Sons and Soldiers

The Untold Story of the Jews Who Escaped the Nazis and Returned with the U.S. Army to Fight Hitler

By: Bruce Henderson

Narrated by: Brett Barry

Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's Summary

Joining the ranks of Unbroken, Band of Brothers, and The Boys in the Boat, the little-known saga of young German Jews, dubbed the Ritchie Boys, who fled Nazi Germany in the 1930s, came of age in America, and returned to Europe at enormous personal risk as members of the US Army to play a key role in the Allied victory.

In 1942 the US Army unleashed one of its greatest secret weapons in the battle to defeat Adolf Hitler: training nearly 2,000 German-born Jews in special interrogation techniques and making use of their mastery of the German language, history, and customs. Known as the Ritchie Boys, they were sent in small, elite teams to join every major combat unit in Europe, where they interrogated German POWs and gathered crucial intelligence that saved American lives and helped win the war.

Though they knew what the Nazis would do to them if they were captured, the Ritchie Boys eagerly joined the fight to defeat Hitler. As they did, many of them did not know the fates of their own families left behind in occupied Europe. Taking part in every major campaign in Europe, they collected key tactical intelligence on enemy strength, troop and armored movements, and defensive positions. A postwar army report found that more than 60 percent of the credible intelligence gathered in Europe came from the Ritchie Boys.

Bruce Henderson draws on personal interviews with many surviving veterans and extensive archival research to bring this never-before-told chapter of the Second World War to light. Sons and Soldiers traces their stories from childhood and their escapes from Nazi Germany, through their feats and sacrifices during the war, to their desperate attempts to find their missing loved ones in war-torn Europe. Sons and Soldiers is an epic story of heroism, courage, and patriotism that will not soon be forgotten.

©2017 Bruce Henderson (P)2017 HarperCollins Publishers

Good Story, But Hard to Follow

Where does Sons and Soldiers rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I think this book had some great stories but it was pretty hard to follow due to having several characters with different stories that didnt really intertwine at the end. It was hard to remember who was who at times.

Would you recommend Sons and Soldiers to your friends? Why or why not?

I would recommend this but more so from a historical perspective as opposed to a flowing story and less so for the hopes of a cohesive story line.

A wonderful story that needed to be told!

I am a long time student of WWII and am very familiar with many of the battles, towns, concentration camps and people mentioned in this book. Sons and Soldiers gives insight into the lives of amazing men who made profound contributions which history has largely ignored. It was a delight to follow the lives of the remarkable men from their harrowing lives as the Nazis rose to power, to their escapes from occupied territories ultimately to return to Europe as part of the greatest fighting force ever assembled. I can recommend this book highly enough!

Important part of U.S. history

A little-known, but important part of our history. Moving, but at times graphic, so I wouldn't recommend listening with young children.

Good story, but disjointed

I felt this was an important story, but at times the book became so bogged down with details, such as names of obscure European towns etc., that it seemed to lose a coherent story line and was difficult to listen to. I would have enjoyed it more if the author had developed in more depth the story of one particular Jewish American soldier and family without jumping around so much.

Couldn't put it down

Would you listen to Sons and Soldiers again? Why?

So heartbreaking, when decent people look the other way bad things happen. I didn't know or I was just obeying orders is no excuse because they did know. The politics of fear and division are still with us.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Sons and Soldiers?

Rev. George B. Woods eulogy for the victims of the death camps.

Gripping story that won't let me go

Even when I'm not reading this, I find myself thinking of it. I literally spent every spare free minute reading this book! Make sure and buy it NOW!

Excellent book, highly recomendable!

Very well written, great narrative, shocking story, increidibly revealing, moving and thought provoking, I strongly recomend it

loved every minute of it!!

camp ritchie is a stone throw away from my town. being 25 and the base is no longer active, nor did i know its history in such depth as the book depicted. was a wonderful listen was hard to stop at times will def listen again!!

Totally engrossed

Couldn't put the book down. I went on vacation and ignored the tour guide because I was so totally engrossed in the book. It brought new perspective to WWII

A phenomenal story not often told

Not a popular, publicized side of WWII. I learned so much from this incredible story.

Great

All Jews must read,
interesting , good research, and makes one proud of being Jewish