German Jackboots on Kentucky Bluegrass: Housing German Prisoners of War in Kentucky, 1942-1946

German Jackboots on Kentucky Bluegrass: Housing German Prisoners of War in Kentucky, 1942-1946 by Thompson, Antonio Scott. paperback edition. ISBN: 9781935290001.

German Jackboots on Kentucky Bluegrass: Housing German Prisoners of War in Kentucky, 1942-1946 (Diversion Press, distributed by Ingram; $24.95; Publication Date October 27, 2008) presents a case of American humanitarianism, adherence to international law, southern hospitality, and friendship and mutual respect between "enemies" in a brutal and bitter war. This academic work provides the first book length look at the housing of German prisoners of war in Kentucky during World War II. This book tackles the mysterious murals painted by prisoners at Camp Breckinridge, the Afrika Korps symbols left on chimneys at Fort Knox, and the issues of Nazi versus anti-Nazi at Camp Campbell. The impact of the "forced" German POWs on Kentuckys wartime economy cannot be underestimated. This important work tells Kentuckys story of housing, working, and entertaining over 10,000 German prisoners during the Second World War. German Jackboots on Kentucky Bluegrass shows how the U.S. POW program uniquely affected an individual state with end results that had local, national, and international implications. This book is a must read for anyone interested in World War II, the U.S. home front, Kentucky history, German history, or prisoner of war treatment.