Anonymous (60)

A German Deserter's War Experience (1917) is ostentatiously by an anonymous German soldier who fought during the first 14 months of WWI. He then escaped to New York where he published a memoir serially in a local German-language newspaper. It was then translated into English by Julius Koettgen, who later sources incorrectly identified as the soldier himself. Julius Koettgen, the translator, was the head of an organization called "Friends of the German Democracy", a surrogate of the US show more government propaganda arm Committee on Public Information, whose aim was to influence public opinion about the war.

The memoir itself is very graphic with non-stop violence. It's not literary but is easy to read, if you can stomach the horrible conditions of trench warfare. It starts and end with the simple notions that war is bad, and escape was the best option.

The question remains, is this is an authentic memoir or propaganda? The details are so precise and specific it feels real, and for the most part there is no overt anti-German bias. I can find almost no critical study or commentary anywhere. Who was this soldier? Why didn't he come forward after the war? Given the translator's role in propaganda, and the book's narrative arch of laying down one's arms and escaping Germany, what should we think? It's an interesting literary mystery. Regardless a decent read for the details of trench warfare.

Read via LibriVox narrated by Lee Smalley. show less

This book is a reprint by Naval & Military Press Ltd. of the original that was written by members of the division and published shortly after the end of hostilities in 1945. The authors are not named, but accept that the book was written in a hurry. That having been said, the book is a highly valuable source for any person interested in the history of this unique formation in the British Army during the Second World War. It covers the development of the division and its specialist armour, show more and then its deployment in North West Europe. All the actions are covered in detail, with several excellent maps. The are various photographs included. The reprint is in paperback format and is of good quality. I view this book as an important contribution to the history of the British Army in the Second World War and congratulate Naval & Military Press for reprinting this book. show less

First hand account account by a 20th special forces National Guard A-team in the first year of the Afghan war following 9/11.

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