The Winds of War (The Henry Family, #1)

by Herman Wouk

next week, it might be better

The submariner was

But those

Germany and England.” Pug nodded. “Did his ideas make sense to you?” “Frankly, we don’t study geopolitics in the Navy. At least we don’t call it that. So I’m not up on Spengler and so forth.” “You’re an American pragmatist,” said Stöller with a smile. “I’m a gunnery expert misplaced in diplomacy,

addressing you now in that vocabulary.

where the

quarrels and new proprieties—it had effectively kept him out of the big bed last night—but beneath all that lay a deep bond. If it had not been for Natalie’s fortuitous passion for the strange skinny Henry kid, he believed, they would by now be back together, very likely married. And he honestly thought he was

Wide awake

bracing.

became slightly curious about

records? Don’t you suppose the U-boats might be a bit discouraged to see sixteen or so Benson-class United States destroyers out there screening those ships?” “Discouraged, yes. Still, what happens will depend on their instructions, Mr. President.” “They’ve got instructions not to tangle with our warships,” Roosevelt said, sounding and looking very hard. “That’s

business.” The captain told Admiral King what Franklin Roosevelt desired. The admiral calmly smoked a cigarette in a

She’s a wonderful girl.” “How’s Briny doing?” Aster’s jolly reminiscent smile disappeared. The wide mouth became a slash of tight lips. “In his work?” “Yes, let me have it straight.” “Well, we all like him. There’s something about Briny, I guess you know that. But for submarines… don’t get the idea that he

was shut

Pug,” Roosevelt said across the table. “Why, he even

himself and Germany. Why? On this question, it seems to me that General von Roon, from the other side of the

an undergraduate course were chalked on the small dusty blackboard. Kirby knew everybody who sat around the table except

a fresh ensign out of the sub pool there.” “Captain, do you know anybody in ComSubPac Personnel?”

Christ, look at the size

hours relishing the sea wind, the tall black waves, and the slow roll of iron plates under his feet. No summons came

the President. That scarcely surprised him. His chief in the War Plans Division was aboard the Tusca-loosa; they had intended to do a lot of work en route. Now when the two cruisers reached the rendezvous, they would need an all-night conference. The separation was probably pointless, but the President’s whim had to be endured. He was finishing bacon

Reporters

“A presumptuous pup,

and ticked off points on skeletal

memory like a song or a

the people into

depressed by her uncle’s letter, which had thrown her into a vortex of indecision. “I have a letter from Aaron.

“Wouldn’t you know,” Byron said, “Branch Hoban’s right in there.” The handsome skipper of his submarine, standing between two admirals, was shaking

city, to sit out

glasses and plates

cakes, fruits,

Please stick around for a

Amphiteatrov’s bass

slid about a

of the town smoke, fire, a plunging

Warendorf, Munson, and

he wanted to share his excitement right now. But he was not even sure that he would see her again in Moscow. They had parted at the railroad station with a strong handclasp, as Talky Tudsbury pleaded with the RAF pilots to take him along and simultaneously blustered at a Narkomindel man who was trying to lead him off. Leslie Slote walked in, carrying two glass tumblers

taken out in the middle of the night to a hole dug in the woods and shot to death?” “Most horrible. Perhaps the army commander in the Minsk area was an insanely fanatical Nazi.” “But the shooters were not soldiers. I told you that. They had different uniforms. And here in Moscow, people from the Ukraine and from up north are telling the same stories. This

desk beside

heaved a thoughtful sigh, looking down at her hands. “Well! All right. What move shall I make today, then?” “Go back with Talky to London. You have no choice, so go quietly. I’ll write you or cable you.” “When?” “When I can. When I know.” They sat in silence. The Kremlin wall, painted to look like a row of apartment

Harbor, headed

up like it was next door. Let’s see if there’s anything to all this Chicago Tribune business. It’s always fun, checking Tokyo against San Francisco.” Pug insisted on going back to the Pan American Hotel. The sense of doom enveloping him was thick enough without the added black misery emanating like a smell from the trapped governor

pair do a ridiculous mating dance on the beach as the sun came up, plopping their feet like a drunken old farm couple. Ordinarily Victor Henry would have seized the chance to inspect Midway, for it was a big installation, but today nothing could draw him out of sight of the flying boat, rising and falling on the swells and bumping the dock with dull booms.

curtain of spray that wiped out the heartrending sight. Journey’s end. Passing several clanging, speeding Navy ambulances, Pug went from the customs shed at the Pan Am landing straight to the Cincpac building, where officers and sailors busily swarmed. They all wore unsure scared expressions, like people after a bad earthquake. A very handsome

know what

any other carrier,

ventured to say, “How did the California

planes in patrolling? Washington’s

Wallenstone’s hand, saluted

Jews, thwarted Germany