Product Description

In 1942, Hitler's Nazi regime trained eight operatives for a mission to infiltrate America and do devastating damage to its infrastructure. It was a plot that proved historically remarkable for two reasons: the surprising extent of its success and the astounding nature of its failure. Soon after two U-Boats packed with explosives arrived on America's shores–one on Long Island, one in Florida–it became clear that the incompetence of the eight saboteurs was matched only by that of American authorities. In fact, had one of the saboteurs not tipped them off, the FBI might never have caught the plot's perpetrators–though a dozen witnesses saw a submarine moored on Long Island.
As told by Michael Dobbs, the story of the botched mission and a subsequent trial by military tribunal, resulting in the swift execution of six saboteurs, offers great insight into the tenor of the country--and the state of American intelligence--during World War II and becomes what is perhaps a cautionary tale for our times.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #142337 in Books
• Published on: 2005-02-08
• Released on: 2005-02-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

From Publishers Weekly
The first German sabotage mission to reach the shores of the U.S. during WWII is the subject of Washington Post correspondent Dobbs's follow-up to Madeleine Albright: A Twentieth Century Odyssey and Down with Big Brother: The Fall of the Soviet Empire. The early background chapters concerning the recruitment and training of the German agents can be slow going, but once the story reaches the open seas, the landing of the agents on the shores of Long Island and Florida, and their movements within the U.S., it will captivate readers for the remainder of the book. The detailed account of the summer 1942 landing of the eight German saboteurs, all with prewar experience in the U.S., is engrossing, as is their stalking by the FBI with the help of several other government agencies (livened up with extensive reconstructed dialogue that leans on declassified material). The personalities and careers of the eight are revealed in some detail, including those of two American citizens, as is the fate of the two surviving members. The interagency jealousies that plagued the case throughout the pursuit and trial of the agents add an additional dimension to what would otherwise be a simple spy story. After one of their number, American George J. Dasch, finally gets cold feet and turns the group in, the account of the military trial and the parts played by the Justice Department, President Roosevelt and the Supreme Court become as fascinating as the main story. The legal aspects of the case, clearly and simply explained, are echoed today, since the saboteurs' trial by a military tribunal, rather than a civil court, is a precedent for the impending trial of accused terrorists held at the prison in Guantanamo, Cuba. Easy going and compelling, this title should find favor beyond the WWII niche.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
*Starred Review* Dobbs' full-scale account of the eight German saboteurs landed on the U.S. East Coast in the summer of 1942 is likely to be definitive on the subject for some time. Dobbs has researched the FBI archives comprehensively, and he writes surpassingly well, producing a story that would almost be humorous if the stakes hadn't been so high and six of the eight men hadn't eventually been executed. The selection and training of candidates for the mission were both haphazard, and one of the U-boats used was nearly fatally stranded on the American coast. Then the leader of one team, George Dasch, decided to turn coat, which helped the FBI overcome J. Edgar Hoover's pit-bull fondness for turf fights with other government agencies. Eventually all eight were rounded up and tried, and all but Dasch and another turncoat died in the electric chair. Dobbs probes in considerable detail the legal ramifications of trial, sentence, and execution, in each of which precedents relevant to post-9/11 dealings with terrorists were set--and even dealing with these legalities, he is clear and well balanced. Altogether, this is a very fine piece of work. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"Dobbs skillfully tells this fascinating and timely story." --The Washington Post

"One of the greatest stories of our time. Michael Dobbs' superb research and exceptional writing add to the drama." --Providence Journal

"Hair-raising. . . . Intricately crafted. . . . A first-rate thriller . . . that is much more exciting for being true, Saboteurs is well worth the price of admission and a sight better than many books about the war." --Winston-Salem Journal

"Dobbs seasons his story with just the right a mount of wryness, letting the farce play out and keeping the details tidy. . . . An entertaining and useful book."--San Jose Mercury News

“Saboteurs is a riveting detective story within an engrossing war story. Meticulously researched and elegantly written, this book is that wonderfully rare thing: a first-rate work of history that is impossible to put down.” --Rick Atkinson, author of An Army at Dawn

“Their story has been told before, but never so fascinatingly as by Dobbs.” --Chicago Sun-Times

"Revealing. . . . Dobbs delves, incisively, into the mindset of the different participants, from the saboteurs, with their conflicting back stories, agendas and loyalties, to midlevel FBI operatives, to the legal minds summoned to work the cases. . . . Dobbs fully evokes the relentless pace familiar to readers of traditional thrillers." --The Houston Chronicle

"Fascinating. . . . Must-reading for true crime and World War II enthusiasts. Saboteurs is a compelling story that is meticulously researched and highly recommended." --Tucson Citizen

"Dobbs expertly deploys the wealth of detail he has unearthed to bring this crew to life. . . . [He] has a knack for historical detective work. . . . Dobbs is the first to tell the full story of a riveting episod...

Customer Reviews

10 stars; must read
A fascinating story, told in flawless, fast-moving prose. Dodds has done his homework in Germany, in the archives, and at the Supreme Court. He has managed to capture the personalities of the Nazi saboteurs and the feel of World War II in America. Buy and read even if you already know the story, or think you have no interest in it.

An even-handed look at a past case with resonance today
The 1942 case of Nazi saboteurs in America is the best World War II story you've never heard. More than just an adventure tale, however, the case has been cited by the current administraton as a precedent for military tribunals of suspected terrorists.

Through this account, we learn that the events of 1942 don't present a clear-cut parallel to our own times. Thoughtful readers with an interest in the constitutional issues of today's anti-terrorism campaign are urged to read this book. Well-researched, well-documented, and very well-written.

Full of adventure and not a little farce!
Shortly after America's entry into World War 2, Adolf Hitler authorized a daring mission - a group of returned German-Americans would be recruited, trained, and sent back to the United States to sabotage the American war effort. And so, a mission began. Ill-trained and unmotivated, the saboteurs landed on the American shore, and encountered an America whose homeland defense network was every bit as incompetent as themselves. This is the story of the great Nazi terrorist mission against the United States.

I had heard about the story of these men before, and was quite pleased to find a book about them. Author Michael Dobbs does an excellent job of telling the story of the saboteurs, their backgrounds, the background of their mission, and what happened. Overall, I found this to be a fascinating read, full of adventure and not a little farce! I highly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to you.