{"product_id":"the-longest-winter-the-epic-story-of-world-war-iis-most-decorated-platoon","title":"The Longest Winter : The Epic Story of World War Ii's Most Decorated Platoon","description":"\u003cp\u003eOn a cold morning in December  1944  deep in the Ardennes forest  a platoon of eighteen men under the command of twenty-year-old lieutenant Lyle Bouck were huddled in their foxholes trying desperately to keep warm. Suddenly  the early morning silence was broken by the roar of a huge artillery bombardment and the dreadful sound of approaching tanks. Hitler had launched his bold and risky offensive against the Allies-his \"last gamble\"-and the small American platoon was facing the main thrust of the entire German assault. Vastly outnumbered  they repulsed three German assaults in a fierce day-long battle  killing over five hundred German soldiers and defending a strategically vital hill. Only when Boucks men had run out of ammunition did they surrender to the enemy. As POWs  Boucks platoon began an ordeal far worse than combat-survive in captivity under trigger-happy German guards  Allied bombing raids  and a daily ration of only thin soup. In German POW camps  hundreds of captured Americans were either killed or died of disease  and most lost all hope. But the men of Boucks platoon survived-miraculously  all of them. Once again in vivid  dramatic prose  Alex Kershaw brings to life the story of some of Americas little-known heroes-the story of Americas most decorated small unit  an epic story of courage and survival in World War II  and one of the most inspiring stories in American history.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44946543575093,"sku":"ByrdShop_0718147456","price":69.41,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780718147457.jpg?v=1769955591","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-longest-winter-the-epic-story-of-world-war-iis-most-decorated-platoon","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}