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1943

Three great Axis powers: Geran as Hitler’s mentor, but after failure upon failure it has become clear that Mussolini’s Italy lacks the resources and the will to fight effectively The war in Europe will be fought between the Allies and Germany, with Mussolini more a hindrance than a help

For too long Britain stood alone while the Soviet Union’s paranoid dictator, Stalin, purged his own army and worked backroom deals with the Nazis to seize Finland and divide Poland But in one of the great mistakes of history, Hitler attacked Stalin The Soviet Union’s vast size, terrible winter, and the astonishing courage and endurance of its people have proven too much, even for the Wehrmacht

And now, thanks to the Japanese bo of Pearl Harbor, the United States of Aht and aa negligible force of 334,000 to a 12-ernaut

In the Pacific, the US Marines have survived a protracted living nightmare on Guadalcanal Japanese expansion is halted Australia and New Zealand are safe, but China, the Philippines, and Southeast Asia still bleed under brutal Japanese occupation

In Europe, the Soviet Red Arrad Hitler’sno retreat will lead to the death of a third of a million Gerreatest tank battle in history will be fought at a place called Kursk, and by dint of sheer numbers and steely determination, the Soviet T-34 tanks will beat the German panzers back

London is still struggling to recover fro bohetto to be starved to death rise up against their Nazi oppressors and, despite great heroism, are exterminated

The Americans, British, British Commonwealth, and Free French forces have pushed the Nazis out of North Africa Benito Mussolini is weakened and discredited but not yet destroyed

No one is certain about the next objective, including Allied leadership

The Germans have been bloodied, but Nazi Germany is very far froen-Belsen, Buchenwald, and Auschwitz, the killing gas still flows and the ovens still burn hot

Prologue

107TH EVAC HOSPITAL, WÜRZBURG, GERMANY—APRIL 1945

Welcome back, Gentle Reader, welcome back to the war

I’ve got quite a pile of typed pages now, quite a pile, and I’ot some readers, some of the people here in this hospital withup typing at all hours So I guess I’ll keep at it

I’ coy or cute, I just find it easier to write about all of it, even my own part, as if it happened to soht start thinking of me as the hero of the story I can’t allow that because I know better I knoho the heroes are and who the heroes were, and I a and trying not to scratch the wound on ot a whole colony of ants in there I suppose thisneckline That will botheraround this ward at irls, and at the soldier boys across the hall, I’e to complain