Michael A. Eggleston

In the closing days of World War II a crisis was emerging for German civilians trapped on the Eastern Front by the Red Army. Many lived between the Soviet advance and the Wehrmacht defense of Nazi Germany. They were fearful of Soviet retribution for the millions of Russians that had been murdered by the Nazis in the early years of the war. Since all land routes had been cut off, an evacuation by sea was the only way to provide escape for the civilians back to Germany. Such an escape was fraught with many dangers. Soviet submarines prowled the Baltic Sea where the ships would sail and the Red air force bombed the ports and ships at sea. Most of the available ports were under siege by the Red Army and civilians who tried to reach the ports were often killed or died in the winter weather. To save the civilians and some of the German soldiers, the German Navy developed a plan for the evacuation called Operation Hannibal in early 1945. This history tells the story of this flight from its start in January 1945 until it concluded the day after the end of World War II.

In 1967, the North Vietnamese launched a series of offensives in the Central Highlands along the border with South Vietnam--a strategic move intended to draw U.S. and South Vietnamese forces away from major cities before the Tet Offensive. A series of bloody engagements known as "the border battles" followed, with the principle action taking place at Dak To. Drawing on the writings of key figures, veterans' memoirs and the author's records from two tours in Vietnam, this book merges official history with the recollections of those who were there, revealing previously unpublished details of these decisive battles.

More than 8,000 men served in the Fifth Marine Regiment during World War I and the occupation of Germany. Marine units were among the first to arrive in war-torn Europe in 1917, and they sustained greater casualties than other American units. This book tells the story of the "Devil Dogs" in World War I and the years after through the recollections of veterans recorded over the past century. The influenza epidemic that raged during the war is discussed. An annotated roster of the regiment lists each Marine, with service details provided where known.

Although the Paris Peace Accords ended direct United States military involvement in Vietnam on January 27, 1973, the process of withdrawal lasted over three years. This illuminating volume chronicles this withdrawal, its background, and its impact through a combination of official history and first-person accounts from key players at every level. Brief historical narratives join recollections from U.S. servicemen and support staff, North and South Vietnamese soldiers, and such notable figures as Henry Kissinger, Alexander Haig and Richard Nixon to reveal the human story behind the history. A biographical dictionary summarizes the lives of important individuals, a glossary presents unusual terms and acronyms, and an appendix analyzes the war casualties under each U.S. president.

Historians have often marginalized the effect of African American troops on the outcome of the Civil War. While many histories briefly mention the service of the blacks, few reveal their impact. Lorenzo Thomas was one of the most exceptional people to serve in that war, but no biography of his life has been written. Most of his career was spent as an administrator in the U. S. Army, from his graduation from West Point in 1823 until the start of the war when he was the army's Adjutant General. His life changed when he was charged by Secretary of War Stanton to go West and recruit troops for the Union that were desperately needed. Stanton and Thomas did not get along and with pressure mounting to get more troops, Stanton saw this as an opportunity to get Thomas out of Washington. Thomas did exceptionally well in recruiting tens of thousands of troops for the Union. After the war ended, President Andrew Johnson replaced Stanton with Thomas as temporary Secretary of War. This precipitated the impeachment hearings against Johnson and some say that the testimony of Thomas caused the impeachment of Johnson to be dismissed.

The Civil War experience of the 10th Minnesota Volunteer Regiment resembles that of few other regiments. On the day the 10th Minnesota first mustered at Fort Snelling in August 1862, the Sioux Indian War broke out in western Minnesota. Soldiers who signed up to fight the Confederacy instead found themselves marching to defend the frontier and spending a year fighting two campaigns against the Sioux. When the 10th finally deployed south to fight the Confederate Army, it engaged in a series of skirmishes in the West, including battles at Tupelo and Nashville, and suffered many casualties. This chronicle merges the individual experiences of Union soldiers, Native Americans, and Confederates to offer a compelling, panoramic portrait of the 10th Minnesota during the Sioux Uprising and the Civil War, revealing the unwavering resolve of this remarkable regiment.