This book presents a new perspective on the Polish struggle for freedom and independence. It examines three historical periods—the Napoleonic Wars, World War I, and World War II—when Poles were forced to fight in other nations' armies to defend a Poland that seemed lost to history. Stefanic considers how Poland survived even though aggressive neighbors has eliminated it from the map.

Stefancic's essays provide a general overview of each period and examines specific events. He addresses such questions as how the soldiers' maintained their national identity while serving in a foreign army and the ways in which they related to foreign cultures.