In the Non-Fiction Corner: Why We Fought

In the Non-Fiction Corner with Lauren

I have never found a Jerry Borrowman book that I didn’t like, and this one was no exception. In fact, this might be my favorite one yet! 

Borrowman captures his audience's attention with his unique writing style and vast knowledge of little known stories that are bound to entertain and thrill anyone with interest in World War II. 

With double agents and fake armies, I loved this book and only wished that it was longer! I particularly enjoyed the story of one double agent named Juan Pujol who saved countless lives by fooling the Nazi’s into thinking D-Day was going to take place at a different beach. I loved that even though there are several characters and facets to each of the seven stories included in the book, the author makes it easy to understand with descriptive detail that doesn’t leave the reader lost or bored. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about WWII.

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Here's the back copy:

The struggle to combat the Nazis during World War II encompassed front lines far beyond conventional battlefields. In a panoramic and compelling account, author Jerry Borrowman shares seven largely untold stories of people who undertook extraordinary efforts to defeat the Third Reich at enormous personal risk.

Some were soldiers like the Ghost Army, an eclectic group of former artists, actors, and engineers who engaged in top-secret tactical deceptions by staging ingenious decoy armies. Using inflatable tanks, radio transmissions, and sound effects, they were able to trick the Germans throughout the course of the war, often working close to the front lines of the fiercest fighting.

Some were ordinary citizens like William Sebold, a German immigrant and US citizen, who could have been a deadly foe, but instead chose the Allied cause. When he was coerced by the Gestapo into becoming a spy in America, he instead approached the FBI and offered to become a double agent. His efforts successfully helped bring down a dangerous German spy network that was dedicated to stealing industrial and wartime secrets and sabotaging America on home soil.

These dramatic and inspiring personal stories shed light on some of the darkest days of World War II and one of the most perilous times in human history. As the Nazis swept through Europe, citizens around the world faced an individual and national complex moral question: How do you respond to the tyranny and bloodthirsty madness of the Nazis? These are stories of ordinary men and women who would not surrender or compromise. They resisted and fought with total commitment for freedom and democracy despite the personal cost.

About the Author:

Jerry Borrowman is an award-winning author of historical fiction and nonfiction, including the Shadow Mountain titles Beyond the Call of Duty, Compassionate Soldier, Invisible Heroes of World War II, and Catastrophes and Heroes. He has written about World Wars I and II, the Great Depression, and the Vietnam War. He is the recipient of the George Washington National Medal from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. Jerry and his wife, Marcella, raised four children and live in the Rocky Mountains.