Includes bibliographical references (pages 363-371) and index.

An historical account of the view of deserters during World War II, this story deals with ordinary men under pressure to accomplish enormous and paradoxical expectations imposed on them. It is a history of ordinary soldiers struggling on the front lines. This book offers a new perspective on the Second World War, delving deep into army archives, personal diaries, court-martial records, and self-published memoirs to produce this portrait of men overlooked by their commanders and ignored by history. Surprisingly, deserters weren't looked on as cowards by their comrades, but rather as a normal part of wartime behavior. A soldier could fight bravely, but in a year's time become exhausted and disillusioned, causing desertion. It discards the notion of a flawless military and the dignity of conflict.

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