Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Fifteen:
A very one-sided trade proposal.
Quick synopsis:
The story of a prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Germany during World War II of soldiers facing the death penalty.
Fact for Non-History People:
There was approximately 400,000 German POWs in the U.S. during World War II.
Fact for History Nerds:
About 2,222 German POWs escaped in the U.S. but were almost always caught swiftly.
My Take on The Fifteen:
There is a misconception that there are too many books on World War II. Yes, there is a ton of World War II literature and content. Yes, the History Channel leaned so heavily into WWII that it was being called “The Hitler Channel.” While I can generally agree when another book comes out on a well-covered topic, The Fifteen by William Geroux is something very different. It is proof that we need more books on the war because there are still stories left to be told.
Geroux presents the account of fifteen German POWs sentenced to death for murdering fellow prisoners. Lo and behold, Germany also comes up with a list of fifteen American POWs sentenced to death for much lesser offenses. Yes, this narrative thread can stand alone and be quite riveting. However, Geroux is already well-known for writing books about lesser-known stories which shed light on a bunch of stuff you never knew before. (Side note: If you have not read Geroux’s The Ghost Ships of Archangel yet, then please do so ASAP.) To prove my point, can anyone say how many German POWs were housed in the U.S. during the war? I have read a lot of books on the subject of World War II and had no idea it was 400,000. And that’s just the beginning of the book.
Geroux also dives into other territory which is very illuminating. He explains the vast differences between the German soldiers (they weren’t all Nazis) and chronicles the many mistakes the U.S. government made when the country was forced to take on the massive influx of men without being prepared. And then, there is the very uncomfortable subject of hostage diplomacy. There is so much to learn from this book, but Geroux also keeps it riveting right to the final pages. It’s a must read.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Crown Publishing.)
Verdict:
A great read. Buy it here!
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