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

by Alex Kershaw

Book Overview

The epic story of the vastly outnumbered platoon that stopped Germany's leading assault in the Ardennes forest and prevented Hitler's most fearsome tanks from overtaking American positions

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

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0306814404
• ISBN13: 9780306814402
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: Da Capo
• Length: 344 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Book

Arrived on time as described

An impressively written military history

It was freezing on the morning of December 16, 1944 when the Intelligence and Reconnaissance Platoon of the 394th Infantry, 99th Infantry Division found itself desperately holding up a brutal German attack at a small town called Lanzareth, the point of the main thrust of Hitler's massive and last ditch military offense. By nightfall the men of this beleaguered American platoon had killed over 500 elite German troops while defending a strategically vital hill without reinforcement or artillery support. Outnumbered almost 40 to 1, yet told to "hold at all costs", these valiant American soldiers repulsed three German assaults in a day-long battle. Only when the men had run out of ammunition did they surrender at gun-point -- after which they were taken to German prisoner-of-war camps. There Lt. Bouck and his men (who were eventually separated from their officer) began an ordeal far worse than combat -- surviving the last days of the Third Reich when brutal guards were increasingly trigger happy, Allied bombers raided almost daily, and thin soup was the only sustenance. When Bouck was finally liberated from the prison camp, his entry weight of 180 pounds had dropped to 112 pounds. A gripping true life saga and one that belongs in every World War II Military History collection, The Longest Winter: The Battle Of The Bulge And The Epic Story Of World War II's Most Decorated Platoon is an impressively written military history by author Alex Kershaw, and published on the 60th anniversary of that famous and infamous battle.

excellent white knuckle read

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!

Kershaw Scores Again

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.

Heroism At Its Finest

This is the story of a platoon of men that quite possibly changed the course of the Battle of the Bulge by delaying the initial German attack just long enough to give the Allies the time they needed to regroup. These heroes were asked to "hold at all costs," and that is exactly what they did until their ammunition ran out. By doing so, they had slowed the German advance enough to allow the Allies to react to what was happening. What these men suffered after being captured and how they were able to survive until the end of the war is further proof of just how great they were. The book is very well written and I recommend it very highly. My only criticisms of the book are the one typo that I found and the error by the author of his description of Bradley, Montgomery, and Deevers leading Armies. I believe by this time in the war they all were in charge of army groups. That aside, this was a great book of an even greater story.

true heroism

Every book I've read about the Battle of the Bulge is complicated and confusing because it was such a massive and chaotic battle with a cast of several hundred thousand Americans. Finally, a book comes along that reduces it to a very human level, just eighteen men, and describes what it was really like to fight from a fox-hole against all odds that December. I understood enough about the battle without it becoming overwhelming but got to know some remarkable individuals and that is what really makes you appreciate their sacrifice - when they are no longer soldiers but human beings. Recommended to anybody wanting to be inspired by a great story of survival against all odds.