During World War II, more than 500,000 Jewish-American soldiers served in the U.S. military. Tens of thousands were decorated for bravery, and thousands still were killed in action or taken prisoner by the Germans. Although the Geneva Convention required that American soldiers need only give their name, rank and service number when captured, soldiers of the Jewish faith were forced to answer one additional frightening question: What is your religion? With an "H" for Hebrew emblazoned on their dog tags, thousands of Jewish soldiers imprisoned in POW camps had to decide whether to hide their faith and risk being shot as spies, or step forward and suffer the consequences. For those who admitted being Jewish, or who were discovered, that meant starvation, humiliation and cruelty on a scale that most other American prisoners never experienced.Men of Honor is the chilling account of more than two dozen American soldiers, some Jewish, some not, who personally experienced the Holocaust in one terrifying way or another.
Overview
During World War II, more than 500,000 Jewish-American soldiers served in the U.S. military. Tens of thousands were decorated for bravery, and thousands still were killed in action or taken prisoner by the Germans. Although the Geneva Convention required that American soldiers need only give their name, rank and service number when captured, soldiers of the Jewish faith were forced to answer one additional frightening question: What is your religion? With an "H" for Hebrew emblazoned on their dog tags, thousands ...