Premise is Chamberlain doesn't appease Hitler and WWII starts with the invasion of Czechoslovakia and because there is no appeasement, Germany wins the war. France and Britain engage in SitzKrieg while uncle Adolph rolls up the Czechs. Russia jumps in on the Poles, who ally with Germany. Germany launches its "Blitz" (we're talking Panzer I's and II's here folks, which isn't quite as Blitzy as it would be a few years later. French use their tanks as they did historically, German's concentrate for the schwerepunkt.
90% of he book is from the footsloggers view. Chapter after chapter of the individuals in combat and on R&R. Two civilians are in the picture. One an America woman caught in first Czechoslovakia, then as a DP in Germany. The other is a Jewish family in Muenster. Dad got the Iron Cross in WWI, son is a wiz soccer player the Nazi's won't let play. Both try to enlist but the Nazi's don't want them.
We get to look at Marines in a precarious spot in Peking, and near the end of the book, the Japanese assault on Siberia.
There is also Walkure which takes place but isn't detailed out. We find out it happened when the SS shows up to question some of the characters.
The only real person written about, other than the governmental types, is Han-Ulrich Rudel, Stuka pilot extraordinare, except he hasn't made his reputation yet.
I found it entertaining, and an easy read. Not a bad summer book to put the mind in neutral and read out on the deck. Not a page turner, but far better than Give Me Back My Legions.
