Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 74

The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barratt

In 1939, twin sisters Antonina and Helena Dabrowska reluctantly see their beloved father off to defend Poland from the German invasion. Over the coming years, they will each be tested far more than they thought possible. Enraged that her true love, Marek, is forced to live in the Jewish ghetto, Antonina joins a resistance group that smuggles people out of the ghetto. Meanwhile, quiet Helena takes a secretarial job in the office of a German administrator, but the edicts she’s forced to type move her to action – and she ends up serving as a liaison for Poland’s Secret Army.

Through all the trials Warsaw faces, these young women face personal trials of faith, courage, and even their own sisterhood.

Heart-wrenching and powerful. The Warsaw Sisters left me reeling, but in a good and necessary way. Amanda Barratt shines an uncompromising light on the devastation and cruelty of life in occupied Poland – a light that needs to be shined, because through Antonina and Helena, we see. We understand. We feel. Elegant prose, thorough research, and intriguing characters thread throughout this outstanding novel. Truly an exceptional work.

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Today in World War II History—November 9, 1943

Mother’s Day celebration at a United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration displaced persons camp in Germany, 26 May 1946 (Source: Deutsche Fotothek via Wikimedia Commons, photographer Abraham Pisarek)

80 Years Ago—Nov. 9, 1943: Representatives of 44 nations meet in Atlantic City, NJ, and establish United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration to prepare for reconstruction of Europe & Asia.

US Marines break up Japanese counterattack on Piva Trail on Bougainville.

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Today in World War II History—November 8, 1943

Flight nurses of the 807th MAETS show their worn-out shoes after their two-month trek through Albania, 9 January 1944 (US Air Force photo)

80 Years Ago—Nov. 8, 1943: US Marines repulse heavy Japanese offensive at Koromokina Lagoon, Bougainville.

US C-53 cargo plane carrying 13 flight nurses & 13 medics of the 807th Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron, plus 4 crewmen, crash-lands in Nazi-occupied Albania; over the next two months, they’ll escape on foot back to Allied territory. (Read more: “Medical Air Evacuation in World War II–The Flight Nurse”)

The post Today in World War II History—November 8, 1943 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.

Today in World War II History—November 7, 1943

Lt. Pauline Curry & Tech. Sgt. Lewis Marker, 803rd MAETS, check a patient on a flight over India (US Air Force photo)

80 Years Ago—Nov. 7, 1943: US 803rd Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron arrives at Chabua, India, and flies its first air evacuation mission. (Read more: “Medical Air Evacuation in World War II”).

Release of wartime short film Beyond the Line of Duty, narrated by Ronald Reagan.

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Today in World War II History—November 6, 1943

Submarine USS Pampanito, San Francisco, CA, October 2014 (Photo: Sarah Sundin)

80 Years Ago—Nov. 6, 1943: Hitler names Field Marshal Albert Kesselring commander of all German forces in Italy, replacing Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, who will be sent to France to prepare defenses along the coast.

Soviets retake Kiev, Ukraine.

Submarine USS Pampanito is commissioned at Portsmouth Navy Yard, NH, now a museum ship in San Francisco.

Gen. Albert Kesselring, 1940 (German Federal Archive: Bild 183-R93434)

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Today in World War II History—November 5, 1943

US Navy pilots Ens. Charles Miller, Lt. (jg) Henry Dearing, and Lt. (jg) Bus Alber, USS Saratoga, 5 Nov 1943; note F6F fighter (US National Archives: 80-G-470673)

80 Years Ago—Nov. 5, 1943: Capt. Clark Gable leaves England, having flown 5 missions with the US Eighth Air Force, with footage for his documentary, Combat America.

In the first US carrier strike on the Japanese base of Rabaul, aircraft from USS Saratoga & USS Princeton cripple 7 cruisers and 2 destroyers.

Japanese destroyer Chikuma being bombed by an aircraft from USS Saratoga, 5 Nov 1943 (US Naval History and Heritage Command: 80-G-89107)

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Today in World War II History—November 4, 1943

Shift change at the Y-12 uranium enrichment facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, during the Manhattan Project, 1945 (US Department of Energy photo)

80 Years Ago—Nov. 4, 1943: Plutonium processing plant opens at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, for atomic bomb development as the X-10 graphite reactor, the world’s first full-scale reactor, reaches criticality.

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Today in World War II History—November 3, 1943

USS Oklahoma after refloating, Pearl Harbor, 6 Nov 1943 (US Naval History and Heritage Command: NH 64496)

80 Years Ago—Nov. 3, 1943: Battleship USS Oklahoma, sunk at Pearl Harbor, is refloated, but it will be scrapped due to excessive damage.

US Eighth Air Force sends 566 bombers to Wilhelmshaven, Germany, its first mission of over 500 bombers.

Nazis massacre 18,000 Jewish slave laborers outside Majdanek concentration camp in largest single-day, single-location killing of the Holocaust.

Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes signs interim agreement with coal miners and full production resumes; total sum of work stoppages during 1943 estimated at 7.5 million man-days and 39 million tons of coal.

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Today in World War II History—November 2, 1943

Light cruiser USS Montpelier firing her guns during the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, night of 1-2 Nov 1943 (US Navy photo)

80 Years Ago—Nov. 2, 1943: Battle of Empress Augusta Bay: US Navy Task Force 39 drives attacking Japanese ships away from Bougainville, sinking Japanese destroyer Hatsukaze and light cruiser Sendai.

US Fifteenth Air Force flies first strategic bombing mission: 112 B-24s and B-17s bomb Messerschmitt aircraft factory in Wiener-Neustadt, Austria.

Patch of the US Fifteenth Air Force, WWII

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The Letter Tree by Rachel Fordham

In 1924, Laura Bradshaw’s life is restricted by her controlling father and poisoned by her father’s deep hatred for his business rival, the Campbell family. Her few solaces include seeing the animals at the Buffalo Zoo and retrieving letters from a tree at the zoo – letters from her anonymous pen pal. When her father decides to marry her off to Abel Fredricks, a handsome entrepreneur, the chance of escape entices her.

Isaac Campbell longs to make his own way in life, but his father won’t let him take more responsibility in his company. When his father wants him to make friends with Abel Fredricks to wrest a business deal away from the Bradshaws, Isaac finds himself face to face with Laura, his former childhood friend. Something about Abel’s venture seems suspicious to Isaac, and his time with Laura revives his feelings for her – but what about his mysterious letter friend? And can he ever get to the root of the Bradshaw-Campbell feud?

Combining charming hints of You’ve Got Mail with the poignancy of Romeo and Juliet, The Letter Tree is a journey of forgiveness and reconciliation and overcoming differences. Rachel Fordham‘s characters are quirky and relatable, and fascinating bits of 1920s culture color the story. An enjoyable and romantic read!

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