The Brigade: An Epic Story of Vengeance, Salvation \u0026 World War II by Howard Blum

The Brigade: An Epic Story of Vengeance, Salvation \u0026 World War II Reviews

• 
  Gary

  This a compelling true story in which anyone who reads it will be swept up.
  It is about three men , Israel Carmi , Jochanan Pelz and Arie Pinchuk, who form the Jewish Brigade , a division of Jewish soldiers from Israel, in the British army-"the first official Jewish fighting force since the fall of the Judea to the Roman legions". At the time when Jews are being victimized and lead like sheep to the slaughter , the Jewish Brigade , with a yellow Star of David emblazoned to their uniform , fighting for the Jewish people , and their homeland of Israel, shows the world that Jews can fight back and win.
  It also tells the remarkable story of Arie Pichuk's sister Leah , and her escape from the Nazis , surviving as a fugitive in the Ukraine , before joining the anti-Nazi Partisans.
  After the war , the men witness first hand what the Nazis have done to their people, and set off on a course of identifying , finding and killing Nazi officers who have participated in the holocaust.
  Their hatred and ferocity threatens to overwhelm them , until a chance encounter with an orphaned Jewish girl sets them on a more constructive course-smuggling Jewish boys and girls into Israel, despite the British blockade which tires to prevent Jews from entering the ancient homeland from which they where forced out by the Romans two thousand years before.
  It is therefore a true narrative about the re-establishment of the State of Israel , where Jewish children can grow up in safety and live as free men and women , in a free homeland of their own.
  That is Zionism , which has been so maligned by evil forces , who want the Jews to fall pray to genocide again.
  Every descent person , Jew or Gentile , needs to dedicate themselves to ensuring that Israel survives as a Jewish State in which Jews can live freely and safely.
  Anything else will guarantee another holocaust.
  Israel and the Jewish people are faced with the same genocidal hate today , that the Jews where faced with during World War II
  Our heroes play a role in defending Israel after the fledgling state is attacked by five Arab armies , hellbent on genocide.
  Am Israel Chai.
  The People of Israel live!
• 
  Charlie

  This is a highly rated book for a reason.
  The BRIGADE story is an EPIC story. It is a TRUE story that many don't know about. You see, the BRIGADE is not just any group of soldiers ---- they are all Jewish - 5000 strong. They were recruited by the British as volunteers.
  The author - Howard Blum - highlighted three Jewish friends that spearheaded the war on the Germans. It wasn't always pretty when they found the hunted Germans during the war.
  It was even worse after the end of World War 11. Finding the Germans that were part of the Holocaust became a brutal campaign to find the culprits. AND when they did --- well, you can imagine what took place.
  This book covers the two wars - the one that ended in 1945 and the one that continues today - finding and punishing the Holocaust murderers.
  This is one book that I will read and read again. What a TRUE STORY.
• 
  Paul

  Artfully written account of the Jewish Brigade's history during the Second World War fighting as part of the British Eighth Army in the Italian campaign against the Germans towards the war's end. I found this to be a real page turner as the book's exciting episodes unfolded.
  
  
  
  Blum's skill lies with his merging of both the Brigade's own history and the individual stories of three of its members. All of which is based on extensive and painstaking research of published and unpublished histories as well as interviews with the surviving protagonists. There are really 3 or 4 book's worth contained within the one volume as the Brigade's story only really gets going once the war comes to an end in May '45.
  
  
  
  The central figures of Carmi and Peltz become deeply involved with the underground campaign to smuggle out Jewish war refugees and camp survivors against the wishes of the British authorities. The other main figure of Pinchuk meanwhile, sets off towards finding his lost sister Leah who he hasn't seen since leaving pre-war Poland for Palestine. Over the course of the book they all become involved in the people-smuggling as well as a fair share of gun running and acts of vengeance on those they hold responsible for the crimes of the Reich. Altogether a very exciting read, and very well written book of modern history.
• 
  Erik Graff

  I've read several of Blum's engrossing nonfiction books now, these being 'Wanted', 'Out There', 'The Gold of Exodus' and 'I Pledge Allegiance'. This has been the most moving, it being the story of the 'Jewish Brigade' within the British army during the closing months of WWII as seen primarily from the perspectives of three of its members, all of whom also participated in the smuggling of Jewish refugees into Palestine after the war.
• 
  Bettie

  
  Bettie's Books
• 
  Kent Horner

  The true story of a British brigade (5000 troops) made up entirely of Jewish soldiers, (Israel was not a nation yet) being able to fight against the Germans in WWII sounded interesting to me. The opportunity given these soldiers to go into combat with the Third Reich, the nation who had every intention in annihilating their existence, was short lived because they were not given that opportunity until the war was all but over. However when the war was over they set out to find and kill the SS “big fish” who were responsible. They were very successful at this but realized no amount of revenge killing would bring back a single murdered Jew so they set theirs sights on a loftier goal by helping Jewish refugees escape Europe and “illegally” transport them to what was then known as Palestine. This effort would, in a few years, lead to the birth of the nation of Israel in 1948.
  I did not enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed THE FLOOR OF HEAVEN but it was written by the same author Howard Blum and I did like it a lot.
  
• 
  Alfonso D'agostino

  A metà tra il saggio e il romanzo biografico, La brigata di Howard Blum è perfettamente riassunto dal suo sottotitolo: "una storia di guerra, di vendetta e di redenzione".
  
  Una storia di guerra, certamente: perché La brigata racconta, attraverso gli occhi e le voci di tre protagonisti, la storia della Brigata Ebraica, formazione militare che - inquadrata nell’esercito inglese - sfidò in battaglia i nazisti sotto la bandiera con la stella di David (tra l’altro in terra italiana, il che rende il testo ancora più intrigante per un lettore nostrano)
  
  Ma La brigata è anche un racconto di vendetta, perché narra - senza risparmiare nulla - anche la caccia al tedesco dell’immediato dopoguerra compiuta da uomini che erano venuti a sapere dei lager, è in qualche caso li avevano addirittura visitati.
  
  Infine, La brigata è un saggio sulla redenzione, cioè sulla capacità di fermarsi, riflettere e rendersi conto che fra Giustizia e Vendetta il confine è labile, ma eticamente molto ben definito.
  
  Una bella, bellissima lettura.
  
• 
  Camille

  I really enjoyed the content of this book. The true story of this group's attempt to smuggle the Jews of our Europe in the last days of WWII was something I had not heard much about before. I liked the fact that the author decided to tell the story from the perspective of three individuals, it made the reader connect more with the story. The author did very good research and obviously paid a lot of attention to getting the facts correct.
  
  I did think that the writing style lacked somewhat. It was rather simplistic, and didn't flow as well as it could have. At times it seemed more like reading a sixth grade book report.
• 
  Len Knighton

  The story of the Jewish Brigade attached to the British Army in World War II, the book focuses on three men and their missions that went beyond their duties in the Brigade. The Brigade, insultingly underused in the war, achieved its greatest distinction in fighting for the independence and sovereignty of Israel.
  If there is a lesson to be learned here, it is that love, love of God, love of family, love of country, is the foundation that builds relationships, builds nations. Hate and revenge only destroy.
  
  Four stars waxing.
• 
  Robert Martindale

  I confess that I knew very little, if any, about the enmity between the British and the Israelis before the founding of Israel. In "The Brigade" author Howard Blum brings to life the story of one significant element of birth of the nation of Israel through the stories of three main protagonists and one unique unit of the British Army--a brigade of Jewish soldiers of fought the Nazis in WWII. Extremely well researched and very readable, the book is filled with pathos and irony. Definitely recommend it for anyone interested in the history of Israel.
• 
  Margaret Klein

  This non-fiction book is an excellent epic to tell the story of the Jewish Brigade, 5000 Jewish soliders from British Mandate Palestine that entered WWII as British soldiers fighting in Italy. It profiles the lives of three soldiers and one sister so artfully that it is a real page turner. It is an often glossed over history that challenges our senses of right and wrong, justice and forgiveness, cut-throat vengeance that is so important to explore. A very important and significant book reminiscent of the movie Munich by Steven Spielberg.
• 
  Kelly

  Another perspective added to my WWII repertoire. I didn't know anything about any Jewish involvement of fighting in the military. The revenge and hatred was surprising because it is very hard to imagine coming to that point personally, but I have never had the life and history these men had. But change happens to us all as it did for these men and what we feel and do is not fixed.
• 
  Jocelyn

  "They were about to start a new era. A Jewish army, the gold Star of David on it soldiers' shoulder flashes as a symbol of pride, not submission, would soon be entering Germany as an occupying force."
  "When Carmi read the intelligence reports...seven out of every ten people that made up the Jewish population before the war no longer existed."
  
  
• 
  Jerry

  Wow. In the most recent years, I have been drawn to Israel history. This book has been an eye opener. One group of people suffering not one but two concentration camps. It was enlightening to read a history book from a non-American perspective. I encourage people to read this book. In my opinion, this book is further proof that God chose the nation of Israel.
• 
  Ena Jones

  This book was a difficult but important read about WW2 from the perspective of 3 Jewish men who were soldiers/leaders in The Jewish Brigade. The brigade was made up of 5000 Jewish men and this is the story of how they made a difference in the war and also, after the war, how they helped thousands of refugees who were trapped in British camps get to Palestine. Excellent.
• 
  J.T.K. Gibbs

  Wow! A part of WWII I wish was in more history books. We read so little about how others, not only the GIs, were NOT victims but took an active part in saving themselves and building a life for all Jews. Bravo!
• 
  Patricia Kitto

  Well researched, well written, honest, and a story that needed telling. I thought I had read pretty much everything about WWII but obviously I still have a lot to learn. A little less now having read this book.
• 
  Rose

  What a fabulous book!!!