The Fortress: The Siege Of Przemsyl And The Making Of Europe's Bloodlands, Watson - C

     "This book tells the story of one fortress-city that was pitched into the calamity and on which, for a few months early in the First World War, the fate of all Eastern and Central Europe rested. The city was called Przemysl." The city, in central Galicia, was a crossroads between east and west, a place where Jews, Polish Roman Catholics, and Greek and Russian Orthodox believers lived. The people of Przemysl who enjoyed the freedoms and prosperity of the Empire were to see their lives and world destroyed by war.

     The chaotic collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire's eastern front in August, 1914 sent thousands of soldiers, stragglers, deserters and refugees into the city. The army's better troops marched past the city and the general staff issued an order: "The Fortress Przemysl will, for the moment, stand on its own and is to hold at all costs." The 35 outdated forts spread in an arc on the city's eastern side were manned by second-tier, older troops. Orthodox churchgoers and Ukrainians were evicted, and many were summarily executed over concerns about their loyalty. On September 23rd, the Russians surrounded the 131,000 soldiers in the city. As ancient as the forts were, the Russian artillery was equally outmoded thus necessitating an infantry attack. The Russians made an all-out effort on October 7th that failed to crack a single fort and the following day a Hapsburg relief army was on its way to Przemsyl. The fortress was holding back the Russian advance.

     Although stalled at Pryzemsyl, the Russians occupied eastern Galicia and began a program of returning it to its "primordial Russian roots." They required use of the Russian language, banned Greek Orthodox services and foisted Russian Orthodox practices on the population. They did all they could to erase the Polish and Ukrainian cultures. They turned a particularly vicious eye on the Jews. Cossack cavalrymen began pogroms that sent half of the 40,000 Jews fleeing to Austria. Soon, the Tsar's army authorized a mass deportation of Jews to the east.

     By November, the fortress was once again surrounded and isolated. This time, the Russians would not attack. A long siege and starvation was now the strategy. As the noose tightened, a running joke was that the difference between Troy and Przemsyl was that at Troy, the heroes were in the belly of the horse and at Pryzemsyl, the horses were in the bellies of the heroes. Three ill-conceived, poorly-led and badly-fought relief attempts over the winter caused the Hapsburg armies over half-a-million casualties. By March, 1915, the defenders were sick from lack of food and barely hanging on. On the 22nd, they surrendered and the Russians marched in. 

     The Russian occupation was short-lived as the Germans recaptured the city on June 1. At war's end, the city became part of the new country of Poland. Two decades later, in 1939, the USSR brutally occupied the city. They in turn were followed by the Nazis in 1941. The Soviets returned in 1945 and when the boundaries between Poland and Ukraine were redrawn, the city wound up again in Poland.

     

     

Under Pressure, Pobi - B

     This is the second novel in a series featuring Dr. Lucas Page, a NYC-based astrophysicist occasionally called in by the FBI. A series of bombings throughout the metropolitan area lead the FBI to ask him  for help. He and a few youngsters he teaches at Columbia sort out of the mass of facts a pattern that solves the crimes. As is almost always the case, the sequel here is not quite up to its predecessor.

Out Of Time, Klass - B

    This is a fascinating novel featuring an eco-terrorist and a computer-engineer FBI agent on his trail. The Green Man has committed five major acts of destruction, each accompanied by a manifesto pointing out the damage being done to the environment and the fact that the planet is on its last legs. He is highly skilled and principled, but has killed innocents and that is why he is the most-wanted man in America. No one has a clue who he is or where he is from until Tom Smith begins to apply his unique investigative skills to the pursuit. This is an intriguing and enjoyable read.

When Time Stopped: A Memoir Of My Father's War And What Remains, Neumann - B+

     In 2001, Ariana, a Venezuelan woman in her early 30's and living in London, returned to Caracas when her 80 year-old father died.  She had grown up in the aristocratic world of Venezuela's elite. Her mother's family had come from Europe centuries ago, and her father immigrated after WWII. Her father had never disclosed much about his past, but left for her a trove of archival material. Her relentless research led to her discovery of the struggles her grandparents and father went through as Czechoslovakian Jews during the Nazi terrors.

      Her father, Hans was the second son of Otto and Ella, a happily-married couple and owners of a successful paint factory in Prague. The Neumann's applied for US visas, and even converted to Catholicism, but all in vain, as the Germans occupied Prague in March, 1939. That year, the family moved to their country home in Libcice; they lost their business the following year. In May, 1942, Ella was sent to Terezin. Otto was exempted because he was on the Jewish Council and Hans because he had an exempt job. Otto was deported to Terezin in November. When Hans received a third notice, it was understood that there would be no more exemptions and he would be headed to Terezin or Poland. The manager of the paint factory hid Hans in an improvised space in the factory. A friend proposed a bold move. Come to Berlin and work with him as a chemist in a sophisticated paint/enamels factory. Armed with a fake identity, Hans, now Jan, moved to Berlin in 1943. He went to work and made himself an indispensable part of the company, a defense contractor. The firm appointed  him and his friend as firefighters for night work during the bombings of the city. Late that year, word reached Prague that Otto and Ella had been sent to Auschwitz. Hans' luck continued when he obtained permission to return to Prague in early April 1945. He survived the war, as did his brother, Lotar. After the communists took over in 1948, the two brothers moved to a welcoming Venezuela. They opened a paint factory with the same name as the one their parents' had in Prague.                                             The fascination of this book is the story of the author.  Sadly, her family's experiences in Europe have been told many, many times. At freshman orientation for international students at Tufts, someone suggested that with a name like Neumann, she must be Jewish. She was so shocked, she called her father, who hung up on her. When the Wall came down, Hans was invited to Prague and he and Ariana visited for a brief time, during which he broke down in tears at the station from which the Jews were deported, but still did not elaborate on his family's past. He did however write an extensive memoir about his time in Berlin that Ariana eventually unearthed. Her commitment, dedication and determination to research her families history is truly inspiring. This is a beautiful story of love and devotion.

And In The End: The Last Days Of The Beatles, McNab - B+

        New Year's 1969 saw the world's most famous band on the cusp of dissolution and bankruptcy. Paul organized a 'Get Back' project, whereby they would create straight-forward music without all the production sophistication of Sergeant Pepper and the White Album, while being filmed for a tv documentary. John was taking heroin, bereft of ideas and annoying everyone by insisting Yoko be ever-present. George was tired of his songs and ideas being ignored by Paul and came very close to quitting in January. John introduced Allen Klein, a famous NY manager, to the group and insisted that Klein be given free rein to fix Apple Corps' financial problems. The contretemps between Klein and Paul would prove to be the final rift on the road to the break-up. Somehow, they managed to pull off the 42 minutes of perfectly performed  music on the roof of 3 Savile Row on January 30, for their first live performance since September 1966. 

     The month of March saw Paul and Linda and John and Yoko marry. John and Yoko spent a week in bed in Amsterdam to promote world peace. Back in London, the band actually began working on the songs that would eventually comprise Abbey Road. Concurrently, John and Paul almost came to blows at a meeting involving an attempt to recover their copyrights from London investors. In May, they lost the copyrights to their classic creations. They all took off for different overseas vacations, with John and Yoko in Canada, where they recorded Give Peace A Chance. Back at Abbey Road, the Get Back tapes sat without any resolution toward completing the album. When everyone returned to London, Paul suggested they defer Get Back and make an album like they used to. With George Martin on board, they were going back to Abbey Road.

     Away from their business problems and in the studio, with John delayed because of a minor auto accident, Paul, George and Ringo began finishing the 9 almost complete songs. George introduced Something and Here Comes The Sun, solidifying himself as a writer on par with his two famous bandmates. John showed up with Yoko and two beds, but managed to contribute Come Together. The Fab Four found the old magic that July in the studio. In the early hours of August 21st, the four men left Abbey Road for the final time. The iconic album cover is considered the end piece of the decade and the group. 

    The following month, all but George were at a meeting to sign the new paperwork for a deal with EMI/Capital. Klein had deftly renegotiated the Beatles' royalties to everyone's satisfaction. Paul pitched John about going back on the road when John told him "I'm leaving." Abbey Road was released a week later to mixed reviews, but blockbuster sales and Beatlemania-like enthusiasm from the public. The Beatles were no more, but the news was kept under wraps for months. It wasn't announced until May of the following year. The fighting over Klein and the structure of their work continued for decades. 

     In the end, this is a sad read for any fan. But the music remains fresh and awe-inspiring even after half-a-century has passed. 

The Night Of The Assassins: The Untold Story of Hitler's Plot To Kill FDR, Churchill, and Stalin, Blum - B-

      This book is a very well-written story all about a coincidence. The Big Three decided on a first meeting, and Stalin convinced FDR and Churchill to come to Tehran. Unbeknownst to them, a German SS General was busy hatching a plan to  sabotage the oil wells that fueled the British war machine.  When the Germans learned of the summit, they hatched  a plan to assassinate the Allied leaders. As the Big Three were on their way to Tehran, the Soviets easily captured almost all of the Germans who had been flown in for the attack. The KGB learned that there were, however, six men still in Tehran, and that led the Soviets to request that FDR stay at their embassy in order to reduce his travel time from the American embassy. The Germans intended to access the British Embassy through the water tunnels that supplied the city on the night of Churchill's 69th birthday party, November 30, 1943. After the Soviets put a bounty on the six Germans,  they were led to the house they were hiding in. When the saboteurs realized they had no chance, they blew themselves and the house up. The events in Tehran remained a closely-held secret until early in the 21st century. 

Twilight Of The Gods: War in the Western Pacific, 1944-1945, Toll - A *

     This is the third, and final, volume of the author's majestic narrative of the war in the Pacific. We pick up with FDR in Honolulu to meet with the theater commanders in July of 1944. The strategic issue was the direction of the American attack on Japan. One school of thought was to approach through Taiwan and China, and of course MacArthur insisted on going through the Philippines. Spruance suggested taking a direct line through Iwo Jima and Okinowa. The eventual strategic conclusion was to pursue both the Philippines and the Iwo Jima - Okinowa axis.

     The Task Force that comprised the Fifth/Third Fleet (the number changed as the commanders, Halsey and Spruance, alternated) sailed west from Guam in September and launched air attacks on the Philippines. However, the first order of business was the taking Peleliu by the 1st Marine Division. A well-armed veteran garrison of 11,000 men awaited them. A network of 500 tunnels protected the Japanese, while the Marines suffered in the 100+ degree heat on the surface. It took weeks and 6738 Marine casualties including 1300 dead to clear the island. Peleliu was proportionately the costliest battle of the war in the Pacific. There were but a handful of Japanese survivors. With Halsey approaching from the east and MacArthur from the south, the Philippines would soon see the Americans return, and Japanese headquarters prepared for its final all-out naval effort. Indeed, the plans for the Imperial Navy's defense of the archipelago wasn't much more than for the fleet "to die a glorious death." MacArthur waded ashore at Leyte on Oct. 20th, the same day that Japanese authorities approved the use of kamikaze pilots. The Combined Fleet approached the Leyte Gulf, where the Americans were landing, on three different lines. On the 23rd, two US submarines sank five ships approaching Palawan Island. The next day, American pilots sighted the main fleet, which featured the two largest battleships ever made, the Yamato and the Mushasi. It is believed that it took 40 torpedoes and twenty bombs to sink the 72,000 ton Mushasi on the 24th. The stage was set for the Japanese fleet to sail into Leyte Gulf on the morning of the 25th. Unknown to those supporting MacArthur's landings, Halsey had sailed north to engage what he believed to be the last of Japan's carriers and had left the northern approach undefended. The main Japanese fleet pursued and inflicted damage on the American CVE's (junior carriers) before surprisingly  retreating back to the west. Halsey returned south and American planes pursued the retreating Japanese. Over the course of the four-day battle, almost 300 ships manned by 200,000 men had fought in four separate engagements. The Imperial Navy had lost four carriers, a dozen surface ships and most importantly, over 500 planes. It would never again play a meaningful role in the war. Halsey's sally to the north and the Japanese disengagement on the 25th, when added to the fact of Leyte Gulf being the largest naval battle in history has led to endless analysis and conjecture about what is now considered the 'last' naval battle.

    In addition to the sequential island hopping and attacking that MacArthur and Nimitz undertook, there were two other equally important and devastating attacks made upon the Empire. The first was submarine warfare that eventually strangled Japan's economy. The home islands imported all strategic materials, primarily coal and oil, without which an industrial society cannot function. Almost all of their oil came from Indonesia, thousands of miles away and fully susceptible to US subs. By 1944, the country was running on fumes as tanker after tanker was sent to the bottom. In October, 1944, US subs sank 328,000 tons of merchantmen and 104,000 tons of oil tankers. The same year saw the introduction of the B-29 Superfortress to the mid-Pacific and the beginning of the strategic bombing of the Japanese home islands. The Marianas (Guam, Saipan and Tinian) would base the superforts at approximately 1500 miles fromTokyo. On Nov. 24th, 110 planes took off for the first 15-hour round trip flight to Tokyo. 

     The Japanese vigorously fought back against MacArthur's forces on Leyte. Japan poured in reinforcements, stymying MacArthur's advance. The island was not cleared until mid-December after 60,000 Japanese had died. The US then invaded Mindoro, and used its two airbases to begin bombing Luzon, home of Manila and Corregidor. Luzon was invaded on Jan. 9, 1945. The US landed over 68,000 men before noon. The US entered the capital a month later. Some of the war's most intense urban fighting ensued, along with extensive Japanese murder of civilians, and atrocities on the scale of Nanking eight years earlier. In the weeks it took to eliminate the occupiers, the city was destroyed. MacArthur declared the Philippines campaign over in June, the Japanese held out in the mountains until August and war's end. They lost over 200,000 on Luzon and almost 400,000 in the Philippines in total.

     Iwo Jima lay equidistant between the Marianas and Tokyo. It contained an airfield capable of supporting US bombers. Its commanding general had been ordered to fight to the last man. The island was all rock and the Japanese dug in, tunneled and prepared to fight an almost underground battle. "Fifteen hundred subterranean bunkers were connected by 16 miles of corridors." Someone said "The Japanese weren't on Iwo Jima. They were in Iwo Jima." US naval and air forces pummeled the island daily for months. Twenty-two thousand Japanese awaited the 75,000 Marines who began landing on February 19th. Every inch was contested and by nightfall of the first day, 40,000 Marines held about 10% of the island. Suribachi fell on the 4th day. The flag-raising image captured by an AP photographer is arguably the most famous picture in American history. The battle and the carnage continued unabated for a month. One company lost eight commanders; another landed with 133 men and left with 9. The Marines suffered 24,053 casualties, including 6140 dead. A few hundred Japanese were captured. The cost of capturing Iwo was steep, but its airfields proved invaluable in the closing months of the war.

     Building the support systems for up to 1,000 B-29's on the Marianas was a colossal undertaking. Once in the air, the superforts struggled with the distance to Japan, the weather and the opposition, leading to a 5% loss-rate per mission. When it became apparent that high-altitude daytime precision bombing was not working, LeMay switched the USAAF mission to night- time low-altitude incendiary bombing of Japan's cities. The first mission was on March 9th and 334 superforts were on their way to Tokyo. The firebombing of Tokyo was the most devastating day in the history of war, killing over 100,000 and rendering a million homeless. Raids on Nagoya, Osaka and Kobe followed.

    The Battle of Okinowa from April 1 to July 2  was the largest amphibious action in history. Fifty-thousand Yanks landed on the first day without any enemy opposition. On the 6th, Japan sent  700 planes south from the home islands in a series of traditional and kamikaze attacks. Over the course of the campaign, the Empire launched 10 massive kamikaze attacks and almost daily smaller ones hitting 200 ships and killing 4,900 Americans.  After the first week, as the Americans advanced, the fighting intensified as the 86,000 defenders were as deeply dug in as at Iwo. "In the end, the soldiers and marines had to dig their enemies out of the ground and kill them." The three months of combat led to the highest American casualties of the war, 49,151, with 12,250 killed or missing. As each portion of the island was occupied, it became part of a massive construction project. Okinowa was to be the primary base for Operation Olympic, the invasion of Japan.

    Beginning in July, the navy sailed unopposed into Japan's home waters and began daily carrier-based airplane attacks and naval bombardment of Kyushu Island. Conventional bombing continued with 843 B-29's in the air on August 1. The atomic bombing of Hiroshima on the 6th and Nagasaki on the 9th, combined with the Soviet entry into the war led Japan to sue for peace. The US Navy anchored in Sagami Bay on Aug. 27th to begin the occupation. MacArthur, now Supreme Commander in the Pacific, arrived three days later. The official signing took place on the deck of the USS Missouri in Tokyo harbor on Sept. 2nd. The Greatest Generation had completed its most important mission.

Squeeze Me, Hiaasen - B+

     The author specializes in overly satirical send-ups of life in Florida. His books are very funny and this one is hysterical. He layers onto the usual crew of wacky locals a cast of characters at the winter White House in Palm Beach. It's called Casa Bellicosa and the Secret Service call name for the Trump-like prez is 'Mastadon'. One of the prez's admirers, a member of the wealthy widows; gang known as the Potussies, is consumed by a python at a PB fundraiser and off we go. If you have never thought the current administration could make you laugh, read this book. One of the better lines is a reference to the Potussie-sponsored 'Very Unimpeachable You' gala where Mastodon  plans to sing 'Leather and Lace' with Roseanne Barr. Funny as hell.

You Can Go Home Now, Elias - B+

     This is an extraordinary novel, all the more interesting because it is set in contemporary Queens, NY. It is a police procedural, as well as an exposition on abusive husbands, their victims and life in a battered women's shelter. Our homicide detective discovers that the husbands of women in the shelter keep winding up dead and decides to go undercover. She is also the daughter of a Planned Parenthood physician murdered by a religious fanatic and is someone with revenge as a high priority. The finale jumps the shark, but on the whole, this is a page- turning very good read.