet so deeply entrenched in this world that he has nearly lost site of the man he once was.

An excellent, well-written, and thoroughly enjoyable thriller.

Happy Birthday, America!

Because so many gave their lives for us...

Because so many continue to put their lives at risk...

We are a nation of freedom.

God bless America!

Project: Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive!

Hard to believe the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II is coming up in August. To commemorate that day now and forever, a grassroots campaign has started to make August 14 a national day of remembrance for the legacy of the men and women of World War II.

Here's some more info from the website:

Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive! is a national grassroots campaign to mobilize communities across the country to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II on August 14 by establishing a permanent annual day of remembrance to honor the legacy of the men and women of America's "greatest generation.

The goal of this nonpartisan, nonprofit initiative to inspire a renewed sense of community and national unity in our country by establishing a day when America will stop to reflect on the achievements of the men and women who endured the Great Depression, preserved freedom and democracy in the most devastating war in history, and then went on to rebuild their shattered world. Their example of courage, self sacrifice, and commitment to community can inspire a renewed sense of national unity at a time when our country must once again come together to meet common challenges.

You can be part of this important national campaign by:

Urging your elected officials to issue proclamations and write letters of support for the creation of a National Day of Remembrance that will be observed on the second Sunday of every August (Click here to read the text of Concurrent Resolution 226 and learn more about how to contact your representatives).

Organizing activities and events in your community on Saturday, August 14, 2010 to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the day World War II ended.

Help collect the stories of people who remember the day they learned that World War II was over, and help them put them up on this web site so that they can be shared with future generations as a reminder of a time when America came together as a community.

Want to learn more? Check out their website!

Hitler's Rockets: The Story of the V-2s

When I was asked to review this book, Hitler's Rockets: The Story of the V-2s by Norman Longmate, I admit,I didn't know much about the subject. But what an eye-opening subject it is.

Before the war even began, Hitler's top military scientists developed the V-2 rockets. They reached speeds of more than 5,000 feet per second and could strike a target 200 miles away with alarming accuracy. They were five stories tall. And from 1944 to 1945, they killed more than 3,000 innocent British civilians and injured twice that many.

It was a weapon that the world had imagined, but had hoped would never exist. Yet it terrorized the people of Great Britain and sent that country's intelligence officers scrambling for information on how to understand it - and stop it. Unfortunately, it also created panic within the government itself, resulting in massive government censorship of the V-2s attacks on British soil.

Through extensive research involving eye-witness accounts, testimonies of German engineers, and archived records, Longmate presents a chilling narrative of a little-known part of World War II history. Period photographs and an impressive bibliography make this a fascinating read, and a long-overdue account of this revolutionary - and deadly - weapon.

Full disclosure to satisfy Big Brother: This book was sent to me to review. I am not making any money off of this review, but did receive the book free of charge.

The Madonnas of Leningrad

It's not often an author so powerfully brings together the beauty of art with the tragedy of war, but Debra Dean does just that in her national bestselling novel, The Madonnas of Leningrad.

Traveling back and forth between the present time and to the Siege of Leningrad during World War II, this novel focuses on Marina, a docent at the Hermitage museum in Leningrad during the war, and later, an elderly wife and mother living in America who suffers from Alzheimer's.

During the book's war years, we see Marina as a young woman whose fascination and deep love of the art on display at the Hermitage literally keeps her alive on the darkest days of the siege. When the book opens, Marina and other employees of the museum are packing up museum treasures to ship them out, thereby keeping them safe from the approaching Nazi war machine. They pack up the paintings themselves, but leave the frames hanging in their original spot. Marina determines to commit each painting to memory so that she has a "memory palace" of where each painting goes so that if they paintings themselves are lost, the memory of them will not be.

During the siege, Marina and others go through an incredibly harsh existence. Here Dean does not shirk from describing the reality of that tragic time. Food is scarce and the chilling, bitter temperatures of Russia's winter claim thousands upon thousands of lives. Marina struggles to survive along with the rest of her countrymen, and constantly improves on her "memory palace." Dean's poetic, almost lyrical language in describing each painting brings the artwork to life. You yourself will "see" it in your mind's eye just as surely as did Marina.

In the present time, Marina suffers from Alzheimer's and feels her recent memories begin to shatter. Yet the memories of Leningrad and of her time at the Hermitage are crystal clear.

This is a fascinating book not only for its vivid portrayal of Leningrad during the siege, but also for its brilliance in portraying memory as one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal. It's an imaginative work, and one that will stay with you long after the last page is turned.

Keep Calm and Carry On

It's always fun to see something from World War II become popular again. In this case, it's the British propaganda poster, "Keep Calm and Carry On."
While wandering in my local Barnes and Noble, I found a bunch of merchandise with this slogan. They had journals, notepads, desk notes, gift bags, and more. I think it's a fitting slogan for these times of economic misery, one we need to keep in mind.

You can find merchandise via Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com. For those of you overseas, check out this site.

So...keep calm and carry on!

Washington Goes to War

It's rare to find a book that is well-written, accurate, and as charming as David Brinkley's Washington Goes to War. The famous journalist's dry wit and incredible prose captures the very essence of D.C. during World War II.

From politicians and society lovers to military blunders and presidential snarkiness, Brinkley delivers a compelling look at the workings of our nation's capital and tells stories that are often overshadowed by the war itself.

The portrait that emerges from Brinkley's brush strokes is nothing short of amazing. D.C. was not prepared for the massive influx of workers into the city - particularly the "government girls" who worked for the new agencies that cropped up sometimes literally overnight - and the shortage of living space and working space proposed a problem for nearly the entire war. The ineptness of government agencies is evident even then and reading about the political and personality clashes makes one realize that not much changes.

Above all, this story shows how D.C. went from a sleepy Southern town to a busy, lively, humming city and how it has stayed that way ever since. It's a fascinating look at yet another aspect of World War II, and reveals how a war that reached across the world was organized from one of the most unorganized cities in the United States.

68th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor

Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives:

Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.

Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And, while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya.
Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.
Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.
Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.
Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island.
And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has therefore undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense, that always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory.

I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph. So help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.

Franklin D. Roosevelt - December 8, 1941

Father Goose

Cary Grant is in fine form in this hilarious tale of a washed-up college professor turned alcoholic seaman and his troubles with the upstart, infuriatingly beautiful and annoying French teacher, Leslie Caron.

When Mr. Walter Eckland (Grant) "volunteers" to go to a Pacific Island and become a watcher for Japanese planes (Trevor Howard is the British commander who "convinces" Walter Eckland to take the job), he's only in it for the booze. Whenever he reports in a sighting of Japanese planes and the report is confirmed, he will then be able to find one of his beloved bottles of whiskey.

But things turn complicated fast when Walter is sent to rescue French teacher Catherine Freneau, charmingly played by Leslie Caron, and her group of charges - all girls - when their plane crash-lands on another island.

Eckland's world takes a teetering tumble as the girls invade his house and his life. Constantly bumping heads with Ms. Freneau, Walter has more estrogen surrounding him than he can handle and begs the British commander to get the females off his island. Unfortunately, there's no one available who can come make a rescue attempt, so the two wildly-mismatched adults have to learn to get along until help shows up.

Set during World War II in the Pacific, this isn't so much a war movie as a comedy of errors. But there are moments where the war intrudes - when a Japanese ship sends a patrol on the island to look for turtles so the Japanese captain can have "turtle soup" and Eckland and the girls are nearly discovered; when a Japanese plane spots them and tries to take them all out; and the spectacular ending, when Eckland is pursued by a Japanese gunboat.

Father Goose is a fun, rollicking ride with lots of one-liners and zinging dialogue between Grant and Caron, not to mention hilarious situations that show Caron and Grant at their comedic best.

Veterans Day 2009

Remember those who have fallen. Remember those who have served. Remember those who continue to protect our nation and our freedoms.

Thank you, members of our great military. Your deeds and actions will never be forgotten.

Intermarriage between Jews and non-Jews during the Third Reich represented a powerful protest. Those who chose to remain married, despite the overwhelming pressure to divorce, showed strength and courage. Nathan Stoltzfus's book, Resistance of the Heart: Intermarriage and the Rosenstrasse Protest in Nazi Germany reveals the stories of those who lived in such relationships during the Third Reich and survived the war due to their tenacity.

Scholarship on these "in between" German Jews is relatively scarce and thus, this book fills an important void. Stoltzfus devotes much of his text to the years preceding the Rosenstrasse protest, introducing three main couples. Through their interviews, Stoltzfus weaves a tale of courage and individual non-compliance toward the restrictive racial laws of the Third Reich. By focusing largely on the women's perspective, Stoltzfus enlightens us to the world in which they lived and to the sacrifices they made in order to stay married to their Jewish husbands. Indeed, Stolzfus's argument views the protest as a "climactic event in the lives of those who protested and also as part of the complex of events and circumstances that surrounded the climax of World War II" (p. xxv). Stoltzfus remains focused throughout the book, rarely deviating from his thesis.

Beginning with Hitler's rise to power, Resistance of the Heart chronologically traces the steps taken against the intermarried Jews of Germany. Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's minister of propaganda, played a leading role in the campaign toward the Final Solution. Goebbels frequently wrestled over the problem of intermarried Jews. Ultimately, however, the solution depended largely upon the popularity of the Regime and the public's cooperation.

As Stoltzfus argues, "The fundamental Nazi ideology and in turn the prized Nazi policies cut against the grain of social traditions the Germans could not part with" (p. 15). Marriage remained one of the binding ties of German society. Intermarried couples directly conflicted with Nazi ideology since racial purity was a main component of Nazism. However, Hitler's popularity curbed the majority of people's dissent until 1944-45. But intermarried couples protested by staying married.

The lives of the couples - Charlotte and Julius Israel, Elsa and Rudi Holzer, and Wally and Gunter Grodka, comprise much of the story. All three men were Jewish, except for Rudi Holzer, who was a Mischling. Stoltzfus tells the couples' courtship stories and immediately draws you into the everyday lives of ordinary Germans. From the Israel's living room where music and song kept Nazi terrors at bay for a short while to the intense pressure of the Grodka's denouncement-hungry neighbors, to Elsa Holzer's smuggling of a love note to her husband during the Rosenstrasse protest, Stoltzfus brilliantly reveals the daily problems they faced.

The "waffling" of the party leadership on the racial laws is explained through the turbulent life of Werner Goldberg, a Mischling who went thorugh several transitions during his life in the Reich. As the Nazis tried to "work out the conflicts between its racial ideology and practical policies", (p. 85), people lived in a constant state of transition. Rudi Holzer, for example, lived the life of an "Aryan" and remained relatively untouched as a Mischling until new laws came into effect.

Stoltzfus also delves into Goebbel's diary to reveal key points in the administration of actions against the Jews. As the war drug on, Goebbels continued to search for ways to expel the intermarried Jews from Germany. Yet popular opinion always held a significant role in the decision-making process. Women's opinions were especially crucial since their dissent during World War I helped cause the breakdown of morale.

Indeed, women held great importance in a variety of ways. They constituted an important labor force and their letters to husbands and sons at the front could affect morale. Goebbels even recorded in his diary that "women were 'largely responsible' for 'our [public] sentiments'" (p. 197). In early 1943, the labor conscription of women for the Total War decree failed completely as large numbers of women refused to work. As Stoltzfus points out, "...it was not only because of their gender that a mass of women might succeed in a limited public protest but because they were civilians who threatened home front morale" (p. 201). Thus, the stage was set for the Rosenstrasse Protest.

When the Final Roundup of Berlin Jews, including those in intermarriages, began in late February of 1943, Goebbels thought to rid himself of these "privileged" Jews. But as the tale of Rosenstrasse unfolds, he was wrong. The Jews were taken to a facility located in Rosenstrasse, a street at the center of Berlin. Non-Jewish spouses of the prisoners started to gather outside and demand the release of their loved ones. The individual stories of the women, including Charlotte Israel, Elsa Holzer, and Wally Grodka, reveal the resilience of these wives to rescue their Jewish husbands and children. Even though the Gestapo threatened to shoot time and time again, the women remained. As Elsa Holzer remarked, "We acted from the heart, and look what happened...What one is capable of doing when there is danger can never be repeated" (p. 239).

Goebbels and Hitler eventually ordered the release of the intermarried prisoners in order to dissolve the protest. Remarkably, all the Jews released from Rosenstrasse survived the war. But Stoltzfus questions whether or not the proest can be termed resistance or dissent.

With smooth prose and contemporary photos, Stoltzfus delivers a heartening, yet chilling tale. However, the historical accuracy of his sources may come into question since the interviews were held so many years after the war and time has a way of dimming one's memory. But perhaps Stoltzfus's most compelling question throughout the text is a tantalizing "what if?" Would more protests in Nazi Germany have halted the completion of the Final Solution? It is sobering to contemplate.

Review: Defiance

True stories make some of the best films. That is certainly the case with Defiance.

Daniel Craig (Tuvia), Liev Schreiber (Zusia), and Jamie Bell (Asael) star as the three Jewish Bielski brothers of Belorussia who, after the slaughter of their family in 1941, take refuge in the lush forest near their home and begin an excruciating fight to stay alive.

It's not long before more hunted Jews join them. Staying alive remains their top priority for awhile and foraging for food and shelter becomes paramount. But as the news of more atrocities spread and as more Jews are slaughtered, the Bielski brothers vow to do more against the tyranny of Nazism. Along with others in the camp, they form a resistance group known as the Bielski Otriad.

The group build their own community in the forest and here, there is no room for dissent. Food must be shared equally, and everyone must do their part - even the intellectuals who previously had never picked up a hammer in their lives or fired a gun are expected to learn.

Through deadly winters and the threat of constant discovery, Tuvia has no choice but to rule with an iron fist, even when his brother, Zusia, decides to join the Russian partisans in striking against the Germans.

The theme running through this movie is the importance of family. The bond between the three brothers is stronger than iron, and even though they have their disagreements, their love for one another is deep. This bond winds through the camp itself as the people realize that they, too, are a family, a community, and must work together to survive. It's an incredible testament to the determination of a people to fight back against overwhelming odds, especially at a time when Jews were seen as victims with no will to fight back. Defiance sheds light on those instances where Jews refused to succumb to their fate.

Yet there is another aspect to Defiance that bears further pondering. While watching the DVD extras, which included interviews with the writers and director of the film, this question was asked: Must you become a monster to defeat a monster? The Bielski brothers were ruthless and there are several scenes in the movie which portray this. Tuvia executes those responsible for his family's death - a father and his two sons - in cold blood. Zusia goes out and kills Germans in revenge for the death of his wife and child. When a German soldier is captured and brought back to the camp, the movie portrays a chilling scene of the Jews beating the soldier to death as they let their overwhelming grief and anger at all of those lost at German hands overtake them.

It's a question worth pondering.

Overall, Defiance is an incredible movie, aptly titled, with solid performances by every cast member. It's also an amazing story of beating the odds. The Bielski's saved more than 1,000 Jews and today, those Jews' descendents number in the thousands.

To find out more about the Bielski brothers, visit the Holocaust Research Project or http://www.courageandcompassionexhibit.com/.

D-Day 65th Anniversary

My Fellow Americans:

Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our Allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.

And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.

Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.

They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest -- until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.

And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them -- help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.

Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.

And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.

And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keeness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment -- let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace -- a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.

Thy will be done, Almighty God.

Amen.

Franklin D. Roosevelt - June 6, 1944

The Greatest Generation Society

I'm very excited to announce a new kind of community for those of us deeply interested in World War II. It's called The Greatest Generation Society and is a virtual gathering place for other like-minded individuals.

With an innovative social networking formula, you can add photos, post blog entries and news stories, make friends with others, and honor your family members who served in the war. It's a true interactive site that is a labor of love from founder Scott Lyons who started the site to honor his father, a World War II veteran.

Membership is free and the community is growing. Come be a part of this wonderful group and remember the Greatest Generation!

Propaganda: Your Job in Germany

This U.S. Army film was made after the end of World War II. Soldiers who now occupied Germany had to watch it.

Viewed in the context of 21st century hindsight, we can definitely tell it's propaganda. But viewed through the lens of 1946, when the world had been through two devastating world wars, it looks slightly different.

What do you think when you watch this film?

Mrs. Miniver

Made during the height of World War II, Mrs. Miniver is a touching yet gripping film dedicated to arousing the patriotic spirit in America and Great Britain. In this, it does not disappoint.

Kay Miniver is a kind, warm-hearted British woman who loves her family and her life in a small village not far from London, England. She and her husband, Clem (Walter Pidgeon) have three children. When war breaks out, their oldest, Vin (Richard Ney), joins the RAF and becomes a pilot while Clem has duty with the river patrol. Kay must deal with an escaped German parachutist, the marriage of her son to local girl Carol (Teresa Wright), the destruction of her home, and the loss of friends and family. Yet she continues on, encouraging others during this time, whether they be American or British, to continue fighting a just and necessary war.

Widely regarded as a propaganda piece, Mrs. Miniver is also a film full of heart and soul that won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1942. Greer Garson also won an Academy Award for her performance.

If you've yet to watch Mrs. Miniver, make haste! You'll not be disappointed.

Garden of Beasts by Jeffery Deaver

Paul Schumann, a button man (read: hit man), has just been captured in New York City by the feds. But he's offered an unexpected way out of his tricky situation - he'll get his record swiped clean if he does a job for a special interest group in Washington D.C. Unfortunately, that job puts him right smack in the middle of Nazi Germany during the 1936 Berlin Olympics. And the mark is one of Hitler's highest men - Colonel Reinhard Ernst, the chief man for militarizing Germany.

Paul masquerades as a journalist and arrives in Berlin, only to immediately become thrown into a nightmare involving murder, betrayal, and morality. Deaver does an amazing job with the details, deftly incorporating the Olympics into the plot, and delving into the underside of Berlin. The multi-dimensional characters, including appearances by Jesse Owens, Himmler, and Goering, make for a fast-paced, gripping read. But it is Schumann himself who steals the show.

An excellent, well-written novel, Garden of Beasts is Deaver at his finest.

A Letter from Quentin Aanenson

If you watched Ken Burns' amazing documentary, The War, then you will be familiar with Quentin Aanenson, a World War II fighter pilot who was interviewed for the film. His eloquence and strength truly touched me.

Here is a letter he wrote to his girlfriend, who later became his wife, during the war. He never sent it, yet it is a haunting, brutally honest portrayal of what many soldiers went through during this terrible conflict.

Dear Jackie,

For the past two hours, I've been sitting here alone in my tent, trying to figure out just what I should do and what I should say in this letter in response to your letters and some questions you have asked. I have purposely not told you much about my world over here, because I thought it might upset you. Perhaps that has been a mistake, so let me correct that right now. I still doubt if you will be able to comprehend it. I don’t think anyone can who has not been through it.

I live in a world of death. I have watched my friends die in a variety of violent ways...

Sometimes it's just an engine failure on takeoff resulting in a violent explosion. There's not enough left to bury. Other times, it's the deadly flak that tears into a plane. If the pilot is lucky, the flak kills him. But usually he isn't, and he burns to death as his plane spins in. Fire is the worst. In early September one of my good friends crashed on the edge of our field. As he was pulled from the burning plane, the skin came off his arms. His face was almost burned away. He was still conscious and trying to talk. You can't imagine the horror.

So far, I have done my duty in this war. I have never aborted a mission or failed to dive on a target no matter how intense the flak. I have lived for my dreams for the future. But like everything else around me, my dreams are dying, too. In spite of everything, I may live through this war and return to Baton Rouge. But I am not the same person you said goodbye to on May 3. No one can go through this and not change. We are all casualties. In the meantime, we just go on. Some way, somehow, this will all have an ending. Whatever it is, I am ready for it.

Quentin

Edit: Sadly, Quentin Aanenson passed away on December 28, 2008.

Veterans Day 2008

Please take a moment to thank a veteran today and to remember those that have fallen in service to their country. Their sacrifices cannot be forgotten.

Thank you - to all who served, who continue to serve, and to those who gave their lives so that we might enjoy the greatest freedoms on earth.

You will never be forgotten.

The Book Thief

The true human cost of World War II is conveyed eloquently and perfectly in Markus Zusak's The Book Thief. Rarely have I read a more emotionally-powerful book than this true gem.

The Book Thief tells the story of Liesel Meminger who, at the beginning of the story, is only 9 years old and has just arrived at a foster home. Her parents have both been sent away (apparently they are "Komunists") and her little brother died in a train accident en route to Munich. And it is at her brother's funeral that Liesel steals her first book, setting the stage for many more to come.

Liesel lives with Rosa and Hans Hubermann. While Rosa is a tough, no-nonsense woman who often abuses Liesel physically and mentally, she hides a rather warm heart. But it is Hans, whom Liesel soon comes to call "Papa", who truly captures Liesel's heart. He helps her learn how to read, thus spawning Liesel's love for words and for books.

Liesel grows up on Himmel Street in Munching, a suburb of Munich. She becomes best friends with Rudy Steiner, a boy her age, and the two play soccer in the streets, steal fruit from a farmer's orchard, and stand up for each other against all odds. The war touches them from all angles: from a book burning to Jews being marched through the streets to Dachau, to Liesel and her family hiding a Jew named Max, to Rudy's father going off to war, to rationing, to the Hitler Youth and everything in between.

Throughout it all, Liesel clings to her books - some she received as presents from her Papa, while others she has stolen from the library of the mayor's wife. Each book is precious: but she soon learns the awesome power that words hold.

One word can sum up this book - brilliant. I have rarely read a book that is so well-written, with such colorful and vivid language that made me envious as a writer. But even more than the writing is the unusual nature of the story itself. Death is the narrator, and Death knows all and sees all. And in the process, Death reveals its own frailty.

It's an amazing work, very ambitious, and completely absorbing. It is one of the best books I have ever read and with my long history of reading, that is definitely saying something. This book is deserving of all the accolades it has received.

My Father's Secret War

Pulitzer-Prize winner Lucinda Franks delves into her father's shrouded past in this emotionally-driven memoir that reads more like a novel than a nonfiction book.

After finding a Nazi cap in a box of her father's things, Franks begins a search for the truth of her father's role in World War II. Her father refuses to talk about it, and Franks must piece together the clues she finds. She soon discovers that her father played a pivotal role in the war as a secret agent behind enemy lines.

It's a journey of discovery for Franks as she struggles to understand why her father retreated from the world, haunted by a past that was too painful to discuss with his own family.

If you start this at ten o'clock at night like I did, be prepared to stay up a few hours reading. You'll be hooked from the very beginning. Franks' writing is as amazing as the story she has to tell.

Offering a look at not only the physical but the emotional and pyschological toll of World War II, My Father's Secret War should be required reading for any World War II enthusiast.

Sentimental Journey

Sentimental Journey is a B-17 plane that served during World War II. It's currently on tour throughout the Midwest - and if you have $425 to spare, you can actually take a ride in it. It's been lovingly restored by the Arizona Wing Commemorative Air Force Museum. I was fortunate enough to see this plane at its stop in Beatrice, Nebraska, and was able to take lots of photos of the inside and out. To view these photos, visit my other blog.

Historic Photos of WW2: Pearl Harbor to Japan

Before the Acknowledgments page in this latest book from Bob Duncan, there is a photo of a Marine dug into the black sand of Iwo Jima. He is trying to catch a few winks and he'll probably be able to since he has a faithful war dog by his side, alert to any danger that might bring harm to his master.

It's a powerful photo, and only one of many in Historic Photos of World War II: Pearl Harbor to Japan by Bob Duncan. His last book covered North Africa to Germany and revealed many stark photos of the war in Europe. This time, he delves into the Pacific Theater, by all odds a bloodier fight for the Americans than they had in Europe. And once again, Duncan delivers a batch of photos, all black and white, that capture the horror of a very different front.

Candid shots of soldiers resting in between battles, fighting in the sands of Iwo Jima and other islands, and of the deadly battles between carriers all appear in this wonderful book, plus many, many more.

These are photos worthy of studying, and simply glancing at them does them an injustice. Duncan's accompanying text only heightens their appeal and you'll come away from this volume with a good deal more insight into the Pacific Theater.

Memorial Day

Remember their sacrifice...

Foyle's War

If you haven't had the chance to catch this BBC miniseries, you're missing out on some extraordinary performances. Starring Michael Kitchen as Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle, this miniseries follows the solitary detective as he solves mysteries on the British homefront during World War II.

Foyle's War is a well-done series, written by Anthony Horowitz, with spot-on details in costumes and settings and a wonderful supporting cast. There's Foyle's driver, Samantha "Sam" Stewart who isn't afraid to jump in and help the inspector even though she's not a policewoman, wounded soldier turned sergeant Paul Milner, and Foyle's son, Andrew, who gets into his own share of scrapes as a pilot in the RAF.

Tom Keogh of Amazon.com sums it up brilliantly: Kitchen's magnificently measured performance and Horowitz's masterful grasp of the moral and dramatic issues of his battle-scarred milieu make Foyle's War a must.

Steven Spielberg's Film and Video Archive at USHMM

Want to watch the Nuremberg Rallies online? Or see color footage of the Warsaw Jewish quarter in 1939? How about the liberation of Buchenwald?

It's all here.

The Steven Spielberg Film and Video Archive at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum offers a vast resource for scholars and enthusiasts of World War II history. The Internet has made it possible to share these fascinating videos with the world, offering an amazing, sobering, and sometimes horrifying glimpse into the Holocaust and other aspects of World War II. This online catalog provides more than 800 hours of film, primarily from the 1920s to 1948:

Here's a list from the website of just some of the topics covered:

--Prewar Jewish and Roma/Sinti (Gypsy) life
--Germany in the 1920s and 1930s the Nazi rise to power
--Nazi racial science and propaganda
--Persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany, occupied territories, and Nazi puppet states
--Deportations of Jews to ghettos and concentration camps
--Internment camps
--Resistance movements
--Tthe liberation and disclosure of Nazi concentration camps
--Refugees in displaced persons camps
--War crimes trials, including the Nuremberg Trials and the 1961 trial of Adolf Eichmann
--American responses to the events in Europe from 1933-1945, incl. rallies, protests, speeches, & newsreels coverage

Definitely worth a visit.

Picture Credit: USHMM, Julien Bryan filming in Warsaw, Poland, in 1939

Hollywood Goes To War

World War II movies from the Golden Era of Hollywood are plentiful. Most of the era's biggest stars made a war picture. Others went on war bond tours, worked at the Hollywood Canteen, or even served in the armed forces.

Hollywood Goes to War: How Politics, Profits, and Propaganda Shaped World War II Movies, takes an in-depth look at Tinsel Town during the war years. It also takes a closerc look at the OWI - the Office of War Information bureau. This group had one important question for movies made during the war - Will this picture help us win the war?

This is a fascinating look at the relationship between the movie industry and the American government, and offers fantastic behind-the-scenes looks at several popular movies of the time.

Reunion in France

A stylish thriller, Reunion in France takes us to the heart of Occupied Paris during World War II. Joan Crawford plays Michele de la Becque, a former member of France's elite who has lost her home and fortune to the Nazis. When she returns to Paris from the south of France, she finds a different world. Her fiance before the war, Robert Cortot, is suddenly a collaborator, and she has to find a menial job.

When a downed RAF flyer, Pat Talbot (John Wayne) enlists her help to escape to England, Michele's love of her country compels her to assist him. Surprises await her, however, when she comes face to face with the Gestapo - and her own heart.

Crawford's performance is outstanding. She flawlessly goes from spoiled socialite to ardent patriot. Philip Dorn, who plays Cortot, is masterful - you love to hate him. Although John Wayne's role isn't a large one, the chemistry between him and Crawford is wonderful.

Produced by Joseph Mankiewicz, this is a tense, suspenseful, and very well-done war drama.

December 7, 1941: Pearl Harbor

A day that will live in infamy...

66th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor.

Remember...

Veterans Day 2007

It's a day for gratitude.

Thank a veteran today. Tomorrow. Every day.

They gave you your freedom.

And we can never forget.

The Wedding Officer

In a delicious mix of love, war, and food, The Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella sweeps you into World War II Naples, Italy, and offers a delectable feast for your senses.

British Captain James Gould is posted to Naples to be the "wedding officer." This position entails that he interview all the Italian women who want to get married to Allied officers. It's not an easy job, especially when he realizes that the majority of the potential brides are prostitutes - something that they have had to do to survive.

When James meets the gorgeous Livia, a feisty widow who has a gift for cooking, he suddenly finds himself looking at the world —and food — in a completely different way.

The Wedding Officer has a lot going for it - the details of Occupied Naples are impeccable, and Capella reveals that he used Sophia Loren's memoirs to help him recreate the time period. The food analogies and descriptions will literally make your mouth water and compel you to reach for your book of Italian recipes or visit your favorite Italian restaurant.

The book slows a bit during the last 1/4, but this is a minor glitch. Livia and James are very likeable characters, and it's a joy to read about their burgeoning relationship.

Capella doesn't mince words on how hard it was for the Italians during the occupation - both under the Germans and the Allies. Although the focus of the book isn't on battles and strategies, it does center on the human cost of war in all its variances.

Highly recommended.

Historic Photos of World War II: North Africa to Germany

This new release from Turner Publishing Company delivers an honest, unflinching portrait of World War II. With many never-before-published photographs (all in black and white), Historic Photos of World War II is a terrific find.

From the destruction of London to military cemeteries overlooking Omaha Beach, historian Bob Duncan reveals a collection of photographs so powerful, so vivid, that the war ceases to become a historical event and instead becomes a human tragedy.

The last sentence of the preface states it best: "As you turn these pages, you have a through-the-lens view of things just as they were, on the seas and in the air, in thh sand and the mud and the snow where victory and liberation were won."

Black Book

World War II was so vast that it's impossible to know everything that happened in every country. That's why I love "foreign" films that give us a different perspective of the war.

Black Book is an amazing film. It's not for the faint of heart - there are graphic scenes of violence and nudity. But it doesn't detract from the film's power.

Rachel Stein, (played by Carice van Houten) a Jew in hiding in German-occupied Holland. When her family is killed, Rachel joins the Resistance and assumes the identity of the blonde Ellis de Vries. She infiltrates the Nazi headquarters and becomes the mistress of the head of the Gestapo, Ludwig Muntze (Sebastian Koch). Ellis becomes a secretary for Muntze and becomes involved in the partying lifestyle of the Germans while simultaneously working with the Resistance.

But there is a traitor in the midst of the Resistance and Ellis is determined to find out who it is. The culprit will surprise you.

Even though this is subtitled, I barely noticed because I was so caught up in the story. It's a bit Hollywood-ized, but it also shows the courage of those willing to stand up against the enemy. Ellis's fiesty personality is riveting and her curious relationship with Muntze brings out the human side of the war, the conflicting emotions between two people on opposite sides who suddenly question the definition of "enemy."

High drama, gut-wrenching emotion, and a wonderful cast make Black Book well worth your time.

Ken Burns' The War: A Documentary of World War II

This is a must-see television event. Ken Burns is a master at the art of documentary. His past works include The Civil War, JAZZ, and Baseball.

Now, he tackles one of the most important events in history: World War II.

PBS will broadcast the seven-episode special, entitled The War, beginning on September 23, 2007.

Check out PBS for more information, including an interactive Web site that will go live on the 23rd. The War will also be available to order on DVD and as a companion book. A soundtrack will also be available.

Mark your calendars! You won't want to miss this!

World War 2 Memorial - Washington, D.C.

Photos courtesy of my father who traveled to Washington D.C. in June. If you've been to the World War II Memorial, I'd love to hear what you thought of it. It's on my list of "must see's."

The Kommandant's Girl

While the concept of this novel is quite good - a Polish Jew whose husband works for the Resistance dons a new identity and works as a secretary to the German Kommandant in Krakow - the writing itself falls flat.

Yes, it's simplistic. Yes, it's very easy to read. But I found that the cliches and other rather mundane details didn't quite draw me into this world of danger and intrigue. It's written in first-person and thus, offers a limited view of the world of nineteen-year-old Emma, a.k.a. Anna.

Since the author, Pam Jenoff, spent time in Poland and studied the Jewish Resistance in that country, I thought perhaps there would be a plethora of great historic detail. While there is some, I still had a hard time "picturing" the setting. Since setting is so important to a story - especially this particular one - I never quite connected with the sense of place.

That being said, this book has a great story to tell. The curious relationship between Emma and the Kommandant is riveting. Jenoff manages to keep you turning the pages to find out if Emma is going to get caught spying for the Resistance while she works at one of the most important Nazi strongholds in Krakow.

Worth a read. If you're a fan of the simplistic style of writing, you'll enjoy this novel of heroism and danger.