On October 2, 1918, the inexperienced American troops of the 1st Infantry Battalion, 308th Infantry, 77th Division pushed deep into a salient in the German lined in the Argonne Forest and were surrounded by the enemy. This is the story of the five days which followed and of the courage and endurance of the American unit which became known as the 'Lost Battalion.' In the face of attacks by thousands of German soldiers, the 1st Battalion held its position and refused to surrender even when food, medicine, and water were nearly exhausted and five out of every six men had been killed or wounded.

Mr. Werstein has gleaned his information from regimental histories, personal narratives, and official records of the battalion. While the focus of the story is on a single unit, the author includes much background of World War I and the times as well as sidelights which reveal the German viewpoint on the battle. An incident of war, The Lost Battalion encompasses all of the facets of war, for it is composed of heroism, despair, suffering, and devotion.

From the book