It was called Operation Pastorius, a Nazi plot to infiltrate the U.S. to sabotage key military targets: factories, plants, water supply systems, and bridges. To that end, a group of eight English-speaking Germans were selected and trained in explosives and spy craft. Led by George Dasch, an expert on all things American, the would-be saboteurs traveled to the U.S. by submarine, half landing on the shores of Long Island and the other half in Florida. Unfortunately for them, the group was anything but cohesive, and from the beginning of their operation, they proved to be the gang that couldn't shoot straight. Seiple does an excellent job of charting their gaffes and misadventures, culminating in Dasch's decision to go to the FBI and confess all. Period photos and posters (war and propaganda) further enliven the text, and handy saboteur profiles will help readers keep everyone straight. Seiple (Death on the River of Doubt, 2017) writes in a smooth, fluid style, showing a mastery of essential detail, which is fully sourced. A fascinating addition to the WWII history shelves.

Gr 4-7 June 13, 1942. Four saboteurs emerged from a German submarine off the coast of Amagansett, NY. A chance encounter with a lone Coast Guard "beach pounder" on patrol triggered a chain of events that ultimately led to the capture, imprisonment, and/or execution of this team, plus another team of four who landed in Florida four days later. All were German-born, but spent several years in the United States and were proficient in English. The operation was doomed from the start; trust was severely lacking, and some wanted to kill their leader, George Dasch, who disobeyed orders. Within the week, Dasch confessed the entire scheme to the FBI. In less than two weeks, all eight were arrested. By June 28, 1942, the men learned their fate after being tried by a military tribunal. The author concludes this well-written account by discussing the pros and cons of the use of a military tribunal in the aftermath of 9/11; the same issues were present in the 1942 case. Mug shots of the eight men and short bios add authenticity to the text. The bibliography includes military tribunal and FBI records, CIA and MI5 files, books, magazines and newspapers, and websites. Back matter also includes photo credits and an index. VERDICT Seiple has done an excellent job researching and presenting a topic that is sometimes mentioned in other historical accounts, but seldom thoroughly covered. A sound addition to any upper elementary or middle school collection. Eldon Younce, Anthony Public Library, KS