By late August 1944, George S. Patton's Third Army appeared to be on the verge of ending the war in Europe. After breaking out of Normandy, Patton's forces had raced roughly 400 miles in 30 days, liberated Paris, crossed the Seine, and smashed through the Siegfried Line fortifications. By August 31, Patton stood on the … Read more
In August 1945, Berlin was a city of formal ceremonies and unfinished business. The war in Europe had been over for three months, and senior American and Soviet officers gathered for an official victory dinner in the Soviet sector. The hosts controlled everything: the hall, the menu, the seating, and the order of the toasts. … Read more
In 1997, the film Donnie Brasco earned nearly $125 million at the box office, telling the story of an FBI agent who infiltrated the Bonanno crime family. The real operation, however, lasted nearly six years, reached far deeper than the movie portrayed, and inflicted damage the Bonanno family was still trying to recover from decades … Read more
In March 1945, in Germany, a Panzer division commander found himself trapped outside a small town east of the Rhine. Major General Klaus Reinhold had run out of fuel for his remaining tanks, his infantry had scattered, and his own staff officers were quietly discussing surrender terms behind his back. Reinhold refused to take part … Read more
In October 1944, Patton's Third Army had been advancing across France for weeks. The pace left little room for anything not directly tied to continuing the attack. Mail was backed up, supply lines were stretched, and the administrative machinery that connected soldiers to their families back home was running at a fraction of its normal … Read more
In April 1945, the war in Europe was nearly over. The Germans knew it, and the Americans knew it. But knowing the war was lost and accepting it were two different things. Deep in Bavaria, near the town of Moosburg, over 100,000 Allied prisoners were being held in a complex of camps. Americans, British, French, … Read more
In December 1944, three days into the Battle of the Bulge, the headquarters of Third Army was operating on almost no sleep. Officers and staff had gone roughly 72 hours without proper rest as the German counteroffensive developed across Luxembourg and Belgium. It was in that setting that a 28-year-old captain named Thomas Raeburn was … Read more
In March 1945, the Third Army was pushing east of the Rhine. A single German infantryman walked out of a tree line with both hands raised, with no weapon visible anywhere on him. Two American soldiers took him into custody at a checkpoint outside a small town the Third Army had secured the previous day. … Read more
In April 1945, the war in Europe was two weeks from ending. Everyone could feel it. The 45th Infantry Division had just liberated Dachau, and the SS guards who had not fled were still on the grounds when the Americans arrived through the gates. What happened next happened fast. The soldiers of the 45th had … Read more
In April 1945, the war in Europe was two weeks from ending. The 45th Infantry Division had just liberated Dachau, and the SS guards who had not fled were still on the grounds when the Americans came through the gates. What happened next happened fast. The soldiers of the 45th had just walked through a … Read more