Description
Henry Lasoki, an officer within the Polish army, used to be there at the first day of World War II, thrusting his bayonet awkwardly into a German soldier hours after Hitler’s army invaded his native land in 1939. And Jacques Smith used to be there at the last, a member of the honor guard aboard the usMissouri in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese signed the docuuments of give up in 1945. From begin to finish, this chronicle of 53 personal testimonies illuminates World War II in a way no mere accumulation of facts can. The episodes detailed provide an intimate history of the war and an instantaneous, visceral connection to the central event of the 20 th century.