Gauntlet : five friends, 20,000 enemy troops, and the secret that could have changed the course of the Cold War / Barbara Masin.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Masin, Barbara, 1967-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Anti-communist movements--Czechoslovakia.

Anti-communist movements.

Czechoslovakia--History--1945-1992.

Czechoslovakia.

History.

Physical Description:

xii, 382 pages, 12 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Annapolis, Md. : Naval Institute Press, [2006]

Summary:

This fast-paced book tells the exciting story of the plight of five young men who crossed the border from Czechoslovakia into East Germany in 1953. Prior to their escape, they had formed the nucleus of an anti-Communist resistance group, inspired by the testament of celebrated World War II resistance leader, Czech general Josef Masin, father to two of the young men and grandfather to the author of this book. 32 photos.

Contents:

Birth of the nation

An ally betrayed

Resistance

The home front

The communists seize power

Prophet of liberation

Joining the battle

In the hands of the StB

The battle continued

The class war escalates

Terra incognita

"Have the wedding without me"

Across the border and into the unknown

First contact

Trouble with trains

Gun battle at Uckro

Going to ground

The hunt

Which way to Berlin?

The dragnet snaps shut

Hot pursuit

Vasek's road

The wait

The Luckau war

Lying low

Eternal honor and glory to our heroes!

First-class accommodations

East German revolts

Silent heroes

Potato transport

The ring around Berlin

Home stretch fiasco

Berlin safe house

Red revenge

To liberate Czechoslovakia.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [361]-366) and index.

ISBN:

1591145155

OCLC:

69028360