Reviews (6)

Makers of Modern Strategy
"Makers of Modern Strategy" is a scholarly collection of high quality papers on strategy since Machiavelli to the present nuclear age. The beauty of the book is that one can focus on the era that one is interested in. There is no need to read the book cover to cover as the various essays are stand alone although they are presented sequentially and related papers are adjacent to each other. I have read and re-read some of the papers. The book is about strategy and the realities of war. The essays are clearly balanced and not biased. The phenomenon of war was clearly explained from the studies of past wars. It is clear that war has been a fundamental reality of social and political existence from an early stage of political organisation to the present times. The tragic aspects of war and the intellectual and emotional disturbances it creates could be discerned from the essays.
Mandatory Reading for Army Staff Majors
As the title indicates, the Army's Command & General Staff College requires students to read Makers of Modern Strategy in the core history class.Professors can make best use of this book as a supplement.As other reviewers have noted, the chapters are disjointed with each other.Taken separately, however, many of the chapters help the history student or enthusiast to develop a depth of understanding on a particular subject.Authors such as John Shy, Douglas Porch, Michael Howard, and Condoleeza Rice, just to name a few, explore many of the strategic issues involved with the evolution of military thought. Good general military history overview.
One of the essentials, a good starting point for the study of military history and strategy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - Military / War    3. Military    4. Military - Strategy    5. Military Science    6. Military art and science    7. Military history    8. Military history, Modern    9. Strategy    10. World - General    11. Defence strategy, planning & research    12. European History    13. History / Military / Strategy    14. Political Science and International Relations    15. World History/Comparative History   

Reviews (111)

This will have you in awe.
Hampton Sides has written a very readable classic.Ghost Soldiers gives a blow by blow account of the rescue of the remaining Allied (mostly US) prisoners from the Japanese POW camp at Cabanatuan, Philippines.The smallest details are noted, many of which are harrowing.What the POWs went through during their three years of captivity after the fall of Bataan will shock you although readers who are familiar with WWII will know what I mean.The highs and lows of man's character are laid out for all to see in this book and you can't help but be moved.
Better Than The Movie
Hampton Sides' telling of the rescue of 500 POWS, survivors of the infamous Bataan Death March, by U.S. Army Rangers in the Philippines during the waning days of World War II is an outstanding job of reportage. Sides tells the story from the eyes of the rescued and their rescuers, building suspense that wasn't always present in the The Great Raid, the film adaptation of his story. As a working journalist for more than 30 years, I know I good story when I read one, and this one falls into that category.

another story that needs telling
When I was a kid, my father and uncles spoke with reverence of those who were on the Bataan Death March.These men who were heroes in my eyes regarded the Bataan guys as REAL heroes.They described the march as the most horrible treatment ever received by US military personel.Only recently have I really begun reading books about the Pacific war, and I stumbled over this one after seeing the trailer for the movie.I'm really glad I found it
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Subjects:  1. Cabanatuan    2. Campaigns    3. Concentration camps    4. History    5. History - Military / War    6. Military    7. Military - Strategy    8. Military - United States    9. Military - World War II    10. Philippines    11. Regimental histories    12. United States    13. World War, 1939-1945    14. History / Military / World War II   

Reviews (9)

Death before being dishonored.
An important and imperative work. Investigative journalisim at its best under trying circumstances. American at its core, in that it gets a tough and dirty job done. Not with the help of government, but despite it.In this Reagan era of privitizaton/trust the market place, we have a choice: trust Bush or the dollar.How could you lose?Thebook opens and closes with Col. Ted Westhusing, the definition of his alma mater, WEST POINT: DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY. Third in his class, plus a doctor of philosophy, and an exemplary record of war/peace service. Yet he met his nemesis: Iraq. For in Iraq he found a war of privitization that had nothing what so ever to do with DUTY, HONOR, or COUNTRY.It was simply about the money, or at best, cronyism.Whether it was murder or suicide, his last communication was in writing and I paraphrase, " I cannot support a mission that leads to corruption, human rights abuse and liars. No more. I cannot support corrupt, money hungry contractors, nor work for commanders only intersested in themselves. I came to serve honorably and I feel dishonored.Why serve when you cannot accomplish the mission, when you no longer believe in the cause, when your every effort and breath is met with lies, lack of support and selfishness.Life needs trust". So what comes around goes around.When a government is "elected" that produces Iraqs and Katrinas then you get the government you deserve.Col. Ted Westhusing desevered better. We, the citizenry could count on him.But in the end, he could not count on us. This book needs to be read and passed on by word of mouth.I wouln't count on the privitized mainstream press.I think there are about a total of four papers left that still have a investigative journalism department.After all, it is all about the bottom line. The Money. Highly recommended!!!!!

Bush and Friends Strike Again!
A free and democratic Iraq was supposed to become an oasis.The U.S. has committed over $30 billion to rebuild Iraq - more than the $2.4 billion (inflation-adjusted) spent on Germany after WWII, and far more than the $2 billion originally planned to rebuild Iraq.In addition, over 500 contractor employees have died trying to make Iraq a better place.Goals were rarely set, and even less often met.Yet, after three years of rebuilding, Iraqis have less power in their homes than under Saddam, oil production is about 20% below pre-Saddam days, outbreaks of easily preventable diseases like hepatitis occur for lack of clean drinking water, and thousands of Iraqis have died in sectarian conflict.
Reader make up their own mind
Blood Money is a dramatic, persuasive and meticulous work. It would be better without the biased innuendos found throughout, such as VP Chaney somehow benefiting through the government contracts with his old company, Haliburton Oil. No proof of this is offered.
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Subjects:  1. Economic Conditions    2. Economic aspects    3. Equipment and supplies    4. Government - U.S. Government    5. International Relations (Specific Aspects)    6. International Relations - General    7. Iraq War, 2003-    8. Military Expenditures    9. Moral and ethical aspects    10. Petroleum    11. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    12. Political Science    13. Politics / Current Events    14. Politics/International Relations    15. United States    16. 21st century    17. Asian / Middle Eastern history: postwar, from c 1945 -    18. Current Events / General    19. Iraq    20. USA    21. War & defence operations   

Reviews (7)

Revisionist, Questionable, Valuable, and a Starting Point

The ifs accumulate.
As if Lewis Sorley's paen to Abrams wasn't enough, now we have this doorstop of a tome. As if Vietnam was not bad enough as it was, now we have to wade through more "what might have been." Neither of these works are history, in that sense. The only thing new here is which demons to chastize this time around. The communist buhddists/bhuddist dupes (who had absolutely no reason to oppose Diem). The nefarious reporters, who twisted the truth to what end (as if the Americans who read the articles believed them). And of course lets elevate Diem, a political nonentity raised by the US through blatant electoral fraud, to sainthood right up there with Samoza, Pinochet, the Greek Generals, etc.
A Valuable Contribution to the Study of American Military History
It is certainly about time that a scholar trained in historical research takes a new look at the Vietnam War era and evaluates it on the basis of the wealth of new evidence which has become available. This new book by Dr. Mark Moyar, "Triumph Forsaken," offers a serious challenge to those of the so-called "orthodox school" of historians and commentators regarding the War itself, its justification, and its consequences. Self-described as a "revisionist" historian, Moyar provides a reassessment of the events from America's first intrusion into the Vietnam arena (mainly in the form of "advisors"), through the fateful assassination of South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem, to the placement of U.S. ground forces into Vietnam by President Lyndon Johnson.
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Subjects:  1. 1945-1975    2. History    3. History - Military / War    4. History: American    5. Military - Vietnam War    6. United States - 20th Century    7. Vietnam    8. Vietnam War, 1961-1975    9. Asian history: Vietnam War    10. History / United States / 20th Century    11. War & defence operations    12. c 1960 to c 1970   

Subjects:  1. 1945-    2. Cold War    3. Foreign relations    4. History - Military / War    5. International Relations - General    6. Military - Nuclear Warfare    7. Nuclear Energy    8. Political Science    9. Politics/International Relations    10. United States    11. World politics    12. American history: postwar, from c 1945 -    13. Europe    14. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    15. Former Soviet Union, USSR (Europe)    16. History / General    17. History, World | Modern    18. International relations    19. Postwar period, 1945 to c 2000    20. USA    21. War & defence operations   

Reviews (23)

All warfighters should read this
This book should be read by a variety of folks that desire to understand even a little bit more about what is happening and happening to US in the middle east. It is not a book that spends countless pages complaining about the state of union. This book will enable the tip of the spear as we are so fond of refering to our fighting forces, concise and credible information with regard to the mindset of thier opposing forces. I have been told over and over, that you cannot defeat an opponent unless you understand how he/she thinks. It does shed some light on how the military-industrial complex is steering the people of many countries wrong by proposing extensive, expensive weapon systems that separate the men from the battle and advertise a zero loss of life war for our side. (Both sides should just throw rocks, it'll be simpler) And above all it mentions the one issue that is generating higher and higher turnover rates, ARMCHAIR warfighters, and the military personnel system, that rewards compliance and not innovation, that condones indivualist and fails to properly reward teamwork. Battles should be fought from front to back and not the reverse as we are doing. I reccomend this book to all, and not just to those in uniform.

Good read
The book was very informative though appeared padded by newspaper accounts of terrorist activities which made the book longer than it really needed to be. Excellent historical background which linked the past with the present, providing a how and why of our present circumstances.

Peering Into the Shadows
H. John Poole takes up the banner he flies in his earlier work The Tiger's Way.He addresses the challenges of what he calls Eastern-style light infantry fighting a Western-style force with the added wrinkle of Middle Eastern guerilla/insurgency.Poole's work in Crescent Moon is needed.Westerners look down our collective noses at Middle Eastern military capability.Poole attempts to shake us out of our arrogant torpor by analyzing just how the Afghans defeated the Soviets, how the Chechens are defeating the Russians, and how the Iraqi insurgency is making progress in Iraq.Unfortunately, Poole does not offer many specific solutions.However, I can overlook this shortcoming because I believe Poole's real focus is on convincing his readers that there is a problem.No solution will be palatable to Westerners until Westerners believe a solution might be needed.
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Subjects:  1. History    2. History - Military / War    3. History / Middle East    4. Military    5. Military - General    6. Military - Strategy    7. Technology / Military Science   

Reviews (80)

Yes, this is true!
This was a very confusing time for us at home trying to read the news. Bing West explains the interaction between the politicians and military commanders. My brother was in Fallujah at this time and enjoyed finding new information.

Average "Joe" view
It's truly amazing what our military men an women go through in Iraq (and elsewhere). Unselfissly risking their lives to help total strangers.Very intense. The book puts you right there in the action.The author comes across as very objective about the war.

Marine dad's view.
My Marine son gave me this book for Christmas 2005 after his deployment to Fallujah. I could not put it down from page one.Bing West is the "real deal" and sets forth the compelling story of the Battle of Fallujah as only a Marine can do. This work is a true and fitting tribute to the brave men who exemplify the best of the Marine Corps core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment."No True Glory" is a must read for any parent with a son in the Corps.
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Subjects:  1. Campaigns    2. Fallujah, Battle of, Fallåujah, Iraq, 2004    3. History    4. History - Military / War    5. Iraq War, 2003-    6. Military    7. Military - Iraq War    8. Military - Strategy    9. Military History - 1990-    10. Political Freedom & Security - General    11. Politics/International Relations    12. Rebellion And Insurgency    13. History / Military / United States   

Reviews (16)

The Best Edition

ART OF WAR Sun Tsu
Many points that apply not only to wars and Governments, but to living.

Foundation of Military Science

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Subjects:  1. Eastern - General    2. General    3. History    4. Military    5. Military - Strategy    6. Military Science    7. Philosophy    8. Philosophy / Eastern    9. Technology-Military Science   

Reviews (166)

Oh boy, more "lets understand the terrorist" garbage
The religion of peace is at it again!In response to the popes words, muslims all over the world respond with violence, destruction, rage, hatred, burning down buildings, burning papal effigies, issuing fatwas against the pope, and even shooting a 70 year old nun in the back.Wow, such peace from a religion of "peace".If Islam is a religion of peace, then all the guns in the world are pink flowers, and every nuclear bomb, a soft feathery pillow.Violence for words.Destruction for speech.PLEASE!This is a religion of war, and bereft mindless 70 year old bags like Noam have begun to lose a lot of mental function with age.This old bag of a man gives Muslims free passes and blames America.
Chomsky is a lunatic, take with a grain of salt
I picture Chomsky in a sunless, cluttered apartment full of scattered yellowing newspapers, surrounded only by walls of his own clippings.Yes, his recent writing is the result of too little exposure to the real world.Not everything is a conspiracy theory, and not all facts or events paint an overall trend or picture.The world is too random for all similar events to be related.But when you surround yourself with your own highlighted facts of history and dwell on them day after day trying to sell your thoughts, the result is going to be nonsense.I respect Chomsky's right to say what he thinks, and as a liberal I often find myself agreeing with him (but for vastly different reasons).What I do not respect are those readers who take his words as gospel, when they are simply the rantings and ravings of someone who has lost touch with how the real world works.Throwing together a bunch of events across history does not make for a lucid view of how we got to the present and what to do about the current problems.To me, he is no different from those who have assembled enough disjointed evidence as to convince themselves that 9-11 was perpetrated by the U.S. government.
hateful garbage
This is a spiteful, hateful man who is out of his element outside of linguistics.And he got that wrong, as well. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Criminology    2. International Relations - General    3. Political Freedom & Security - Law Enforcement    4. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    5. Political Science    6. Political Terrorism    7. Politics / Current Events    8. Politics/International Relations    9. September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001    10. Terrorism    11. Central government policies    12. History / United States / 20th Century    13. International relations    14. Terrorism, freedom fighters, armed struggle    15. War & defence operations    16. Current Events / International   

Editorial Review

The 2003 American invasion of Iraq was contentious, not just in the arena of global public opinion, but within the tight-lipped world of the George W. Bush White House. As Bob Woodward reveals in Read more

Reviews (246)

The 'art' of equivocation.....
Mr Woodward: You are confusing us.
SHOCK AND AWE
It was published in '04, and now, reading it in 09/06, as a latecomer all I can say is, it reads like the careful planning and pains-taking execution of an earth-shattering catastrophe.Years from now I expect George Bush will replace James Buchanan as America's worst president. For this reason alone, the book is or ought to be required reading.It is absolutely fascinating, even now as we look at the smoking ruins of cities and the heaps of corpses, both civilian and military. Less "why we went to war," more "how we went to war"
If you're anything like me, then you've probably been frustrated on more than one occasion when you've looked through your local bookstore's/library's collection of current political events books in a vain attempt to educate yourself as to what has happened in our world since 2000.Plan of Attack by Bob Woodward was my first attempt to learn more about the causes and effects of events that have shaped recent history.I picked it because Bob Woodward was a familiar name (he helped expose the Watergate scandal) out of the dozens of unfamiliar ones and it claimed to have more personal interview time with key people than others on the same subject.
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Subjects:  1. (George Walker),    2. 1946-    3. Bush, George W    4. Bush, George W.    5. Causes    6. Government - Executive Branch    7. History - U.S.    8. International Relations - General    9. Interviews    10. Iraq War, 2003    11. Iraq War, 2003-    12. Officials and employees    13. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    14. Political Science    15. Politics/International Relations    16. United States    17. United States - 21st Century    18. 21st century    19. Asian / Middle Eastern history: postwar, from c 1945 -    20. Current Events / General    21. International relations    22. Iraq    23. USA    24. War & defence operations   

Reviews (13)

Excellent; 4.5 Stars
There has been a revival of interest in this book because of our entanglement in Iraq.There are considerable similarities between the military situation faced by the French armed forces and the problems faced by our Army and Marines in Iraq.The political circumstances faced by the French, however, are quite different from those we face in Iraq.Regardless of any analogy with Iraq, the Algerian war is an important subject in its own right and this book is an excellent account of that war.Horne based his book on the extensive secondary literature in French and what appears to be a large number of interviews with many of the major actors.Horne accomplishes the difficult job of providing a good narrative of the war proper, accounts of the relevant politics of France and the European community (Pied Noir) of Algeria, a good history of the independence movement (the FLN), and an analysis of the role of the French armed forces as a political force.Each of these topics would be worthy of a book in their own right, but Horne manages to combine all these elements into a clear and very well written narrative.My only criticism is that it is clear that much of the violence in Algeria was Algerian versus Algerian, particularly committed by the FLN as part of an effort not only to achieve independence but also to guarantee political supremacy in anticipation of eventual victory.Horne deals with these issues but not extensively though he was probably limited by his source material.
Ever wonder why the French army wanted to kill de Gaulle in "The Day of the Jackal" ?This books explains it, and much more.
(1) This is a superb history book, by any standard.
a classic
As one ponders the `insurgency' in Iraq, one wonders if the administration had any idea what they were getting into. If they had read this work, they may have at least prepared for what has occurred since March 2003.
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Subjects:  1. Africa - North    2. Algeria    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Military History - Post 1945    7. North Africa - History    8. Revolution, 1954-1962    9. African history: postwar, from c 1945 -    10. History / Africa / North    11. War & defence operations    12. c 1945 to c 1960   

Reviews (8)

Excellent
Bought a copy. Lost it. HAD TO buy another to replace it. An excellent book, Sawyers commentaries modernize and place in context applicable to today's managers. Clearly a lot of work went into his explanations. A must have, must read, must study. Provided me with months worth of reading material at lunch.

The teachings of the greatest military geniuses of all time.
Sun Tzu collected his teachings into the ancient Chinesetreatise on military strategy known as "The Art of War" about twenty-five hundred years ago. Afterward his teachings were passed down through the Sun family, or a group of disciples, who edited or expounded upon the original writings until they assumed their current form. Sun Pin was the great-grandson of Sun Tzu, and he used the teachings of his brilliant ancestor to develop his Treatise "Military Methods". This wonderful translation by Ralph D. Sawyer includes both of these ancient texts. Sun Tzu and Sun Pin are timeless
The Art of War is the oldest and best military treatise this world has seen.It is amazing how Sun Tzu can talk about strategy and warfare in thirteen short chapters.His book is just the best about competition and strategy. And now we get to Sun Pin, the military strategist.I have awesome respect for him.He was betrayed and mutilated by his best friend, and still, he survived.He defeated his nemesis in a great strategic way that Sun Tzu would have mostly likely done.These two are the best and if they were in this world today, they would won every war that we fight, by their ability to adapt.If you want to get Ancient Strategy and Chinese Culture, get this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Early works to 1800    2. History - Military / War    3. Military - Strategy    4. Military Science    5. Military Tactics And Strategy    6. Military art and science    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Technology    9. Business strategy    10. History    11. Mind, body, spirit: disciplines & techniques    12. Other prose: classical, early & medieval    13. Warfare & Defence   

Reviews (4)

The ONLY "Before and After" Book on the Iraq Mis-Adventure
James Fallows is unique for giving us the only "before and after" book on Iraq.This book, while it consists of a collection of articles published in the run-up to the war on Iraq, is exemplary for showing what was known before the war, and how a combination of ideological bias, bureaucratic timidity, confusion, and general incompetence actually allowed this Nation to be led to an elective war of devastating consequence and cost.
Fallows Was First
Only one thing puzzles me about James Fallows: why is he not considered among our most important American journalists?
This Book Works Better than It Should
This book has an unpromising premise: Publish a book based largely on essays that have already been published as articles in the Atlantic Monthly from 2002 through 2005.Despite that, this book ends up working far better than one might expect.