Typewriter Battalion; Dramatic Front-Line Dispatches from World War II

Presents famous radio programs and newspaper accounts of the Second World War, including Walter Cronkite's discussions on flying over war-torn Europe and Ernie Pyle's tribute to a fallen Texas soldier. 20,000 first printing.

YA?A collection of 70 first-hand news reports filed by some of the finest correspondents of the era, such as Ernie Pyle, Walter Cronkite, Richard Tregaskis, and Bob Considine. The sense of immediacy and high drama come through the writing, and will make history students feel as though they are a part of the waiting, the decision making, or the action. The description of hundreds of people sitting on Waikiki Beach to watch the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, is just one of the fascinating details in the book. Journalism students will see how the flowery and openly emotional writing of that time contrasts with today's objective style. These wartime reporters did not sacrifice high standards to file their stories quickly, nor did they ever reveal sensitive security information. This is a natural for booktalking, and for sharing with history classes and school newspaper staffs.?Judy Sokoll, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This exciting collection of 73 dispatches from all the major, and many of the minor, WWII theaters captures the high drama, valor and sacrifice of the 1941-1945 conflict from the American viewpoint, beginning with Joseph C. Harsch's eyewitness report of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, which appeared in the Christian Science Monitor on Dec. 7, 1941, and ending with Kingsbury Smith's account, sent over the INS wires on Aug. 16, 1946, of the hanging of Nazi war criminals. Other memorable pieces are Ernie Pyle's requiem for a beloved company commander, "The Death of Captain Waskow," John M. Carlisle's revealing look at the legendary General George S. Patton in the midst of battle and Milton Bracker's description of the ritual mutilation of dictator Benito Mussolini's corpse in Milan by Italian citizens. A few of the dispatches focus on the vulnerability of the correspondents themselves, such as George Weller's "Flight from Java" and Richard Tregaskis's account of being seriously wounded. Stenbuck was the general circulation director for the Hearst newspapers.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This is a collection of World War II news articles found by the children of veteran newspaperman Jack Stenbuck after his death. These front-line reports are told by newspaper greats such as Ernie Pyle and Bob Considine along with dozens of others from major papers and news services. They give the facts along with emotional, stirring accounts from the front lines. The articles cover the entire war on all fronts and were important to Americans who waited eagerly for war news. These dispatches that came to the homefront should still be important to those with an interest in journalism and World War II. A thumbnail biographical sketch of each reporter follows their contribution. Walter Cronkite uses his introduction as an opportunity to express his views on war and admonish the military for its attitude toward the press in conflicts in the years following World War II rather than to speak to the fine collection of dispatches found here.
Dorothy Lilly, Grosse Pointe North H.S. Lib., Mich.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.