Gerald Astor Boeken
Gerald Morton Astor was een meesterlijke historicus wiens werk zich voornamelijk richtte op de diepgaande en vaak brute ervaringen van de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Zijn verhalen doken diep in de menselijke kosten van het conflict, waarbij hij de strijd onderzocht vanuit het perspectief van de soldaten ter plaatse en de strategische beslissingen van de leiders. Astor onderzocht cruciale momenten en campagnes met nauwgezette details, en wierp licht op de moed en opoffering van de betrokkenen. Zijn schrijfwerk omvatte ook belangrijke sociale en politieke dimensies van oorlog, waaronder de strijd van Afro-Amerikanen in het leger en de complexe relatie tussen het presidentschap en gewapende conflicten.
Although African Americans have always fought and died in defense of their country, even before there was a United States of America, it has always been an uphill struggle for them to partake of this fundamental obligation of citizenship. Despite hundreds of years of evidence to the contrary. European Americans, both well meaning and hostile, have persisted in questioning the ability of African Americans to fight in mortal combat for their country. So widespread and deep seated were these prejudices that supposedly scientific studies were used to try to keep African Americans from flying combat aircraft in World War II. Even today, with the armed forces fully integrated and following the ascension of Colin Powell to chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest uniformed post in America's military, race still matters. Yet, as shown in The Right to Fight, the valorous service of African Americans in defense of their country is all the more remarkable given the nature of the society they have defended.
