End of the Prologue

Hardly anybody had supposed Tunis and Bizerte would fall so soon. This time Americans, who for so long had been expecting too much, had expected too little. There were no celebrations, no hoopla and hullabaloo; a few Senators made proper comments; the President sent messages of congratulations to the commanders. Then it was over—except for the headlines, the speculations on what next, and the casualties. Already hundreds—perhaps thousands—of white crosses and Stars of David marked American graves in the poppy fields of Africa.

Now Americans were being buried, with bugles and honors when...