Darkest Christmas
December 1942 and a World at War
Peter Harmsen
Casemate, Philadelphia, 2022, 240 pages
Book Review published on: March 17, 2023
We all know that finding a book which possesses an original, fresh look at some aspect of World War II is a challenge. Seemingly, every perspective or “angle” on the war has been undertaken by authors in the past. Consequently, it is uncommon when a volume is published that is unique in both concept and scope. A recent, distinctive volume on World War II is Peter Harmsen’s superb book, Darkest Christmas: December 1942 and a World at War.
Within 8Darkest Christmas, Harmsen has focused on soldiers’ and civilians’ personal experiences on Christmas Day 1942. The author explains why he selected this specific date in his preface. He states,
The answer is that Christmas is a time of heightened emotion. Christmas at a time of war is all the more so since young men and women pass the holiday torn from their loved ones, in a situation where they cannot know if they are even to survive until the next Christmas. And why 1942? Because it was a unique time. Much remained undecided that fateful December. Modern historians may argue that the Allies had effectively already won the war at this stage, but this was far from obvious for the actors standing in the middle of the maelstrom of history. (vii)
To tell the story of Christmas Day 1942, Harmsen has interwoven dozens of individual stories within the volume. These stories come from soldiers, civil leaders, civilians on the battlefield, those back at the home front, and from every front and theater fought in during that time. Obviously, this is a very diverse group. This diversity enables Harmsen to provide a comprehensive look at that day for readers. This diversity also allows him to share stories that run the emotional gamut.
There are several strengths displayed throughout the volume, which make this is an extremely powerful and valuable volume. First, to say that the author has conducted thorough research in preparing his book is a dramatic understatement. This is truly one of the best researched books I have read in many years. Harmsen has scoured hundreds of books, articles, magazines, newspapers, and websites to focus on one particular day: 25 December 1942. I can only imagine how time-consuming this endeavor was. However, the time was clearly well-spent and truly provided the author with the content he could mold in putting the volume together.
In putting these individual pieces (stories) together into a flowing, coherent whole (book); the key is organization. The organization of Darkest Christmass is the second strength of the volume. Harmsen has tied these stories together in a simple, logical way. He has categorized them by geographical areas and by World War II fighting fronts and placed them in separate chapters. Thus, readers will discover chapters focused on the Pacific, North Africa, and China-Burma-India theaters; the eastern and western fronts; Eastern and Western Europe; and the countries of England, Germany, Japan, and the United States. This volume could have easily turned into a convoluted “mess” and a challenge for readers to follow. However, the outstanding organization of the volume turns this into a coherent, free-flowing book for readers.
Another of the book’s strengths is Harmsen’s decision to add only minimal personal commentary within the book. He has clearly let the stories speak for themselves. He elaborates on this decision early in the volume. He explains, “More generally, I have decided to let the sources for themselves to the greatest extent possible. Personally, as a reader I prefer not to be told what to think, and I trust that many others feel the same way” (ix).
The final key to the book’s success is the “extras” Harmsen has included in the volume. The first is the collection of thirty-four photographs, sketches, and cartoons he has inserted in the volume. Each of these relates directly to the period and are great companions to the volume’s verbiage. Second, the author has placed maps at the beginning of chapters tied to specific fronts or theaters. These serve as excellent transition markers for readers and assist in the book’s organization. Finally, Harmsen has included a section at the end of the book briefly detailing the fate of each of the people highlighted in the volume. Obviously, this puts some closure to what happened to some individuals and answers questions some readers may have.
All the above contribute to the incredible readability of Darkest Christmas. To utilize an overused cliché, this is a true “page-turner” and one of those rare one-sit reads. As addressed earlier, Harmsen lets the stories speak for themselves. However, when he does interject, it is to set the conditions for an upcoming chapter/story or to contribute a valuable tie-in. In total, the stories and Harmsen’s inputs are a superb combination.
The quality of Darkest Christmas and its strengths come as no surprise to those familiar with the author’s body of work. It is a collection which focuses principally on the Far East during the 1930s and 1940s. It includes titles such as Shanghai 1937: Stalingrad on the Yangtze, Nanjing 1937: Battle for a Doomed City, and the War in the Far East trilogy. These books, just as Darkest Christmas, were praised by both critics and the public alike for their exhaustive research, superb readability, and uniqueness in scope.
In the book’s preface, Harmsen writes, “Still, it is my objective with this book not merely to provide a listing of events around the world that happened to take place within the short span of time on a single day in late December 1942. I aim to reach a deeper level of understanding of what Christmas meant to people, and what it did to them. What was the significance of them being at war, of killing and facing the risk of being killed oneself, while commemorating the biblical annunciation to the shepherds of ‘on earth peace, good will toward men’” (viii).
I believe Peter Harmsen has unquestionably achieved his objectives within Darkest Christmas. This is book which will resonate with every reader. Its ability to capture and articulate the human dimension of war is powerful. Traveling through the numerous World War II offerings is certainly difficult for a potential reader. However, the uniqueness and quality of Darkest Christmas make this one you want to stop for.
Book Review written by: Lt. Col. Rick Baillergeon, U.S. Army, Retired, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas