We Fought the Road

by Christine McClure, Dennis McClure

We Fought the Road is the story of the building of the Alaska-Canada Highway during World War II. More than one third of the 10,607 builders were black; thought to be incapable of performing on a war front by many of their white commanding officers. Their task--which required punching through wilderness on a route blocked by the Rocky Mountains and deadly permafrost during the worst winter on record--has been likened to the building of the Panama Canal. Unlike most accounts that focus on the road's military planners, We Fought the Road is boots-on-the-ground and often personal, based in part on letters from the "Three Cent Romance," the successful courtship via mail discovered in the authors' family papers.

224 pages, Paperback

Published October 18, 2017

About the author

If you love history, here's a story you need to know.

In 1942, desperate for a way to transport men and material to Alaska to defend the Aleutians from the marauding Japanese, the Army launched seven regiments of the Corps of Engineers into the frigid far north to build a land route to Alaska--three of the seven were segregated black regiments.

Epicenter Press in Seattle, Washington released our first book, We Fought the Road, last September. Our second, A Different Race, is in progress. Both books come from our effort to learn and share the experience of the heroes, especially the mistreated and forgotten black heroes, who forged that road over the mountains and through the muskeg swamps of a vast subarctic wilderness--1600 miles in just eight months.

We Fought the Road, focused on the experience of the 93rd Engineers in Yukon Territory. A Different Race will focus on that of the 97th in Alaska. Our website, https://www.93regimentalcan.com is an archive of the history of the road.

Reviews

[Tamara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe if this book had been able to decide what it was then it might have been good. The problem though is that it tries to be a history of the Alaska Highway, a social commentary, and an excuse to publish the authors fathers letters. Personally I would have left out the bits about the authors family, they seem to be jammed in there without thought to the rest of the story. The author also shows a lack of understanding about military life, and especially military life in WWII. And also a lack of understanding of what conditions in Canada and Alaska are really like. A little research would have gone a very long way. I can't recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn about the Alaska highway.

[Abigail DeWitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating, well-written, well-researched, and multi-layered book about a little-known aspect of WWII history. The authors do a remarkable job of evoking the intense physical hardships endured by the soldiers who built the Alaska-Canada Highway, and shed necessary light on the racism infecting the military at the time. This is an important book, and it's a story that is beautifully deepened by the authors' personal connection to the material.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book when I was looking for information about the construction of the Al-Can Highway. It is an interesting book but tries to do too much and has little actual history that you can sink your teeth into. The book focuses on the "3 Cent Love Affair" between the father of the author and her mother. Added to this is commentary on the treatment of black soldiers in the US Army during the early stages of the war. They were heavily relied upon for the construction of this road and their work was well done. The third part of the book discusses the hardships faced in construction of the road and the military politics involved. The book is interesting but not as focused as I would have liked to have seen.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating bit of WWII history the world may have missed. It was interesting to learn what the U.S. was doing in the Pacific North West after Dec. 7th 1941 to prepare for a possible Japanese invasion.
The things these men accomplished and endured is insane. Possibly the most fascinating aspect of the book was the story of the black soldiers: what they were subjected to, how they were treated, and the extreme conditions they survived. This is a piece of history I'm glad I didn't miss.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

it was an alright book. I have never read any historical books (for fun) before. I felt that it focused on this one guy's experience and love letters. I'm not sure what I was expecting or if there should have been more.