This book deals with ordinary people whose security was forever shattered after being touched by traumatic events. A few of these calamities could not have been avoided; they were truly acts of God. Yet most of the historical episodes covered in this book did not have to happen. Lives were lost due to carelessness, greed or ignorance. In retrospect, in nearly every case, be it an act of God or an act of man, almost anyone should have been able to realize that disasfer was about to strike, that they were about to be tossed into harm's way. So why didn't the victims react? Why didn't they take the steps to avoid catastrophe?

In this gripping collection of extraordinary moments from our nation's past, Ace Collins tells the real-life tales of men, women, and children trapped in situations beyond their control. Culled from documents, interviews with key participants, and news stories of the day, Tragedies of American History chronicles the human drama of individuals facing life at its most extreme.

Offering keen insight into the way human beings experience and cope with disaster--from the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 to the Coconut Grove Fire of '42, from the Great Nashville Train Wreck of 1918 to 1953's Waco Tornado--Tragedies of American History contains the true tales of catastrophe and courage that have left their mark on the history of our nation and demonstrate America's strength in the face of overwhelming circumstances.

Dedication

Foreword

1. Senseless Tragedy over New York 1960

2. The Galveston Hurricane--1900

3. The New London School Explosion--1937

4. The Great Nashville Train Wreck---1918

5. Killer Camille--1969

6. The Burning of a Coconut Grove---1942

7. The Tri-State Tornado--1925

8. The Chicago School Fire--1958

9. Johnstown: Rich Man's Flood,

Poor Man's Disaster--1889

10. The Nightmare on the Sultana--1865

11. The Port Chicago Nightmare--1944

12. Waco: The Texas Twister--1953

13. The USS Thresher--1961

Acknowledgments

Index