Trail of Hope

The Anders Army, an Odyssey Across Three Continents

De: Norman Davies

Narrado por: Derek Perkins

Following the conquest of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939, hundreds of thousands of Polish families were torn from their homes and sent eastward to the arctic wastes of Siberia. Prisoners of war, refugees, those regarded as "social criminals" by Stalin's regime, and those rounded up by sheer chance were all sent "to see the Great White Bear".

However, with Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa just two years later, Russia and the Allied powers found themselves on the same side once more. Turning to those that it had previously deemed "undesirable", Russia sought to raise a Polish army from the men, women, and children that it had imprisoned within its labor camps.

In this remarkable work, renowned historian Professor Norman Davies draws from years of meticulous research to recount the compelling story of this unit, the Polish II Corps or "Anders Army", and their exceptional journey from the Gulag of Siberia through Iran, the Middle East, and North Africa to the battlefields of Italy to fight shoulder-to-shoulder with Allied forces. Complete with firsthand accounts from the men and women who lived through it, this is a unique record of one of the most fascinating episodes of World War II.

©2015 Norman Davies (P)2018 Tantor

amazing story of struggle and survival during Ww2

narrator was very good. pronunciation of Polish names and locations was not that good, but only someone who knows polish would notice

OUTSTANDING

As a history buff, I have read many books.
I consider this book one of the best!!
I highly recommend listening, especially if you are from Polish descent.
The story takes you through many countries during WWII and post WWII.
The narrator, mr. Norman Davies, as usual is a pleasure to listen to.
My thanks to all involved, JK.

Story of courage and sacrifice

I read a couple of Norman Davies books and all were well researched. He is an excellent writer and usually focuses on important topics overlooked by others. I had an unused credit and bought that book. It was an excellent choice!
I heard about Anders and his army but didn’t realize how difficult the journey from soviet gulags to England was. Thank you prof. Davies for writing this book.

A deeply important account of the Polish struggle

In many ways it is an important telling of polish deporties with communist oppression

Amazing story of Polish peoples and never giving up hope for free Poland.

The detail in this book is really amazing as it takes you through the unbelievable and heartbreaking story during and after World War Two. A must read or listen in order to get a full understanding of the Second World War.

History that most do not know, but should.

This is a great account of the struggles of Poland during the Second World War. The betrayals and the sacrifices of the Poles who were driven from homes who fought for their motherland, many never to return home again because of death or the betrayal of the US, Britain and Russia.
While I am a little biased because I'm a child of a former Deportee / Slave Camp, / Army veteran / survivor, It still filled in many holes through my families' history and journey to their ultimate exiled homes.

I wish there were maps and pictures available and will check out the hard cover version.