A sweeping account of America's WWII forces in their greatest and deadliest hour

After the success of D-Day and then the sweep across France, the allies are taking a pause in the days before Christmas, 1944, planning for their final drive into Germany. What they don't know is that Hitler has secretly mobilized hundreds of thousands of troops to launch a major sneak offensive on his Western front. The Battle of the Bulge is the 40-day stand against Germany’s last major attempt to isolate and overpower Allied forces—the biggest, deadliest battle of the war in Europe.

Flashing between General Dwight Eisenhower’s Supreme Headquarters in Versailles and Hitler's infamous Eagle's Nest—and featuring new, first-hand accounts from American soldiers on the front lines—Emmy and Peabody Award–winning journalist Chris Wallace offers a front-row seat to the Allied Powers’ dramatic stand against the Nazis’ desperate gamble. Countdown Battle of the Bulge tells heroic stories through deep research and interviews with members of the Greatest Generation—who fought through foot-high snow and subzero conditions, and who shared their accounts of one of the most pivotal victories of the war's final year.

Preorder now! Coming December 1, 2026.

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Instant New York Times Bestseller

The riveting new book on the momentous year, campaign, and election that shaped American history

It’s January 2, 1960: the day that Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy declared his candidacy; and with this opening scene, Chris Wallace offers readers a front-row seat to history. From the challenge of primary battles in a nation that had never elected a Catholic president, to the intense machinations of the national conventions—where JFK chose Lyndon Johnson as his running mate over the impassioned objections of his brother Bobby—this is a nonfiction political thriller filled with intrigue, cinematic action, and fresh reporting. Like with many popular histories, readers may be familiar with the story, but few will know the behind-the-scenes details, told here with gripping effect.

Featuring some of history’s most remarkable characters, page-turning action, and vivid details, Countdown 1960 follows a group of extraordinary politicians, civil rights leaders, Hollywood stars, labor bosses, and mobsters during a pivotal year in American history. The election of 1960 ushered in the modern era of presidential politics, with televised debates, private planes, and slick advertising. In fact, television played a massive role. More than 70 million Americans watched one or all four debates. The public turned to television to watch campaign rallies. And on the night of the election, the contest between Kennedy and Nixon was so close that Americans were glued to their televisions long after dawn to see who won.

The election of 1960 holds stunning parallels to our current political climate. There were—potentially valid—claims of voter fraud and a stolen election. There was also a presidential candidate faced with the decision of whether to contest the result or honor the peaceful transfer of power.

Out now! Coming in paperback on May 19th.