The Longest Year

The D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe, launched on June 6, 1944, is widely referred to as the longest day of World War Two. Historian Victor Brooks argues that 1944 was, in effect, “the longest year” for Americans of that era, both in terms of United States casualties and in deciding the outcome of war itself.

Brooks also argues that only the particular war events of 1944 could have produced the “reshuffling” of the cards of life that, in essence, changed the rules for most of the 140 million Americans in some fashion. Rather than focusing on military battles and strategy alone, the author chronicles the year as a microcosm of disparate military, political, and civilian events that came together to define a specific moment in time.

As war was raging in Europe, Americans on the home front continued to cope (with some prospering). As U.S. forces launched an offensive against the Japanese in the Mariana Islands and Palau, folks at home enjoyed morale-boosting movies and songs such as To Have and Have Not and “G.I. Jive.” And as American troops invaded the island of Leyte—launching the largest naval battle during the war—President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Thomas E. Dewey were in the home stretch leading up to the election of 1944.

It has been said that the arc of history is long. Throughout American history, however, some years have been truly momentous. This book makes the case that 1944 was one such year.

Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Victor Brooks teaches at Villanova University and is the author of several books, including The Normandy Campaign, Hell Is Upon Us: D-Day in the Pacific, and The Boston Campaign.

“The Longest Year will interest both WWII buffs, with its descriptive blow-by-blow approach, and newcomers to the topic, with its clear-cut context. . . . [T]his account offers an accessible review of a decisive year for a world at war.”—Booklist

“Brooks unravels the story with accessible detail for lay readers so that his work feels less like a history lesson than a suspenseful drama. . . . A seasoned historian delivers a fluently readable history.”—Kirkus

“A fascinating, fluent account of arguably the most important year in modern history.”
–Alex Kershaw, author of The Longest Winter and The Liberator

“The year 1944 is usually understood triumphally, with victory on the horizon and America beginning to relax. Instead, Brooks shows peace still lay across the beaches of Anzio, of Normandy, and nameless Pacific islands; in the sky over Germany—and through the myriad domestic strains of sustaining a total war effort. Newcomers to the subject will find this a splendid introduction to a year of stress and sacrifice.”
–Dennis E. Showalter, author of Armor and Blood: The Battle of Kursk, The Turning Point of World War II

“In this powerful and fast-paced book, Brooks makes a convincing case that 1944 is one of the most important years in American history. He chronicles the epic battles that tipped the balance of power and set the stage for victory abroad while also reminding us that the war was won in the factories and shipyards at home. A great read. Highly recommended.”
–Steven M. Gillon, scholar-in-residence, The History Channel