The Last Kilometer: Marching to Victory in Europe With the Big Red One, 1944-1945

Presented in cooperation with the Association of the U.S. Army, this is the story of life as an infantryman during the final phases of World War II. Having served as an 81-mm mortar forward observer with the 1st Infantry Division (the "Big Red One"), the author skillfully recreates this military combat experience through both personal recollections and excerpts from his letters home. The gripping and straightforward narrative leads the reader through the processes of preparing, marching, attacking, digging in, sleeping, defending, and moving out again to the next objective. These descriptions of everyday heroism highlight the plight of ordinary men as they valiantly battle the enemy even in the face of their own probable demise.

From the Battle of the Bulge to VE Day, A. Preston Price takes us through France, Belgium, Germany, and Czechoslovakia. We are there as troops cross the Roer River, clash in the Remagen Bridgehead, attack the Ruhr and Harz regions, and fight for the liberation of Czechoslovakia from Nazi rule. Devoid of overly dramatic descriptions, this is a clear and precise eyewitness description of war and of the American soldiers who fought in the name of the United States and freedom. It will appeal to everyone interested in American history, military history, strategical analysis, and historical biography.