Here Is Your War: Story of G.I. Joe [Paperback]

Ernie Pyle (Author), Orr Kelly (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2004

A wonderful and enduring tribute to American troops in the Second World War, Here Is Your War is Ernie Pyle’s story of the soldiers’ first campaign against the enemy in North Africa. With unequaled humanity and insight, Pyle tells how people from a cross-section of America—ranches, inner cities, small mountain farms, and college towns—learned to fight a war. The Allied campaign and ultimate victory in North Africa was built on blood, brave deeds, sacrifice and needless loss, exotic vistas, endurance, homesickness, and an unmistakable American sense of humor. It’s all here—the suspenseful landing at Oran; the risks taken daily by fighter and bomber pilots; grim, unrelenting combat in the desert and mountains of Tunisia; a ferocious tank battle that ended in defeat for the inexperienced Americans; and the final victory at Tunis. Pyle’s keen observations relate the full story of ordinary G.I.s caught up in extraordinary times.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Pyle was a keen observer, and it’s the small details about minor things that make his writing stand out. An essential piece of Americana for all collections."—Library Journal

(Library Journal )

"A full-length, deeply human portrait of the American soldier in action. . . . The things that those at home want most to know."—New York Times

(New York Times )

From the Inside Flap

A wonderful and enduring tribute to American troops in the Second World War, Here Is Your War is Ernie Pyle’s story of the soldiers’ first campaign against the enemy in North Africa. With unequaled humanity and insight, Pyle tells how people from a cross-section of America—ranches, inner cities, small mountain farms, and college towns—learned to fight a war. The Allied campaign and ultimate victory in North Africa was built on blood, brave deeds, sacrifice and needless loss, exotic vistas, endurance, homesickness, and an unmistakable American sense of humor. It’s all here—the suspenseful landing at Oran; the risks taken daily by fighter and bomber pilots; grim, unrelenting combat in the desert and mountains of Tunisia; a ferocious tank battle that ended in defeat for the inexperienced Americans; and the final victory at Tunis. Pyle’s keen observations relate the full story of ordinary G.I.s caught up in extraordinary times.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 246 pages
• Publisher: Bison Books (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803287771
• ISBN-13: 978-0803287778
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #121,654 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #4 in Books > History > Africa > Tunisia

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great First Hand Account of the African Campaign, June 3, 2005

By 

J. B. Smith "smithjb23" (Raleigh, NC, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Here Is Your War: Story of G.I. Joe (Paperback)

This book is an edited compilation of Ernie Pyles' dispatches during the North African Campaign of World War Two (each chapter was originally two or three columns and were woven together to make the story flow better). It describes the sea voyage from England, the landing in Algiers, and the drive across North Africa, ending with the German retreat and surrender.

Pyle gives a great accounting of all of the different types of people that compile a war effort - the nurses, cooks, mechanics, pilots, and of course the infantry. He tends to stay away from the brass and talk with the soldiers. The style of writing is very quaint - when ever a soldier is introduced in a story, Pyle gives his/her hometowm and often his/her address as well. The writing flows surprisingly well - and I say surprisingly because if one just looks at the text, consisting of short sentences and paragraphs, it would give the illusion of being choppy. It is infact beautifully written from a humanistic stand point.

Pyle doesn't gloss over the horrors of war, his own fear, the hardships or the set backs. He talks about the mistakes we made in the administration of captured Algiers, and how we were defeated in the initial combat against the Germans.

The reason why Pyle was/is so famous is he brings to life all of the warm anectodes that make life in a combat zone bearable - the unselfish acts of courage and kindness - as well as the sense of loss when a friend will no longer be with us. That was the true beauty of Pyle's work.

Again, this is a fantastic book for anyone seeking to learn who were the men and women that fought WWII and what life was like for them.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A vision of the past, March 5, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Here Is Your War (American military experience) (Hardcover)

Ernie Pyle, probably the greatest journalist who ever lived, presents his best work from the American campaign in North Africa. Through Ernie's words, we see how life was like in WWII for the average soldier. Ernie never cared for raving on about generals and admirals -- just the average "Joe." His books read like the greatest screenplays. And yet they are not fiction. They are real stories, memoirs, recollections, biographies of hundreds of soldiers. His book is a living, breathing echoe of America's blood and tears in World war II. A must for any journalist, journalism student or anyone interested in World War II and military history

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Story By The Greatest War Correspondent Of World War Two, September 23, 2003

By 

George Webster, Ph.D., (Orlando, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Here Is Your War (American military experience) (Hardcover)

As a combat veteran, I have always admired Ernie Pyle. He stood head and shoulders above other reporters in World War Two. He was in the thick of battles, shoulder to shoulder with the troops. More than that, he saw war through the eyes of individual soldiers. He shows us their human side while they do a dirty job, and he gives them dignity that they richly deserve. If you haven't been in combat, you haven't a clue as to what it is like, but Ernie Pyle's words come closer to a realistic picture of the many facets of war than anything else I have read. Here Is Your War begins on a ship carrying inexperienced, American troops to the invasion of North Africa in November, 1942. Through Pyle's eyes, we follow their landing at Oran, their pounding and defeats by the Germans as they struggle eastward, the bitter battles in Tunisia, and final victory in the Spring of 1943. If you are in combat long enough, you will die, and it happened to Ernie Pyle on Okinawa in the Spring of 1945. But he left us memorable words about war, such as those in this book. It is well worth reading.