The Battle of the Bulge and the Epic Story of WWII's Most Decorated Platoon

The Longest Winter tells the story of the Intelligence and Reconnaissance (I&R) Platoon, 394th Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division. During the battle of the Bulge they held off the German offensive for a crucial (roughly) 24 hours. The story covers the US-based training, deployment, battle lead-up, battle, POW internment, liberation, and reunion. There is some personality interplay, as well. Has pictures and maps.

The history covered is a fascinating story, but this is only a mediocre telling.

I don’t regret the time, but this is not an author on my going forward list.

Absolutely incredible what these men did. The author did an amazing job putting you right there. After reading the book I have an idea what my father in law went through, he also was there and age 20

Kershaw shares the story of a platoon that does the impossible: impedes the advance of a German tank column on the first day of the Battle of the Bulge. Eighteen young men held an entire battalion at bay until they ran out of ammunition. In its own way, this was a Thermopylae. The unit earned a much deserved and very belated Presidential Unit citation as old men with deep memories of a bitter battle that achieved far more than anyone could have hoped. On that day a few heroes played a pivotal role in hindering the last German offensive on the Western Front.

I would recommend this book to anyone who feels they've read all the books on World War II. While the book goes into great detail about their role in fighting the 'Battle of the Bulge' their continued story as prisoners of war completed the book for me. It taught me prisoner of war camps are not like the typical Hollywood movie (like 'Stalag 17') with a lot of healthy men who joke around a lot. What they endured and the weight they lost in a relatively short period of time was shocking. The only part of this book I didn't care for had nothing to do with the story line, but because I read it on my Kindle and when maps were shown they were difficult to read due to the size of my Kindle screen.

I've read a lot of WWII books and this one is right up there. It gives a little different view of the Battle of the Bulge, in particular what happened to so many of our soldiers who were captured. God Bless them all.

I thought that the author did a very good job detailing all the events that had taken place during and after the battles. Also I had not known about the attempt to free General Patton's son-in-law from the prison camp. Don't know why this was not made public and that he did not get a court martial.

I've read other reviews and I agree with most. This is one brave soldier's account of this epic battle. This is not the entire story of the battle of the bulge. It is a tunnel vision picture of this battle. It should be considered thusly and not as an all-encompassing detailed accounting of the big picture – the big battle. I was hoping for the detailed, all inclusive version, not this version. Still, you must honor those who fought in this war, and in this battle. They were very brave and we honor their service.

In a search to reconnect with the spirit of my father, one of the heroes in the Battle of the Bulge, I have found in Kershaw's telling of this piece of history Dad's presence very close to me. I only wish we had talked more while he was alive. My heart is full and thankful to all the men who died and fought for our security.

This book brought book memories of my own dear brother George who was captured in the Battle of the Bulge and remained a POW till the end of the war. His story included the fact of Patton and his charge behind the lines to save his son in law. My brother suffered through 7 days and nights in a boxcar, and had problems with his frostbitten feet throughout his life. Sadly the strain on his body resulted in his death at the young age of 63.

His story also illustrated the comradeship of soldiers in that his life was saved by a Catholic Buddy who gave him his own dogtags when they were captured by an SS outfit. We of course will always be grateful to his friend.

Thanks to Alex Kershaw for this wonderful book.

Alvin Golman

This is a good book but a bit disjointed & erratic at times. The Battle of the Bulge was a large battle and was hard to see all going on from an individual viewpoint. This is true of any battle so the limited view may cause a writer to be disjointed. This writer tries but does not succeed all the time. Not the best book I've read on the subject but a good read anyway. RAG

A handful of extraordinarily brave soldiers, under the inspired leadership of a Lieutenant who would ' hold the line at all cost,' provide a "holding action" that would prove to be a key factor in securing allied victory during the Battle of the Bulge. A small group of men form a camaraderie in battle that sustains them through their winter as prisoners of war. A story of remarkable men who nearly gave all, so that Hitler's Army could be defeated.

Okay book that told of a little known conflict and it's aftermath during the Battle of the Bulge. Action of the players was not always clear in the story, and the book dragged a bit toward the end. Great detail was used, but at times it made you more, not less, confused. Not re-readable and will donate.

This is the second book I've read by Alex Kershaw, and just as with "The Liberator" he clearly spent a lot of time on research. I always appreciate hearing stories first hand from old veterans about their experiences. But the next best thing is when an author does his job well. This is a detailed account of the hell these men went through, and it's told from all sides - meshing very well. I don't know that this story could be told any better.

We all know about the battle of the bulge. But few of us know about the individual engagements. This book brings to light the story of the brave men who held up the Germans long enough for the army to regroup and repel the Germans. It also details their heroic stand to survive the war as POW's.

This summer I walked the beaches of Normandy, so I wanted a book that really told of the last big battle of WWTwo. This book is a very good account of the men who fought a battle of a very hard winter and succeeded in there cause. I like t he human thoughts of those men who gave their all. Suso I liked this book very much.

Excellent converage of WWII during the winter of 1944. I was in the Army and in that area at the time of the Battle of the Bulge and the narrative and pictures in the book gave me a feeling of being back in time.

I was really looking forward to reading this book, but found myself disappointed with the rather flat and colorless prose style of the author. A story this dramatic deserves more intensity, more vivid storytelling - at least in my opinion.

Interesting first person details of activities of soldiers who were outside the actual battle of Bastogne. The heroic efforts of these few soldiers helped slow down the German advances and helped changed the final major acts of the war.

Paperback version was nearly unreadable. Paper was so thin the text on the back side was annoyingly visible. The print was grey; probably an attempt by the publisher to minimize the effect of the thin paper-didn’t work.

Paperback version was nearly unreadable. Paper was so thin the text on the back side was annoyingly visible. The print was grey; probably an attempt by the publisher to minimize the effect of the thin paper-didn’t work.

This will probably be an unpopular review. First, there can be no doubt that the men of the platoon of the story did their duty with bravery and competence. Second, the book is reasonably written and appears to be well researched and thorough. Having said that, this book seems to try too hard to exaggerate the importance and distinction of the short-term actions of a single platoon. What is so unusual is that the book itself provides the evidence to counter this repetitive implication. The actions of the men of this platoon were no more heroic than 90% or more of the line soldiers caught up by the battle of the bulge or any other major action of wars. The critique that follows is not intended to lessen their sacrifice and bravery, but to try to put it in some perspective. I include some details of the book. Do not read on if you want to read this book. First, the "epic" combat action of the platoon lasted less than a day (about 10-12 hours). The fighting was intense but no more so (probably less so) than many many other units in the european theater. As to the claim that their actions were pivotal to the American success in (eventually) repulsing the attack, just look at the recollection of the platoon's own members who state that it was only the unbelievable incompetence of the attacking German forces that delayed their eventual capture. The platoon commander recalls even early in the battle that the superior force (primarily infantry, enemy tanks only show up later after their capture) could have easily flanked them and overwhelmed them at any time, and simply didn't. The german tank commander interviewed after the war states that it was traffic jams that delayed his column, not the actions of a small platoon. The book devotes one chapter to the "epic" (brief) battle. The rest of the book bounces from the platoon members suffering as POWs, and a superficial account of the surviving 99th division combat actions. Finally, the medals of distinction. Only one of the medals (for the platoon leutenant) was recommended by the division's chain of command after the war. All the rest were requested beginning in 1966 in response to that silver star medal. The commanding leutenant takes on the crusade to have the rest of his soldiers recognized 20+ years after the fact. Americans are grateful to all those who fought bravely in wwII (indeed all wars), and we can certainly understand the emotional attachment between the platoon commander and his men....but 4 DSCs, 5 silver stars, and 9 bronze stars? Why not just hand out 18 medals of honor? When compared to the continued combat bravery of other people/units in wwII, Korea, and Vietnam, this just pales terribly in comparison. Even members of the platoon thought the medals were questionable: "Don't call (me) a hero. Please don't use that word. Too many other people did a lot more than I did who were never recognized." I agree. When we confuse bravery and competence with true individual heroism sufficient to justify our nation's higher honors, we dilute the significance of those who truly performed amazing feats of distinction. This may sound like more of a critique of the events than the book. The link is that the book is much less than advertised (in my opinion). The book is a decent historical account of what happened in this small component of the war. For that it is a fair read. If you expect it to impress you with true heroism and incredible combat action, you'd probably be better to look elsewhere. It was a waste of time for me.

TITLE: The Longest Winter
AUTHOR: Alex Kershaw
GENRE: History
PAGES: 344
Okay, in the interest of full disclosure, I LOVE history. World War II is one of my favorite periods. Now some may ask “How many times can you read a book on the same subject?”
My answer is “As many times as I want.”
Let’s face it, reading history is no different than reading any other genre like romance, thrillers, mysteries, etc. Sure, history can be boring at times, especially if you are bombarded by places and dates and little else. That is not the case with THE LONGEST WINTER.
THE LONGEST WINTER follows the story of the 394th Infantry Platoon and how it faced a Nazi onslaught at the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge. The book follows the battle, and the subsequent capture of these soldiers and details their life in captivity.
This is not a stuffy history of places and dates and technical jargon that will befuddle the reader. This book is a perfect example of history coming to life in the hands of an author who loves his subject and conveys that love to the reader. I truly got the feel of the “Do or Die” spirit of the American soldier during an incredible battle and the after effects of capture.
If you are a history buff, read this book! If you are not a history buff, read this book! Bottom line, READ THIS BOOK!

Alex Kershaw’s book tells the remarkable true story of a platoon of 18 young Americans led by a 20 year old First Lieutenant Lyle Bouck . In 1944 in the Ardennes Forest while greatly outnumbered, they held up the German’s last major offensive, which allowed the Americans to regroup. Their actions had a positive influence on how the ‘The Battle of the Bulge.’ was won. After these brave young men were forced to surrender after running out of ammunition, the story goes on to give an account of the appalling conditions they and all allied troops had to contend with during the last months of the war. They faced near starvation, lack of sanitation and heating as Germany tried to carry on fighting when it could barely support its own population, let alone 250000 allied prisoners of war. Intertwined with this is also an excellent basic account of the ‘Battle of the Bulge’. I found this book really interesting. It is informative yet a real page turner, that flows like an easy to read novel. This book would be of interest to anyone who reads the historical WW2 books of ‘Stephen E. Ambrose's’ or Antony Beevor.

The “Longest Winter” is a well-written and informative book about how a platoon of American GI’s held off the spear point of the Dec. 16th 1944 German attack at the start of the Battle of the Bulge, and in doing so paved the way for an eventual allied victory. This is an important book that counters the off stated view that that US soldiers threw down their arms and fled in the face of overwhelming odds. This did occur for some elements of units that had never been under fire before, but certainly was not true for the 99th Infantry Division, the subject of this book. I liked the book as it combined the best of military histories – combining an exciting narrative and an informative history of events. I did have a few quibbles over some inaccuracies, but none were important enough to prevent me from giving this book five stars.

What is in this book –
This book is divided into four parts as follows:
Part 1, Watch on the Rhine – This part of the book lays the groundwork for the rest of the book. It describes the men of the I&R (Intelligence and Recognizance) platoon of the 394th Regiment of the 99th Infantry Division and of the German planning for the offensive in the Ardennes that was to become the Battle of the Bulge.

Part 2, The Battle of Lanzerath - The I&R platoon of the 394th Regiment of the 99th Infantry Division, found itself manning positions outside the Belgian town of Lanzerath when the German infantry forces clearing the way for the 6th SS Panzer Army attacked. The I&R platoon’s 18-hour defense stalled the German advance, buying enough time for the rest of the 99th division and other US forces to occupy and hold the Elsenborn Ridge. This in turn stalled the advance of the 6th SS Panzer Army, giving time for US combat engineers to prevent the Germans from crossing the Meuse by destroying the bridges over the rivers leading to the Meuse and over the Meuse itself. Thus, the heroic actions of the men of the I&R platoon were critical to winning the Battle of the Bulge. The description of the stand of the I&R platoon is described in stirring detail and is exciting to read. If you want an exciting view of the whole Battle of the Bulge, by a man who fought in it, I recommend Charles B. McDonald’s “A Time For Trumpets”. This book discusses the events described in the book being reviewed here and places it in the content of the whole Battle of the Bulge.

Part 3, War Behind the Wire – The I&R platoon held off the Germans until, almost completely out of ammunition, they were surrounded and captured. This part of the book tells the story or the rest of their “Longest Winter” – their experiences in German POW camps, starting on Dec. 17th 1944 and lasting until April 18th 1945 when they were liberated, ironically enough, in part by elements of the 99th division. This part of the book is, in my opinion, equally important as their actions before their capture. This part of the book also discusses an abortive attempt to rescue some POW’s that occurred in March of 1945, when they were at a POW camp in Hammelburg Germany. This attempt was one of the most controversial events of WWII, as it was launched by General George Patton to rescue his son-in-law, who was being held at the camp. The events of this abortive rescue attempt are discussed in detail in Charles Whiting’s “48 Hours to Hammelburg” and in Baron, Baum and Goldhurst’s “Raid”.

Part 4, Last Battles – This final section of the book details the liberation of the POW camp in which the I&R platoon were held, the platoon members recuperation from their war wounds and depravations they suffered in the POW camps, and the final story of the men of the I&R platoon as well as a bit about their German adversaries.

Alex Kershaw's "The Longest War: The Battle of the Bulge and the Epic Story of World War II's Most Decorated Platoon" tells the story of the 18 men who were a part of the I&R platoon, 394th Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division whose role in attack on Lanzerath, Belgium in the early phases of the Battle of the Bulge changed the course of the battle for the Allies. From their initial training at Camp Maxey, Texas in July 1944 through the battle & their subsequent capture, Kershaw details the history of this unit with a detail done in a way that we the reader feel like we're re-living their lives across the better part of a year. Each step of the way, we follow the unit from Camp Maxey to England to the Ardennes to various POW camps throughout Germany to their return home. The book is realistic and heartfelt as we the reader feel like we're with these brave men who were given an order to stand at all costs & did so which helped turn the tide of the battle. Their remarkable story for years was lost to history until being rediscovered in the 1960s by a historian doing research for a book on the Battle of the Bulge. From there it lead to an eventual awards ceremony by President Carter who honored all of them with with various medals of valor and bravery. Overall this is a must read for anyone with an interest in either WWII or the Battle of the Bulge.

I read this book along with a few others covering the events surrounding the Battle of the Bulge. This is a book that's not about the battle. This is a book that's about the PART of the battle that this one heroic unit, the Intelligence and Reconnaissance Platoon of the 394th Infantry Regimant of the 99th Infantry Division, fought. They stood their ground and paid the price and this book tells about just that.

If you've read all the general histories of WW2 or the Battle of the Bulge, do yourself a favor and read a few first person accounts of what the average soldier was thinking and experiencing. This book is a good place to start that journey.

Make no mistake, this is not a pretty story. It's a story about death and misery. It's a story about terror and prison camps. But its also a story about the bravery of these fine men. Yes, there were many units that served just as bravely I'm sure. And I'd very much like to read their stories if someone would write them. But Alex Kershaw did write about this unit and I'm glad he did as it gives us an idea of what it was like to have been a member of the I&R platoon of the 394th Regiment durning the Battle of the Bulge.

Recently, the History Channel has aired "The Lost Evidence: 18 - Battle of the Bulge". Part of the program recounts the experience Mr. Kershaw so graphically describes in the book. If you read the book first, you'll know exactly what is going on while watching the program. These programs air from time to time and are often available on DVD. Read the book first though because you'll only get part of the story because of time constraints from the History Channel program.

Alex Kershaw's story on the small intelligence platoon and their heroism before, during and after the Battle of the Bulge proves to be an engrossing tale. I found this part of the book to be highly interesting and if not truely admirable that the author was able to come up with this story that must be told. I had hope that the author would have gone into greater details into this platoon since many of the members are still alive today.

The book would have been better if the author kept his focus on the platoon and not on the "bigger picture". Most readers who read this book will already have a good understanding of the Ardennes Offensive by the German forces in December of 1944. If they do not, this is not the book that will give you any great insight on the battle. There are plenty of books out there that does a superior job of telling of the Bulge then this one can at any length.

Worst are the numerous errors in the text which I can't seem understand. A good examples would be on page 64 when author wrote "Irwin Rommel" instead Erwin Rommel or on page 115 when he wrote "Hermann Black" instead Hermann Balck. Was this a typo or a careless error since even the index got the wrong name! Also on page 54, the author goes into a lot hype about the "Death Head" insignia which every SS soldier wear...even Muslim SS soldiers! Author is also mistaken the fact that Peiper's 1st SS Panzer Division, "Leibstandarte" was originally built as Hitler's personal bodyguard unit and they never served as guards at the camps. Those guards made up the 3rd SS Panzer Division, the "Totenkopf" which was not Peiper's parent division. While these are just sample errors, individually they are rather harmless but collectively, you began to questioned the author's researching ability and it does downgrade the overall quality of the book.

Still, I enjoyed this book about this extraordinary platoon made up of extraordinary men. Their story needed to be told but I wished it was told in greater details and without the redundant history lesson that serves no one but entry level reader who may be misled by many of its errors.

"The Longest Winter" is largely a collection of well organized anecdotes from the men of the 99th Division, particularly a platoon of eighteen men who performed one of the most important small unit actions of World War II.

Composed of regular inductees, men from the discontinued ASTP program and "90 Day Wonders", the 99th was organized in the U.S. before being shipped to Europe where it was situated right in the path of the Battle of the Bulge. Most of the story is told through the eyes of the men of the 99th, although actions of the Germans and some civilians are also included. Much of the book relates the hardships of the platoon which was taken as POWs.

Although not recognized at the time, the platoon on which this book focuses played a pivotal role in blocking the German advance, thereby enabling the slowing, blunting and turning of the offensive. Years after the war its heroism was recognized and the platoon became the most heavily decorated small unit of the war. This book follows the men of both through the war in to their civilian careers.

I am generally not a fan of "personal histories' but this one got and held my attention. Details of it conformed with stories I had heard from veterans and other parts told of a horror which one who did not live through it can barely imagine. For anyone with an interest in GI Joe in World War II, this book is a good one.

It has been repeated so many times that it has become universal wisdom to say that the Germans were better soldiers than the Americans in World War II. And you can find instances where that was true. But you can find just as many instances where the Americans outnumbered, with inadequate support from armor or artillery outfought the Germans man to man.

During the Battle of the Bulge there were several such engagements. In the one described in this book the small, very small Intelligence and Reconnaissance platoon was assigned a position before the attack. When the Germans attacked they were told "You are to hold at all costs." There was no possibility of support. They held up the German advance by themselves until they ran out of ammunition. Finally captured they were held by the Germans as POWs until the end of the war. After the war they had become the most decorated platoon in World War II.

This is a book about a small unit action during the war that did its part in holding up the advancing German Army. It's also a book about how the Germans treated American prisoners.

Having read numerous books on various wars and battles it is always nice to get 'down into the foxholes' with the troops on the front lines. This is such a book. We are transported to the 394th I & R company who held a 'very thin line' on the Ghost Front. This story is the encounter that 22 men had against an overwhelming force of 500 paratroop units of the Germans. Snow had fallen, and they had reinforced their foxholes with cut logs, creating a wooden bunker with rifle slits. A tremendous field-of-fire was had from the woods-edge of a snow-filled meadow that lead away down to the town where the Germans began their operations.

Wave after wave attacked throughout the day, until the U.S. troops had lost most of their ammo, and had lost their .50 caliber MG due to overheating the barrel. The book leads you through this with alacrity. From the point that they are taken in as P.O.W.s the book began to drag for me. I prefer the action, not the post-action.

It does give you the sense of urgency that the 394th felt, and the sinking feeling of being ordered to "Hold the line at all costs!" Then losing contact with HQ...

Kershaw may just have risen to the arena of one of my favorite authors. I will wait until I read another of his books before finalizing that statement. However, this book really enamoured me to him via his writing style.

I am not a reader who picks apart military history for acuracy and the like. I want a "feel" for the time and events. I read for the enjoyment of the content and the author's writing style. This book scores well on both counts. Kershaw tells the story of this group of soldiers and the events that unfolded around them during the lead up to Battle of the Bulge. It reads much like a novel and I blew through this book in two nights! It reads that easy.

I have read every WWII book written by Ambrose and he is my favorite author of this genre. However, I must confess that I enjoyed reading Kershaw's book even more than Ambrose's and that is saying alot coming from me.

If you want an account of the Bulge and susequent prison camp experience from the perspective of an individual group of soldiers and want something that you can read easily, then this is defintely a book you will enjoy. You will get a good sense of what it was like during this time from the soldier's perspective. I liked it so well that I am now ordering his previous book "The Bedford Boys" without even bothering to thumb through it at my local bookstore as is my habit prior to ordering a book.

The Longest Winter is one of my favorite WWII books. Alex Kershaw is an undisputed master storyteller of WWII non-fiction. He perfectly blends history with a gripping narrative flow that captures the reader's imagination. Kershaw gets into the weeds of historical detail, pulling out forgotten nuggets of information. But most importantly, he puts the reader in the boots of the men of the I & R, and to some degree, their adversaries'. I felt I got to know these men, which is an extremely rare gift for an author and a historian. The Longest Winter has a special place in my heart. After returning from Fallujah in 2004, I serendipitously found a copy of this book on the shelf at an airport bookstore. I read it cover to cover on the long flight back to Camp Pendleton to visit many of the men I was embedded with as a combat historian in Fallujah for their change of command ceremony. The stunning style and format helped inspire me on the way in which I framed my next book, "We Were One: Shoulder to Shoulder with the Marines Who Took Fallujah." If I could give The Longest Winter 6 stars out of 5, I would; it is destined to be a classic in WWII non-fiction.

It had half a century or more since this tale unfolded. Yet, the families of those involved worked hard to make sure the story was told. Captivating until the end! Who knew so few could do so much?

The Longest Winter, my favorite book, is an amazing story that portrays one of World War II's bravest men. When a small I and R platoon is stationed on the front lines, not knowing what would happen. They do not know they are in the midst of Hitler's last offensive, or better known as the Battle of the Bulge. This platoon, around sixteen men are surprised when they see hundreds of German soldiers, paratroopers, advancing toward them. For one of the most thrilling, captivating rides, this book with keep your eyes glued to the pages, and your head in the tale of one of the bravest acts in the world. This book shows how people can be much braver when they are young, and how reckless one can be. It also shows an intricate portrayal of what one will do when faced with starvation and death, with no believable chance of living. This book is uplifting to those who know how important these men's last stand was. Around thirty years after their stand, they were recognized by President Jimmy Carter, and became the most decorated platoon of World War II. There is no other book that can match the power of The Longest Winter. If you are interested in thrillers, need something to lift your spirits, or have some time on your hands, The Longest Winter is a book you will love.

The Longest Winter: The Battle of the Bulge and the Epic Story of World War II's Most Decorated Platoon, Alex Kershaw's latest foray into the WWII genre, is a quick, straight-forward read that tells the inspiring story of the Intelligence and Reconnaissance (I&R) Platoon, 394th Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division. This small unit of US GI's can fairly be credited with one of the most significant defensive actions associated with the Battle of the Bulge - Hitler's last gamble to turn the tide of war in the West. Kershaw spins a riveting yarn of the eighteeen young men who battled until killed (2 members) or captured (the remainder) at the small Belgian town of Lanzerath on 16 December 1944 against an overwhelming force (1st Battalion, Fallschirmjager Regiment 9 - temporarily assigned to 1st SS-Panzer Division).

The Longest Winter is separated into three major parts: 1) training and pre-battle actions; 2) The Battle of Lanzerath itself; and 3) captivity, liberation and post-war accolades. While the second section is the main theme of the book and is written with flair, it is not particularly original. It was John S. D. Eisenhower who first detailed the Battle of Lanzerath in his 1969 The Bitter Woods. More recently the actions of the I&R/394th have been competently put to page by Stephen Ambrose (Citizen Soldiers, 1997) and Ronald Drez (25 Yards of War, 2001). In contrast, the first and third sections of The Longest Winter represent narratives of new information. Almost all of the actions associated with the I&R/394th are crafted entirely from interviews Kershaw conducted with surviving members of the platoon. While this provides an engaging narrative with a human feel, it lacks the historical clarity of thoroughly researched material.

Kershaw uses a "broad perspective" storyboard in The Longest Winter. He intermingles the story of the I&R/394th with the larger story of the Ardennes Offensive and ETO in general. This style creates a very readable prose that provides a bigger picture. However, this approach also risks losing the readers interest in the story at the heart of the book - the I&R/394th actions. Moreover, when moving into broader areas, Kershaw seems to lose historical clarity as many errors of fact can be found throughout these sections. These errors - such as incorrect references to SS units (e.g., reference to the 1st-SS Panzer Division as being descendent from the original concentration camp guard units, when the SS-Totenkopfverbande was in reality the concentration camp guard and was not related to 1st-SS Panzer Division, p. 54) and names of individuals (e.g., Hermann Black when it should be Hermann Balck, p. 115, 320) - are really hard to understand as Kershaw clearly cites works (in the bibliography) where correct facts are given. In the case of name problems these could be editorial, but in cases where textual statements are wrong editing was only the last check on Kershaw's research.

Final analysis: In the end The Longest Winter is a well crafted and easily read work that lacks depth of analysis and research. From a reading standpoint this is a 5 star book, from a historical standpoint it gets 2.5 stars. Total value: 3 stars.

I found this book to be a great compilation of many individual stories of those who fought at Lanzarath. The creation of the story is excellent, with lots of background on each of the individuals, and progresses through the war and most of the lives of the men. The story is about an Intelligence and Reconaissance platoon that covered a main attack route of the Germans during the opening hours of the Battle of the Bulge. The attackers were eventually victorious, however, the Americans with only 20 odd men and little artillery, were able to hold up the offensive for an entire day.
The book provides an interesting contrast to the small unit histories such as that of 101 Airborne's Easy Company, or the Rangers. This unit played such a small, crucial part in battling the Ardennes Offensive, a single day, but their war story was played out through the remainder of the war. The details of capture, and in captivity are somewhat unique, as we see what happens to a small unit after the battle, when the outcome is not victorious. Many of us are used to a battle ending in death, or victoriously but battered, and the transition to capture is not something very familiar. A basic battle for food, clothes, and sometimes dignity occurs, all while testing the nerve of the captors and tending to the often neglected wounded. The I&R continued to battle, some separately and others together.
The post-war stories of the men was also very interesting. It's rare to follow this timeline. Some sold war bonds and others spent years in one plastic surgery after the other. The follow through was more personal than most accounts and recognizes the many differences affecting war veterans.
I found the book unique, and remarkable in its ability to contrast and bond this small unit. Books such as this can fill out an often missed understanding of the relationship between contribution to the war effort, and the effects throughout one's life. Though the story of the I&R platoon is often told in a few pages or chapter of a larger history of a battle, this small unit examination more thoroughly details and timelines the role of the individual as a soldier and citizen throughout his life.

This book tells, in part, the story of the Battle of the Bulge, but it really concentrates on the actions and men of a small platoon involved in that battle. Through the words of the author, we learn that the heroes of this platoon were almost solely responsible for upsetting the Nazi timetable for the battle, and may possibly have changed its ultimate outcome. It's good that this book is written now, when many of these brave men are still alive to tell their tales. They were true heroes, but modest folk, even disclaiming the title of "hero" when it was given to them. We should honor these brave people every day, for their actions, and those of the other members of the "Greatest Generation", have preserved for us the freedom that we hold today, sometimes much too lightly.

If I could I would have given this story 4-1/2 stars. But it's 4 or 5 so I picked 4.

The battle of the bulge is really a story of countless places where American troops cut off, and having no idea what is going on, in many many cases stood and fought. It is a testament to the advantages of the American Army where troops do readily step up and take the initiative.

In this case it is a single platoon - and an understaffed recon platoon at that that held up one of the main northern attacks of the Germans. The book does an excellent job of explaining the platoon level action from both sides.

And it then tells the story of the troops captured and their time in the German POW camps. This part of the book is good, but not as inspired as the first part.

ps - my favorite book from the Battle of the Bulge is "Those Damned Engineers"

I know another reviewer pointed out some as well but the two that stand out the most were stating that Gen. Goeorge S Patton slapped a soldier, accusing him of cowardice at a North African field hospital. In fact it happened in Sicily on Aug 1, 1943 long after the Norht African Campaign had been over. Second, He Kershaw says that we broke the German "Ultra" code. Well, the german code was Enigma, it was the British codebreaking template that broke the code that was called "Ultra". All in all though I enjoyed the book, especially the parts about Jochen Peiper. I'm actually 2/3 through the book now, so I haven't finished. I just wanted to right this review before I've forgotten.

The Longest winter is the best story I have ever read about the Battle of the Bulge. Most accounts are so factual, not accounting for the personal affect of the men living thru this event.The wonderful aspect in this account is the focus on the 18 men, led by a very young lieutent and the tremendous challenges they faced in a very cold and dangerous battle. Alex lets you meet each man and share his pain as well as his heroics.That is what is so wondereful about Alex Kershaws' books is his factual but also the up close personal aspect of his research that he writes. I lost my father on D-Day. so I really want to know the men and what they faced. It's a must read book for anyone who wants to understand the life of each of these men in the Battle of the bulge.

The "longest Winter" is a real page turner - - - a book it is hard to put down. In the middle of the book there is one interesting passage on keeping the soldiers' moral up. It describes a group of American soldiers captured in the Battle of the Bulge because of running out of ammunition. They are put behind the German lines in a hopeless situation in one concentration camp after another. Over time, they lost weight and began to starve because the Germans themselves had very little food to give them. Their health began to depreciate as some took ill and the Germans had no medicine to give them. Security was tight and they had no good way to escape, so things looked hopeless. In spite of the oppressive situation, to pass the time and to keep their minds active and their morale up, they formed a Toastmaster Club. They met on a regular basis in an organized way to plan and present speeches to each other and to the assembled group, and to receive feedback and evaluations from the other members on good points and areas for improvement for their next presentation. It kept their minds active, and kept their spirits up, until they were finally rescued toward the end of the war by the victorious American Army.

This book was an interesting attempt at describing the battle but got distracted in many areas. It would go into politics that influenced movements in France but then switched to military descriptions. One of the pluses is the personalized and journal accounts that are given throughout the book. I just for some reason could not get into the book and got bored at several points. When I did finish the book I just could not really figure out what his thesis was and what he wanted to accomplish other than retelling the story. If you are looking for a retelling story than this is a good book for you.

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.

I'm usually more of a fiction reader, but this was a page turner. My own grandfather fought in the battle of the bulge and I found the story filled in a lot of holes in my understanding of the historic battle. A very heroic tale, sad and yet triumphant, I couldn't put it down.

The only fault I could possibly find with it is the authors repeated attempts to drive home how heroic everything was. Yes, it was an amazing and heroic effort by a platoon outnumbered at times 20 to 1, but he could have stopped trying to build this up in the readers minds. I think we get it. These men did something amazing.

Although well read on the ETO in WWII, I was not particularly well read on the Battle of the Bulge. Decided to test the waters with this little nugget.

The book is well written and captures your attention. I like the way the author wove the overall battle with the fabric of this particular reconn group. Makes me want to read further with some of the more detailed books that other reviewers have mentioned.

I found the description of the surviving members of the group to remain alive in terrible POW conditions to be fascinating and dreadful at the same time. It was certainly "easier to die than to live" in those conditions.

This is not in anyway to take away from what these men suffered in horrible conditions in a German POW camp and the ones who fought in the Battle of the Bulge. However the book tended to go on once the story was done and over with. For instance it was disconcerting to learn that Lt.Bouck when contacted 22 years later by one of the men that he served with really did not want to "relive" the past by telling his story, which is normal for a man to feel that way after what he went through. However the author seems to be forcing the reader to see something more then what Bouck felt other then relief that his life went on and that he simply did not want to relive his past experience nor have any "reunions" with old army buddies. It seemed that there was some bonding between some of the men in this platoon but by most accounts according to the book these guys really just wanted to put the war behind them and go on with their lives, as most vets do. Unlike Band of Brothers where you got the sense that the frienships that were created with the men in Easy company did not occur as much with these men. They were only one platoon among many others and as with most people who fought in this war or any other war, most people really just want to put the horror or war behind them. It seemed to me that the author wanted to milk one more story from WWII just for the sake of writing a book. Although I have no doubt that the events happened as they are written, This book did not do it for me and the story seemed forced. If you are looking for a good read about men in the field during WWII I would recommend "Band of Brothers" or "Citizen Soldiers" or "D-Day" by Stephen Ambrose. If you have read both of those you may want to try "Currahee!"

Final conclusion is that I wish I had spent my time reading something else, but not the worst book that I have ever read.

Imagine finding out after your fathers death that he was a hero in the first sense, not just to you. My dad, Willam L. Slape never spoke of these things to me. I treasure this book and the story it tells.

After hearing about this book on NPR, and reading an exerpt, I decided to buy and read it, as very few books have offered this particular perspective -- including capture and internment in POW camps. I almost didn't give the book a chance due to the mistake I read in the exerpt which referred to a V-2 landing nearby the I&R platoon's positions (surely it was a V-1).

I found the book interesting and informative, but I wonder if the editor(s) had any experience with WWII period books --- clearly the author has had little, as there were many errors in referencing this and that: "...Panzer and Tiger tanks...", "P38 Luger pistol...", Montgomery's "21st Army" (really Army Group"), and so on. The first reference to the 99th Division's southern comrades is to the 102nd division. It was the 106th Division that was encircled and captured on Skyline Drive those first few days of the battle.

This book is a relatively quick read, interesting, at times compelling, but not something that will be read more than once, especially for those who read a lot of WWII history. This takes nothing away from the men of the 394th I&R --- I felt compelled to read it to learn about them and their story. The details of the writing needlessly distracted from their story.

Another example of the outstanding courage and heroism shown by many during WWII. To think a small band of men from the streets and villages of the USA, perhaps mostly draftees, could put themselves up against one of history's greatest armies and come out successful. And then to suffer the indignities of being prisoners and surviving out of sheer willpower. This book is just another example of what we owe these men. It is a superb read and a great reminder.

I am a CPT with the 99th Regional Readiness Command in Pittsburgh. Our lineage begins with the 99th ID in WW II. On 16 December 2004 we held a ceremony commemorating the start of the Battle of the Bulge. At the small reception after the ceremony, I thanked one of the 99th ID veterans for his service. His wife said to me, "take care of that patch" (the 99th RRC wears the same patch the 99th ID did). Between my father, one of my brothers and myself, we have given 48 good years to the 99th. However, it was not until I finished this book that I REALLY knew what "take care of that patch" meant. Alex Kershaw, as he did in The Bedford Boys, does all he can to put us in the middle of the fight, albeit 60 years later. What I love about this book is that it is not simply military history, but personal history. We know these people, so that when one of them dies, or is wounded, it effects us the reader. My hats off to Kershaw. I look forward to his next 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.

As an avid reader of WWII history books this is one of the most engaging and interesting books I've ever read about the Battle of the Bulge. While the focus is on this group of men from a cross section of America and how they stalled a portion of the initial Nazi "Bulge" offensive the book also jumps to other areas of the Bulge front for important updates on the battle's progress and how it affects this group of men in various Stalag POW Camps close to their deaths. This book ranks as one of my favorites about WWII along with Flags of our Fathers by James Bradley, Stalingrad by Antony Beever and Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose.

I found this account very enjoyable. So much so, I read it in one setting. The author does a great job of making the players seem real. The author interviewed Kurt Vonnegut for the project, which makes for some interesting reading. Everyone is depicted with a sense of humanity, except perhaps for Joe McCarthy and Hitler. But then, they were both more or less heartless anyway. I found many problems with the text, though. Especially with the German and the English translations from German. I mean, these are just simple phrases. Maybe a high school German student can have a look at it. In general, the book seemed rushed. Might want to wait for the 2nd edition.

Kershaw is masterful in describing the personal and general situations of the winter of 1945. His descriptions of the train wagons that transported American POWs in the last months of the Third Reich made a permanent impression upon me as did the horrible conditions of the Stalags. It is interesting to note how few Germans were prosecuted for abusing POW's and violating the Geneva Convention. It is also interesting to recall how quickly the Germans became our allies and within months were part of the West's opposition to Soviet and Communist expansionism. Reading the horrific details of the German treatment of Americans as well as the unforgiving Allied bombing of civilian and military sites in Germany, who could have foreseen NATO, the Berlin Airlift and other broad areas of US-German friendship just after the war?

My only most minor quibble with the book is insufficient good maps. Overall, this is a crisply written book that never strays into sentimental or sensational embellishment; Kershaw wisely recognizes that the facts are story enough and he tells the story so well.

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.

An incredibly detailed, yet not tedious, report on one American unit's significant contribution in turning back the final offensive of the Third Reich and surviving one of the harshest winters in modern European history. Told with ample background on all the participants, from both sides of the lines, this book is a breeze to get through and will make you buy every other book by Alex Kershaw. Well researched. Easily one of the best war books I've read in the last couple of years.

An interesting book as it provided some new facts for me about The I and R Platoon (of the the 394th Infantry Regiment) and its stand at the village of Lanzerath during the Battle of the Bulge. I also learned a great deal of information about living conditions for American POW's in camps in Germany that I didn't know before. I was disappointed about the quality of some of the research behind the book , as I noticed some factual errors in the book which the author, Alex Kershaw should have been able to ferret out.

An interesting book, this work is not as good as Kershaw's classic, "The Bedford Boys." However, I recommend it for World War II history buffs (like myself).

This is a great story, a story that has long been ignored by many. It is refreshing to see men who just thought that they were doing their job be get the recognition they deserve. And for that I salute Kershaw.

However, I found the writing of the book to spend too much time focusing on characters like Peiper and Abe Baum who really had nothing to do with Lyle Bouck and his men. While I understand that they were roundaboutly connected, I still felt that the book should have focused more on Bouck and his men, rather than on peripherary characters. I also found several misspellings and inconsistencies with the book. That was more frustrating than anything else.

Overall, I feel that this is a good book and an easy quick read. It truly does shed light on a subject that needs to be examined. I just wish Kershaw did a better job.

My grandfather a survivor of the battle of the buldge started to read this book and passed before he got to finish. I picked up his kindle one afternoon and found this books blurb interesting. I started to read where he left off and got lost in it.

I couldn't stop reading this book. Alex Kershaw is an outstanding writer, and "The Longest Winter" is my favorite book written by him. This is a book that I've added to my collection of books on the Battle of the Bulge and would highly recommend it to others. I felt like I got to know the soldiers in the platoon and was there with them that December morning in 1944. Their sacrifice allowed the U.S. Army time to respond to the threat from the Germans' advance and now this book brings their story to a greater audience, allowing us to read about a platoon of heroes.

This was an incredible book, It accounts for the side of the story that you never get to experience, the personal side. It goes into detail to describe the hardships endured. It is truley an amazing book. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in world war 2. You will not be disappointed.

An incredibly detailed, yet not tedious, report on one American unit's significant contribution in turning back the final offensive of the Third Reich and surviving one of the harshest winters in modern European history. Told with ample background on all the participants, from both sides of the lines, this book is a breeze to get through and will make you buy every other book by Alex Kershaw. Well researched. Easily one of the best war books I've read in the last couple of years.

An interesting book as it provided some new facts for me about The I and R Platoon (of the the 394th Infantry Regiment) and its stand at the village of Lanzerath during the Battle of the Bulge. I also learned a great deal of information about living conditions for American POW's in camps in Germany that I didn't know before. I was disappointed about the quality of some of the research behind the book , as I noticed some factual errors in the book which the author, Alex Kershaw should have been able to ferret out.

An interesting book, this work is not as good as Kershaw's classic, "The Bedford Boys." However, I recommend it for World War II history buffs (like myself).

I thought that the author did a very good job detailing all the events that had taken place during and after the battles. Also I had not known about the attempt to free General Patton's son-in-law from the prison camp. Don't know why this was not made public and that he did not get a court martial.

This is a great story, a story that has long been ignored by many. It is refreshing to see men who just thought that they were doing their job be get the recognition they deserve. And for that I salute Kershaw.

However, I found the writing of the book to spend too much time focusing on characters like Peiper and Abe Baum who really had nothing to do with Lyle Bouck and his men. While I understand that they were roundaboutly connected, I still felt that the book should have focused more on Bouck and his men, rather than on peripherary characters. I also found several misspellings and inconsistencies with the book. That was more frustrating than anything else.

Overall, I feel that this is a good book and an easy quick read. It truly does shed light on a subject that needs to be examined. I just wish Kershaw did a better job.

My grandfather a survivor of the battle of the buldge started to read this book and passed before he got to finish. I picked up his kindle one afternoon and found this books blurb interesting. I started to read where he left off and got lost in it.

I couldn't stop reading this book. Alex Kershaw is an outstanding writer, and "The Longest Winter" is my favorite book written by him. This is a book that I've added to my collection of books on the Battle of the Bulge and would highly recommend it to others. I felt like I got to know the soldiers in the platoon and was there with them that December morning in 1944. Their sacrifice allowed the U.S. Army time to respond to the threat from the Germans' advance and now this book brings their story to a greater audience, allowing us to read about a platoon of heroes.

This was an incredible book, It accounts for the side of the story that you never get to experience, the personal side. It goes into detail to describe the hardships endured. It is truley an amazing book. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in world war 2. You will not be disappointed.

My title says it all. After reading this book you feel as though you know these people. It seems that the book is written with the casual reader in mind. The flow is not to heavy or stagnant.

This is one of those stories that eveybody should know... after all there were more people fighting in the Ardennes forest than the "Band of Brothers" that we're all so familiar with.

Buy this book, you will not be disappointed.

A gripping, fast-paced story of heroism and survival against overwhelming odds: a small American band of men outnumbered by Nazis fights and kills many enemies in a decisive battle in the Eifel hills, only to be captured and sent deep into Germany, where they get bombed and starved in POW camps. Amazingly, they survive-- all of them. Suspenseful action and quick shifts in location are held together by tight chronology. Gritty dialogues between the men and realistic shifts in perspective kept me hanging onto my seat. I highly recommend Kershaw's book to anyone interested in adventure and extreme circumstances, not just for historians or World War II buffs!

If you read one book about the Battle of the Bulge. This should be the one. Having read many, many books about WWII, and being a soldier myself, I count this book among the best. Kershaw is able to keep the reader's attention and at the same time informed about all the things that are happening simultaneously. Simply an excellent book about a small unit action that goes virtually unnoticed. Overshadowed by the siege of the 101st at Bastogne, and the grand scale of the Battle of the Bulge itself. It is because of these men and all who went before that I serve now.

First with "The Bedford Boys," and now with "The Longest Winter," Alex Kershaw shows a talent for spotlighting extraordinary human interest stories embedded within larger World War II battle narratives. I've read a few books about the Battle of the Bulge, but nothing as personal or riveting as Kershaw's account of the I&R platoon of the 394 Infantry Regiment. Nominally a recognizance unit, this platoon found itself inconveniently positioned in the five-mile gap in the Allied lines at the very moment that [...] launched his final, desperate offensive in the Ardennes. The small band's fierce resistance played a central role in thwarting [...] audacious scheme and ensuring Allied victory in the West. But the Americans paid a heavy price for their gallantry -- a story that Kershaw captures in vivid, often poignant detail. "The Longest Winter" is a terrific World War II tale and an extremely difficult book to put down.

Alex Kershaw has another great book. As he does in his past books he does a tells the personal experiences of the average soldier on both sides. The book is easy to read, but really adds to your understanding. Especially his telling of the POW's experiences. And as always he can really move emotions.

The Longest Winter tells the story of the Battle of the Bulge by focusing on the most decorated but previously unrecognized platoon in American History. I found the story compelling - by focusing on the small details while giving us the big picture, Kershaw was able to both personalize this period, while also giving us details on the POW experience. Kersay does an excellent job of interweaving the oral histories of the participants while not losing the flow of the story. I highly recommend this book.

My father was in Patton's 3rd Army and was in the Battle of the Bulge. After reading Alex Kershaw's account of the Longest Winter, now I understand why my father never wanted to talk about it. A riveting book...a must read.

This is a fantastic account of mainly small unit fighting in the Ardennes and the soldiers subsequent capture. The only problem I had was with the author's criticism of Joe McCarthy toward the end of the book - McCarthy has been vindicated with the opening of various archives in the former Soviet Union. He also refers to Dachau as a "death camp," which it was not, it was a concentration camp - there is a very specific difference. Regarding the main story, however, the book is interesting and well-written His sources are fantastic and the follow-up to what the members did after the war is great.

The Longest Winter maybe a worthwhile book in that it tells the story of some brave men that served their country honourably. The reality of the book is that this small units brief 24 hours of combat forces the author to focus mainly on their training and subsequent post-combat POW experience. The interspersed and unrelated episodes from Hitler's bunker, Malmedy, Skorzeny, and Kampfgruppe Peiper all seem like filler to pad out a book in desperate need of content. Really does the recounting of Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun's last hours have any bearing on this platoon's story?

There are too many errors in the "facts" of this story to list, so I'll just point out the one that bothers me the most. The 99th division did not capture the Ludendorff bridge at Remagen as indicated in this book. The 9th Armored along with 78th division captured the bridge and established the bridge head. Even rudimentary research would have revealed this fact. So when an author can't get the obvious correct, it calls into question every statement in the book. If you can't or won't do the research on WWII... then don't write about it. My father fought at the Ludendorff bridge, and you do a great dis-service to the men who where there and gave their lives when you mis-state the facts of the battles.

I thought the book was as outstanding as the Platoon it self. It gave a first hand account of what they endured during their time as POW's. My heart went out to them as I read it. I'm just glad that the American people, many who weren't even born were still able to honor them for what they did. I though the book was great.

To base a book mainly on interviews with 10 surviving members of the I & R platoon provides Keshaw with a very small data base to work with. Consequently he pads his book with accounts of Hitler, Eisenhower, J. Peiper, and others, none of which is particularly relevant to his story. Even brief retelling of Robert Kriz's crossing of the Rhine or the surrender at Iserlohn is in no way connected to the platoon.Remarkably he is able to extract from these 10 men not only accounts of their experiences, but actual conversations they had 60 years earlier. Because Kershaw writes in the present tense, the reader is led to believe he is receiving a stenographic reproduction. It would be acceptable to use memories, but the author needs to alert the reader to the fact that these comments or verbal exchanges are recalled and therefore subject to all sorts of distortions. Kershaw, who is given to fictionalizing, also conflates the comments of non--99ers with the platoon members, so the reader is led to believe these were the attitudes and experiences of the I & R guys. Finally the number of errors in this book are legion. The ASTP stood for the Army's Special Training Program, not the "Advanced STP." Aubel is not "just across the French border" but rather is in eastern Belgium, close to the German border. GI's did not wear "beanie caps" but wool caps. Lyle Bouck and the others were not "the first batch of prisoners at Hammelburg," rather 100s of non coms and privates from the 99th arrived there on Dec. 26 and 27th, whereas his group arrived on January 18th and there were no searchlights, as he claims. "Würzburg was not "famous for its ball-bearing factories"; that was Scheinfurt. The Danube was not "blue" but brown and its waters were not "swollen by the spring melt from the Alps." The Danube is too far north. The photo of Robert Kriz had the following caption: "Lt. Colonel Robert Kriz....has been awarded the DSC, March 1945." The two bars on his overseas cap indicate Kriz was a captain and the medal pinned on his chest is a Silver Star and the date is April 8, 1944 at Camp Maxey, Texas. It was not Omar Bradley's Twelth Army but rather 12th Army Group, the 99th's sector was north of Cologen, not south, General Lauer's headquarters was at Butgenbach not "Büllingen." Kershaw quotes an unidentified POW who says he saw the "gray waters of the Rhine" as he crossed the river in a boxcar. No 99th POW ever admitted seeing the Rhine as they were locked up and couldn't see out. Stalag Fallingbostel was 30 miles not "100 miles" north of Hanover. Kershaw prints a quote from Lyle Bouck and cites "Dauntless: the History of the 99th Division." But that quote does not exist on page 213. He states that the 99th Division lost "more than a thousand men to trench foot, pneumonia, and frostbite." His source for this figure is Stephen Ambrose, "Citizen Soldiers." But on page 187, Ambrose writes 822 men were lost to "frostbite, pneumonia,a and trench foot." All of these errors, and there are more, may seem pedantic, but it indicates that the author did not carefully do his research. If he is unwilling to put in the time and effort to get basic facts right, then doesn't this raise questions about the author's credibility?

This was a very good history of the battle, since I was involved in the battles, it is historically correct, would recommend it to any and all history buffs, specially those interested in this period.

Outstanding book. I was lucky enough to meet Lyle Bouck. I can honestly say, he is one of the finest men I have ever had a chance to meet. There is no reason this man should not have won the Medal of Honor. A great read, and excellent job on telling the story of these heros.

While backstory is interesting this book takes it to such extremes as to make the book unreadable. The tanks were coming which reminded Private Smith about a movie he saw in his home town in Ohio, where his friend Bill lived, and Bill once had a cat that got stuck in a tree, an elm tree..... Please, what about the tank battle?

I'm a huge fan of WWII books but this one is awful.

This book has such bad language from the very beginning, that it's hard to even keep track of the story line! I would love to read this book without all the language. You expect some in war books, but that was definitely the most I've ever seen, and it was too much to try to wade through, so I threw it away.

I am an avid reader of this venue of books and this book rates the highest with me for its objectivity and thorough research into the story it renders. It is very easy to read and is a stirring and true story of a U.S. Army platoon's heroic and effective contribution after D Day and during the Battle of the Bulge and then epic survival to the end of the war. I expect to read other books by this author.

Was hard to put down, would recommend to anyone interested in war, history, intimate views of people fighting to survive, etc. Great perspective of a unit from training to the end of ww2. Enjoyed it very much.