Reviews (8)

Fake memoir
This story was probably constructed from a number of real memoirs, other sources like films, and Jung's and the author's imagination.Helmut Jung may have been a soldier on the Eastern Front but what he claims to have seen there owes more to imagination - perhaps the author's - than reality.Units composed of seven foot Mongols? (p. 297).Really. In the fifty or so books I have read about the German-Russian war nobody else noticed such units. In the same chapter, a description of the capture of a group of female Russian soldiers appears to have been lifted from the film version of 'Cross of Iron'.There are numerous other elements traceable to other sources throughout ths ridiculous book. Avoid wasting money on this 'memoir'.You will learn nothing about the real experience of combatants on the Eastern Front that you haven't already read elsewhere.

A Work of Fiction
I agree with some of the other reviewers that this is most likely a work of fiction.There is no real information given about the supposed author, Helmut Jung, other than his "incredible" wartime exploits. There are too many mistakes in the book about Jung's training and service to believe this is anything more than a piece of fiction put together by the American writer...it doesn't read or feel right.Save your money and buy "Black Edelweiss" for a real biography of a German soldier.

The Jekyll and Hyde of german wwii memoirs
First of all, this book is 464 pages long, apart from a small paragraph about Mr. Jung at the end there is nothing else, you get what you pay for, 464 pages of reading material. There are also no photos. Now, this memoir is a rollercoaster of emotions, paradoxes, anomalities, irregularities and some simply senseless and hard to believe asseverations by Mr. Jung and the author, who should have at least researched a little bit more, edited a bit better and should have gotten himself a good grammar dictionary, unless that is, he chose to leave the book as it is to keep the element of reality present. At times Mr. Jung sounds so real and truthful you can't help but pity him at others you could swear he is a jew posing as a german soldier. Now I don't blame Mr. Jung for his mental lapses (most people don't remember what they did 2 weeks ago) so after so many years one can understand his memory lapses. However mistaking the 6th army for the 10th at Stalingrad is preposterous to say the least. His asseveration that the SS went around shooting wounded german soldiers from penal batallions is simply hard to believe. During the actions of our Blue division in Russia we had a squad of men assigned to follow up behind the main body of troops checking the russian dead behind us and making sure they stayed very dead, for these vermin were treacherous and they would fake death in order to shoot us in the back. The Waffen SS had a similar way of dealing with russians (read Blood Red Snow). Also we were forbidden from building fires at night no matter how cold it might be (this was a sure way to have snipers pick everyone off one by one, have our positions identified by artillery spotters), yet he claims they would build this huge fires and huddle around at night! The war in the east was a metaphysical encounter of extreme ideoligies, the far right on our side and the far left on theirs. We alone had the sole opportunity of stoppping the spread of communism within our grasp and were betrayed by the very western civilization we sought to safeguard and preserve for the new generations. One look at the map of Europe after wwii will tell you who really won and for what purpose the western powers really fought and shed so much young blood. Mr. Jung was as caught up in this hell as the rest of us were and like us he did what he had to do to survive, however a man should have convictions and a sense of belonging to his nation and while he did his share, he did it for himself... we did it for our people, our nation and for western civilization. To those of you who might find this offensive I remind you of the words Julius Streicher spoke to the hangman at Nuremberg in 1946, "someday the russians will do this very same thing to all of you". Time proved him right.
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Subjects:  1. 1926-    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Campaigns    6. Eastern Front    7. Europe - Germany    8. Germany    9. Heer    10. Historical - General    11. Jung, Helmut,    12. Military    13. Military - World War II    14. Panzer-Division, 7    15. Personal narratives, German    16. World War, 1939-1945    17. Biography: general    18. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)   

Editorial Review

The Battle of Iwo Jima, fought in the winter of 1945 on a rocky island south of Japan, brought a ferocious slice of hell to earth: in a month's time, more than 22,000 Japanese soldiers would die defending a patch of ground a third the size of Manhattan, while nearly 26,000 Americans fell taking it from them. The battle was a turning point in the war in the Pacific, and it produced one of World War II's enduring images: a photograph of six soldiers raising an American flag on the flank of Mount Suribachi, the island's commanding high point.Read more

Reviews (454)

"Flags of Our Fathers" - A Timely Look at a Bloody Battle in Our History
Quite a while ago, Nick Olmsted, a graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy, recommended that I read "Flags of Our Fathers." I am glad that I finally got around to taking his advice. This story struck me on many levels at once, and this seems to be an opportune time to share some of my thoughts about this remarkable book, written by James Bradley, the son of one of the six Marines whose iconic picture of the raising of the flag over Iwo Jima riveted a war-weary nation.
A hard book to read.
World War II seems such a long time ago for so many of us. Most Americans today weren't yet born when it took place. For this reason, I believe everyone old enough to comprehend its stories should read this book. James Bradley and Ron Powers have written a heart-pounding record of the thirty-five bloody days it took to wrest Iwo Jima (Sulfur Island) from the Japanese. The photograph of the raising of the American flag on Mt. Suribachi (1/400th of a second's space in time) is recognized around the world. The men who raised it: John "Doc" Bradley (the author's father);Harlon Block; Rene Gagnon; Ira Hayes; Franklin Sousley; and Mike Strank became instant heroes (though Block, Sousley and Strank died not long after). Bradley, Hayes and Gagnon lived to tell the tale, though both Hayes and Gagnon would die with the pain of their experiences on Iwo Jima seared into their psyches to the point they could not live with it successfully.
1/400th of a second in time
"It's funny what a picture can do":1/400th of a second in time.
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Biography    3. History    4. History - Military / War    5. History: World    6. Iwo Jima, Battle of, Japan, 19    7. Iwo Jima, Battle of, Japan, 1945    8. Marines    9. Military    10. Military - Pictorial    11. Military - United States    12. Military - World War II    13. Military History - World War II    14. Photographs    15. Pictorial works    16. United States    17. World War II    18. History / Military / World War II    19. Photographs: collections    20. Second World War, 1939-1945    21. World history: Second World War   

Reviews (14)

When's the next book?
This is material I normally would only be half interested in, but I was completely engaged and couldn't put the book down.

Old rememberances
I always liked those comics that took place around the turn of the century or even earlier, and inevitably always ended up showing machines like the one in this book. Wacky guns, ungodly huge everything; completely unresonable in the real world, especially thirty years before their supposed invention, but fantastic on the page. Now I have a book full of these and a stack of comics that I'm suddenly interested in again. Zack might be a regular 'ol crazy fiction writer, but he sure supplied some great material to the artist types out there.

Zack Book Good!
Zack Parsons has done a great job with this book.As a mechanical engineer, I've always been fascinated with WWII era "wonder weapons" and have read a number of books on the subject.Of all of those books, this on is perhaps the only one I would recommend to someone who had only a passing interest in the subject.Zack keeps it light and entertaining throughout - this isn't just good WWII geekery, it's good reading, too.
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Subjects:  1. History    2. History - Military / War    3. Military    4. Military - World War II    5. Military Science (Specific Aspects)    6. World War II - Europe    7. Europe    8. Humor / General    9. Inventions & inventors    10. Second World War, 1939-1945    11. Warfare & Defence   

Reviews (12)

"Flags of Our Fathers" - A Timely Look at a Bloody Battle in Our History
Quite a while ago, Nick Olmsted, a graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy, recommended that I read "Flags of Our Fathers." I am glad that I finally got around to taking his advice. This story struck me on many levels at once, and this seems to be an opportune time to share some of my thoughts about this remarkable book, written by James Bradley, the son of one of the six Marines whose iconic picture of the raising of the flag over Iwo Jima riveted a war-weary nation.
A hard book to read.
World War II seems such a long time ago for so many of us. Most Americans today weren't yet born when it took place. For this reason, I believe everyone old enough to comprehend its stories should read this book. James Bradley and Ron Powers have written a heart-pounding record of the thirty-five bloody days it took to wrest Iwo Jima (Sulfur Island) from the Japanese. The photograph of the raising of the American flag on Mt. Suribachi (1/400th of a second's space in time) is recognized around the world. The men who raised it: John "Doc" Bradley (the author's father);Harlon Block; Rene Gagnon; Ira Hayes; Franklin Sousley; and Mike Strank became instant heroes (though Block, Sousley and Strank died not long after). Bradley, Hayes and Gagnon lived to tell the tale, though both Hayes and Gagnon would die with the pain of their experiences on Iwo Jima seared into their psyches to the point they could not live with it successfully.
A full 5 stars !!
It is kind of funny how I came up with this book. I was looking to buy some books on WWII and after deciding on 2 books, I was short 25 cents to recieve the free shipping. So, I looked for another book that was cheep in price and picked this one. Out of the three books I purchased, Flags Of Our Fathers was the first one I read thinking I will get through this before I get to the good ones. Boy was I wrong. This book was just so good! I could not put it down! I would find myself up and still reading at 1am in the morning. I would strongly reccomend this book to anyone! Now I am going to purchase the newest version (bigger with nice cover) to have as a keepsake. Take my word for it, buy the book and you will not regret it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. History    3. History - Military / War    4. Iwo Jima, Battle of, Japan, 1945    5. Military    6. Military - United States    7. Military - World War II    8. Photographs    9. Photography    10. Pictorial works    11. World War II - East Asia    12. World War, 1939-1945    13. History / Military / World War II   

Reviews (200)

Biased
I read Flags of Our Fathers and enjoyed it more than Flyboys.Bradley has a writing style that is difficult at times as has personal biases come through very clearly.As one other reviewer has written, I found it very odd that he often referred to MG Curtis LeMay as "Curtis."As someone writing about military history, Bradley should have more respect for the uniform and should not call a two star general by his first name like he is talking about one of his golfing buddies.This was very distracting.I also found the first couple of chapters of his history lesson very tedious and unfocused - so much so that I nearly quit reading the book.The latter chapters pick up the pace and are insightful.Bradley also devotes too much time attempting to demonize the American firebombing tactics.Thankfully Bradley's bias and negativity toward the Navy and Army is not as pronounced in Flyboys as in FOOF.This bias is especially odd considering his father was a Navy Corpsman.

Desire to moralize reaches too far
I assume that the author is attempting to show that war creates an environment in which morally degenerate acts become much more likely, if not all but inevitable, on all sides of the conflict.In doing so, however, the author very frequently stretches the blanket of history too far, as when he suggests that the Japanese would have remained forever content to be isolated on their home islands if the American fleet had not paid an uninvited visit to Tokyo Bay in 1853-54 and taught the Japanese the foreign policy advantages of a strong navy.While most historians would agree that the U.S. Navy's visit served the royal court with a wake-up call regarding the existence of a world beyond Japan, that is not the same thing as assuming that without this visit no other internal or external events over the next 70 years would have spurred the Japanese to look beyond their shores and trade an isolationist philosophy for an imperial one.
Fascinating!
I found this to be a fascinating account of the war in the Pacific, and I was impressed with the fact that the author imparts a deep appreciation for America and the sacrifices our soldiers made but can still step back and look objectively at the mistakes on both sides.Does examining our own faults release the other side from responsibility for their crimes, as some other reviewers seem to feel?I don't believe so; I think it's healthy for us to examine our history so we don't make the same mistakes again.It's too bad that some people lump any critique of our own actions into the "pop-revisionist history" category.
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Subjects:  1. Atrocities    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Chichi Island    6. History - Military / War    7. Japan    8. Military    9. Military - Aviation    10. Military - United States    11. Military - World War II    12. Military History - World War II    13. Prisoners Of War    14. Prisoners and prisons, Japanes    15. Prisoners and prisons, Japanese    16. World War, 1939-1945    17. Biography & Autobiography / Military   

Reviews (2)

Enlightens and Entertains
Every once in a long while we delight and surprise ourselves when we pick up a book that enlightens and entertains. It's the pinnacle of excellence reached by but a few non-fiction writers. Miller is one of those writers. His book, the story of the Eighth Air Force, is one of equal parts bravery, terror, and glamour, with some of its men becoming the most celebrated personalities the war. Miller chronicles the heroic feats of Robert Morgan, pilot of the legendary Memphis Belle; of Paul Tibbets, who later would fly the Enola Gay on the A-bomb mission to Hiroshima; of Curtis LeMay, the most celebrated combat leader of the bomber war; and--one of the key figures of the book--of Robert "Rosie" Rosenthal, leader of the Bloody Hundredth, who flew 52 combat missions, was shot down three times, and later became a member of the team of prosecuting attorneys at the Nuremberg Trials.
Disclaimer --Am Still Reading this Book.It's Great!
This is a 521-page account of the Eighth Air Force that I never intended to buy for myself.To me, car repair manuals are usually more interesting than dry WWII books filled with numbers and dates. World War II is truly my father's domain.He has had a 50-year fascination with WWII and could probably teach a college course on the subject.
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Subjects:  1. Aerial operations, American    2. Biography    3. Bomber pilots    4. Campaigns    5. History    6. History - Military / War    7. Military    8. Military - Aviation    9. Military - United States    10. Military - World War II    11. United States    12. Western Front    13. World War, 1939-1945    14. History / Military / World War II   

Reviews (111)

This will have you in awe.
Hampton Sides has written a very readable classic.Ghost Soldiers gives a blow by blow account of the rescue of the remaining Allied (mostly US) prisoners from the Japanese POW camp at Cabanatuan, Philippines.The smallest details are noted, many of which are harrowing.What the POWs went through during their three years of captivity after the fall of Bataan will shock you although readers who are familiar with WWII will know what I mean.The highs and lows of man's character are laid out for all to see in this book and you can't help but be moved.
Better Than The Movie
Hampton Sides' telling of the rescue of 500 POWS, survivors of the infamous Bataan Death March, by U.S. Army Rangers in the Philippines during the waning days of World War II is an outstanding job of reportage. Sides tells the story from the eyes of the rescued and their rescuers, building suspense that wasn't always present in the The Great Raid, the film adaptation of his story. As a working journalist for more than 30 years, I know I good story when I read one, and this one falls into that category.

another story that needs telling
When I was a kid, my father and uncles spoke with reverence of those who were on the Bataan Death March.These men who were heroes in my eyes regarded the Bataan guys as REAL heroes.They described the march as the most horrible treatment ever received by US military personel.Only recently have I really begun reading books about the Pacific war, and I stumbled over this one after seeing the trailer for the movie.I'm really glad I found it
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Subjects:  1. Cabanatuan    2. Campaigns    3. Concentration camps    4. History    5. History - Military / War    6. Military    7. Military - Strategy    8. Military - United States    9. Military - World War II    10. Philippines    11. Regimental histories    12. United States    13. World War, 1939-1945    14. History / Military / World War II   

Editorial Review

In Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel's memoir Read more

Reviews (911)

Unforgettable Tale of Holocaust Horror
Beyond and essential read, Night speaks to the reader about fundamental questions at the heart of the human condition.A powerfully moving autobiography, the story of this teenager's journey through the most horrific death camps of Nazi Europe, strips away discussion of anti-semitism and hatred, to present the raw suffering of individual humans, stuck in situations beyond their control.From the establishment of a ghetto in Elie's home town of Sighet, the reader can only watch with growing horror as the young man and his family are swept up in the Holocaust.Auschwitz, Buchenwald, Gleiwitz: some of the most infamous places in modern human history, rise around Elie, as we watch him stripped of absolutely everything.The reader is swept along helplessly, as Hitler's "Final Solution" unfolds - death marches, starvation, selections, cattle-carts full of people, torture, floggings, mass-murder - and as Elie is gradually reduced to nothing more than a 'hungry stomach'.
must reading
this is a disturbing work in that it recounts a man's experience of the nazi death camps. Warning: this book will shake you up mentally, and emotionally.It is not for the faint of heart.Yet, it is a must read because of the exposure it gives to humanity at it's worst and humanity under it's worst.

Lost in Translation
The short novel Night has emotional power not only because of the dark subject matter, but because Elie Wiesel is a gifted writer who deftly reveals the spiritual and mental anguish of the main character.Generally considered autobiographical, the account follows a young man who feels he is losing not only God, but his humanity as the Nazi machine ravages Europe.The novel itself deserves 10 stars.
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Subjects:  1. 1928-    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Historical - Holocaust    6. Personal Memoirs    7. Personal narratives, Jewish    8. Wiesel, Elie,    9. World War, 1939-1945    10. Biography & Autobiography / Entertainment & Performing Arts    11. Europe    12. World history: Second World War   

Reviews (52)

For Those Fans of 'Band of Brothers' That Want More.
The book is Dick Winters Memoirs and as such is a rehash of Ambrose's "Band of Brothers" from his point of view.As such the reader gets another look at the events in the History of Easy Company from the Book and the Movie from the Normandy Campaign to the end of the War.
Medal of Honor for Major Winters
Best book ever.The hard thing is to remeber while reading this book is this is a true story.After reading this great book and you feel compelled as I you can go to the Major Winters wen site and sign a petition for him to receive the Medal of Honor.I should note that this is not being endorsed by Major Winters which is consistant with his character. [..]

Winters' Story...In His Own Modest Words
Like most other readers, I purchased this book on the strength of Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers and the popular HBO series of the same name. So when I saw that Winters was publishing his memoirs, I knew that I'd get around to reading it sooner or later.
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Subjects:  1. Aerial operations, American    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography And Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Campaigns    7. General    8. Military    9. Military - General    10. Military - United States    11. Military - World War II    12. Personal narratives, American    13. Western Front    14. World War II    15. World War, 1939-1945    16. History / Military / General   

Reviews (48)

New insights to an old story
This book destroys several myths about the battle of Midway. It was refreshing to have a new perspective but I didn't expect to see such obvious evidence against so many so called facts of the battle. From misperceptions like: the numerical superiority of the Japanese forces, decoy of the Aleutian Islands, the reasons for the delay of the stike against the American carriers, to even the importance of the radio trouble of Japan's scout #4, this author employ's simple logic with japanese logbook data from the sunken carriers to debunk many of these myths. Its surprising to see so much of what I thought to be true to be so easily dismissed.
A Big Book and a Fascinating Read
I usually avoid lengthy books but the subject matter is intriguing and the authors have extensive knowledge of the Imperial Japanese Navy of WWII. Their work is so engrossing and detailed that I was actually left wanting more after completing the book, but they've covered it all and then some. A wonderful read for those interested in this fascinating and critical encounter between the USN anf the IJN. The backstory and the countless details add such a richness and meaning to the well known history that I sincerely hope that the authors are planning additional works on related subjects in the future.

Best read in a long time.
As an avid reader of history, specifically military history, I purchased this book based on a review in Air and Space. The reviewer's only complaint was that the book was too Japanese in its outlook. Valid complaint on the surface, however, I found that the authors' detailed examination of the battle from the Japanese perspective using voluminous original documents and other resources opened up new avenues and made me understand the Battle of Midway and its importance even more. The book is a complex read with many footnotes, but the overwhelming reason for this is that the author's are explaining to lay readers complex under-reported facts and new discoveries about military operations conducted by a foreign country in a completely different language. I found the footnotes and appendices helpful and a good read also. This will stay in my permanent library.Purchase and savor this text.
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Subjects:  1. Asia - Japan    2. History    3. History - Military / War    4. Midway, Battle of, 1942    5. Military    6. Military - World War II    7. Naval operations, American    8. Naval operations, Japanese    9. World War, 1939-1945    10. History / Japan    11. Japan    12. World history: Second World War   

Reviews (164)

Heart-Warming, Moving Account of the Holocaust
The story of Corrie ten Boom and her family and their work in the Dutch underground during World War II has been around 35 years but this is the first time I've sat down to read this amazing story.I am so glad I did!Built on the premise that love will conquer all, the story shows what relatively normal people can accomplish in extraordinary times.
A Tale Of Love, Courage, And Compassion
In Corrie Ten Boom's book "The Hiding Place", she gives an exciting account of how during the terrifying years of the Holocaust and World War 11 her entire family strove to hide as many Jews as they could from Nazi forces.
A Moving Tale
This is a beautiful, beautiful book. I could read it over and over, and feel touched, inspired, and renewed again. I first tried to read it when I was about twelve years old, but it was two heavy for me. Then I read it a few months ago, and it came alive. This is one book I would definately want to add to my library soon. I love the Ten Boom family - especially Betsy. I am looking forward to meeting them all in heaven someday. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Historical - Holocaust    4. Personal narratives, Dutch    5. Ravensbruck (Germany : concentration camp)    6. Religious    7. Ten Boom, Corrie    8. Women    9. World War, 1939-1945    10. Biography: general    11. History / Holocaust   

Reviews (1)

National-socialism
I always wanted to know what Hitler tells to masses. I have big interest in his speeches, in his style of talking. It is a great book for me because it unclude the most important Adolf's public speeches. I enjoied reading it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1933-1945    2. Europe - Germany    3. Germany    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Holocaust    7. Politics and government    8. Sources    9. European history: Second World War    10. Fascism & Nazism    11. Second World War, 1939-1945   

Reviews (18)

Very interesting read
Having read another book about a German sniper which proved to be absolutely fictional I was curious about this release. I have a huge collection of WWII memories and am happy about any books covering the German side. The story told is much different from too many "heroic" stories of the good G.I.s bragging about killing tons of bad "Krauts" - and we know what true WWII veterans say about people that tell about their "kills" (usually these people haven't seen any action at all). In fact, it is shocking to see how some readers/authors still consider all the German soldiers to be nazis and considering Soviet atrocities to be merely German propaganda. For these people this book will come as a revelation and a gripping account of a WWII veteran who can tell a gripping story without having to mention the most gruesome details of what an enemy looked like when he was shot.

Waste of time and money
There is surprisingly not much of sniping in the memoirs.
Great read
Sniper on the Eastern Front is one of the most astonishing World War II books I have read so far. This is a must read for any World War II freak. Sepp Allerberger is reliving his vivid memories in great detail throughout this book. It is fascinating to experience the life of a German sniper during World War II. We are so used to reading about the invasion of Normandy and the allied forces demolishing the German Wehrmacht, that we don't consider the other side of the story. This book manifests the struggle for survival and retreat of Sepp Allerberger's unit on the eastern front. Once you pick this book up you can't put it down. Great read! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - Military / War    3. Military    4. Military - World War II    5. Military Science    6. Former Soviet Union, USSR (Europe)    7. History / Military / World War II    8. Land forces & warfare    9. Second World War, 1939-1945    10. True stories: Second World War   

Editorial Review

As grippingly as any novelist, preeminent World War II historian Stephen Ambrose tells the horrifying, hallucinatory saga of Easy Company, whose 147 members he calls the nonpareil combat paratroopers on earth circa 1941-45. Ambrose takes us along on Easy Company's trip from grueling basic training to Utah Beach on D-day, where a dozen of them turned German cannons into dynamited ruins resembling "half-peeled bananas," on to the Battle of the Bulge, the liberation of part of the Dachau concentration camp, and a large party at Hitler's "Eagle's Nest," where they drank the madman's (surprisingly inferior) champagne. Of Ambrose's main sources, three soldiers became rich civilians; at least eight became teachers; one became Albert Speer's jailer; one prosecuted Bobby Kennedy's assassin; another became a mountain recluse; the despised, sadistic C.O.who first trained Easy Company (and to whose strictness many soldiers attributed their survival of the war) wound up a suicidal loner whose own sons skipped his funeral.