Search the annals of military history and you will discover no end of quirky characters and surprising true stories: The topless dancer who saved the Byzantine Empire. The World War I battle that was halted so a soccer game could be played. The scientist who invented a pigeon-guided missile in 1943. And don't forget the elderly pig whose death triggered an international crisis between the United States and Great Britain.This is the kind of history you'll find in The Greatest War Stories Never Told. One hundred fascinating stories drawn from two thousand years of military history; accompanied by a wealth of photographs; maps; drawings; and documents that help bring each story to life. Little-known tales told with a one-two punch of history and humor that will make you shake your head in disbelief -- but they're all true!Did You Know That: One military unit served on both sides during the Civil War The War of Jenkins's Ear was actually fought over a sea captain's ear Daniel Boone was once tried for treason A siege on Poland in 1519 gave birth to the marriage of bread and butterDiscover how war can be a catalyst for change; an engine for innovation; and an arena for valor; deceit; intrigue; ambition; revenge; audacity; folly; and even silliness. Want to know how the mafia helped the United States win World War II; when the word bazooka was coined; or how Silly Putty was invented? Read on!
#333618 in Books Vincent J Cannato 2010-05-04 2010-05-04Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x .82 x 5.31l; .90 #File Name: 0060742747512 pagesAmerican Passage The History of Ellis Island
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Essential for the tourist or for the armchair historianBy Robert C RossWe recently took the grand tour of the Statue of Liberty; Ellis Island and the recently opened Hard Hat tour of the abandoned hospital on the southern; New Jersey sitde of Ellis Island.We had an absolutely splendid volunteer guide whose father had passed through Ellis Island when he was 18; and Doug gives the tours in memory of his father. He said that all of the volunteer and paid guides on Ellis Island consider this book required reading; and re-reading -- it is perhaps heavy on officials and a little light on individual histories. But that history is essential to understand how so many people were processed so quickly.On statistic: over 98% of the immigrants passed through to either New York or New Jersey; the great majority who were detained and sometimes returned to Europe were denied entry for health reasons. An average of seven seconds per immigrant; but they "cheated". After the baggage hall; and immigrants rarely gave up their worldly possessions for a slip of paper and a promise; the immigrants had to climb three flights of stairs.Doctors closely watched the flow and marked people who were laboring with chalk on their coats -- "TB"; "PG"; etc. The marked people were then examined more closely. And; if an immigrant was returned to Europe; the steamship company was forced to pay for the return journey -- so there was careful screening by the shippers in Europe before the ships sailed.An essential book for anyone planning a visit or for anyone to read after their return from this fascinating place so crucial to American history.Robert C. RossSeptember 20150 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Long but interestingBy Cheri A.This book is long but interesting. Some great information here. My paternal grandfather came to this country from Bern; Switzerland in the early 1900's via Ellis Island....9 people. They must have been healthy because they were all granted access to America. They came here to escape religious persecution.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Detailed; readable; engaging; excellent bookBy Janis CorteseAll my life I had believed; as our whole family believed; that being from Philadelphia; we must have arrived through that city. As a result although I've always been mildly interested in Ellis as a historical landmark; I never thought that we had a connection to it. That all changed in December 2012 when I found my mother's parents' Ellis Island manifests; along with those of other members of our family. We did indeed come into this country through Ellis; and I'll never forget the way the skin on my neck crawled as I recognized my grandfather -- "tailor; scar on forehead" -- or saw the handwritten names of my great-grandparents and grandmother; entering together as a family with others from their town. I've since printed the manifests and mailed them to my mother; and I continue to search for others of my family who also came through Ellis; Castle Garden; and the barge office during the "gap year" of 1891.The treatment of their experiences and the motivations behind the creation of a central location for immigrant processing is incredibly detailed; sympathetic; sensible; and beautifully put in this book. I can't imagine a better history of this iconic landmark and what it symbolizes for today's America. Cannato delves into the history of the place and its precursor station Castle Garden; perfectly prepared to acknowledge all sides of the thorny topic of immigration up to the present day. I've already recommended to my mom that she buy the kindle version.I also want to recommend to anyone who suspects that their ancestors came through Ellis to visit EllisIsland.org where they will find a searchable database of immigration records; including scanned copies of the actual ship manifests of the day. Finding the name of an ancestor in a computer database is one thing; but seeing the actual documents will give you a feeling like no other.
