This book tries to cover a lot of areas while telling us about the US Army's clearing Southern Italy of the German invaders. The main US unit followed is the US Army's 36th Division, known as the Texas Division. We also learn about General George Marshall's plan to hire Hollywood directors to make inspirational films for the soldiers so they would know why they were fighting the war in distant lands. Enter men such as Frank Capra and John Huston. Ernie Pyle, the famous war correspondent, is also profiled and his presence in the campaign is also documented.

Brady pulls no punches in his criticism of Generals Mark Clark & Dwight Eisenhower in how they conducted this part of the war. Throwing men at a well fortified German Army in the most inhospitable conditions seem to waste much in men & materials when possibly another way of driving the enemy out of Italy or at least isolating it from the Europe may have been available.

The documentary film, San Pietro, made by John Huston during & after the battle was named one of the best films of 1945.