The Liberation Line The Untold Story of How American Engineering and Ingenuity Won World War II [Audiobook]

As territory was taken, these soldier-railroaders were close behind, rebuilding the lines, putting up telegraph wires, replacing bridges and laying track, all the while dodging bullets, shells, and booby traps. Tales of extraordinary feats and heroism abound, including how 10,000 men rebuilt a 135-mile-long railway in just three days; the reconstruction of the bridge over the Seine in two weeks while under bombardment; and the use of cigarette lighters as improvised signaling systems. Despite being critical to Allied victory, the role of the railway men has been largely forgotten or ignored. In a vivid and gripping narrative, Christian Wolmar brings to life this colorful cast of generals and engineers, without whose extraordinary bravery the liberation of France and invasion of Germany might well have foundered-and the course of history changed.