The Dirty Dozen
by Erwin M. Nathansonliterary work· published 1965
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The Dirty Dozen is a powerfully prosaic novel about World War II. The title group comprises twelve convicted servicemen --murderers, rapists, armed robbers -- whose sentences are temporarily commutted by the War Office in order that they might partake in Project Amnesty, an unorthodox, unprecedented, and top secret mission, the exact nature of which is not revealed until the end of the book. Until then, we know only that the Dirty Dozen -- so named because they refuse to wash -- must be trained by Captain John Reisman to sneak behind enemy lines disguised as German officers, wreak some havoc, sow a bit of confusion, and generally weaken Nazi defenses in order that the Allied invasion can be more easily accomplished.
Adaptations (1)
The Dirty Dozen was adapted into a 1967 film.
The Dirty Dozen1967 · film · 150 min · dir. Robert Aldrich · IMDb ↗12 American military prisoners in World War II are ordered to infiltrate a well-guarded enemy château and kill the Nazi officers vacationing there. The soldiers, most of whom are facing death sentences for a variety of violent crimes, agree to the mission and the possible commuting of their sentences.
