As the world recognizes the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, we talk with two authors and historians about the historic five-week offensive.

Kevin M. Hymel

Kevin M. Hymel has served as a historian and writer for the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force for the last fifteen years. He is a regular contributor to Naval History, WWII History, and WWII Quarterly, and the author of three books, Patton’s War: An American General’s Combat Leadership, Volume I, November 1942 -July 1944, Patton’s War: An American General’s Combat Leadership, Volume 2: August–December 1944, and Patton’s Photographs: War as He Saw It. He also leads tours of General George S. Patton’s battlefields for Stephen Ambrose Historical Tours.

Hymel is an expert on General George S. Patton and has given presentations about the Maverick General at the Library of Congress, Eisenhower Presidential Library and Army Navy Club. He has served as a historian at the U.S. Army Combat Studies Institute at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. He was also the Research Director for WWII History and Military Heritage magazines and has written numerous articles for each. His article “WAC Corporal Lena Derriecott and the 6888th Central Postal Battalion,” is being made into a movie by Tyler Perry.

Robert B. O’Connor

Robert B. O’Connor is the author of “Jeep Show: A Trouper at the Battle of the Bulge.” The book follows a show business drop-out who enlists in the US Army in 1943. From the book’s website:

With its realism and emotional depth, Jeep Show is a must read for WWII buffs and lovers of historical fiction alike. The story will fascinate fans of Band of Brothers, Saving Private Ryan, Ken Burns’ The War, The Thin Red Line, With the Old Breed, The Red Badge of Courage, Slaughterhouse Five, and Catch 22. Americans whose father served in WWII will be particularly interested.

Learn more about the book here, or visit Amazon to purchase.