No Bridges Blown: With the OSS Jedburghs in Nazi-Occupied France - Softcover

Dreux, William B.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 026810798X ISBN 13: 9780268107987

Publisher: University of Notre Dame Press, 2020

Synopsis

A rediscovered classic of military history back in print for the 75th anniversary of World War II

When William B. Dreux parachuted into France in 1944, the OSS infantry officer had cinematic visions of blood-and-guts heroics, of leading the French Maquis resistance forces in daring missions to blow up key bridges and delay the German advance.

This isn’t the glamorized screen-ready account he expected; this is the real story. Dreux’s three-man OSS team landed behind enemy lines in France, in uniform, far from the targeted bridges. No Bridges Blown is a story of mistakes, failures, and survival; a story of volunteers and countrymen working together in the French countryside. The only book written by one of the Jedburghs about his wartime experiences, Dreux brings the history of World War II to life with stories of real people amidst a small section of the fighting in France. These people had reckless courage, little training, and faced impossible odds. This story will resonate with veterans and everyday citizens alike and brings to life the realities of war on the ground in Nazi-occupied France.

About this title

About the Author

William B. Dreux (1911–1983) graduated from the University of Notre Dame and earned a law degree at Tulane University. After serving in WWII as a U.S. Army Infantry Officer assigned to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), he co-founded the Jones Walker law firm in New Orleans.

Review

"Quietly written yet intensely interesting" (Publishers Weekly)

"A readable and interesting reconstruction of the past!" (Library Journal)

“No Bridges Blown is a World War Two biography with a recency I don’t remember reading elsewhere, and certainly not about the OSS efforts in occupied France. . . . I recommend it as a book that ought to be a classic of wartime literature. I recommend it to anyone who wants to understand the personal implications of war, the stress of life in occupied territory, some of the roots of American special operations forces, or just wants a fascinating and beautifully written explanation of a tiny piece of the fight in France.” (Russell Worth Parker, Lieutenant Colonel, US Marine Corps)

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Notre Dame Press
• Publication date: 2020
• ISBN 10: 026810798X
• ISBN 13: 9780268107987
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 346