August/John

THE WINTER FORTRESS

This non-fiction book was written by Neal Bascomb. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, it is 322 pages of narrative, two pages of acknowledgements, 34 pages of notes, and 20 pages of bibliography and index. Archives were researched in five different countries. And yet, it reads like a novel, urging the reader to keep turning pages to follow the action which detail the pursuit to destroy the 'heavy water' and the equipment required to manufacture atomic weapons. 

The movie based on this story, 'The Heroes of Telemark', as it turns out, barely covered the story - as films can only do. Although it was very good and with much action, it does not hold a candle to the whole saga delivered in the book. Chapter one begins on February 14, 1940 and this fascinating story does not conclude until 1945, plus its contextual follow up. 

As a race between the Allies and the Axis powers to first develop the atomic bomb, this story, in spite of already knowing the ending, is a nail-biter. Obviously I enjoyed reading about the story's background, all the personalities involved from various countries and backgrounds, the rugged training, and the various operations to thwart the Nazis. It gives merit to the expression "The Greatest Generation."