Stanley Weintraub (1929–2019)

Beginning on December 21, 1941, two weeks after Pearl Harbor, and ending on January 1, 1942, Pearl Harbor Christmas centers on Winston Churchill's Christmas visit to Franklin Roosevelt, but covers much more. Weintraub is a master at discovering fascinating details, which keep the tale of negotiations between Roosevelt and Churchill and their various subordinates from becoming dull. Showing that already, by December 1941, the world was at war, Weintraub keeps the reader apprised of events in show more the Pacific and on the Russian front, as well as how the war was beginning to affect the home front in the U.S.
Researching and writing over 60 years after the end of World War II, Weintraub has had access to many facts unknown to most people at the time they occurred. Although I had read enough already about "Dugout Doug" MacArthur to consider him no hero, Weintraub's depiction of MacArthur's constant lies to his superiors about what was actually happening in the Philippines was shocking to read about -- the author has his doubts about Churchill as well.
In December 1941, my mother was a senior in high school; she would go on to work in the local shipyard after graduation. My father, who had joined the National Guard at 16, was in the Army, since FDR had Federalized the Guard in summer 1940. He was stationed on an island off Portland, Maine, as a coast artilleryman; he would later serve in the Pacific Theater. Reading this book helped me to understand a bit of what it was like for them to live through that time. Highly recommended. show less

I have read and enjoyed all of Stanley Weintraub's "Christmas War Books" (more than once!). They are not deep and detailed military histories, but they are of interesting subjects and make nice holiday reading for military history buffs (like myself) or by those who just want to get some insight about the subject.

"Washington's Christmas Farewell" begins in late 1783 in New York City, where Washington is with the last of his army waiting for the final departure of the remaining British Army show more (and those Royalists who plan on leaving with them) so he can can leave and be home in Mt Vernon by Christmas, for the first time in many years.

Weintraub writes of the many receptions held for Washington on his long journey down to Virginia, of his very moving and tearful farewell to his generals and staff who had been with him for so many years, and of his final resignation of his military commission to Congress in Annapolis, MD. The book ends with Washington on Christmas Eve, going into his house. Washington was a private man and left no written record of his first Christmas with Martha Washington and his family after so many years (which seems appropriate to me).

The author makes you realize how much the American public loved and revered Washington, and how respected he was abroad (even more than Ben Franklin) - many foreign military and political leaders expressing surprise that he planned on retiring and returning to his private life rather than taking authoritarian power, as they assumed he would. But that was not what Washington would do, showing to the world that the United States would be governed by the people, not the military. Thankfully for us. He remained a figure of respect abroad even in later years, so much so that in 1799 when he died, Napoleon declared a 10 day state of mourning with his army.

There is a quote by Washington in the book, which I think many politicians and the American public today should pay attention to, especially those who claim to regard him with admiration. It reads "The bosom of America is open to receive not only the opulent and respectable stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all Nations and Religions; whom we shall welcome to a participation of all our rights and privileges..." Would that more agreed with the Father of our Country. show less

This account of the spontaneous World War I Christmas truce is mildly disappointing. Had I not read other World War I histories earlier this year, I wouldn't have had enough context for the events described in the book. It also bothered me that Weintraub intersperses accounts of fictional characters with those of real people. I had a hard time sorting out which events were real and which were fictional but based on real events. I think it would have been better if Weintraub had discussed show more fictional accounts of the truce in a single chapter. The book is worth reading for those with a strong interest in the topic, but readers should already have a basic familiarity with World War I history and chronology. show less

I've been fascinated with the Xmas Truce since I first heard the Carol. I had heard some rumblings that it was entirely fictitious and did not actually happen and I've heard counterarguments on the other side of the debate. This was the first history book I read on the topic. I actually enjoyed it much more than the Audible full cast production of Christmas 1914. It was a little confusing for a non-ww1 buff to keep the different encampments and locations separate. I particularly enjoyed the show more what-if scenarios at the end of the book. show less