A memoir of a young Israeli soldier which presents an account of the Israeli War of Independence. It is also a story of a year that affected all those who lived, fought, and died in the Israeli War of Independence.

Written from the trenches, this moving memoir of a young Israeli soldier is the first eyewitness account of the Israeli War of Independence, and is widely recognized as the outstanding book of that war - the Middle East's All Quiet on the Western Front. Joining the Israeli army at the outbreak of war, and later volunteering for the legendary commando unit, 'Samson's Foxes', Uri Avnery took part in almost all the major battles on the Jerusalem and southern fronts.Writing from the battlefield, from the back of jeeps, in deserted villages and, at the very end, from a military hospital bed, Avnery captured the taste and texture of life on the front line: of adrenaline-fueled battles and day-to-day brutalities, as well as the bravery, camaraderie, and off-duty exploits of young men and women thrust into the horror and inhumanity of war. Gripping, sensitive, and at times deeply poignant, this is one man's unforgettable story of a year that affected all those who lived, fought, and died in one of the most significant wars of our time.