Following the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, the Kennedy Administration had given a green light to the prisoners' families to make any attempt possible to free their men, as the President felt personally responsible for their plight after his on-and-off support during the invasion. Held in unsanitary and perilous conditions, the prisoners' health and safety were foremost in the minds of their anguished spouses, mothers, fathers, and siblings. During the Summary Military Trial, 99.9% of the war prisoners had refused to blame the U.S. or cave into pressure to admit guilt. After that, explosives were placed in their prisons, to be set off in case of a much publicized "Yankee" invasion. This never-before told story offers today's reader the rare opportunity to experience the unique tug-of-war that developed between the U.S. and Cuba while the families of the prisoners held out hope for their eventual release. In the middle of all of this, the world almost came to an end during the October Cuban Missile Crisis. Rather than despairing, the Families Committee continued to negotiate while the world's superpowers faced off. The book is a negotiator's handbook par excellence. James B. Donovan's technique of persuasion, bluff, and prior homework sets the standard for any would-be negotiator today. Read on to find out how perseverance and boldness pays off even in the face of incredible odds, and you will realize how the price of freedom is as dear and as cherished today as it was back on April 17, 1961 at the Bay of Pigs, in Cuba.