The Moon is down, a novel sponsored by the OSS and written by John Steinbeck, and for which he received a medal of honor, was published by Viking Press in March 1942. The story details a military occupation of a small town in Northern Europe by the army of an unnamed nation at war with England and Russia (much like the occupation of Norway by the Germans during World War II).
Taken by surprise, a small coastal town is overrun by the invading army with little resistance. The town is important because it has a large coal mine. Colonel Lanser, the head of the invading battalion, along with his staff establishes his HQ in the house of Mayor Orden, the democratically elected and much-liked mayor of the town. As the reality of occupation sinks in and the weather turns bleak, with the snows beginning earlier than usual, the "simple, peaceful people" of the town are angry and confused. Colonel Lanser, a veteran of many wars, tries to operate under a veil of civility and law, but in his heart he knows that "there are no peaceful people" amongst those whose freedom has been taken away by force. The veil is soon torn apart when Alexander Morden, an erstwhile alderman and "a free man," is ordered to work in the mine. He strikes out at Captain Loft with a pick axe, but Captain Bentick steps into its path and dies of it. After a summary trial, Morden is executed by a firing squad. This incident catalyzes the people of the town and they settle into "a slow, silent, waiting revenge." Sections of the railroad get damaged regularly, the machinery breaks down often, and the dynamo of the electricity generators gets short circuited. Whenever a soldier relaxes his guard, drinks or goes out with a woman, he gets killed. Mayor Orden stands by his people, and tries to explain to Col. Lanser that his goal - "to break man’s spirit permanently" - is impossible. The cold weather and the constant fear weighs heavy on the occupying force, many of whom wish the war to end so that they can return home. They realize the futility of the war and that "the flies have conquered the flypaper." The resistance asks England for explosives so that they can intensify their efforts. The allied planes drop small parachutes with dynamite sticks & chocolates all around the town. In a state of panic, the army takes the Mayor and his friend Dr. Winter, the town doctor and historian, hostage and lets it be known that any action from resistance will lead to their execution. Mayor Orden knows that nothing can stop his people and that his death is imminent. He tells his wife that while he can be killed, the idea of Mayor (and freedom and democracy) is beyond the reach of any army. Before his execution, Mayor Orden reminds Dr. Winter of the dialogues of Socrates in the Apology, a part he played in the high school play, and tells him to make sure that the debt is repaid to the army so that the resistance is continued.
Personally I didn’t like the book, but I think it is generally liked, so if you are the fan of world of war I really suggest you take a look at it.