TheBlackDevils'Marchisanaccountofhowthe1st(andonly)PolishArmoredDivisionintheWestundertheleadershipofGeneralStanislawMaczek,aroseoutoftheashesofdefeatandwhileattemptingtoavoidtheinternalpoliticsofthePolishGovernmentinExile,wasabletoreturntoEuropeinAugust1944onthesideoftheWesternAllies.InEuropetheDivisionachievedglory,honorandvictorybutwasunabletoliberatePolandowingtothepoliticsofthepostwarsettlementinEurope.

TheaccountoftheformationandcombatserviceoftheDivisionisfullyresearchedfromPolish,EnglishandGermansources,andincludestraininginScotland,theunit'ssharpintroductiontowarfareintheNormandybocage,theFalaiseGapandHill262,theadvanceintoBelgiumandHolland,andfinalvictoryonGermansoil.Thetextissupportedbynearly100photographs(manypreviouslyunpublished),maps,anddetailedappendices,includingalistoftheDivision'smedalrecipients.

ThepoliticsofthePolishArmyareexaminedaswellasthehistoricallegacyofthePolishsoldierinexile.ThishelpsthereaderunderstandthefrustrationofthePolesastheysoughttoformanarmoredunit-notonlywasitofvalueaspartofthePolishArmyfightingalongsidetheAllies,itwasalsoofconsiderablepoliticalvaluetothePolesastheysoughttopreservetheirdignityandsovereignty.TheconclusionpointstoaratherhollowvictoryforthePolesbyMay1945,asGermanymayhavebeenvanquishedbutPolandremainedoccupied,thistimebytheSovietUnion.