Overview

They were young Jewish boys who escaped from Nazi-occupied Europe and resettled in America. After the U. S. entered the war, they returned to fight for their adopted homeland and for the families they had left behind.Sons and Soldiers begins during the menacing rise of Hitler's Nazi party, as Jewish families tried desperately to get out of Europe. Bestselling author Bruce Henderson captures the heart-breaking stories of parents saving their young sons by sending them to America, perhaps never to see them again. As these boys became young men, they were determined to join the fight in Europe, where their mastery of the enemy's language and psychology made them ideally suited to be special interrogators of German POWs. Known as the Ritchie Boys, they knew what might happen to them if they were captured, yet they went anyway. A postwar Army report credited them with collecting nearly sixty percent of the credible intelligence gathered in Europe.Sons and Soldiers is an epic story of heroism, courage, and patriotism that will not soon be forgotten.

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9780062670304

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Reviews

Sons and Soldiers opens the door to a little known yet indispensable piece of history that was critical to the Allied victory in World War II. Bruce Henderson artfully weaves in the drama of the persecution and flight--and later, their brave return as soldiers--of German-born Jewish sons to America, where they found a new home and a divine purpose. More than an enlightening history, it is a stellar addition to the literature of human survival and triumph. --Colin Heaton, author of The German Aces Speak and The Star of Africa

An invaluable, must-read addition to the canon of important WWII books, about the thousands of European-born American soldiers whose own odysseys were ingrained in the 20th Century's two most significant narratives: the Holocaust and the Allied war against their families' oppressors in Nazi Germany. --Steven Karras, author of The Enemy I Knew: German Jews in the Allied Military in World War II

An ably researched and written account. ... Henderson does well to humanize the story. --Publishers Weekly An inspiring story. ... Fans of Stephen Ambrose and World War II histories will enjoy this look into a little-known aspect of U.S. Army operations. --Library Journal A must-read. ... Poignant. ... Henderson is a wonderful storyteller who has written a never-before-told chapter of the Second World War. --Jewish Book Council An inspiring account. ... Chronicles how, despite great personal risk if their Jewish identity was discovered, these soldiers were on the front lines in Europe, gathering crucial intelligence. --Booklist Riveting. ... Richly detailed. ... Puts readers alongside the Ritchie Boys in some of the darkest moments of history. ... A spellbinding account of extraordinary men at war. --USA Today Gripping. ... A story of courage and determination, revenge and redemption. ... Opens a window into a much-ignored aspect of the war. ... A magnificent story, one crying out to be told, and one that is told very well. --Boston Globe Highly compelling. ... The Ritchie Boys... are the unsung heroes who saved so many American lives and helped win the war. --Daily Mail (London) Harrowing. ... No small amount of courage was needed for [the Ritchie Boys'] work. ... Their contribution to victory is undeniable. --New York Post An irresistible history of the WWII Jewish refugees who returned to Europe to fight the Nazis. --Newsday Unforgettable. ... The 'Ritchie Boys' finally get their due. In telling their... story so eloquently, Henderson has done them proud. --Washington Independent Review of Books Pays homage to [the Ritchie Boys'] achievements. ... Achieves a rare intimacy, putting readers in foxholes and interrogation rooms.--Forward Fascinating. ... Extensively researched. --Winnipeg Free Press [A] mesmerizing account of how frightened boys grew into fearless men... to fight Nazi barbarianism. --San Antonio Express-News [A] sparkling account of young Jewish-German exiles deployed... in the fight against Nazi Germany. --Politico An impressive account. ... Henderson expertly delineates the lives and valor of the Ritchie Boys. ... Filled with gripping stories. --World War II Magazine This is an extremely informative book on a little-known subject and is highly recommended. --Journal of America's Military Past Sons and Soldiers tells the remarkable story of how 2,000 German-born Jews were able to get the crucial intelligence that saved American lives and helped win World War II. ... The message of their courage and patriotism should not be lost in today's war on terrorism. --Leon Panetta, Former Director of the CIA and Former Secretary of Defense Henderson is a skilled storyteller. Sons and Soldiers records concrete acts of courage, commitment, compassion... and, of course, unspeakable cruelty. --San Francisco Chronicle Thrilling. ... Gripping. ... An overdue tribute to these unique Americans. --Kirkus Reviews (starred) An invaluable, must-read addition to the canon of important WWII books, about the thousands of European-born American soldiers whose own odysseys were ingrained in the 20th Century's two most significant narratives: the Holocaust and the Allied war against their families' oppressors in Nazi Germany. --Steven Karras, author of The Enemy I Knew: German Jews in the Allied Military in World War II A triumph! More than seventy years after World War II ended, historians scramble to unearth a fresh story. With Sons and Soldiers, Bruce Henderson has found one. This gripping account of German Jews who fled their nation only to return as members of an elite U.S. Army unit to help defeat the Nazis, tugs at every emotion. --John Wukovits, author of Tin Can Titans Sons and Soldiers is the riveting -- and long neglected -- story of Jewish refugees from Nazi barbarism who fought an intensely personal war for America. Bruce Henderson has delivered a fast-paced and rich narrative. --Douglas Waller, author of Disciples: The World War II Missions of the CIA Directors Who Fought for Wild Bill Donovan This coming-of-age saga is a story of patriotism and courage unlike any other from World War II. An unforgettable story and a great read, told in Bruce Henderson's poignant and powerful style. --Bill Sloan, author of Their Backs Against the Sea Bruce Henderson's Sons and Soldiers artfully evokes the drama of the persecution and flight -- and later, their brave return as soldiers -- of German-born Jewish sons to America, where they found a new home and a divine purpose. More than an enlightening history, it is a stellar addition to the literature of human survival and triumph. --Colin Heaton, author of The German Aces Speak and The Star of Africa A first-rate account of one of the last, great untold stories of World War II. --Steven P. Remy, author of The Malmedy Massacre Sons and Soldiers tells the remarkable story of how 2,000 German-born Jews were able to get the crucial intelligence that saved American lives and helped win World War II. ... The message of their courage and patriotism should not be lost in today's war on terrorism. --Leon Panetta, Former Director of the CIA and Former Secretary of Defense Sons and Soldiers opens the door to a little known yet indispensable piece of history that was critical to the Allied victory in World War II. Bruce Henderson artfully weaves in the drama of the persecution and flight--and later, their brave return as soldiers--of German-born Jewish sons to America, where they found a new home and a divine purpose. More than an enlightening history, it is a stellar addition to the literature of human survival and triumph. --Colin Heaton, author of The German Aces Speak and The Star of Africa This coming-of-age saga unveils the heroic lives of the German-born Ritchie Boys, who escaped the horrors of the Holocaust as Jewish children and returned to Europe as young American soldiers, wielding their cultural and linguistic heritage to help defeat the tyrannical dictator who had driven them from their boyhood homeland. Told in Bruce Henderson's poignant and powerful style, it's a story of patriotism and courage unlike any other emerging from the historical richness of World War II. A great read...an unforgettable story. --Bill Sloan, author of Their Backs Against the Sea A triumph! A fresh and gripping narrative that tugs at every emotion, this is the story of German Jews who fled their nation, only to return during World War II as members of an elite U.S. Army unit to help defeat the Nazis. Bruce Henderson's Sons and Soldiers examines a little-known story of the European campaign, dramatically and with a fluid writing style, from a heretofore ignored vantage. --John Wukovits, author of Tin Can Titans A revelatory work about a group of Jewish men whose World War II journeys are so implausible and heroic it's difficult to understand why so few of us knew about them before now. A book of fear, flight and almost divine retribution. --Steve Twomey, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Countdown to Pearl Harbor

-A revelatory work about a group of Jewish men whose World War II journeys are so implausible and heroic it's difficult to understand why so few of us knew about them before now. A book of fear, flight and almost divine retribution.---Steve Twomey, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Countdown to Pearl Harbor

An ably researched and written account. ... Henderson does well to humanize the story. --Publishers Weekly An inspiring story. ... Fans of Stephen Ambrose and World War II histories will enjoy this look into a little-known aspect of U.S. Army operations. --Library Journal A must-read. ... Poignant. ... Henderson is a wonderful storyteller who has written a never-before-told chapter of the Second World War. --Jewish Book Council An inspiring account. ... Chronicles how, despite great personal risk if their Jewish identity was discovered, these soldiers were on the front lines in Europe, gathering crucial intelligence. --Booklist Riveting. ... Richly detailed. ... Puts readers alongside the Ritchie Boys in some of the darkest moments of history. ... A spellbinding account of extraordinary men at war. --USA Today Gripping. ... A story of courage and determination, revenge and redemption. ... Opens a window into a much-ignored aspect of the war. ... A magnificent story, one crying out to be told, and one that is told very well. --Boston Globe Highly compelling. ... The Ritchie Boys... are the unsung heroes who saved so many American lives and helped win the war. --Daily Mail (London) Harrowing. ... No small amount of courage was needed for [the Ritchie Boys'] work. ... Their contribution to victory is undeniable. --New York Post An irresistible history of the WWII Jewish refugees who returned to Europe to fight the Nazis. --Newsday Pays homage to [the Ritchie Boys'] achievements. ... Achieves a rare intimacy, putting readers in foxholes and interrogation rooms.--Forward Fascinating. ... Extensively researched. --Winnipeg Free Press [A] mesmerizing account of how frightened boys grew into fearless men... to fight Nazi barbarianism. --San Antonio Express-News [A] sparkling account of young Jewish-German exiles deployed... in the fight against Nazi Germany. --Politico An impressive account. ... Henderson expertly delineates the lives and valor of the Ritchie Boys. ... Filled with gripping stories. --World War II Magazine This is an extremely informative book on a little-known subject and is highly recommended. --Journal of America's Military Past Unforgettable. ... The 'Ritchie Boys' finally get their due. In telling their... story so eloquently, Henderson has done them proud. --Washington Independent Review of Books (a Favorite Book of 2017) An important, fascinating story. --Jewish Review of Books Sons and Soldiers tells the remarkable story of how 2,000 German-born Jews were able to get the crucial intelligence that saved American lives and helped win World War II. ... The message of their courage and patriotism should not be lost in today's war on terrorism. --Leon Panetta, Former Director of the CIA and Former Secretary of Defense Henderson is a skilled storyteller. Sons and Soldiers records concrete acts of courage, commitment, compassion... and, of course, unspeakable cruelty. --San Francisco Chronicle Thrilling. ... Gripping. ... An overdue tribute to these unique Americans. --Kirkus Reviews (starred) An invaluable, must-read addition to the canon of important WWII books, about the thousands of European-born American soldiers whose own odysseys were ingrained in the 20th Century's two most significant narratives: the Holocaust and the Allied war against their families' oppressors in Nazi Germany. --Steven Karras, author of The Enemy I Knew: German Jews in the Allied Military in World War II A triumph! More than seventy years after World War II ended, historians scramble to unearth a fresh story. With Sons and Soldiers, Bruce Henderson has found one. This gripping account of German Jews who fled their nation only to return as members of an elite U.S. Army unit to help defeat the Nazis, tugs at every emotion. --John Wukovits, author of Tin Can Titans Sons and Soldiers is the riveting -- and long neglected -- story of Jewish refugees from Nazi barbarism who fought an intensely personal war for America. Bruce Henderson has delivered a fast-paced and rich narrative. --Douglas Waller, author of Disciples: The World War II Missions of the CIA Directors Who Fought for Wild Bill Donovan This coming-of-age saga is a story of patriotism and courage unlike any other from World War II. An unforgettable story and a great read, told in Bruce Henderson's poignant and powerful style. --Bill Sloan, author of Their Backs Against the Sea Bruce Henderson's Sons and Soldiers artfully evokes the drama of the persecution and flight -- and later, their brave return as soldiers -- of German-born Jewish sons to America, where they found a new home and a divine purpose. More than an enlightening history, it is a stellar addition to the literature of human survival and triumph. --Colin Heaton, author of The German Aces Speak and The Star of Africa A first-rate account of one of the last, great untold stories of World War II. --Steven P. Remy, author of The Malmedy Massacre A revelatory work about a group of Jewish men whose World War II journeys are so implausible and heroic it's difficult to understand why so few of us knew about them before now. A book of fear, flight and almost divine retribution. --Steve Twomey, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Countdown to Pearl Harbor

Author Information

Bruce Henderson has written more than twenty books, including the national bestseller Hero Found and Rescue at Los Baños. Henderson served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ranger (CVA-61) during the Vietnam War. He lives in Menlo Park, California.

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