Rescuing the Priceless: The Heroic U.S. Mission to Save the Captured Horses from the Nazis

Pat Martin: I first learned of “Operation Cowboy” from the Disney movie, “The Miracle of the White Stallions”. Like every young girl of my time, I loved horses. Unlike most girls my age, I really loved history. As a history teacher, I did my research to share this extraordinary story with my high school students. These are the tales that interest kids & make them think. What if Patton hadn’t loved horses?

United States on Sep 26, 2023

lois g: This was not only enjoyable but informative as well

United States on Aug 22, 2023

Michelle Boytim: Although the use of horses in the military was waning in the U.S. prior to WWII, the horse remained a key asset to the military in Europe. In Germany, Gustav Rau, mastermind behind the winning German Olympics team, planned to use eugenics to breed the perfect horse and he had his eyes on the Lippizaners of Austria and Arabians of Poland as part of the program. As he collected assets from Austria and Poland, he began an ambitious breeding program. This history also focuses on the men dedicated to protecting their horses: Alois Podhajsky of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, a former military officer and Olympic equestrian and Stanislaw Pohoski and Rudolph Lessing (veterinarian) of the Polish Arabian stud farm.. The book details the privations that they went through to try keep the horses safe and alive and as the war came to a close, with the U.S. and Russia closing in, these men made an extraordinary deal to put these horses in the hands of the Americans with Colonel Hank Reed, a member of the cavalry and avid equestrian. Colonel Reed reached out to General Patton to make the difficult rescue of the horses. Sadly, the book tells of the wasted potential of the horses once they...

United States on Jan 29, 2022

Pamela C: A good story for sure and as an avid equestrian it definitely caught my interest. However, written with that classic, tiresome hyperbole Americans just can't seem to keep in check. As well, one questions the veracity when the back jacket claims "... a small troop of American soldiers captures a German spy and makes an astonishing find -- his briefcase is empty but for photos of beautiful white horses ..." However, (p. 158 if you're looking) in fact the German officer drives to the American Calvary headquarters (hardly a capture) and two photos are in his wallet. So, if you can put up with American over-writing, the history is interesting.

Canada on Jan 17, 2021

Dragonfly: The Perfect Horse is a book about WW2 that so few Americans even realize happened as the days marking the end of the war were filled with suspense, action, intrigue and downright daring do. I saw the Walt Disney movie about the rescue of the Lippizaner stallions, but this book tells the story with a tremendous amount of detail. The author works a number of story lines here to bring things together for this rescue of these horses; if the Americans had not saved the Lippizaner horses they might have been lost to the Russians for use as food for starving troops, or they would have disappeared behind German lines never to be seen again. Not only was this rescue a humanitarian act involving saving horses with a pedigree and lineage dating back hundreds of years but this rescue was also one bright moment in the war where Hitler's master race idea (in this case purebred horses) was foiled. The Nazis proved what they were capable of doing to achieve a master race---be it of people or animals. Here, their plans were thwarted. General Patton gave his approval for this mission, and as a avid horseman he realized the value of these horses. The book is a page turner---that's for sure. It holds...

United States on Nov 22, 2019

Mona Vine: It says in the blurb that it would make a good film. well I know that is true because it did.disney did it in 1963, wonderful film but done for all ages,Miracle of the White Stallions. Miracle of the White Stallions is a 1963 film released by Walt Disney starring Robert Taylor (playing Alois Podhajsky), Lilli Palmer, and Eddie Albert. It is the story of the evacuation of the Lipizzaner horses from the Spanish Riding School in Vienna during World War II.

United Kingdom on Oct 22, 2018

lyntrom: This book was very well researched with wonderful pictures and quotations telling the amazing rescue of the prized European horses from many countries that were taken by the Germans during the second world war for their equine breeding programs. For someone who has been fortunate not to live through such a horrible period of history, the heartbreak and misery of those caught up in it was captured in the story telling. The love of the horses and the courage of those who cared for them and attempted to keep them safe was compelling. it provided a glimmer of light and hope in a very dark time. I also appreciated that the author followed through at the end telling us the fate after the war of both the horses and the brave people who saved them.

Canada on Oct 02, 2018

Kindle Customer: This true story makes interesting reading whether you are a horse lover or not. lots of information about the Spanish riding school and WW2.
Some might find parts upsetting to read. Horses caught up in war didn't have a good time to say the least and didn't deserve what happened to them. It is a good insight into a little known story.
Well written and a fitting tribute to brave men and horses during the conflict.

United Kingdom on Feb 22, 2018

Gail Anderson: Just finished reading this riveting story. Due to the movie I was aware of the plight of the Lipizzaner Stallions but I was not aware of the other horse breeds in Europe that were seriously affected by Hitler's program to create 'the perfect horse'. It was very well documented and extremely well written! You are praying for all of the horses throughout the book and the follow up as to what happened to them after WWII was most interesting. It is unfortunate that not all breeds were allowed to recognize their full potential as breeding animals in the U.S. It was sad to realize that several countries and studs across Europe lost hundreds of years of genetic potential BUT also heartwarming to know that there were military men on opposing sides working together to save the horses! Elizabeth Letts is an exceptional author and I do hope that she continues to research amazing and unique events in the horse world in order to educate all of us!

Canada on Mar 04, 2017

gilly8: An excellent story, well written.....it sounds like an action movie plot, but it was real....With the beginning of WWII many old and famous horse stables and horse breeding facilities in Europe came under the control of the Nazis. The man over the entire horse breeding program for the Nazi state was Gustav Rau, a horseman who believed firmly in the 19th century eugenics beliefs which summarized are that there are "perfect" species of animals, and of humans....of course, the Nazis believed the Aryan race (Northern europeans, especially Germans and Scandinavians) were the peak of human perfection, and for animals, it was believed that certain breeding methods COULD improve the any breed. Rau wanted to produce perfect "super horses" for the use of the Nazi military machine.

IN Austria, one of the first nations to fall to the Nazis, there is an ancient school where the Lippizaner stallions can be found, and where they are trained, each horse with one man for his entire life, to do the most incredible
"acrobatic" like moves, in a kind of dance. Originally, when the school was begun (nearly 400 years ago now) these movements were valid for horses on the battlefield. In the...

United States on Dec 10, 2016