Archive for 2013

Invite the Mob Over for Boxing Day in the UK

Today only, Boxing Day, beginning at 9AM, Blood Betrayal, is part of a Kindle Countdown Deal only in the UK on Amazon UK.

BUY ON AMAZON UK

Purchase Direct from My Website

kaput or in mob terms "rubbed out."
The longer you wait to buy the higher the price rises. This one day sale lasts only till 11PM tonight. Then it's all over,

The story:

The bodies are piling high -- 36 unsolved gangland murders at last count -- and FBI Supervisor Hans Bauer has to do the unthinkable: put tough, independent Special Agent Frank Murray back on the squad he was twice kicked out of, Organized Crime.

Mafia Kingpin Nick Scarponi is back from prison and orchestrating the bloodiest reign of mob killings in Philadelphia history and Frank Murray, who tossed Scarponi in the can three years earlier, is his #1 target.

The taunt, tense, visually gritty story leaps off the page and grabs you by the throat. The action-packed tale could only be crafted by someone who knows the art of cinematic pacing--acclaimed Director and Emmy® nominated filmmaker, Robert Child.

Blood Betrayal is a classic, big city mafia crime story that cuts to the bone. It feels all too real because it is. The story is based on an historic FBI prosecution and investigation led by Charles "Bud" Warner the real life Frank Murray. FBI Director William Sessions, Attorney General Janet Reno and President Bill Clinton commended him for his extraordinary work on this case.

Blood Betrayal is a thrill ride of twists and turns and vividly drawn characters such as "Center City" Charlie, mob con man Nick "The Crow" Consiglioni and Murray's wife, Marlene, a gold-digger whose affair with a doctor is brought to a screeching halt by Murray in a scene that has to be read to be believed.

Former Philadelphia resident and director David Lynch chillingly described the city during the time of Blood Betrayal: "It was a very sick, twisted, violent, fear-ridden, decadent, decaying place. I felt like I was constantly in danger. But it was so fantastic at the same time. The people had stories etched in their faces."

Summon your courage and enter this world if you dare.

Thursday
Posted by Robert Child

Invite the Mob Over for Christmas Eve

Today only, beginning at 9AM, Blood Betrayal, is part of a Kindle Countdown Deal. The longer you wait to buy the higher the price rises. This one day sale lasts only till 11PM tonight. Then it's all over, kaput or in mob terms "rubbed out."

BUY ON AMAZON

Purchase Direct from My Website

The story: The bodies are piling high -- 36 unsolved gangland murders at last count -- and FBI Supervisor Hans Bauer has to do the unthinkable: put tough, independent Special Agent Frank Murray back on the squad he was twice kicked out of, Organized Crime.

Mafia Kingpin Nick Scarponi is back from prison and orchestrating the bloodiest reign of mob killings in Philadelphia history and Frank Murray, who tossed Scarponi in the can three years earlier, is his #1 target.

The taunt, tense, visually gritty story leaps off the page and grabs you by the throat. The action-packed tale could only be crafted by someone who knows the art of cinematic pacing--acclaimed Director and Emmy® nominated filmmaker, Robert Child.

Blood Betrayal is a classic, big city mafia crime story that cuts to the bone. It feels all too real because it is. The story is based on an historic FBI prosecution and investigation led by Charles "Bud" Warner the real life Frank Murray. FBI Director William Sessions, Attorney General Janet Reno and President Bill Clinton commended him for his extraordinary work on this case.

Blood Betrayal is a thrill ride of twists and turns and vividly drawn characters such as "Center City" Charlie, mob con man Nick "The Crow" Consiglioni and Murray's wife, Marlene, a gold-digger whose affair with a doctor is brought to a screeching halt by Murray in a scene that has to be read to be believed.

Former Philadelphia resident and director David Lynch chillingly described the city during the time of Blood Betrayal: "It was a very sick, twisted, violent, fear-ridden, decadent, decaying place. I felt like I was constantly in danger. But it was so fantastic at the same time. The people had stories etched in their faces."

Summon your courage and enter this world if you dare.


Tuesday
Posted by Robert Child

Pennsylvania Congressmen Gerlach and Fattah Recogize the Wereth 11

Two Pennsylvania Congressmen, Jim Gerlach and Chaka Fattah issued a joint press release today announcing their introduction of a resolution formally recognizing the service of the Wereth 11. The full press release is below.





CONTACT:                                                                                        IMMEDIATE RELEASEKori Walter, District Director (Rep. Gerlach)                                                         December 10, 2013
610.594.1415 or 610.223.1767 (cell)

Allyson Freeman, Communications Director (Rep. Fattah)
202.225.4001

Gerlach, Fattah recognize service and sacrifice of black soldiers massacred during Battle of the Bulge

WASHINGTON – As we near the 69th anniversary of one of the decisive battles in Europe during World War II, U.S. Reps. Jim Gerlach (PA-6th District) and Chaka Fattah (PA-2nd District) have introduced a resolution that would formally recognize the valor and sacrifice of 11 black soldiers captured, tortured and ruthlessly executed by Nazi troops in a pasture in Wereth, Belgium on the second day of the Battle of the Bulge.

The resolution, H. Con. Res. 68also calls on the U.S. Senate’s Armed Services Committee to revise a 1949 subcommittee report to include an appropriate recognition of the massacre of the 11 black soldiers of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion of the U.S. Army who were beaten, stabbed and shot multiple times at the hands of their Nazi captors almost seven decades ago on December 17, 1944. The original subcommittee report documented a dozen similar massacres during the Battle of the Bulge, but did not include any reference to the killings in Wereth.

The 11 soldiers massacred, known as the “Wereth 11”, were: Curtis Adams of South Carolina; Mager Bradley of Mississippi, George Davis Jr. of Alabama; Thomas Forte of Mississippi; Robert Green of Georgia; James Leatherwood of Mississippi; Nathaniel Moss of Texas; George Motten of Texas; William Pritchett of Alabama; James Stewart of West Virginia; and Due Turner of Arkansas.

“Our country shall be forever grateful to every member of the ‘Greatest Generation’ who contributed to the defeat of fascism in Europe and laid down their lives so that future generations could enjoy the blessing of freedom,” Gerlach said. “Every now and then, it takes history a while to accurately reflect the monumental moments that have helped chart its course. That’s certainly the case with these 11 black soldiers who courageously fought on the front line in the Ardennes against a relentless enemy and eventually made the ultimate sacrifice for their fellow soldiers and our nation. This resolution is a tribute nearly seven decade overdue. And it is indeed a privilege to work with my colleague, Congressman Fattah, to ensure that the story of the exemplary service and incredible sacrifice of these 11 black soldiers is always remembered.”

Fattah added: "The valiant efforts and unequal sacrifice of the Wereth 11 soldiers deserves to be commemorated in our country’s history. These are men whose heroic story has been lost to time, but whose names must be honored, and whose accounts we must share today and into the future. I am proud to join with my colleague Rep. Gerlach in paying reverence to their courage and bravery, recalling their lives of service, and ensuring their story fighting for freedom over tyranny is told for decades to come."

Historians note that that the Battle of the Bulge began December 16, 1944 as Nazi Germany launched an aggressive assault on American and Allied Forces in Belgium in a desperate attempt to shift the momentum of the war back in Germany’s favor. While Nazi tanks and troops initially overran many battalions, American and Allied Forces rallied and eventually prevailed in Belgium, advancing into Germany and toppling the brutal Nazi regime.

A 1949 Senate Armed Services Committee documented and investigated 12 incidents of Nazi troops massacring captured American troops and Belgian civilians during the Battle of the Bulge, but the Committee’s report omitted the killings in Wereth, and history nearly overlooked the horrific deaths of the 11 members of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion.

Wereth resident Herman Langer, whose father had provided bread and shelter from the bitter cold to the 11 African-American soldiers just before they were captured, was the first to formally pay tribute in 1996 by placing a cross in the pasture where the massacre occurred.

Fifteen years later, Norman Lichtenfeld, the son of a Battle of the Bulge veteran, helped raise money to buy the property and erect a permanent memorial in Wereth.

Read more about the “Wereth 11” in this USA Today article.

# # #

Posted by Robert Child

Wereth Eleven Story Sparks Congressional Action

In an incident perhaps akin to lightening striking the same producer / director twice last week US Congressman, Jim Gerlach, 6th District, Pennsylvania office in Washington reached out to me. They informed me that this coming week they planned to introduce a bill in Congress to honor the service of the fallen Wereth Eleven.

Six years ago in 2007 Congresswoman, Carolyn McCarthy, of New York spearheaded a Joint Congressional Resolution to honor the service of America's WWII glider pilots. The catalyst for her steering of the bill through the armed services committee was the release that spring of my film with Inecom Entertainment, Silent Wings: The American Glider Pilots of WWII. The glider pilots were one of the few remaining front-line units in WWII which had never had their service recognized. Congresswoman McCarthy was able to schedule the vote on the bill on the same day of Silent Wing's release, March 20, 2007. The measure went on to pass unanimously.

Jim Gerlach
In this new House Resolution being submitted for consideration this week Congressman Gerlach not only wants to recognize the service of the Wereth Eleven but the ultimate goal is to correct the Congressional War Crimes Report of 1949 by adding the war crime at Wereth to the official record. This was pointed out in our story as very much the "smoking gun" which is revealed at the end of the film.

On behalf of the production team and myself we are equal parts humbled and thrilled that our production may have played a small role in bringing the virtually unknown story of the Wereth Eleven to the attention of the American public and Congress. And the potential to literally rewrite the historical record with the addition of the Wereth Eleven war crime to the official 1949 Congressional Report is an incredible development that none of us would have ever imagined when we began the project.

In closing I'll just leave you with the rallying cry that drove my team forward in bringing the story of the Wereth Eleven to life,  "It's For the Men."



Sunday
Posted by Robert Child

Today Marks the 150th Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address

We are proud to announce the availability of two new Gettysburg films produced by Robert Child in honor of this day. Shipping now is the official commemorative film of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, Gettysburg Final Measure of Devotion.


Gettysburg Final Measure of Devotion, written and directed by Emmy® nominated filmmaker, Robert Child, is the commemorative film of the 150th Anniversary Gettysburg National Civil War Battle Reenactment. The story highlight's Lincoln role as Commander-in-Chief.



Also now available is Gettysburg and the Civil War a new box set from PBS Home Video.

It was one of the great turning points in American history: a clash of ideologies that spilled over from the political arena and onto the battlefield, where over half a million lives were lost. The war between the Union and the Confederacy saw the country divided along geographical, racial and industrial lines, and few were spared the decision of where to pledge their loyalty. Communities were torn apart, families broken and cities destroyed.


Now, travel back to this most significant of times and experience the Civil War as you've never seen it before. This premium collection - comprising a feature-length DVD, a 24-page history of the entire conflict, and a set of rare replica memorabilia and battle maps - pays tribute to the war that divided, almost destroyed, and ultimately defined our nation. Release marks the 150th anniversary of President Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address.

The feature-length documentary Gettysburg: The Boys In Blue & Gray presents the crucial battle of the war as described by the soldiers who took part, with dramatic reconstructions and archive material bringing you closer than ever to the action.

Additionally, a 24-page illustrated history of the conflict provides in-depth detail and context to the events of 1861-5, looking at the key engagements and personalities that shaped the outcome of the war.

Also Includes numerous pieces of rare memorabilia sourced from the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, DC. - a selection of lovingly recreated replica memorabilia and battle maps that brings history alive as you've never seen it before, with letters revealing personal and military insights into the war that turned brother against brother.

This DVD features Closed Captioning
Tuesday
Posted by Robert Child

In Today's USA Today: The Wereth Eleven


Be sure to pick up a copy of today's (Nov 8th) USA Today newspaper. There is a front page article about the Wereth Eleven. We provided the reporter background and contact for the feature story. We hope it brings more awareness to the men and what happened to them.

If you want to read the story online go to this LINK.
Friday
Posted by Robert Child

PBS Releases "Gettysburg and the Civil War" DVD October 15th

PBS Home Video has repackaged my film, Gettysburg The Boys in Blue and Gray, in a deluxe box set. It is releasing October 15, 2013 in time to coincide with the coming 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. It is available for purchase now at PBS and other major retailers.

Gettysburg and the Civil War 

It was one of the great turning points in American history: a clash of ideologies that spilled over from the political arena and onto the battlefield, where over half a million lives were lost. The war between the Union and the Confederacy saw the country divided along geographical, racial and industrial lines, and few were spared the decision of where to pledge their loyalty. Communities were torn apart, families broken and cities destroyed.

Now, travel back to this most significant of times and experience the Civil War as you've never seen it before. This premium collection - comprising a feature-length DVD, a 24-page history of the entire conflict, and a set of rare replica memorabilia and battle maps - pays tribute to the war that divided, almost destroyed, and ultimately defined our nation.

Release marks the 150th anniversary of President Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address. 

The feature-length documentary Gettysburg: The Boys In Blue & Gray presents the crucial battle of the war as described by the soldiers who took part, with dramatic reconstructions and archive material bringing you closer than ever to the action.

Additionally, a 24-page illustrated history of the conflict provides in-depth detail and context to the events of 1861-5, looking at the key engagements and personalities that shaped the outcome of the war.

Also Includes numerous pieces of rare memorabilia sourced from the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, DC. - a selection of lovingly recreated replica memorabilia and battle maps that brings history alive as you've never seen it before, with letters revealing personal and military insights into the war that turned brother against brother.
Sunday
Posted by Robert Child

Wereth 11 Selected to Screen at the Disney Lot in Hollywood

Walt Disney Studios, Los Angeles

GIFF Chooses Wereth as the "Best of the Best."


My production team and I received some tremendous news last week the film which I wrote and directed, The Wereth Eleven, was chosen by the GI Film Festival as, in their words, the "Best of the Best" and they have announced a gala screening of the film at the legendary Walt Disney Studios in Hollywood (actually Burbank) on November 2nd.

The Emmy® nominated film won the Founders Choice Award at the GI Film Festival in Washington, DC in 2011. The festival organizers have chosen Wereth to screen as part of a special "Veterans Week Best of GI Film Festival" event in Los Angeles. The festival runs over two days November 1st and 2nd. Wereth will screen Saturday evening, Nov. 2, at 5:30P just prior to the closing VIP Party.

Tickets are $12 and available at this link, GIFF - LA



About The Wereth Eleven:


The Wereth Eleven, Feature Documentary (60 Minutes)
Robert Child, Director
GIFF 2011 Winner, Founder’s Choice

The Wereth Eleven retraces the steps eleven black GI's from the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion took when their unit was overrun by Germans at the start of the Battle of the Bulge. Their 10-mile trek from their battery position to Wereth, Belgium would be the last journey of their lives as a local resident turned them in to an SS scouting party. Subsequently all eleven were butchered and killed in one of the least understood, as well as unknown, war crimes of WWII.


Explore More:

Watch a panel discussion about the Wereth Eleven held at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans when the film made it's premiere there. Click Here.
Monday
Posted by Robert Child

An Offer You Can't Refuse - FREE. Read Blood Betrayal this Weekend

Spend this Labor Day Weekend with the mob.


Download Free Here



From today through Sunday grab a copy of Blood Betrayal, the FBI Thriller I wrote based on the true story I optioned from former Special Agent with the Philadelphia FBI, Charles Bud Warner. This book has never been part of the special Amazon promotion until now and I hope you can download a copy. If you do all I request is a review if you can spare the time as we are building the buzz to turn this story into a movie.

Here is more about the book:

The bodies are piling high -- 36 unsolved gangland murders at last count -- and FBI Supervisor Hans Bauer has to do the unthinkable: put tough, independent Special Agent Frank Murray back on the squad he was twice kicked out of, Organized Crime.

Mafia Kingpin Nick Scarponi is back from prison and orchestrating the bloodiest reign of mob killings in Philadelphia history and Frank Murray, who tossed Scarponi in the can three years earlier, is his #1 target.

The taunt, tense, visually gritty story leaps off the page and grabs you by the throat. The action-packed tale could only be crafted by someone who knows the art of cinematic pacing--acclaimed Director and Emmy® nominated filmmaker, Robert Child.

Blood Betrayal is a classic, big city mafia crime story that cuts to the bone. It feels all too real because it is. The story is based on an historic FBI prosecution and investigation led by Charles "Bud" Warner the real life Frank Murray. FBI Director William Sessions, Attorney General Janet Reno and President Bill Clinton commended him for his extraordinary work on this case.

Blood Betrayal is a thrill ride of twists and turns and vividly drawn characters such as "Center City" Charlie, mob con man Nick "The Crow" Consiglioni and Murray's wife, Marlene, a gold-digger whose affair with a doctor is brought to a screeching halt by Murray in a scene that has to be read to be believed.

Former Philadelphia resident and director David Lynch chillingly described the city during the time of Blood Betrayal: "It was a very sick, twisted, violent, fear-ridden, decadent, decaying place. I felt like I was constantly in danger. But it was so fantastic at the same time. The people had stories etched in their faces."

Summon your courage and enter this world if you dare
Friday
Posted by Robert Child

Washington Crossing Book Released

This past week we released the book, Washington's Crossing: America's First D-Day based on the script I wrote for the docudrama, America's First D-Day. The Continental Film Alliance is mounting a big push to finish the film this winter. This book and the the forthcoming audiobook are a way to build awareness for this great project. The more folks that know about it the better. So if you have the opportunity please check into the book and tell friends about it. One of the motivations behind the entire project is to help preserve our own American history which is rapidly disappearing. Part of the proceeds of the project are earmarked to support historic preservation and I hope you will agree that is cause enough to consider purchasing a copy.


Purchase At Amazon


*Below is an excerpt from the book as well as an except from the forthcoming audiobook which will be released in September and lastly the film's trailer based on the filming that has already been done.

Washington's Crossing: America's First D-Day (excerpt)



FORTRESS YORKTOWN, OCTOBER 1781

It is late afternoon, a six man British burial party concludes a graveside service for one of their own guarded by two Continental soldiers. The still smoldering ruins of Fortress Yorktown silhouette them.  Outside a white clapboard colonial home American troops stand watch as British prisoners shuffle past.

Victorious American general George Washington, forty-nine, arrives at the home on foot flanked by six aides. The American guards salute and part to allow him to enter the home.
Inside, defeated British commander, forty-three year old Charles Cornwallis stands near the hearth as British officers move quickly past. As Washington enters the room stills.
Cornwallis moves graciously to meet his former enemy with an extended hand. General Washington accepts it with a slight bow.

“Lord Cornwallis, it seems your health is restored,” as Washington tweaks the British commander about his absence during the surrender ceremony. Cornwallis, wincing at the slight, says, “Yes, General, thank you, I am quite fit.”

LATER, DINING ROOM

General Washington commands the head of a long table flanked by both American and French officers on his left and across from them British officers to his right. The mood is subdued and formality prevails. Lord Cornwallis sits opposite Washington at the other end of the table. A courier enters with a dispatch that requires Washington’s signature. Signing, Washington is interrupted by Cornwallis who takes advantage of the momentary lull. The defeated commander raises his goblet of wine.

“Gentlemen, if I may take this opportunity,” men quiet and turn towards Cornwallis as Washington sits back. “When the illustrious part that your Excellency has borne in this long and arduous contest becomes a matter of history, I dare say fame will gather your brightest laurels from the banks of the Delaware rather than from those of the Chesapeake.”

Shocked silence descends as Cornwallis has extended Washington an extraordinary compliment. Men look to one another then turn anxious for Washington’s reaction.
Washington lifts his glass. Officers on both sides follow suit as the General chooses his words carefully.

“Perhaps, your Lordship, our darkest hour revealed our greatest courage.”
Cornwallis nods; impressed by Washington’s humble honesty and his words bring forth warm acknowledgements from all gathered.
As the men from both side concentrate on their meal, Washington’s mind drifts back five years earlier to the banks of the Delaware River.



NEW JERSEY SIDE OF THE DELAWARE RIVER

On the fast running river, Continental troops under fire clamor into small wooden boats. A vanguard of British light infantry in their red uniforms appears in the trees. They begin to fire at Washington’s escaping troops. Several Americans are hit. Washington’s maritime expert, Colonel John Glover, from Massachusetts hurries the General into the last boat. With relief Washington turns to Glover.

“It seems, John, that your maritime skills have preserved this army once again.”
Glover smiling, replies, “Aye, and I pray your Excellency does not continue to make this a habit.”

A British ball hits the head of a nearby man in the boat with a crack. He falls lifeless into the rushing current. They are not out of danger yet. Washington’s men scramble for their muskets and begin to fire back at the British now crowding the river’s edge.  Soon Washington is safely out of British musket range and he slumps a bit from exhaustion but catches himself and looks about him. His men look to him for strength he reminds himself to remain steadfast.


The Continentals had been chased across the length of New Jersey for more than a month from Fort Lee in the north to Trenton in the south. Finally they are able to put a river between them and the British if only temporarily.



Sunday
Posted by Robert Child

Sneak Listen to the D-Day Audiobook Releasing Later this Month


Production on the Audiobook version of D-Day in 90 Minutes has been completed in Los Angeles and we wanted to provide you a sneak peek or more fittingly a sneak listen to an excerpt of the audiobook before the release. My writing partner on the "Minutes of History" series Bill Bradle and I both came to the same decision on the narrator based on more than 15 auditions. Travis T. narrates D-Day in 90 Minutes and we think you'll agree he does a heck or a job!

Saturday
Posted by Robert Child

.99 Cent Sale for a limited time. Rush On Boys Kindle Edition


Take advantage of  the summer sale on the story of Alexander Hamilton's war time service in Rush On Boys: Hamilton at War. Just .99 cents on Kindle for a limited time.

Go to Amazon.

And don't forget the audiobook as well!

Audible and itunes.


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Thursday
Posted by Robert Child

Gettysburg 150th DVD, Order Now on Standard or Blu-Ray DVD

Get your order in now for all the great action from the just wrapped Gettysburg 150th Anniversary National Civil War Battle Reenactment. First orders in are the first orders shipped.  We will be editing through the summer for the fall release.

CLICK TO ORDER HERE.


“A focus on Lincoln’s Role as Commander-in-Chief”

Acknowledging that this year marks the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg as well of the Gettysburg Address. President Lincoln’s role in the epic conflict is greatly overshadowed by his address given four months after the battle. But the decisions Lincoln made as Commander-in-Chief ultimately assured a Union victory.


Gettysburg Final Measure of Devotion, the commemorative film of the 150th Gettysburg Anniversary will follow the Lincoln narrative. In late June 1863, with the Confederates already on Pennsylvania soil, Lincoln fired his General in charge of the Army of the Potomac, the army charged with beating back the invasion. And just three days prior to the start of the epic clash Lincoln installed General George Meade who viewed the appointment as end of his military career. The film, along with the incredible action and visual spectacle of the 150th Anniversary Gettysburg National Civil War Reenactment will feature the foremost Lincoln scholars in the country including two-time Lincoln Prize recipient, Dr. Allen Guelzo of Gettysburg College. These historians will provide depth and insight into Lincoln’s role and Gettysburg’s honored place in American history.

Friday
Posted by Robert Child

Gettysburg Event Wraps

After years of work the Gettysburg 150th National Civil War Battle Reenactment is now a memory. I was just reading the the Chief of Police in Gettysburg reported NO arrests, none in the 10 day period associated with the anniversary celebration and reenactment. That is amazing.

And the weather held until the very last moment at the close of Pickett's Charge when the the heavens opened up and the rains came - just as they did at the real battle 150 years ago.

The Battlecast has the full 2-hour program of the preshow, presentations and Pickett's Charge. If you did not see it live you can watch the whole event again by subscribing at GettysburgBattlecast.com

Below are just some of the tens of thousands of photos taken at the event - and these are of my hard working crew.

Behind the scenes in the control room of the Gettysburg Battlecast.







A couple of my embedded cameramen. Clay and John.




The camera van and gear.







The Crowds and the event.









Tuesday
Posted by Robert Child

Battle Highlights from the 150th Gettysburg Reenactment

Just released on the Battlecast highlights from the first two battles at the 150th Anniversary Gettysburg National Civil war Battle Reenactment. Exclusive footage from right in the middle of the action in the Crossroads of Destiny and Devils to Pay battles held yesterday July 4th on the field at Gettysburg. See them now on www.gettysburgbattlecast.com

Friday
Posted by Robert Child

Gettysburg Audiobook Now Available

Just in time for the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg my company has released a new first-person audio book, Gettysburg Voices from the Front. Hear the story of the battle told from diaries, letters and first person accounts in a compelling narrative that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Tired of reading books on Gettysburg? Try listening to one, today. Excerpt. below.

Get it on Audible.com


Gettysburg Voices From the Front by Robert Child
Sunday
Posted by Robert Child

Catch me Tonight 6/30 on Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM at 9:55P



I will be speaking with host, Steve K. Bannon this Sunday night June 30th at 9:55P EST on the upcoming Gettysburg 150th anniversary celebrations and all the excitement including the Battlecast.

Hope you can tune into on Satellite Radio to XM Patriot Ch. 125
Friday
Posted by Robert Child

Catch Me on "Breitbart News Sunday" Tonight on XM Patriot Ch. 125

I will be speaking with host, Steve Bannon, tonight at 9:50P EST on the upcoming Gettysburg 150th anniversary celebrations and all the excitement including the Battlecast.

Hope you can tune into on Satellite Radio to XM Patriot Ch. 125
Sunday
Posted by Robert Child

Released Today in Honor of D-Day. D-Day In 90 Minutes.

What originally began is D-Day in 60 Minutes had to lengthen to D-Day In 90 Minutes. There was just too much great material to cut it back.

Bill Bradle and I hope you have a chance to download the book which hit Amazon sites across the world today.


Purchase on Amazon.
Thursday
Posted by Robert Child

Catch me tonight on Sirius XM Patriot Breitbart News Sunday

If you subscribe to satellite radio I hope you can tune in tonight (Sunday) at 9:40P for Breitbart News Sunday, Channel 125. I will be speaking with host, Steve Bannon all about the upcoming 150th Gettysburg Anniversary and events surrounding the reenactment and our live streaming Pickett's Charge.

More info here.
Sunday
Posted by Robert Child

D-Day in 60 Minutes Releasing Next Week on the 69th Anniversary

Next week I will be releasing D-Day In 60 Minutes which is my first collaboration with writer William Bradle. It is actually the first in a series of books we have decided to write together called, "The 60 Minute History Series".

People are busier today than ever and there is often no time to read a 300 page history book so this series is an answer to that need. The quality will be extremely high and the books accurate and compelling. They will be broad topics but the detail within them will be razor sharp.

There is a large history audience that has somewhat been left behind by outlets such as the History Channel and other networks which craves more and more historical content but in a an  hour-long length. Our opinion is if the reader knows going in they can finish the book in an hour they will set aside time for it as they used to do with great History Channel programs. And this has somewhat been proven by other shorter history book series.

Each book in the series will also be produced as an audiobook and I am seeing great growth with the audiobooks I have released so far this year. And the D-Day audiobook should release in July.

Hopefully you will consider picking up D-Day In 60 Minutes which hits bookstores next week.

Below is a preview of what you'll see in an excerpt from Chapter One.




Chapter 1-Why? (D-Day In 60 Minutes)


“I have therefore decided to strengthen the defenses in the West.”                                                                                 Adolf Hitler

D-Day is the most crucial battle of World War II for size, complexity and importance because—

-It was to date the largest amphibious invasion in history,
-Ten Allied nations had troops in the fight,
-160,000 troops landed in Normandy on June 6, 1944: 73,000 Americans, 62,000 British and 21,000 Canadians,
-24,000 American, British and Canadian paratroopers dropped behind the lines the night before the invasion,
-American soldiers smoked 20 million cigarettes a day. Eisenhower smoked eighty a day,
-104 American gliders landed behind enemy lines,
-The Allies had 11,590 aircraft in the sky during D-Day. The Germans had two,
-180,000 German troops were in France with the great majority in Pas de Calais,
-The Germans thought the Allies would attack Pas de Calais, 21 miles from England. The Allies attacked Normandy, 90 miles away,
-Ships totaled 6,939 ranging in size from the dreadnought battleship USS Texas 573 long to the Higgins boat at 36 feet long,
-500 US soldiers died at Omaha Beach, total Allied fatalities on June 6 were 2,500. 37,000 Allied soldiers would die in the two-month Normandy campaign to follow,
-C rations came in round cans. The soldiers preferred flat, rectangular cans but there was not enough machinery in the US to produce flat cans,
-German E boats killed 700 troops in April 1944 practicing a landing at Slapton Sands. Hitler noticed the similarity between the Normandy beaches and Slapton Sands. He ordered more troops to Normandy,
-Hitler thought he could stop the Allies at the beach. Stalin wasn’t sure the Allies would ever invade.

And then there is geography.

The impact of the Normandy Invasion on the war boils down to geography. When Allied planning began in 1943, German and Japanese progress had stalled: the German advance in Russia ground to a halt outside Moscow, German forces surrendered at Stalingrad and their tank tactics failed at Kursk. The Marines stopped the Japanese advance and started island hopping in the Pacific on their way to the islands of Japan. Churchill called the time, “This is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end, but it is perhaps the end of the beginning.”

As with Japan in the Pacific, there were a lot of miles between the Germany’s enemies and the homeland. Allied forces were in Italy, but Rome is a thousand miles from Berlin. The Russians were advancing but still 1,200 miles from Berlin. More importantly, they were 1,600 miles from the industrial heart of Germany, the Rhine-Ruhr district. Without the industrial capacity of the Rhine-Ruhr, the German army and air force would not have the weapons to fight; the war would be over.

The southeastern tip of England is less than 300 miles from the Rhine-Ruhr district. The shortest path to victory lay through France and Hitler knew it.

In a November 1943 Fuhrer Directive he wrote, “but now a greater danger appears in the West--An Anglo Saxon landing! In the East, the vast extent of the territory makes it possible for us to lose ground, even on a large scale, without a fatal blow being dealt to the nervous system of Germany. It is very different in the West...everything indicates that the enemy will launch an attack against the Western front...in the spring. I can therefore no longer take responsibility for further weakening the West...for it is here that the enemy must and will attack...that the decisive battle against the landing forces will be fought.”
The shift to the West was, in Hitler’s mind, only temporary. He told his commanders, “The destruction of the enemy’s landing attempt means more than a purely local decision on the Western Front. It is the sole decisive factor in the whole conduct of the war and hence in its final result. Once defeated, the enemy will never again try to invade...And invasion failure would also deliver a crushing blow to British and American morale.”

With the defeat of the invasion, Hitler would turn his forces back on the Russians saying, “So the whole outcome of the war depends on each man fighting in the West, and that means the fate of the Reich as well!”

Hitler saw the battle coming; he had the enemy, the time and the place correct and still failed. He had the foresight but not the means to stop the invasion because he lacked resources. Hitler was facing and fighting the enemy on three land fronts—Russia, the Mediterranean and now the threat to Western Europe. At the same time, there was fighting on the home front as the British bombed military and civilian targets at night and the Americans bombed during the day.

Hitler had to prioritize, all of the fighting and defending required men and material. In late 1943 he picked the Western front to receive the logistical support to try and stop the invasion he saw coming.  

But was the invasion important to the Allies? It certainly was not to the United States Army Air Corps. The senior officers of the air force were convinced that around-the-clock bombing of Germany would bring the country to it’s knees. And they were probably right.

The main reason for the invasion was to keep Russia in the war. Hitler knew the Allies were a marriage of convenience—he believed the capitalist societies of the United States and the United Kingdom were actually the natural enemies of the communist regime of the Soviet Union. The Cold War that ensued after World War II would prove him right.

In addition, Germany and Russia had as recently as 1941 been allies themselves, signing the Molotov-Ribbentrop Non-Aggression Pact in August of 1939 that carved up Poland. If Stalin grew tired of the tremoundous casualties he was incurring or became convinced he could not trust the United States and Britain to wage war on Germany aggressively, a separate peace with Germany might be possible. Getting Russia out of the war would allow Hitler to take on the United States and the UK. Or, in his twisted mind, he perhaps could convince the Americans and British to ally with capitalist Germany against communist Russia. As early as 1928 Hitler wrote that Germany and England should be allies and perhaps unite against even the United States—“If England remains true to her great world political aims, her potential enemies will be France and Russia in Europe and, in the other parts of the world, especially the American Union in the future.”


The invasions of North Africa, Sicily and Italy did nothing to prove the mettle of the British and Americans to Stalin. And he cared less about the sacrifices of the Marine Corps in the Pacific. Stalin could do the math as easily as anyone else, and only a stab at the Ruhr valley would keep him in the war. That is why the British and Americans invaded Normandy.
Thursday
Posted by Robert Child

Free Weekend Promotion. Get 2 Books that Honor Our Soldiers

In honor of our soldiers this Memorial Day Weekend, my distributor, Janson media is running a FREE Kindle promotion. Download the books, Silent Wings: The American Glider Pilots of WWII and Lincoln and Lee at Antietam: The Cost of Freedom which are both based on my award-winning films.

SILENT WINGS:

From the early race to build gliders to the D-Day invasion at Normandy and Nazi Germany's final surrender, Silent Wings, reveals the critical role gliders played in World War II offensives. Through interviews with glider vets as well as WWII war correspondents, Walter Cronkite and Andy Rooney, the book places the reader right at the center of the action in the dangerous world of the American glider pilot.
During WWII, 6000 young Americans volunteered to fly large unarmed cargo gliders into battle. For these glider pilots every mission was do-or-die. It was their task to repeatedly risk their lives landing the men and tools of war deep within enemy-held territory, often in complete darkness, using only a stopwatch to navigate. Thousands of lives were saved and battles won because of their efforts. In fact, one pilot interviewed said - the 'G' in their emblem didn't stand for glider; it stood for 'guts'.


LINCOLN and LEE

It's September 17, 1862 and President Abraham Lincoln needs a victory in order to issue the Emancipation Proclamation and end slavery in the South. But Robert E. Lee has other plans - invade the North.

"Articulate and gut-wrenching...a must for any history buff." --Jordan Riefe, "ABC Radio Network"

"A collection of highly regarded historians offer educated insight into the bloodiest day in American history." --Jason Buchanan, "All Movie Guide"
Saturday
Posted by Robert Child

The Russian van Gogh FREE Sun. & Monday on Amazon

On the heels of my successful Amazon promotion last week for Rush On, Boys Hamilton at War, this weekend (starting Sunday) the Kindle version of my book, The Russian van Gogh, will be available for free immediate download on Amazon.

Link (Grab for Free on Amazon Sun. / Mon.)

I wrote this story essentially as the female version of Indian Jones. I wanted  it to be a fun read, an across the globe adventure in the high stakes world of multimillion dollar art.

Here is more about the story:

A secure Russian government warehouse is breached in a violent raid. Chechen terrorist Sergey Karpov now possesses a priceless van Gogh the world thought lost in an allied bombing raid in 1945.

Seized in a German museum outside Berlin by the Red Army Trophy Brigade during the last chaotic hours of WWII the masterpiece is part of a hidden stash of billions of dollars worth of stolen art the Russians want kept secret.

Karpov's plans to extort the Putin administration are met with an iron fist and he turns to the world stage releasing a shocking tape to the BBC declaring he will burn the van Gogh and other paintings if his ransom is not paid in seven days.

The Russian van Gogh is a thrilling international race against time as the van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam posts a $10 Million dollar reward for the captured painting's return. And British Secret Service along with WWII stolen art recovery experts, The Monuments Men, all join the hunt.

The Monuments Men, founded at Harvard University, dispatches Art History Professor and Forensic Art Detective Riley Spenser, the world's leading expert on the paintings of van Gogh to authenticate the painting. If it is truly the lost van Gogh from WWII it's value could reach $300 million. Riley teams with British MI6 Agent, Justin Watson, and together speed to Moscow and eventually to the most dangerous city in Russia to find the painting.

From first page to last the story is a gripping intelligent page-turner filled with intrigue and peppered with cinematic action that jumps off the page like a major motion picture.

A fast-paced ride, The Russian van Gogh, is the latest thriller from writer / director and Emmy® nominated Filmmaker, Robert Child.
Posted by Robert Child

'Gettysburg' Audiobook Releasing First Week of June

A stirring collection of first-hand accounts from Privates on up to the commanding Generals at the Battle of Gettysburg woven into a dramatic and compelling narrative. The reader is transported back to the chaos and uncertainty of the sweltering first three days of July 1863 when Lee's Army of Northern Virginia invaded the North threatening Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington itself.
Soldiers on both sides gave everything they had believing that Gettysburg would be the final epic battle in an already long and terrible war. Gettysburg Voices From the Front by Robert Child
Friday
Posted by Robert Child

Gettysburg Voices From the Front Released Today.

This is a compilation I have  been wanting to do for a long time. Over the past decade I have written and produced two films on the battle of Gettysburg and am producing my third and final one, Gettysburg: Final Measure of Devotion, this year. During all that time in doing my research I have compiled volumes of first person accounts, letters, diaries and dispatches that have helped me support the narrative and the stories I wanted to illustrate.

First person accounts are the living link we have to what occurred at Gettysburg. And although some of the accounts may be less than accurate due to the various authors seeing only their narrow view of the conflict and having limited information - they still bring to life the battle in a deeply personal way.

And I wanted to give that history a voice uncluttered by modern interpretation. There is, of course, great value in the modern view of the battle and I highly recommend the epic history effort by my friend, Allen Guelzo, Gettysburg: The Last Invasion, releasing this month. (May, 2013). But to gain a sense of the chaos and uncertainty in the moment at Gettysburg in 1863 you have to return to the words of the soldiers who were there.
You could call this an immersive type of history as I have woven the first hand accounts together with photographs so that the story unfolds in a linear way. As you read hopefully you will discover the battle wrapping around you with all the intense emotion, fear and uncertainty on both sides. A Union victory was far from a foregone conclusion at Gettysburg and these words from two centuries ago bring you closer to that history and those times.

I hope you'll take a moment to check it out at an online retailer.


Posted by Robert Child

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