Book Review: Once Upon a Time in War

Military Review

ONCE UPON A TIME IN WAR: The 99th Division in World War II, Robert E. Humphrey, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, OK, 2008, 366 pages, $24.95.

Robert E. Humphrey has written a well-researched account of young men seeking to fulfill their obligations to their homeland by enlisting into the infantry and becoming members of the 99th Division, which was destined to fight in World War II. Humphrey uses extensive primary sources, which include 350 personal veteran accounts and interviews. He also traveled to the areas in which these accounts originated. The result is a gripping tale of emotions from moments of deep serenity to absolute sheer terror, each portrayed in such vivid detail that it seems the reader is sitting in the next foxhole watching the scenes unfold.

The book has three parts: the transition from civilian to Soldier, the 99th Division's campaign trail, and the transition from Soldier to civilian. The transition from civilian to Soldier was fraught with the frustrations of young boys maturing into men and their exposure to the army organizational caste system. Humphrey, unfortunately, tries to tell too many stories of the civilian-to-military transition, which does overwhelm the reader at times, unintentionally confusing who's who throughout the rest the book.

The story develops as the 99th Division begins its trek eastward from Belgium through the Battle of the Bulge over the Rhine River and into Bavaria. The account splits into two different views: that of the conquerors and that of the prisoner of war. The conqueror's view is rife with harrowing details of carnage and tests of morality. The POW point of view, which is the most depressing part of the book, depicts how American Soldiers were cruelly treated by Germans. Initially as the troops arrived home, they received wild fanfare; however, as more troops trickled home these Soldiers received only the acknowledgement of their neighbors and the love their families.

I recommend this book to any person who strives to understand the impact of wars upon nations, particularly the youth, who transitioned from citizens to Soldiers and back again with extraordinary effect placed upon their lives. It highlights their expectations to be able to revert to a civilian life amidst a society that did not understand or condone combat fatigue/post-traumatic stress disorder, nor was it equipped to handle the Soldiers affected by it.

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