Grunts: Inside the American Infantry Combat Experience, World War II Through Iraq

From the acclaimed author of The Dead and Those About to Die comes a sweeping narrative of six decades of combat, and an eye-opening account of the evolution of the American infantry. From the beaches of Normandy and the South Pacific Islands to the deserts of the Middle East, the American soldier has been the most indispensable--and most overlooked--factor in wartime victory. In Grunts, renowned historian John C. McManus examines ten critical battles--from Hitler's massive assault on US soldiers at the Battle of the Bulge to counterinsurgency combat in Iraq--where the skills and courage of American troops proved the crucial difference between victory and defeat. Based on years of research and interviews with veterans, this powerful history reveals the ugly face of war in a way few books have and demonstrates the fundamental, and too often forgotten, importance of the human element in serving and protecting the nation.

About the Author :
John C. McManus is an award-winning professor, author, and military historian. He is one of America's leading experts on the history of modern American soldiers in combat and he has written numerous well received books on the subject. He is a full professor of US military history at Missouri University of Science and Technology and he frequently serves an expert for documentaries. A veteran of many battlefield tours, he has traveled thousands of miles to give lectures on military history and research the realities of combat for American soldiers. Joe Barrett, an actor and Audie Award and Earphones Award-winning narrator, has appeared both on and off Broadway as well as in hundreds of radio and television commercials.

Review :
"A superb book--an American equivalent to John Keegan's The Face of Battle. I sincerely believe that Grunts is destined to be a classic." -- "Dave Grossman, author of On Combat" "Few authors capture the essence of the human dimension of war as well as John C. McManus. Combining an engaging, highly descriptive writing style with exhaustive research, McManus provides readers with a true 'foxhole' perspective." -- "Military Review" "John C. McManus's Grunts contains some of the most vivid accounts of close combat ever recorded in literature. The reader has the sense of being actually present in the battles. His descriptions show precise details of combat at the closest personal levels and with absolute authenticity." -- "Bevin Alexander, author of Inside the Nazi War Machine"