Invisible Heroes of World War II: Extraordinary Wartime Stories of Ordinary People

Gr 8 Up—World War II famously gave rise to human atrocities such as the Holocaust and the atomic bomb, but it also became a proving ground for heroes who refused to back down from the fight against evil. This title tells the stories of many of these brave soldiers and noncombatants spanning both the European and Pacific theaters. Profiles range from a survivor of the deadly Battan Death March to a female French resistance commander to the combat engineers who provided the infrastructure for troops to advance into battle. The first half shares stories of individuals from the war, two of which are previously untold and were discovered by a personal connection to the author. The second half focuses on often overlooked groups such as the Navajo code talkers and the Purple Heart Battalion. Each of these group descriptions includes several anecdotes from individuals involved. The short biographical sketches are well cited and include quotes from both the cast of heroes and speeches honoring them in later years when applicable. Difficult topics such as torture and personal loss are approached with grace by neither glossing over nor overly examining the experiences. Each individual or group story includes background information, giving readers a chance to see what elements led up to their heroic acts and service during the conflict.