World War II was the deadliest war that humankind has experienced so far. But while great attention has been paid to the statesmen and strategies that drove it, the troops on the front lines bore the brunt. Here are their stories. The stories included in this collection bear testimony to the many faces of soldiering in the greatest conflict in human history. The reality of war with its strange combination of tedium, tension and terror is vividly evoked from sniping duels in the ruins of Stalingrad to the bitter battles fought for tiny islands in the Pacific Ocean and the clash of armour in Normandy. From generals to GIs, these are the true voices of men at war. The editor of True Stories of World War II, Robin Cross is an author and journalist who specializes in military history. He has written many books, more than 150 TV programmes, and features for magazines and newspapers including the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Express. He lives in Hertfordshire.