In the Kingdom of Ice

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In the late nineteenth century, the North Pole captivated public imagination, shrouded in mystery and speculation. The prominent cartographer August Petermann theorized that warm currents supported a lush island at the world's summit, igniting nationalistic fervor among nations eager to claim it. James Gordon Bennett, the wealthy owner of The New York Herald, sought to replicate his previous success of sending Stanley to find Dr. Livingstone by funding a U.S. naval expedition to the Pole. He appointed George Washington De Long, a young officer known for a rescue operation in Greenland, as captain. On July 8, 1879, the USS Jeannette departed San Francisco, greeted by enthusiastic crowds caught up in "Arctic Fever." However, the ship soon became trapped in pack ice. After two years, the hull was breached, forcing the crew to abandon ship. Within an hour, the Jeannette sank, leaving the men stranded a thousand miles north of Siberia with minimal supplies. Thus began their arduous trek across the unforgiving ice, confronting snow blindness, polar bears, fierce storms, and the psychological toll of isolation, all while fighting for survival in one of the world's most desolate regions.