- Hardcover: 336 pages
- Publisher: The Lyons Press; First edition (Jan 1 2003)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 158574722x
- ISBN-13: 978-1585747221
- ASIN: 158574722X
- Product Dimensions: 24 x 15.3 x 2.9 cm
- Shipping Weight: 653 g
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,538,405 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
In 1942, with Americans still on edge after Pearl Harbor, four German-American operatives disembarked from a U-boat and waded ashore, soon melting into the crowds of Manhattan, the first of several teams assigned to blow up manufacturing and transportation centers as well as Jewish-owned department stores in the United States. Novelist and journalist Abella (The Killing of the Saints) and Gordon, commissioner with the Los Angeles County Superior Court and a professor of law at Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles, depict a crew of would-be saboteurs with varying degrees of discipline, experience and dedication to the Nazi cause. Their leader, George Dasch, had lived in the U.S. as a boy, but had drifted from job to job without ever satisfying his grand ambitions. Returning to Germany, he joined the military and was eventually recruited for the terrorist mission in the U.S., despite his ambivalence toward Hitler's National Socialism. Realizing that the Allies would most likely win the war, Dasch eventually turned himself and his co-conspirators in to the FBI, with the thought of making himself a war hero. While the exploits of Dasch, his partners and their sympathetic contacts are fascinating, also engrossing is the U.S. government's handling of the ensuing court case. J. Edgar Hoover, closely involved, knew that his agency's reputation was at stake. President Roosevelt, concerned about the lack of control in a civilian trial, ordered a military tribunal, which eventually ordered the execution of many of the conspirators and several of their sympathizers. Dasch was returned to Germany after the war, where he was greeted as a traitor. By painting these sometimes reluctant and occasionally bumbling terrorists in such vivid detail, the authors have re-created timely and compelling series of events with an immediacy that hits close to home.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
International terrorism aimed at American cities did not begin two Septembers ago. In 1942, a team of Nazi saboteurs emerged from a submarine near Amagansett, New York, bearing fake documents and crates of explosives. Chosen for their English language ability and their knowledge of American customs, they were to destroy factories and bomb public landmarks; a second team landed in Florida a few days later. Both might have succeeded had team leader George Dasch not defected and informed the FBI. Choosing secret military tribunals over public civil trials, J. Edgar Hoover & Co. saw most of the conspirators electrocuted, navigating the eerily familiar terrain of national security versus rights of the accused. Abella and Gordon do not press the relevant ethical questions as much as they might. Instead they detail the court proceedings with a Dragnet-like play-by-play; we are then reminded that one author is a lawyer. In spite of its spy-novel-turned-courtroom-drama sensationalism, however, this is a fascinating and timely look at terrorism and wartime justice, especially gripping because it's true. Brendan Driscoll
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Those Who Do Not Learn From History Are Doomed To Repeat It,
By "voxliteratus" (Hollywood, CA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Shadow Enemies: Hitler's Secret Terrorist Plot Against the United States (Hardcover)
With a plot that reads as if it came from the mind of Alistair MacLean, Robert Ludlum or Tom Clancy, this long unreported episode in our nation's history could not be more relevant in 21st century America.From a World War II Nazi plan for espionage and terrorism, the authors have managed to craft a compelling and intriguing historical account, which raises many important questions. Questions which desperately need to be asked in post 9-11 America. But, they are questions which are all too often being ignored by most of the ratings-starved and war-hungry media. Messrs. Gordon and Abello have done their home work, and it shows. Bravo, to the first time collaboration of this judge and this novelist.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Really Enjoyable!,
By A Customer
This review is from: Shadow Enemies: Hitler's Secret Terrorist Plot Against the United States (Hardcover)
Abella and Gordon hit the nail on the head with this book. If you are even slightly interested in WWII history, this is a great read. Given what's going on in the world today, the subject matter is truly relevant. Abella and Gordon make this historical story accessible and interesting.
5.0 out of 5 stars
What a great story...,
By sb-lynn (Santa Barbara, California United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Shadow Enemies: Hitler's Secret Terrorist Plot Against the United States (Hardcover)
This terrific book is about foreign terrorists who land on American shores and plan to destroy American buildings, military bases, and kill civilians. In particular, they plan to bomb Jewish owned businesses and stores such as Macy's. No, this doesn't take place now, but in 1942. And these terrorists are Nazis.The first part of the book describes the true story of how 8 Nazis landed on the eastern coast in 1942. These were men who had spent part of their lives in the United States, so they knew how to blend in and they knew American customs. If not for the work of the FBI, and for the defection of one of the men to the Americans, the damage that would have been done to America would have been horrendous. And these 8 may have been just the first of many terrorists to follow. The second part of the book describes how the men were given military tribunals, because Roosevelt believed that public trials would only endanger our national security and our country. Sound familiar? This is a well-written, timely book that holds the reader's interest from start to finish. I thought I knew quite a bit about World War ll, but I didn't know anything about the events described in the book. I highly recommend this book to anyone concerned about the politics and policies of today, and for anyone who is simply interested in a good and interesting story.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > History > Americas > United States > 20th Century > World War II
- Books > History > Europe > Germany
- Books > History > Military > World War II
- Books > History > United States > 20th Century > World War II
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
