The Great Rescue
American Heroes, an Iconic Ship, and the Race to Save Europe in WWI
By: Peter Hernon
Hardcover | 13 June 2017
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When war broke out in Europe in August 1914, the new German luxury ocean liner SS Vaterland was interned in New York Harbor, where it remained docked for nearly three years until the United States officially entered the fight to turn the tide of the war. Seized by authorities for the U.S. Navy once war was declared in April 2017, the liner was renamed the USS Leviathan by President Woodrow Wilson, and converted into an armed troop carrier that transported thousands of American Expeditionary Forces to the battlefields of France.
For German U-Boats hunting Allied ships in the treacherous waters of the Atlantic, no target was as prized as the Leviathan, carrying more than 10,000 Doughboys per crossing. But the Germans were not the only deadly force threatening the ship and its passengers. In 1918, a devastating influenza pandemic—the Spanish flu—spread throughout the globe, predominantly striking healthy young adults, including soldiers.
Peter Hernon tells the ship’s story across multiple voyages and through the experiences of a diverse cast of participants, including the ship’s captain, Henry Bryan; General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force; Congressman Royal Johnson, who voted against the war but enlisted once the resolution passed; Freddie Stowers, a young black South Carolinian whose heroism was ignored because of his race; Irvin Cobb, a star war reporter for the Saturday Evening Post; and Elizabeth Weaver, an army nurse who saw the war’s horrors firsthand; as well as a host of famous supporting characters, including a young Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Thoroughly researched, dramatic, and fast-paced, The Great Rescue is a unique look at the Great War and the diverse lives it touched.
About the Author
Peter Hernon is the author of five books, including the New York Times bestseller Under the Influence: The Unauthorized Story of the Anheuser-Busch Dynasty (with Terry Ganey). Hernon worked as an editor at the Chicago Tribune, and before that was an investigative reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He lives in St. Louis, Missouri, with his wife.
Industry Reviews
ISBN: 9780062433862
ISBN-10: 0062433865
Published: 13th June 2017
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Number of Pages: 368
Audience: General Adult
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Country of Publication: US
Dimensions (cm): 23.7 x 16.3 x 3.2
Weight (kg): 0.55
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You Can Find This Book In
This product is categorised by
- Non-FictionHistoryRegional & National HistoryHistory of the Americas
- Non-FictionHistoryGeneral & World History
- Non-FictionHistoryMilitary HistoryFirst World War History
- Non-FictionHistoryEarliest Times to Present Day20th Century History from 1900 to 2000
- Non-FictionWarfare & DefenceNaval Forces & Warfare
- Non-FictionWarfare & DefenceWar & Defence OperationsBattles & Campaigns