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Against All Odds: A True Story of Ultimate Courage and Survival in World War II
*The instant New York Times bestseller*The untold story of four of the most decorated soldiers of World War II—all Medal of Honor recipients—from the beaches of French Morocco to Hitler’s own mountaintop fortress, by the national bestselling author of The First Wave “Pitch-perfect.”—The Wall Street Journal • “Riveting.”—World War II magazine • “Alex Kershaw is the master of putting the reader in the heat of the action.”—Martin Dugard As the Allies raced to defeat Hitler, four men, all in the same unit, earned medal after medal for battlefield heroism. Maurice “Footsie” Britt, a former professional football player, became the very first American to receive every award for valor in a single war. Michael Daly was a West Point dropout who risked his neck over and over to keep his men alive. Keith Ware would one day become the first and only draftee in history to attain the rank of general before serving in Vietnam. In WWII, Ware owed his life to the finest soldier he ever commanded, a baby-faced Texan named Audie Murphy. In the campaign to liberate Europe, each would gain the ultimate accolade, the Congressional Medal of Honor. Tapping into personal interviews and a wealth of primary source material, Alex Kershaw has delivered his most gripping account yet of American courage, spanning more than six hundred days of increasingly merciless combat, from the deserts of North Africa to the dark heart of Nazi Germany. Once the guns fell silent, these four exceptional warriors would discover just how heavy the Medal of Honor could be—and how great the expectations associated with it. Having survived against all odds, who among them would finally find peace?
365 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 22, 2022
1372 people are currently reading
9220 people want to read
About the author
Alex Kershaw
22 books951 followersAlex Kershaw is the author of the widely acclaimed best sellers Against All Odds, The First Wave, The Bedford Boys, The Longest Winter, The Few, #TheLiberator, the basis for the Netflix drama, and Escape from the Deep, as well as biographies of Jack London, Raoul Wallenberg and Robert Capa. His latest book is Patton's Prayer, published May 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 319 reviews
July 23, 2022
Relaxing after work and listening with Simon. Narration is by Mark Bramhall, one of my favorites.
Truth is stranger than fiction as they say and the heroism of these soldiers, both those that survived and those that didn't, is truly beyond comprehension and humbling. Alex Kershaw does a tremendous job in transporting us into their daily experience in WWII, and their subsequent transition into civilian life afterward.
My own grandad would never talk about his war experiences and I wonder at how my grandma supported him through his own transition from the Special Boat Service, then back home to life with a six-year old son (my father) he hardly new and a career in the Post Office in England.
Standout quotes that provided food for thought:
Concerning receiving the Medal of Honor and returning to civilian life after WWII: "The medal already weighed heavy and set him [Daly] apart from others, creating an even greater separation from those who hadn't experienced combat. He had been deified it seemed. Ordained as different from all the other young men who had come home. Already, there was perhaps a fear that he might fail to live up to the expectations associated with being a public hero. Gone was the energizing mission, the all consuming commitment to others he'd discovered in combat."
"Daly had made it home but he was adrift, aimless without the sense of responsibility that came with holding other men's lives in his hands."
"As a soldier living in hell Murphy had been at his best. 'There's this to say about combat,' he stressed, 'it brings out the best in men. It's gory and it's unfortunate but most people in combat stand a little taller.'"
Murphy had loved serving being part of "Company B, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd division. You trust the men on your left and on your right with your life, while as a civilian you might not trust either of them with 10-cents."
"When the war was on somebody had to fight it. Hitler was not playing marbles, people seem to forget that these days."
In 1970, when young were being drafted into the Vietnam War Murphy was worried that his sons would be expected to live up to his image as a war hero. "I've talked to them about it. I want them to be whatever they are, I don't want them to try to be what I was. I don't want dead heroes for sons."
Truth is stranger than fiction as they say and the heroism of these soldiers, both those that survived and those that didn't, is truly beyond comprehension and humbling. Alex Kershaw does a tremendous job in transporting us into their daily experience in WWII, and their subsequent transition into civilian life afterward.
My own grandad would never talk about his war experiences and I wonder at how my grandma supported him through his own transition from the Special Boat Service, then back home to life with a six-year old son (my father) he hardly new and a career in the Post Office in England.
Standout quotes that provided food for thought:
Concerning receiving the Medal of Honor and returning to civilian life after WWII: "The medal already weighed heavy and set him [Daly] apart from others, creating an even greater separation from those who hadn't experienced combat. He had been deified it seemed. Ordained as different from all the other young men who had come home. Already, there was perhaps a fear that he might fail to live up to the expectations associated with being a public hero. Gone was the energizing mission, the all consuming commitment to others he'd discovered in combat."
"Daly had made it home but he was adrift, aimless without the sense of responsibility that came with holding other men's lives in his hands."
"As a soldier living in hell Murphy had been at his best. 'There's this to say about combat,' he stressed, 'it brings out the best in men. It's gory and it's unfortunate but most people in combat stand a little taller.'"
Murphy had loved serving being part of "Company B, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd division. You trust the men on your left and on your right with your life, while as a civilian you might not trust either of them with 10-cents."
"When the war was on somebody had to fight it. Hitler was not playing marbles, people seem to forget that these days."
In 1970, when young were being drafted into the Vietnam War Murphy was worried that his sons would be expected to live up to his image as a war hero. "I've talked to them about it. I want them to be whatever they are, I don't want them to try to be what I was. I don't want dead heroes for sons."
December 12, 2022
In his well-written and meticulously researched book, Alex Kershaw delivers accounts of four remarkable Americans who received the Medal of Honor and other combat decorations as well as more than their share of Purple Hearts during WWII. It is a tale of courage, leadership, selflessness, and above all, heroism.
You will have to read the book to see how and why these four heroes earned the Medal of Honor and those other citations for valor, but I find it hard to fathom, given the risks they took, that any of them even survived the war. Kershaw must have had the same response and that is why the book’s title is Against All Odds: A True Story of Ultimate Courage and Survival in World War II.”
What follows are brief biographical sketches of the four:
Audie Murphy.
Murphy was the most decorated U.S. soldier to serve in WWII, and perhaps the most decorated ever.
When the war began he attempted to enlist, even though he was underage and undersized. He was just seventeen, only 5 feet, 7 inches tall, and at the time weighed only 112 pounds. He would later gain some weight, but he never grew any taller.
His older sister helped him to lie about his age and he was accepted by the army.
His heroics led him to rise in rank from private to corporal to lieutenant and to the command of a platoon at age nineteen and a company at age twenty.
In the course of the war Murphy earned every citation for valor that the army awards: Bronze Star, Silver Star, Distinguished Service Cross, and Medal of Honor.
Maurice Britt.
Audie Murphy was not the first American to earn every citation for valor awarded by the army; that honor went to Maurice Britt, who for a while was the country’s most decorated soldier. What finally made Murphy the most decorated is that he earned three Bronze Stars and two Silver Stars while Britt earned one of each.
Because he was a graduate of his university’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Britt entered the war as a 2nd lieutenant and as a platoon leader, but was soon promoted to captain and company commander, winning all those citations along the way. While serving in Italy during the Anzio campaign he suffered a terrible wound that caused the loss of his right arm.
KEITH WARE.
Keith Ware was a manager of a department store when he received his draft notice. Because of his managerial experience and his intelligence he was selected to attend Officer Candidate School (OCS). As a “ninety day wonder” he graduated as a 2nd lieutenant.
He eventually rose all the way to the rank of lieutenant colonel and battalion commander. It didn’t take him long to earn medals. In only his second day of combat he earned a Silver Star. He later added a Bronze Star and the Medal of Honor. And he finally earned a Distinguished Service Cross – but in a different war.
Unlike most other draftees Ware remained in the military, eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant general, the only draftee in American history to become a general officer.
He went to Viet Nam in 1968, where he commanded a division, and added a Distinguished Service Cross to his medals and thus joined Murphy and Britt as soldiers who earned all the medals for valor.
MICHAEL DALY.
His father was a WWI hero and as a result Michael Daly won admission to West Point. But he was not a good student or a good cadet and he dropped out after his first year and enlisted in the army as a private.
He was soon promoted to 2nd lieutenant, even though he was still only nineteen, and was placed in command of a company. In April 1945 he sustained a horrifying wound when a bullet entered his ear and exited from his opposite cheek. Miraculously, he survived.
At age twenty-one he was promoted to captain and was awarded the Medal of Honor. In addition, he earned two Silver Stars.
******
And by the way –
Thankfully, Kershaw tells the readers about the lives of these four soldiers after the war ended, which includes, of course, Audie Murphy’s years in Hollywood as a movie star.
The peak of Murphy’s career was in the 50s and by the early 60s he had begun to fade. He had no illusions about his acting ability. He told one director, “I’m working with a handicap. I have no talent.” Be that as it may most of his pictures made money, and so did he.
Most of his films were westerns and I’ve watched most of them, not in theaters, but on TV and even YouTube. And sometimes when I watched one, and in most of them Murphy portrays a hero who is rough, tough and always prevails in a gunfight or even fisticuffs, it was easy to think that he was miscast in that role.
It isn’t difficult to accept big John Wayne or tall, rugged Gary Cooper in that role, but not this small, green-eyed actor with a boyish face. But then I remember: this is no celluloid hero; here is a genuine, real-life hero. He didn’t just portray heroes on the movie screen; he was the most decorated American soldier to serve in WWII – or perhaps in any American war.
You will have to read the book to see how and why these four heroes earned the Medal of Honor and those other citations for valor, but I find it hard to fathom, given the risks they took, that any of them even survived the war. Kershaw must have had the same response and that is why the book’s title is Against All Odds: A True Story of Ultimate Courage and Survival in World War II.”
What follows are brief biographical sketches of the four:
Audie Murphy.
Murphy was the most decorated U.S. soldier to serve in WWII, and perhaps the most decorated ever.
When the war began he attempted to enlist, even though he was underage and undersized. He was just seventeen, only 5 feet, 7 inches tall, and at the time weighed only 112 pounds. He would later gain some weight, but he never grew any taller.
His older sister helped him to lie about his age and he was accepted by the army.
His heroics led him to rise in rank from private to corporal to lieutenant and to the command of a platoon at age nineteen and a company at age twenty.
In the course of the war Murphy earned every citation for valor that the army awards: Bronze Star, Silver Star, Distinguished Service Cross, and Medal of Honor.
Maurice Britt.
Audie Murphy was not the first American to earn every citation for valor awarded by the army; that honor went to Maurice Britt, who for a while was the country’s most decorated soldier. What finally made Murphy the most decorated is that he earned three Bronze Stars and two Silver Stars while Britt earned one of each.
Because he was a graduate of his university’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Britt entered the war as a 2nd lieutenant and as a platoon leader, but was soon promoted to captain and company commander, winning all those citations along the way. While serving in Italy during the Anzio campaign he suffered a terrible wound that caused the loss of his right arm.
KEITH WARE.
Keith Ware was a manager of a department store when he received his draft notice. Because of his managerial experience and his intelligence he was selected to attend Officer Candidate School (OCS). As a “ninety day wonder” he graduated as a 2nd lieutenant.
He eventually rose all the way to the rank of lieutenant colonel and battalion commander. It didn’t take him long to earn medals. In only his second day of combat he earned a Silver Star. He later added a Bronze Star and the Medal of Honor. And he finally earned a Distinguished Service Cross – but in a different war.
Unlike most other draftees Ware remained in the military, eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant general, the only draftee in American history to become a general officer.
He went to Viet Nam in 1968, where he commanded a division, and added a Distinguished Service Cross to his medals and thus joined Murphy and Britt as soldiers who earned all the medals for valor.
MICHAEL DALY.
His father was a WWI hero and as a result Michael Daly won admission to West Point. But he was not a good student or a good cadet and he dropped out after his first year and enlisted in the army as a private.
He was soon promoted to 2nd lieutenant, even though he was still only nineteen, and was placed in command of a company. In April 1945 he sustained a horrifying wound when a bullet entered his ear and exited from his opposite cheek. Miraculously, he survived.
At age twenty-one he was promoted to captain and was awarded the Medal of Honor. In addition, he earned two Silver Stars.
******
And by the way –
Thankfully, Kershaw tells the readers about the lives of these four soldiers after the war ended, which includes, of course, Audie Murphy’s years in Hollywood as a movie star.
The peak of Murphy’s career was in the 50s and by the early 60s he had begun to fade. He had no illusions about his acting ability. He told one director, “I’m working with a handicap. I have no talent.” Be that as it may most of his pictures made money, and so did he.
Most of his films were westerns and I’ve watched most of them, not in theaters, but on TV and even YouTube. And sometimes when I watched one, and in most of them Murphy portrays a hero who is rough, tough and always prevails in a gunfight or even fisticuffs, it was easy to think that he was miscast in that role.
It isn’t difficult to accept big John Wayne or tall, rugged Gary Cooper in that role, but not this small, green-eyed actor with a boyish face. But then I remember: this is no celluloid hero; here is a genuine, real-life hero. He didn’t just portray heroes on the movie screen; he was the most decorated American soldier to serve in WWII – or perhaps in any American war.
January 26, 2023
Alex Kershaw’s “Against All Odds” is the exhilarating story of the U.S. Third Infantry Division and how it bravely fought out of Tunisia, through Italy, France and Germany and up until the end of the Second World War. The story centers around four of the 36 “Marne Men” who subsequently were each awarded the Medal of Honor - Capt. Maurice Britt, Capt. Michael Daly, Lt. Col. Keith Ware, and, of course, the celebrated Audie Murphy. Alex Kershaw has scrupulously researched this subject and writes exceptionally well, presenting a story that flows and is easy to read. The author has connected details of events, personnel, weather conditions and terrain to allow the reader to experience the action as if you were really there.
The stories of these men are real, and Kershaw brings to life the horrific conditions and inhumane things that they experienced and overcame. They hailed from different backgrounds, but all had one thing in common, uncommon bravery. Kershaw does not bog the reader down with a large scholarly book that identifies us with every battle and the outcome of it. No, he describes what these men had gone through to become the most decorated soldiers of WWII in those battles. It also gives the reader a more thrilling, fun read then worrying about who's on my left or right flank and other battle chess moves that causes the reader to nod off. Now I have better idea of what the true physical, mental, and emotional effects of the war on the individual soldier was. Especially when he explores the chapters at the end of the book the long-term effects of war on those who survived. If there is one thing, I wish he would have done though, was to add pictures of these men to his book. It would immensely help the reader identify with that solider as he/she is reading.
One thing I just want to say, and this is not a knock on these men that went above and beyond. The guys who didn't come home deserve the medals also. As Captain Michael Daly returned to Europe in 1982 to visit his old stopping grounds of 3rd Division said, "Remember us for as long as you can."(p.253) Their stories and countless others cannot be allowed to fade from history and their sacrifices be in vain. Books like this one will keep this reader from forgetting
**** (Since I have wrote this review one of my Goodread buddies has pointed out that this book has pictures in it of these men. The eBook version I have for my Kindle that I downloaded does not have any pictures, so I take back everything I said, about pictures. Thanks, David, for pointing that out and kudos to Kershaw for putting them in). *****
The stories of these men are real, and Kershaw brings to life the horrific conditions and inhumane things that they experienced and overcame. They hailed from different backgrounds, but all had one thing in common, uncommon bravery. Kershaw does not bog the reader down with a large scholarly book that identifies us with every battle and the outcome of it. No, he describes what these men had gone through to become the most decorated soldiers of WWII in those battles. It also gives the reader a more thrilling, fun read then worrying about who's on my left or right flank and other battle chess moves that causes the reader to nod off. Now I have better idea of what the true physical, mental, and emotional effects of the war on the individual soldier was. Especially when he explores the chapters at the end of the book the long-term effects of war on those who survived. If there is one thing, I wish he would have done though, was to add pictures of these men to his book. It would immensely help the reader identify with that solider as he/she is reading.
One thing I just want to say, and this is not a knock on these men that went above and beyond. The guys who didn't come home deserve the medals also. As Captain Michael Daly returned to Europe in 1982 to visit his old stopping grounds of 3rd Division said, "Remember us for as long as you can."(p.253) Their stories and countless others cannot be allowed to fade from history and their sacrifices be in vain. Books like this one will keep this reader from forgetting
**** (Since I have wrote this review one of my Goodread buddies has pointed out that this book has pictures in it of these men. The eBook version I have for my Kindle that I downloaded does not have any pictures, so I take back everything I said, about pictures. Thanks, David, for pointing that out and kudos to Kershaw for putting them in). *****
May 25, 2022
In this book, Mr. Kershaw tells the story of the US Army’s 3rd Infantry Division in World War through the stories of 4 men, all of whom were among the most decorated soldiers in of the War. The four men are Maurice Britt, Michael Daly, Keith Ware and last but not least Audie Murphy. All four were awarded the Medal of Honor, multiple Silver and Bronze Stars. Murphy and Britt were also awarded DSCs – making them recipients of all 4 of the US medals for valor.
Mr. Kershaw follows them from the invasion of North Africa through to the end of the War in Europe where the 3rd had taken Salzburg, Austria. Along the way the 3rd took part in 5 amphibious operations (North Africa, Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, and Southern France). Members of the 3rd were awarded 40 MOHs, including the 4 the main protagonists were awarded.
The stories are harrowing, Maurice Britt lost an arm at Anzio, Michael Daly landed at Omaha Beach (as part of the Big Red One) was wounded and was eventually assigned to the 3rd so he could get back into combat. Murphy and Daly were awarded battlefield commissions.
The 3rd ended the war with more than 650 days in the line – the most “experienced” division in the Army. That said, only two members of Murphy’s company that landed in North Africa were still with the battalion in Salzburg – Murphy and Ware. Murphy had advanced to command his company, B/1/15 INF, and Ware had been B Cos commander in North Africa, rose to become the Battalion Commander.
Mr Kershaw not only tells what these four men did on the battlefields of Europe, but a little of their backstories. For example Murphy’s upbringing as poor kid from Texas and how that taught him how to shoot – he was an excellent shot. His shooting ability brought him to the notice of his leaders and they put him into situations where it was very handy. Ware was a draftee, went to OCS and stayed in the Army after the war, eventually becoming the first WW II draftee to become a General Officer. He was eventually killed in Viet Nam, while commanding the 1st ID, after “winning” a DSC for his actions during the TET offensive, making him the 3rd of the quartet to be awarded all 4 medals for Valor. Britt was invalided out of the Army and eventually became the 1st republican Lt. Gov of Arkansas since the Reconstruction. Daly dropped out of West Point prior to the war and was drafted, eventually being assigned as a replacement in the 18 INF in England, landing on Omaha beach in the late morning. After being wounded in Normandy, Gen Patch, 7th Army CG who was a friend of his fathers, had him commissioned and assigned to his staff. He wanted to make him an aide – mainly to keep him safe. Patch had recently lost his son in combat and had kind of adopted Daly as a replacement son. Daly would have none of it and requested to be assigned to a combat unit and ended up in the 3rd.
The author not only includes the stories of the 4’s MOH exploits, but others as well. Murphy’s actions leading to being awarded the “Medal” are fairly well known, but he wasn’t the first LT to climb up on a burning armored vehicle to fire its machine gun. The author cites one other case that occurred before Murphy did the same thing. On Sept 12, 1LT John Tominac also in the 15th INF climbed on a burning Sherman and fired its 50 Cal at advancing Germans,
That brings me to why this is not a 5 star read – proof reading errors. A few examples, in the case of the Lt Tominac, the author identify the MG, as a 50 MM Machine Gun. When talking about Dale and D-Day, the author has Daly transferring from a LCI to a Higgins Boat. In yet another spot, Mr Kershaw talks about 900 Long Toms (a 155mm Gun) firing a barrage prior to a River Crossing in Italy. I really, really doubt there were 900 Long Toms in Europe at the time let alone in Italy. 900 arty pieces of various calibers yes, but not Long Toms. There are others, but those are just a few examples that keep this from being a 5 star read – 4 stars in spite of the errors.
Mr. Kershaw follows them from the invasion of North Africa through to the end of the War in Europe where the 3rd had taken Salzburg, Austria. Along the way the 3rd took part in 5 amphibious operations (North Africa, Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, and Southern France). Members of the 3rd were awarded 40 MOHs, including the 4 the main protagonists were awarded.
The stories are harrowing, Maurice Britt lost an arm at Anzio, Michael Daly landed at Omaha Beach (as part of the Big Red One) was wounded and was eventually assigned to the 3rd so he could get back into combat. Murphy and Daly were awarded battlefield commissions.
The 3rd ended the war with more than 650 days in the line – the most “experienced” division in the Army. That said, only two members of Murphy’s company that landed in North Africa were still with the battalion in Salzburg – Murphy and Ware. Murphy had advanced to command his company, B/1/15 INF, and Ware had been B Cos commander in North Africa, rose to become the Battalion Commander.
Mr Kershaw not only tells what these four men did on the battlefields of Europe, but a little of their backstories. For example Murphy’s upbringing as poor kid from Texas and how that taught him how to shoot – he was an excellent shot. His shooting ability brought him to the notice of his leaders and they put him into situations where it was very handy. Ware was a draftee, went to OCS and stayed in the Army after the war, eventually becoming the first WW II draftee to become a General Officer. He was eventually killed in Viet Nam, while commanding the 1st ID, after “winning” a DSC for his actions during the TET offensive, making him the 3rd of the quartet to be awarded all 4 medals for Valor. Britt was invalided out of the Army and eventually became the 1st republican Lt. Gov of Arkansas since the Reconstruction. Daly dropped out of West Point prior to the war and was drafted, eventually being assigned as a replacement in the 18 INF in England, landing on Omaha beach in the late morning. After being wounded in Normandy, Gen Patch, 7th Army CG who was a friend of his fathers, had him commissioned and assigned to his staff. He wanted to make him an aide – mainly to keep him safe. Patch had recently lost his son in combat and had kind of adopted Daly as a replacement son. Daly would have none of it and requested to be assigned to a combat unit and ended up in the 3rd.
The author not only includes the stories of the 4’s MOH exploits, but others as well. Murphy’s actions leading to being awarded the “Medal” are fairly well known, but he wasn’t the first LT to climb up on a burning armored vehicle to fire its machine gun. The author cites one other case that occurred before Murphy did the same thing. On Sept 12, 1LT John Tominac also in the 15th INF climbed on a burning Sherman and fired its 50 Cal at advancing Germans,
That brings me to why this is not a 5 star read – proof reading errors. A few examples, in the case of the Lt Tominac, the author identify the MG, as a 50 MM Machine Gun. When talking about Dale and D-Day, the author has Daly transferring from a LCI to a Higgins Boat. In yet another spot, Mr Kershaw talks about 900 Long Toms (a 155mm Gun) firing a barrage prior to a River Crossing in Italy. I really, really doubt there were 900 Long Toms in Europe at the time let alone in Italy. 900 arty pieces of various calibers yes, but not Long Toms. There are others, but those are just a few examples that keep this from being a 5 star read – 4 stars in spite of the errors.
June 15, 2022
History buffs know all about the European theater of WWII, specifically the famous beach landings and other significant battles through North Africa, Italy, France and Germany. They will know about the famous men who led the charge: Patton, Patch, Montgomery, Truscott, etc. WWII is well documented and well studied; there is no need for another general account of what transpired between two warring armies. If you want to learn all about the European conflict of WWII, go read Atkinson's trilogy; it's excellent. Kershaw understands this and has wisely selected to tell the stories of the unsung heroes; the warriors nobody has heard of. The privates and platoon leaders who collected every conceivable medal for their bravery. Theirs is a story worth a hearing, because they were the ones with their noses in the dirt as the lead sang overhead.
Kershaw largely focuses on four men in one unit (the famous Marne Men of the Third Infantry) whose acts of bravery are truly moving. The stories begin in North Africa, and Kershaw moves through the major events of the war at a fast clip, really just focusing on the experiences of these four men (along with a few others such as General Lucian Truscott). It is a fast read but impresses upon the reader how much these men sacrificed. It is not a rah-rah book though. It is clear that these men were only doing what they could to survive and get home to their families. It seems an authentic narrative, in other words. WWII history fans with love it. Strong four stars.
Kershaw largely focuses on four men in one unit (the famous Marne Men of the Third Infantry) whose acts of bravery are truly moving. The stories begin in North Africa, and Kershaw moves through the major events of the war at a fast clip, really just focusing on the experiences of these four men (along with a few others such as General Lucian Truscott). It is a fast read but impresses upon the reader how much these men sacrificed. It is not a rah-rah book though. It is clear that these men were only doing what they could to survive and get home to their families. It seems an authentic narrative, in other words. WWII history fans with love it. Strong four stars.
September 1, 2022
This rather short book, just over 300 pages of text, gives the reader WWII in Europe in a nutshell. This history is not the usual discussion of tactics, strategy, and politics involving all the familiar big names. This book reports the history as it was lived, through the eyes of the frontline officers and soldiers that did that suffering and dying at these places at this time. The big names of history are mentioned but they play no real part in what this book hopes to achieve. What this book does is to describe what really goes on in combat and what it does to the young men that are sent into it. The author's story concentrates primarily on the exploits of 5 men among them are Audie Murphy and Maurice Britt, the two most decorated soldiers of WWII.
Every major campaign of the war in Europe is covered, from Operation Torch in North Africa, to Sicily, then mainland Italy at Salerno and Anzio and on up to the Siegfried Line and Rome. From there D-Day and Normandy as well as the invasion of South France are all covered and all as they were experienced by the average GI. While the displays of bravery and valor are plentiful the men depicted as exemplifying these qualities do not hesitate to discount their significance as a statement of their individual merit or virtue. I recently finished reading With The Old Breed by E.B. Sledge about the Marine war on Okinawa and then Unsinkable by James Sullivan about the experience of sailors in Europe during WWII. All three of these books gives the reader a description of war as it should be told. These books strip war of its glory and reveal it for the human shame that it is. Maybe if this type of history were taught in schools we wouldn't be so quick to enter wars to send our young people into. This is not a great book but it is a book that is likely to affect the reader greatly. Enjoy.
Every major campaign of the war in Europe is covered, from Operation Torch in North Africa, to Sicily, then mainland Italy at Salerno and Anzio and on up to the Siegfried Line and Rome. From there D-Day and Normandy as well as the invasion of South France are all covered and all as they were experienced by the average GI. While the displays of bravery and valor are plentiful the men depicted as exemplifying these qualities do not hesitate to discount their significance as a statement of their individual merit or virtue. I recently finished reading With The Old Breed by E.B. Sledge about the Marine war on Okinawa and then Unsinkable by James Sullivan about the experience of sailors in Europe during WWII. All three of these books gives the reader a description of war as it should be told. These books strip war of its glory and reveal it for the human shame that it is. Maybe if this type of history were taught in schools we wouldn't be so quick to enter wars to send our young people into. This is not a great book but it is a book that is likely to affect the reader greatly. Enjoy.
July 22, 2021
Released 22 March 2022.
September 16, 2023
Audible sale 8 hours 51 min. Narrated by Mark Bramhall (A)
I have enjoyed every book written by Alex Kershaw, and I have learned so much. I tried to read Audie Murphy's own book To Hell and Back, but it was filled so much cursing I had to quit. This book tells his story and that of three other courageous men from the same unit who won the prestigious Medal of Honor in WWII. Their names deserved to be remembered, but they are not. Nor do most Americans even think about the thousands of men they represent who each deserved medals and whose bodies are buried under white crosses in Italy, France, and other countries across the Atlantic. We may briefly bow our heads on Memorial Day, but we can't grasp the horrors those soldiers went through before they died. This book and others like it need to be read. War isn't glorious;it should be avoided unless those elected are willing to send their own sons into the front lines with the infantry.
I have enjoyed every book written by Alex Kershaw, and I have learned so much. I tried to read Audie Murphy's own book To Hell and Back, but it was filled so much cursing I had to quit. This book tells his story and that of three other courageous men from the same unit who won the prestigious Medal of Honor in WWII. Their names deserved to be remembered, but they are not. Nor do most Americans even think about the thousands of men they represent who each deserved medals and whose bodies are buried under white crosses in Italy, France, and other countries across the Atlantic. We may briefly bow our heads on Memorial Day, but we can't grasp the horrors those soldiers went through before they died. This book and others like it need to be read. War isn't glorious;it should be avoided unless those elected are willing to send their own sons into the front lines with the infantry.
September 20, 2024
World War II was the biggest, deadliest, and most destructive war in history, involving more than 30 countries. Nearly eighty years after the end of World War II, numerous complete histories of the war have been written. If one wants to read about the war, Ian Toll’s Pacific War trilogy and Rick Atkinson’s Liberation trilogy are comprehensive, well-written and extremely informative.
What largely remains to read are books that provide a snapshot of some part of the war. At a time when the last of the fighting men from that war are dying out, Ian Kershaw's Against All Odds: A True Story of Ultimate Courage and Survival in World War II is about the Marne Men of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Division, 15th Infantry Regiment. The unit produced forty Medal of Honor recipients over the course of the war, more than any other division.
The U.S. 3rd Division earned the name “Marne Men” during the German offensive of 1918. The division formed in 1917 at Camp Greene, near Charlotte, North Carolina and quickly found itself in the great Battle of the Marne that turned the tide against the Germans in WWI. During six months of combat in the war, the 3rd Division suffered nearly 17,000 casualties during six campaigns.
During WWII, the “Marne Men” engaged in combat actions in Fedala, North Africa (November 1942); Sicily (July 1943); Salerno, Italy (September 1943); Anzio, Italy (January 1944); southern France (August 1944) in Operation Dragoon; and finally in Germany (March 1945). The regiment spent 31 months in combat.
Among the Medal of Honor recipients, a handful of the most decorated soldiers in history stood out. These four men are the focus of Kershaw’s book; they include Audie Murphy, Maurice Britt, Michael Daly, and Keith Ware.
Audie Murphy was widely celebrated as the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II and has been described as the most highly decorated soldier in U.S. history. Born into a family of sharecroppers in Texas, Murphy helped feed his family by using his skill with a hunting rifle. In the army, he struck his fellow soldiers as a baby-faced kid. In combat, he proved fearless. While fighting in central France, Murphy ordered his men to retreat while he mounted an abandoned, burning tank and began firing its .50 caliber machine gun at the advancing Germans. For an hour, Murphy stood on the flaming tank returning German fire from foot soldiers and advancing tanks, killing or wounding 50 Germans. He stopped only after he ran out of ammunition. He is credited with having killed 241 enemy soldiers during the war. For his heroism, Murphy received every U.S. military combat award for valor available from the U.S. Army for his World War II service, including a Bronze Star, a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, the Distinguished Service Cross, a Purple Heart, a Silver Star, and the Medal of Honor.
Born in Arkansas, Maurice Britt played professional football for the Detroit Lions before joining the U.S. Army. He entered active duty as a second lieutenant. For his actions on the assault of Monte Retundo in central Italy, he received the Medal of Honor and received a battlefield promotion to captain. His war ended abruptly when a German tank fired a shell at Britt's command post, a stone farmhouse. The shell passed through three walls, blowing off Britt's right arm at the elbow and fracturing a leg. For his service, Britt received the Distinguished Service Cross, a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, a Silver Star, and the Medal of Honor.
Michael Daly was an Irish American from New York City. As an eighteen-year-old, he resigned from the US Military Academy after one year to serve as an infantry private in World War II. He was wounded in Germany. After recovered, he was reassigned to the 3rd Infantry Division and was given a battlefield commission to second lieutenant. Leading his company as they advanced on Nuremberg, Germany, he single-handedly engaged German forces several times. Daly rushed a German machine gun position and killed the three gunners. He later attacked a German patrol single-handedly, killing all six patrol members. Just weeks before the war’s end, Daly was shot through the jaw. In addition to the Medal of Honor, Daly received three Silver Stars, a Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts.
Drafted into the Army in July 1941, Keith Ware was sent to Officer Candidate School, emerging as a platoon leader. He rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel by December 1944, and was appointed to command the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. While one of his companies stalled under heavy fire from a German hilltop, Ware made a close reconnaissance of the German positions, deliberately drawing their fire in order to determine their location. Leading a small advance of eleven men and a tank, he personally assaulted four enemy machine gun positions. Ware was wounded and five of his soldiers were killed before the hill was secured. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism. He would later be killed in battle in Vietnam.
The last chapter of the book might just be its best. It describes the lives of these four highly-decorated men after the war. Murphy would become a film star. But he had what would today be described as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He slept with a loaded handgun under his pillow. Suffering from nightmares, he became addicted to sleeping pills. Daly began a business career. After the war, Maurice Britt spent twenty years working at a furniture manufacturing company. In 1966, he was elected lieutenant governor of Arkansas.
What largely remains to read are books that provide a snapshot of some part of the war. At a time when the last of the fighting men from that war are dying out, Ian Kershaw's Against All Odds: A True Story of Ultimate Courage and Survival in World War II is about the Marne Men of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Division, 15th Infantry Regiment. The unit produced forty Medal of Honor recipients over the course of the war, more than any other division.
The U.S. 3rd Division earned the name “Marne Men” during the German offensive of 1918. The division formed in 1917 at Camp Greene, near Charlotte, North Carolina and quickly found itself in the great Battle of the Marne that turned the tide against the Germans in WWI. During six months of combat in the war, the 3rd Division suffered nearly 17,000 casualties during six campaigns.
During WWII, the “Marne Men” engaged in combat actions in Fedala, North Africa (November 1942); Sicily (July 1943); Salerno, Italy (September 1943); Anzio, Italy (January 1944); southern France (August 1944) in Operation Dragoon; and finally in Germany (March 1945). The regiment spent 31 months in combat.
Among the Medal of Honor recipients, a handful of the most decorated soldiers in history stood out. These four men are the focus of Kershaw’s book; they include Audie Murphy, Maurice Britt, Michael Daly, and Keith Ware.
Audie Murphy was widely celebrated as the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II and has been described as the most highly decorated soldier in U.S. history. Born into a family of sharecroppers in Texas, Murphy helped feed his family by using his skill with a hunting rifle. In the army, he struck his fellow soldiers as a baby-faced kid. In combat, he proved fearless. While fighting in central France, Murphy ordered his men to retreat while he mounted an abandoned, burning tank and began firing its .50 caliber machine gun at the advancing Germans. For an hour, Murphy stood on the flaming tank returning German fire from foot soldiers and advancing tanks, killing or wounding 50 Germans. He stopped only after he ran out of ammunition. He is credited with having killed 241 enemy soldiers during the war. For his heroism, Murphy received every U.S. military combat award for valor available from the U.S. Army for his World War II service, including a Bronze Star, a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, the Distinguished Service Cross, a Purple Heart, a Silver Star, and the Medal of Honor.
Born in Arkansas, Maurice Britt played professional football for the Detroit Lions before joining the U.S. Army. He entered active duty as a second lieutenant. For his actions on the assault of Monte Retundo in central Italy, he received the Medal of Honor and received a battlefield promotion to captain. His war ended abruptly when a German tank fired a shell at Britt's command post, a stone farmhouse. The shell passed through three walls, blowing off Britt's right arm at the elbow and fracturing a leg. For his service, Britt received the Distinguished Service Cross, a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, a Silver Star, and the Medal of Honor.
Michael Daly was an Irish American from New York City. As an eighteen-year-old, he resigned from the US Military Academy after one year to serve as an infantry private in World War II. He was wounded in Germany. After recovered, he was reassigned to the 3rd Infantry Division and was given a battlefield commission to second lieutenant. Leading his company as they advanced on Nuremberg, Germany, he single-handedly engaged German forces several times. Daly rushed a German machine gun position and killed the three gunners. He later attacked a German patrol single-handedly, killing all six patrol members. Just weeks before the war’s end, Daly was shot through the jaw. In addition to the Medal of Honor, Daly received three Silver Stars, a Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts.
Drafted into the Army in July 1941, Keith Ware was sent to Officer Candidate School, emerging as a platoon leader. He rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel by December 1944, and was appointed to command the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. While one of his companies stalled under heavy fire from a German hilltop, Ware made a close reconnaissance of the German positions, deliberately drawing their fire in order to determine their location. Leading a small advance of eleven men and a tank, he personally assaulted four enemy machine gun positions. Ware was wounded and five of his soldiers were killed before the hill was secured. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism. He would later be killed in battle in Vietnam.
The last chapter of the book might just be its best. It describes the lives of these four highly-decorated men after the war. Murphy would become a film star. But he had what would today be described as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He slept with a loaded handgun under his pillow. Suffering from nightmares, he became addicted to sleeping pills. Daly began a business career. After the war, Maurice Britt spent twenty years working at a furniture manufacturing company. In 1966, he was elected lieutenant governor of Arkansas.
February 18, 2022
This the story of the U.S. Third Infantry Division and how it fought from Tunisia, through Italy and France to Germany and the end of the war.
The story centers around four of the 36 Marne Men who were awarded the Medal of Honor - Capt. Maurice Britt, Capt. Michael Daly, Lt. Col. Keith Ware, and 1LT Audie Murphy.
Exceptional research has been performed and compiled to present a story that flows and is easy to read. The author has sewn together events, personnel, weather, and landscape to allow the reader to experience (as if you are an invisible participant) each action.
Through letters, awards, histories and news accounts, you experience the physical, mental, and emotional effects of the war on the individual soldier. The concluding chapters of the book present the long-terms effects of war on those who survived.
As a former Marne Man, I highly encourage any current or former wearer of the Blue and White to read this work.
An excellent resource for high school and college students and everyone interested in World War II.
The story centers around four of the 36 Marne Men who were awarded the Medal of Honor - Capt. Maurice Britt, Capt. Michael Daly, Lt. Col. Keith Ware, and 1LT Audie Murphy.
Exceptional research has been performed and compiled to present a story that flows and is easy to read. The author has sewn together events, personnel, weather, and landscape to allow the reader to experience (as if you are an invisible participant) each action.
Through letters, awards, histories and news accounts, you experience the physical, mental, and emotional effects of the war on the individual soldier. The concluding chapters of the book present the long-terms effects of war on those who survived.
As a former Marne Man, I highly encourage any current or former wearer of the Blue and White to read this work.
An excellent resource for high school and college students and everyone interested in World War II.
September 7, 2022
Mr. Kershaw has written numerous books about World War Two. He is a journalist and is a bestselling author on the subject of our Second World War. Mr. Kershaw concentrates on four soldiers who went on to receive the highest awards in the military: Maurice Britt, Michael Daly, Keith Ware and Audie Murphy. Audie, however, captivated much of my interest. After the war he began a successful career as an actor filming mostly Westerns. He was also a particular favorite of my mother.
This entire book was filled in rich detail about the various campaigns in Europe and Africa. To help the reader fully benefit from the book, Mr. Kershaw added numerous photos of the soldiers, the battles and the surrounding areas.
This entire book was filled in rich detail about the various campaigns in Europe and Africa. To help the reader fully benefit from the book, Mr. Kershaw added numerous photos of the soldiers, the battles and the surrounding areas.
December 29, 2025
My Interest
While this book focuses on a set group of soldiers, it is still the story of my Grandpa’s War. From North Africa to the end, it follows HIS path through the war. The ribbons and stars on his Ike jacket are the battles these men fought in. The photo on the right shows my Grandparents about a decade after the war. I’ve shown the photo of Grandpa with me in his Ike jacket several times, so I cropped this picture from the family group photo at my parent’s wedding in the mid-1950s [so help me I can never remember the year, but I’m fairly sure it was 1955].
The Story
Four soldiers–a West Point drop-out named Michael Daly, Texan Audie Murphie [above], former Detroit Lion Maurice “Footsie” Britt, and the only man to ever enlist in the Army and make it all the way to the rank of Major General, Keith Ware fight the war on the same path as my grandpa, only they became some of the most decorated soldiers in American history. Two of the men–Britt and Murphy achieved the feat of winning every American award for valor in a single war–including The Congressional Medal of Honor. Britt had 4 Purple Heats to Murphy’s three. Ware and Daly also won the nation’s highest award for valor.
Through the battles, the injuries, the friend’s killed and the terror of it all, these four men held tight to their mission. Murphy thought of the number of points it took for a soldier to earn his way home and kept fighting. The men were interested in winning and going home–not in self-aggrandizement. When his turn came, Murphy preferred to receive his Medal of Honor in the theater of war and not back home at the White House with President Truman. The Greatest Generation, as Tom Browkaw famously dubbed all the men and women of this era, did not like showboating.
My Thoughts
These were the men of cartoonist Bill Mauldin’s famous “Willie and Joe” and of the “dogfaces” famed Hoosier journalist Ernie Pyle wrote about. They were men like my grandpa who, mostly, came of age in the Great Depression–some having known what we today call homelessness or being unhoused and worse. They fought because they were drafted or because they enlisted. They were Americans and answered the call. Unlike some fools today they knew that Hitler and Tojo were evil and had to be defeated. They were not saints–the whore houses all along the way did a brisk business and the number of what we today call STD’s treated set world records. But they did the job and defeated the Axis of Evil.
While the four men did their ordered photo-ops or p.r. tours they did them because that was the order not because they wanted attention. Audie Murphy became a sort of actor but as he said, it was simply the best job that came along. All suffered what we today know as PTSD, but like my grandpa, when they got home, they got back to work. They don’t make ’em like this anymore? Well, actually they do. I worked with countless vetrans in my old job and most are made of very similar stuff.
Two Things I Learned From this Book
The Sound of Music’s Von Trapp family’s estate was used as Himmler’s headquarters.
Byron “Whizzer” White, the future U.S. Supreme Court Justice was a professional football player.
My Verdict
4.0
Against All Odds: A True Story of Ultimate Courage and Survival in WWII by Alex Kershaw
I listened to the audio version of this book.
While this book focuses on a set group of soldiers, it is still the story of my Grandpa’s War. From North Africa to the end, it follows HIS path through the war. The ribbons and stars on his Ike jacket are the battles these men fought in. The photo on the right shows my Grandparents about a decade after the war. I’ve shown the photo of Grandpa with me in his Ike jacket several times, so I cropped this picture from the family group photo at my parent’s wedding in the mid-1950s [so help me I can never remember the year, but I’m fairly sure it was 1955].
The Story
Four soldiers–a West Point drop-out named Michael Daly, Texan Audie Murphie [above], former Detroit Lion Maurice “Footsie” Britt, and the only man to ever enlist in the Army and make it all the way to the rank of Major General, Keith Ware fight the war on the same path as my grandpa, only they became some of the most decorated soldiers in American history. Two of the men–Britt and Murphy achieved the feat of winning every American award for valor in a single war–including The Congressional Medal of Honor. Britt had 4 Purple Heats to Murphy’s three. Ware and Daly also won the nation’s highest award for valor.
Through the battles, the injuries, the friend’s killed and the terror of it all, these four men held tight to their mission. Murphy thought of the number of points it took for a soldier to earn his way home and kept fighting. The men were interested in winning and going home–not in self-aggrandizement. When his turn came, Murphy preferred to receive his Medal of Honor in the theater of war and not back home at the White House with President Truman. The Greatest Generation, as Tom Browkaw famously dubbed all the men and women of this era, did not like showboating.
My Thoughts
These were the men of cartoonist Bill Mauldin’s famous “Willie and Joe” and of the “dogfaces” famed Hoosier journalist Ernie Pyle wrote about. They were men like my grandpa who, mostly, came of age in the Great Depression–some having known what we today call homelessness or being unhoused and worse. They fought because they were drafted or because they enlisted. They were Americans and answered the call. Unlike some fools today they knew that Hitler and Tojo were evil and had to be defeated. They were not saints–the whore houses all along the way did a brisk business and the number of what we today call STD’s treated set world records. But they did the job and defeated the Axis of Evil.
While the four men did their ordered photo-ops or p.r. tours they did them because that was the order not because they wanted attention. Audie Murphy became a sort of actor but as he said, it was simply the best job that came along. All suffered what we today know as PTSD, but like my grandpa, when they got home, they got back to work. They don’t make ’em like this anymore? Well, actually they do. I worked with countless vetrans in my old job and most are made of very similar stuff.
Two Things I Learned From this Book
The Sound of Music’s Von Trapp family’s estate was used as Himmler’s headquarters.
Byron “Whizzer” White, the future U.S. Supreme Court Justice was a professional football player.
My Verdict
4.0
Against All Odds: A True Story of Ultimate Courage and Survival in WWII by Alex Kershaw
I listened to the audio version of this book.
July 11, 2022
Great read about4 Medal of Honour winners (Britt, War, Murphy and Daly) telling their stories from the begging of their war until the end, also including parts of their early life before the war and then finishing with their life after the war. It was a well researched book that made sense of some difficult events. It had good clear maps that help piece events together. The only criticism is that it needed proof reading (finding this more and more in a lot of books). Overall this was an enjoyable read that I felt did justice to the men and there deeds of valour.
March 20, 2022
This book tells the story of the Third Army in World War II starting with the campaign in Africa and then into Italy, France and Germany. The focus is on some of the numerous soldiers in that Army who won the Congressional Medal of Honor for their service to their country and fellow soldiers setting a record that still stands. The most easily recognized of the group is Audie Murphy who went on to have a career in Hollywood movies. The book focuses primarily on the individuals and details what happens to them after they leave the army. I highly recommend this book for anyone with an interest in World War II.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook and my nonfiction book review blog.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook and my nonfiction book review blog.
March 19, 2022
Any WWII history buff probably knows Alex Kershaw (not to be confused with Ian Kershaw, who is unrelated and a very prominent academic WWII historian). His histories of WWII tend to scrutinize more individual stories of triumph and bravery, rather than the big picture, academic view. Alex is a journalist (though he has taught history) and he brings a journalist's eye to these accounts, rather than an academics'. This can be a good thing, as it is with Against All Odds, enabling the reader to learn some of the more ground level, individual contributions to the war. It also gives the reader a more thrilling, fun read which is a nice break from the 900 page, dry tomes that WWII histories are sometimes deposited in. Against All Odds is a riveting, well=sourced history of a handful of the fiercest and bravest American soldiers in the war. Recommended for casual history fans or WWII obsessives like me.
November 28, 2021
A very well written book! The first hand accounts and interviews make this an outstanding read for the WW2 enthusiast. The stories are compelling and full of action. What these men went through is truly inspirational.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 26, 2022
Very humbling book. The acts and decisions made by these men are hard, and simply mind blowing. Hard to believe a generation was asked to do and risk so much. Book was written in an easy to follow linear timeline covering Africa to Germany during the ally push during WWII.
July 1, 2022
The current generation of entitled,spoiled whiners has no idea what the men in this book sacrificed in order for the above to be offended the most trivial of things.
February 23, 2022
World War II was a time for citizen-soldiers turned heroes. None with more guts and bravado than the Medal of Honor winners featured in Kershaw's latest book, "Against All Odds". Alex Kershaw frequently writes and researches about men of that era. This book is well-researched and tells the story of four heroic men (Including well-known hero, Audie Murphy) and the battle stories that earned them recognition as some of the bravest in our history. The stories of these men are real and Kershaw brings to life the horrific conditions and inhumane things that they experienced and overcame. They hailed from different backgrounds but all had one thing in common, uncommon bravery. Their generation overcame the poverty and deprivation of the Great Depression, using the inner strength gained from the survival of that trial to fight the battles of World War II. Kershaw, in a compelling style, tells the stories of these men. Every American should read these very real tales of lives of struggle. It is a book that tells of battles for the survival of our nation's sons and heroes on foreign shores. They indeed survived, "Against All Odds".Read this compelling book to see closer into the lives and stories of men we should never forget. Thanks to #NetGalley#AgainstAllOdds for the opportunity to read and review this unforgettable book.
March 11, 2025
Borrow.
Overall a strong account of the leading figures of the US 3rd Division. Personally, I would have had the subtitle of the book indicate as much instead of this vague title which serious history readers are likely to skip past. And why not just write a history of the 3rd Division when you go to all this trouble anyway!
Overall a strong account of the leading figures of the US 3rd Division. Personally, I would have had the subtitle of the book indicate as much instead of this vague title which serious history readers are likely to skip past. And why not just write a history of the 3rd Division when you go to all this trouble anyway!
January 22, 2025
This book kept me infatuated with the information that was revealed. I appreciated the detail of the lives of the heros. It is a must read in my opinion.
December 29, 2023
I will read anything that Alex Kershaw writes, I've enjoyed every book of his I've read!
June 9, 2024
“The world needs peacemakers. Anyone can shoot a gun.”
Taking this sentiment along with many others into the next part of life.
Taking this sentiment along with many others into the next part of life.
October 18, 2025
This is, if not THE, one of the most incredible, awe inspiring stories I’ve ever read. What these men did seems superhuman, but to them they’d never want to be classified that way. I’m so thankful that someone has written this part of history down so these personal stories can be remembered. It’s hard to imagine any modern day person committing the long, grueling, endless, life changing and threatening work of these soldiers from WWII and aren’t we so fortunate these men existed. I’m ever thankful for the many hard won and painful sacrifices from all of our military men and women, specifically these 4 incredible men from this book. I highly recommend this book for anyone to read!
April 1, 2022
The U.S. Third Infantry Division fought in Africa, Sicily, Italy, France and Germany. The battles were fraught, and medals were awarded repeatedly. Kershaw, traces four men, that earned medal after medal for battlefield heroism. Maurice "Footsie" Britt, a former professional football player, became the very first American to receive every award for valor in a single war. Michael Daly was a West Point dropout who risked his neck over and over to keep his men alive. Keith Ware would one day become the first and only draftee in history to attain the rank of general before serving in Vietnam. In WWII, Ware owed his life to the finest soldier he ever commanded, a baby-faced Texan named Audie Murphy. In the campaign to liberate Europe, each would gain the ultimate accolade, the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Why I started this book: Placed this on hold as soon as I saw it... and received the audiobook far earlier than expected. I knew that meant that there was plenty of people waiting for their turn, and that I needed to listen to this first.
Why I finished it: This is the story of An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-1943, The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944 and The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945 condensed into one book by narrowing the focus to 4 soldiers who went on to win the Medal of Honor. I appreciated that Kershaw continued their stories, telling their journey to accept the peace... the difficulties of returning home.
Why I started this book: Placed this on hold as soon as I saw it... and received the audiobook far earlier than expected. I knew that meant that there was plenty of people waiting for their turn, and that I needed to listen to this first.
Why I finished it: This is the story of An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-1943, The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944 and The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945 condensed into one book by narrowing the focus to 4 soldiers who went on to win the Medal of Honor. I appreciated that Kershaw continued their stories, telling their journey to accept the peace... the difficulties of returning home.
March 19, 2023
Maurice "Footsie" Britt, Michael Daly, Keith Ware, Audie Murphy. Do you know any of them? Before reading Alex Kershaw's gripping book telling the story of these famed "Marne Men," I knew only of Audie Murphy. They were all part of the US Army 3rd Infantry Division (nicknamed Rock of the Marne), during WWII. "Dogface soldiers"-they took the nickname to heart and with great pride. They were the four most decorated men in the war, all Medal of Honor recipients, not to mention purple hearts, silver and bronze stars (and more). The combat they endured was absolutely brutal. Unrelenting. Excruciating, Harrowing. Their losses-staggering. Best friends who literally were blown away standing or running next to them. But their incredible courage verged on insanity. How one person could charge a German pill box in the open, under fire, and take out the pill box while sustaining wounds, without hesitation, is something I can't really fully understand. But I do know this. These men took all of it on their young, 20 something, shoulders-for me. For my freedom. They never felt as if they had an option. God help us if we don't, at least, every so often, pay homage to what they did for us and to their memory!
In a letter to Ernie Pyle, America's most widely read WWII correspondent, General Eisenhower confessed in December 1944, "I get so fighting mad (at Americans back home) because of the general lack of appreciation of real heroism-which is the uncomplaining acceptance of unendurable conditions- that I become completely inarticulate." (P.S. Ernie Pyle lost his life in the Pacific Theater).
So the next time you hit the like button of your favorite influencer's post -all starry eyed- read a few lines of this book (if you can take it) and remember what real heroes are made of.
In a letter to Ernie Pyle, America's most widely read WWII correspondent, General Eisenhower confessed in December 1944, "I get so fighting mad (at Americans back home) because of the general lack of appreciation of real heroism-which is the uncomplaining acceptance of unendurable conditions- that I become completely inarticulate." (P.S. Ernie Pyle lost his life in the Pacific Theater).
So the next time you hit the like button of your favorite influencer's post -all starry eyed- read a few lines of this book (if you can take it) and remember what real heroes are made of.
May 25, 2022
"No lectures on the subject, no crawling under carefully aimed machine gunfire, will ever make a soldier. He becomes one the instant he realizes the gunfire he hears is intended to kill him."
- Maurice "Footise" Britt
In Against All Odds, journalist Alex Kershaw returns to the second World War. The book follows four Medal of Honor recipients in the U.S. Army, from their beginnings as soldiers to their lives after the war ended. These men include the most decorated soldiers of the war, each of them courageous in their own right.
The book is heavily researched and well-written, factual with just enough personality to make it easy to read. I don't usually read nonfiction, but I have been on a bit of a history kick lately, and have been binging WWII and military history documentaries. Against All Odds was interesting, and I enjoyed the more personal narrative Kershaw took in his writing.
I struggle to find words, because I feel like the book was enjoyable, but it was also very depressing, as any fact-based book about a war should be. All in all, I would recommend this to readers who enjoy WWII history, and especially those who are just dipping their toes into nonfiction as a genre.
June 9, 2022
It's a great story and the topic is very intense and interesting, the low rating is mostly for the writing. I find it somewhat disjointed and hops around a lot one minute it's describing an situation in the morning the abruptly stops and it's several hours or days later on a completely different topic it leaves a lot left hanging without any details or closure it's almost point form but slightly longer. So you feel a choppy bumpy sort of ride as opposed to a flowing storyline where everything transitions from one story to the next. It's still a good book but it's easy to get lost or confused as an entire story can be one sentence in the middle of the page completely separate from everything else on that page
March 5, 2022
Alex Kershaw fleshes out the history of the 15th Infantry Regiment of the Third Infantry Division in the Mediterranean and European Theatre of War. Audie Murphy is the most well-known member of this regiment but Kershaw does an excellent job of portraying not just Murphy but the importance of a unit to winning in war. Well worth the time.
February 10, 2024
In my years of reviewing nonfiction books, "Against All Odds: A True Story of Ultimate Courage and Survival in World War II" by Alex Kershaw stands out as a profoundly humanistic and captivating read. This book delves into the lives and heroics of four highly decorated soldiers of the Second World War, offering a rich narrative that combines military history with deeply personal stories.
Kershaw's narrative style is both detailed and engaging, successfully bringing to life the extraordinary heroics of these men. The book vividly portrays the intense and often brutal realities of war, while also providing a thoughtful exploration of what drives individuals to acts of remarkable bravery. The author's meticulous research, including personal documents, interviews, and official records, lends an authenticity to the storytelling that is both impactful and enlightening.
The stories of Audie Murphy, Maurice Britt, Michael Daly, and Keith Ware, all from the US Army's 3rd Infantry Division, are told with a keen eye for detail and emotional depth. These men, coming from diverse backgrounds, displayed unparalleled courage and resilience, often in the face of overwhelming odds. Kershaw doesn't shy away from the grim realities of war, presenting a balanced narrative that also acknowledges the emotional and physical toll of their service.
However, the book is not without its intense moments. The detailed accounts of combat may be challenging for some readers, but these elements are crucial in illustrating the raw and unfiltered experiences of the soldiers. The narrative skilfully captures the chaotic and fearful atmosphere of the battlefield, offering insights into the mindset and motivations of these soldiers.
"Against All Odds" also thoughtfully addresses the aftermath of the war for these heroes. The transition from war heroes to life post-war is portrayed with sensitivity, highlighting their struggles with issues such as post-traumatic stress and adjusting to civilian life. This aspect of the book provides a poignant reminder of the long-lasting impacts of war on individuals.
I enjoyed this book because it not only provided a detailed account of military heroics but also painted a deeply human picture of its subjects. It's a story of courage, sacrifice, and the human spirit, reminding us of the extraordinary feats of ordinary individuals in times of crisis.
In conclusion, "Against All Odds" by Alex Kershaw is a significant contribution to World War II literature. It's a compelling read for anyone interested in military history, heroism, and the human aspects of warfare. The book is a testament to the bravery of the Greatest Generation and a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made in times of war.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Kershaw's narrative style is both detailed and engaging, successfully bringing to life the extraordinary heroics of these men. The book vividly portrays the intense and often brutal realities of war, while also providing a thoughtful exploration of what drives individuals to acts of remarkable bravery. The author's meticulous research, including personal documents, interviews, and official records, lends an authenticity to the storytelling that is both impactful and enlightening.
The stories of Audie Murphy, Maurice Britt, Michael Daly, and Keith Ware, all from the US Army's 3rd Infantry Division, are told with a keen eye for detail and emotional depth. These men, coming from diverse backgrounds, displayed unparalleled courage and resilience, often in the face of overwhelming odds. Kershaw doesn't shy away from the grim realities of war, presenting a balanced narrative that also acknowledges the emotional and physical toll of their service.
However, the book is not without its intense moments. The detailed accounts of combat may be challenging for some readers, but these elements are crucial in illustrating the raw and unfiltered experiences of the soldiers. The narrative skilfully captures the chaotic and fearful atmosphere of the battlefield, offering insights into the mindset and motivations of these soldiers.
"Against All Odds" also thoughtfully addresses the aftermath of the war for these heroes. The transition from war heroes to life post-war is portrayed with sensitivity, highlighting their struggles with issues such as post-traumatic stress and adjusting to civilian life. This aspect of the book provides a poignant reminder of the long-lasting impacts of war on individuals.
I enjoyed this book because it not only provided a detailed account of military heroics but also painted a deeply human picture of its subjects. It's a story of courage, sacrifice, and the human spirit, reminding us of the extraordinary feats of ordinary individuals in times of crisis.
In conclusion, "Against All Odds" by Alex Kershaw is a significant contribution to World War II literature. It's a compelling read for anyone interested in military history, heroism, and the human aspects of warfare. The book is a testament to the bravery of the Greatest Generation and a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made in times of war.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
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