North Atlantic civilization at war : the World War II battles of sky, sand, snow, sea, and shore : as experienced by a soldier, a ship, and some spirits through the battles of Britain, el Alamein, Stalingrad, the Atlantic, and Normandy

This book recounts the World War II journeys of a soldier, a ship, and a bottle of spirits through, and around, five great turning-point battles. Those battles were influenced more by geography and climate than by generals and admirals. Properly titled they would be known as the Battles of the Sky (Britain), the Sand (El Alemein), the Snow (Stalingrad), the Sea (North Atlantic), and the Shore (Normandy). Slogging their way through this quintet are an eighteen-year-old G.I. from Missouri (as seen through his letters home), an "ugly duckling" of a Liberty ship (as seen through its Armed Guard reports), and a bottle of rum (as traced by those who, after the war, made money in selling war souvenirs). "East gate book." xvi, 171 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm