From Boston to Berlin

Bob Dahl became one of the most renowned political philosophers of the twentieth century. But before all that, he confronted the failure of democracy in the most direct way possible: on the battle lines in France, Germany, and Austria during World War II. Leading a reconnaissance platoon as part of the 71st Infantry Regiment, he and his men daily risked their lives infiltrating enemy lines. And almost every night he wrote to his beloved wife Mary, drawing a vivid picture of his combat experience, commenting on the politics of the day in Europe and America, even expounding on the Greek Classics he read voraciously between patrols. His letters immerse you in that world in its rawest form, in writing that is fiercely observant, often humorous, and sometimes profound.