Publisher: Presidio Press, 2003
While the United States basks in the glow of its victory in the Spanish American war, Kaiser Wilhelm II fumes at the state of Germany's paltry and profitless overseas colonies. He demands that the upstart United States surrender its newly acquired territories: Guam, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Philippines so that Germany can have it's rightful "place in the sun" alongside the other European powers. When President McKinley indignantly rebuffs him, the Kaiser launches a sudden and surprising invasion of the United States, striking first on Long Island and quickly laying siege to New York City.
Now the Americans, with their army undersized, under equipped, and spread from the Phillipines to Cuba, must defend their homeland from the brutal invaders. When McKinley suffers a fatal heart attack, the new commander in chief, Theodore Roosevelt, rallies his nation to the cause.
This suspenseful and plot driven tale is told mainly through the eyes of a fictional officer, Major Patrick Mahan, who rises through the ranks to become a general at the final climactic battle. A large number of historical characters put in an appearence, and while drawn with a broad brush, are accurately portrayed. The most disconcerting notes, for American readers at least are the scenes of destruction and devastation of american towns and cities, as the US is dragged out of it's isolationist complacency into the realities of 20th century modern warfare.
Conroy briefly touches on themes of nationality (German immigrants make up the largest ethnic minority in the US at the time) , race (Afro-American soldiers fight the Germans under their own officers for the first time), technological change and romance in this action packed page-turner.
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