Peter Schrijvers Bücher

A new telling of the brutal siege of Bastogne, where vastly outnumbered American forces held off a savage German onslaught and sealed the fate of the Third Reich

In the ruined Europe of World War II, American soldiers on the front lines had no eye for breathtaking vistas or romantic settings. The brutality of battle profoundly darkened their perceptions of the Old World. As the only means of international travel for the masses, the military exposed millions of Americans to a Europe in swift, catastrophic decline. Drawing on soldiers' diaries, letters, poems, and songs, Peter Schrijvers offers a compelling account of the experiences of U.S. combat ground forces: their struggles with the European terrain and seasons, their confrontations with soldiers, and their often startling encounters with civilians. Schrijvers relays how the GIs became so desensitized and dehumanized that the sight of dead animals often evoked more compassion than the sight of enemy dead. The Crash of Ruin concludes with a dramatic and moving account of the final Allied offensive into German-held territory and the soldiers' bearing witness to the ultimate symbol of Europe's descent into ruin--the death camps of the Holocaust. The harrowing experiences of the GIs convinced them that Europe's collapse was not only the result of the war, but also the Old World's deep-seated political cynicism, economic stagnation, and cultural decadence. The soldiers came to believe that the plague of war formed an inseparable part of the Old World's decline and fall.

This book offers a revisionist perspective on the role of Anglo-American liberators in Belgium, exploring their profound social, economic, and cultural impacts on Belgian society. It delves into the complexities of liberation, challenging traditional narratives and highlighting the nuanced consequences of foreign intervention in Belgium's historical landscape. Through detailed analysis, it uncovers how these liberators shaped various aspects of Belgian life, providing a fresh understanding of this pivotal moment in history.

Recounts the harrowing experiences of American soldiers in Asia and the Pacific. Based on countless diaries and letters, it sweeps across the battlefields, from the early desperate stand at Guadalcanal to the tragic sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis at war's very end.

Focusing on the often-overlooked civilian casualties during the Battle of the Bulge, this book reveals the tragic impact of war on ordinary people in Belgium and Luxembourg, with estimates of around three thousand civilian deaths. Historian Peter Schrijvers details the war crimes committed by German forces, the devastating Allied bombings, and the postwar challenges like land mines and civilian-veteran relations. Drawing from newly uncovered sources, the narrative provides a poignant account of the innocents caught in the turmoil of conflict.

"Bloody Pacific" uncovers the true experiences of American soldiers in the Pacific during World War II, revealing their attitudes and behaviors through unpublished diaries and letters. It spans key battles and highlights the soldiers' struggles with nature, disease, and the enemy, culminating in their desperate longing for an end to the conflict.