5 comments about Nathanael Greene: A Biography of the American Revolution.

1. After reading Mr. Carbone's Nathaniel Greene series in the Providence Journal, I contacted him and asked if he had plans for a book. I felt that it was extremely well written. It kept my interest so much that I was anxious for the next morning's paper to arrive. It was written in such a way that you feel that you are there. As a big history buff and with the success of HBO's John Adams, I think that this book should be made into a major movie. Congratulations, GED!
   I highly recommend this book for all that are interested in American history.



2. Gerald Carbone writes that Nathanael Greene's involvement throughout the entire war results in the general's biography being quite similar to that of the American Revolution itself. This is a good summary for the book. In fact, Carbone even provides a refresher on the litany of acts imposed by Parliament that precipitated the war and discusses some of the battles in which Greene was never even involved.
   
   The writing is succinct and moves quickly through the events. Largely, based on Greene's Letters (but, unfortunately, not those of many others), Carbone describes Greene as a meticulous tactician and fervent patriot. The reader learns exactly how Greene was so successful in battle. After initial defeats in New York and Pennsylvania, perhaps due to over-optimism, Greene distinguished himself in New Jersey - at Springfield and in a victory of sorts at Monmouth. His ability to impose discipline and thoroughly understand local geography and use it to his advantage was extraordinary.
   
   The second part of the book deals with Greene's Southern command leading to the British surrender at Yorktown. This is quite a thrilling read about partisan warfare and daring tactics. For a further account of the less discussed, but highly important Southern Campaign, refer to Walter Edgar's Partisans and Redcoats.
   
   Through all the battles, however, the reader learns little about Greene's character. Why was this man, raised as a Quaker, so intent on leaving his new wife and family and successful business to fight against the British? Was it ambition and glory that propelled him to seek positions of authority? Or was it genuine support for the Patriot cause? And if so, what had turned him against the British?
   
   Furthermore, Greene commanded the first segregated regiment in Rhode Island and he was not an insignificant slaveholder himself; however, there is scant discussion of his views about slavery. We know that most of the other Founders were against it, many of whom were from a Southern society dependent on slavery, yet they vehemently renounced it (at least in writing) and declared it to be opposed to the egalitarian principles of the Revolution.
   
   The author pays homage to Greene's military successes, but Greene, despite his absence from politics, was an important leader and deserves further analysis. Fittingly, the author notes that Greene was buried in an unmarked tomb - after reading this book we still don't really know who he was.



3. It is amazing that after hundreds of years of review and many factual accounts being written that an author can bring new life and perspective to the American Revolution....but Gerald Carbone has done it with this book.
   
   This review of the General Nathanael Greene's personal life and war time thoughts and actions are documented in letters to his family, friends, General Washington, and other major military players. These letters are woven into historical accounts of this war providing a play by play to the game of cat and mouse he played with British Generals in both the northern and southern fronts over many years. The race to victory over the second half of the book is especially exciting for a story which we already know the outcome.
   
   Over and above the insight into Greene's thoughts and never ending planning for the war, the book provides an interesting perspective of the communication, travel and logistics of operating a war in that time period. His personal thoughts of balancing the responsibility of leading an army in war time and family duties are also intriguing.
   
   Definitely worth reading for the whole family.



4. In "Nathaneal Greene: A Biography of the American Revolution", Gerald Carbone provides the reader with an outstanding view of the American struggle for independence, at the same time providing tremendous insight into one of our country's most significant (and perhaps tragic) figures.
   The author's skillful use of the subject's own writings, as well as those of his contemporaries, provides the reader with an exceptional insight into both the characters and the tenor of the times. Exceptionally well researched and well written! An excellent read!



5. Gerald Carbone has written a book that every Rhode Islander should read.
   Nathanael Greene was a true Patriot and unsung hero in this country's fight for freedom.
   
   Mr Carbone's journalist's background can be seen in his absorbing portrait of a true American hero.

2 comments about Wade Hampton: Confederate Warrior to Southern Redeemer (Civil War America).

1. Wade Hampton III who was born in 1818 and whose life spanned the century (he died in 1902) was an important figure in South Carolina and in the American South. He was born to near-aristocracy, his father having fought in the War of 1812 and his grandfather in the Revolution. He was a wealthy plantation owner, one of the wealthiest in his state. He was also a conservative who opposed the break with the union, but when called upon to do his duty went to war and raised his own regiment known as 'Hampton's legion'. He served in the Stonewall Brigade and then took over JEB Stuart's cavalry units after the battle of Yellow Tavern. He served to the end with Lee. His son died in the war and his house and properties were destroyed by Sherman's union army in its march to the sea. After the war he was drafted to run for Govenor by the Democrats but relented waiting until 1877 to take the helm of his state as a passionate opponent of reconstruction and northern meddling in southern affairs. Later he served as a Senator.
   
   This book is not an fawning biography but rather a more critical one that examines the importance of this influential leader whose life mirrored that of his southern compatriots and that of his class. He was the embodiment of the south and as the title suggests, both a warrior and a redeemer whose efforts and politics hang over the South today.
   
   A very interesting, well written account that will appeal to devotees of Southern history and the Civil War.
   
   Seth J. Frantzman



2. After a dearth of many years, four biographies of southern soldier and politician Wade Hampton have recently appeared. I have read three; Rod Andrew's work is easily the best. Many of Hampton's personal papers were lost to fire; there are virtually no letters from him in existence before the war and most of his war papers were also lost, but Andrew has done an excellent job finding sources and scattered letters. Andrew used several letters from Hampton or close acquaintances that Brian Cisco did not include in his recent popular biography of Hampton. Andrew also gives a much fuller portrait of Hampton as a slave-holder than does Cisco, contrasting Wade III's paternal management with the brutality of his grandfather Wade I.
   I was impressed that Andrew detailed Hampton's amazing record as a cavalry commander with such detail, surpassing the treatment of Edward Longacre, who wrote about Hampton's Civil War service. But it is Andrew's analysis of Hampton's character and his commitment to southern ideals that stands out the most. Andrew has done an excellent job of defining Hampton in the era and landscape of his own existence, not forcing him to abide by modern standards of racial justice. Hampton was a racist, and a paternalist, but his legacy to the world was vastly different from men like Ben Tillman, Martin Gary, and James Henry Hammond. Hampton was a man of honor, who came to bitterly hate Yankees, especially William Sherman, and who never regretted or apologized for his role in the war. Although he did earnestly seek black votes and appointed many to office after his disputed gubernatorial election in 1876-77, he was never committed to enforcing civil rights and was an impotent defender of the limited success of his racial policy by the 1890s. Nonetheless, Hampton's record is largely remarkable. He was deeply mourned in passing as one of the finest of his era and section.
   Rod Andrew's biography is a first rate example of research and analysis. William Davis's work on John C. Breckinridge and Andrew's work on Hampton are my favorite biographies of Civil War-era southerners.

5 comments about Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat.

1. "Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat," by James R. McDonough, chronicles the author's experiences as an officer in the Vietnam War from 1970-71. His platoon is charged with manning an outpost next to the village of Truong Lam.
   
   This is a fascinating, well-written account. McDonough fills his narrative with vivid details that really made his story come alive in my mind. He doesn't flinch at describing the goriest and most horrific images of war. There are also moments of irony and bitter humor. Also noteworthy is the informative material about tactics used in Vietnam. And the author humanizes the story by touching on such "down-and-dirty" issues as the latrine his platoon used.
   
   McDonough's story is populated with a compelling cast of characters. Particularly intriguing is his exploration of relationships among the various groups he encountered in the war zone--U.S. enlisted men, his fellow Army officers, Vietnamese military allies, enemy forces, and the many civilians caught up in the conflict.
   
   While rich in scenes of combat, "Platoon Leader" goes beyond being just an action-packed war yarn. The book explores the ethics and morals of war. McDonough deals directly with the danger a soldier faces in becoming dehumanized by the brutality of war. He vividly portrays the struggle of a leader to remain wise and humane, yet also tough and resolute, under the most trying of circumstances. This book is both a profound meditation on wartime leadership and a powerful work of American literature.



2. James McDonough provides an in-depth look at infantry platoon operations in Vietnam. This is a must read for anyone who intends to pursue a military career. The book is very graphic, but also very succint and to the point. McDonough doesn't waste time with superfluous details, every word is well chosen and critical to the telling of the story. Once you begin reading, you will not want to stop. It is a quick read, and well worth the time it takes.



3. As a junior officer I have an entire list of professional reading that I am trudging my way through, but so far McDonough has been by far the most enjoyable and has made the biggest impact on my own leadership style. Both Platoon Leader and Defense of Hill 781 are great books, but Platoon Leader is so far the best military memoir I have read. It has been over a year since I read this book, but the three things that have stuck with me are:
   1. Do the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason.
   2. Death in a combat zone is more about just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sooner or later your luck runs out, but you have the duty to your fellow soldiers to do everything in your power to protect them.
   3. The stealing of a bottle of soda from a grandmother leads slowly but inevitable to the rape of her granddaughter. If you let your soldiers steal at all you are setting the stage for what atrocities they will commit later. You must always be vigilant in your discipline.
   
   While I do not have combat experience, I am currently serving in Iraq and know second handedly that these concepts still hold true.
   
   Other than the leadership aspect of the book, Mcdonough is just a great story teller and is able to make the book engaging and addicting.



4. Platoon Leader was an excellent read, and one I would recommend for all those enjoy military reading. I would especially suggest it to all junior military leaders. Entertaining and well written, the author discusses at length his role as a leader, and what he views as good and bad leaders. The aspect of the book I enjoyed the most was it allowed the reader to see leadership, on a small-unit level, working in real-world combat conditions. Unlike many books leaders read for professional development, it shows how leadership works when employed and doesn't just philosophize about leadership principles.



5. In 1991, I had the privilege of being a student at the School of Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth under the direction of then Col James McDonough. A man of deep reflection, he was also passionate about soldiers and ensured that everything we did as students in teh study of warfare and campaign design kept them in mind.
   
   Now I am a university professor offering courses in US military history. Part of what I do is to expose my students to leadership and battle at the small unit level. There is no better book for that purpose concerning Vietnam than McDonough.
   
   Every student takes something different away from this book because, unlike many assigned books, they read it. The book captures you right from the beginning. You really can't put it down. And, it contains more lessons about life and leadership than I can express here.
   
   Knowing the author personally in 1991-1992 is special, for I saw in him then the character that had developed from his time in Vietnam. He tells it like it is, he means what he says, and he stands by his word. His book is more than just a memoir, it is therapy for a man who must live with the past, both for better and for worse.

5 comments about Henry Knox: Visionary General of the American Revolution.

1. In very many ways, the story of the United States is also Henry Knox' story, of someone from humble beginnings, including a physical handicap, rising to be a significant part in the American Revolution, through personal efforts and overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges. Knox may not have been an architect of victory, but he certainly was one of the major instruments of it. An American `Man For All Seasons', his range of talents, as well as personal and professional growth, were amazing: valor and leadership in the field; extraordinary organizational skills; trusted senior advisor to George Washington; quick in developing tactics and tools to accommodate the Continental Army's myriad weaknesses; founder of the US Navy; recognizing and exploiting new technology; founder of West Point Military Academy; architect of a professional officer corps. These and more were contributions he made that not only served the immediate struggle for the US' existence, but also provided tools for subsequent national leaders who were grateful for having them as instruments of policy. And, like all of George Washington's `family', he had a sense of honor that was sorely tested by the pointed, repeated and deliberate failures of national political leaders, something that exists still in today's modern military. The 257 pages are organized into 12 chapters and an Epilog, with extensive notes and bibliography. The time span is from his early years to his untimely death. A delightful read, and highly recommended.



2. From Boston street rat to American revolutionary general to the first U.S. Secretary of War, the career of Henry Knox rose steadily and triumphantly despite a life dogged by personal tragedy. Knox's quick intellect allowed him to turn bombardment theory gained through voracious reading into expert practice during the American Revolution; his unflagging optimism and good-natured love of people charmed open the doors to the halls of political power; his reliability and integrity gained him the respect and admiration of the army and its civic leadership. Perhaps the greatest testament to his spirit was his refusal to break under the deaths of nine children and the gradual mental collapse and death of William, his only sibling.
   
   Puls's biography of Knox falls into the category of "Better than Nothing." Knox, for whom the famed repository of American gold is named, deserves the limelight Puls shines on him. Also, Puls's writing is clear and exciting, the kind of prose that captures the imagination and holds it tightly. However, this is not a scholarly work, and it shows. Speculation on what Knox may have felt or thought is too prominent, and there isn't much in the way of scientifically-historical investigation. This popular biography fills a thoroughly necessary spot in the American library--to introduce the casual reader to a great historical figure who may otherwise have been forgotten. It's simply unfortunate that Knox has the popular biography without the definitive scholarly work to undergird it.



3. This is a very readable and much needed history of a forgotten founder of our country. I'd never read much of anything about Knox except that he got the cannons from Ticonderoga to Boston at the start of the revolution. It never occurred to me to think much about why Washington put so much trust in him and named him to his cabinet. There are a few minor errors, such as Puls statement that Hamilton wasn't able to run for President due to his foreign birth (false - per Article II, anyone a citizen at the adoption of the Constitution was eligible), but they don;t detract much from the whole.



4. Our hero George Washington was able to achieve the key Revolutionary War battles with the incredible foresight, creativity, and persistence of his General, Henry Knox - a self taught man. He was with General Washington from the beginning in Boston, through the battles in NYC, engineered the crossing of the Potomac, and finally victory in Yorktown.
   
   George Washington said "There is no man whom I love more or have a stronger friendship."



5. Henry Knox was one of those men who lives in the shadows. He was, in his time, a memorable individual: a fat man with a booming voice and an ebullient personality, a wonderful friend with a hale-fellow-well-met personality. He was also one of the people more instrumental in the success of the Continental army during the American Revolution. So it's a bit surprising that other than the fort named after him, and the city in Tennessee, he's largely unknown. The author of this book, Mark Puls, aims to correct this.
   
   The author writes a short, concise, informative account of Knox's background and upbringing. One chapter suffices to get the reader to the beginning of the Revolution, though it should be pointed out that this isn't that long a period of time: Knox was in his 20s for much of the revolution, something that surprised me. I knew he was young, but not *that* young. Knox took charge of the artillery train that had to be moved from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston, a distance of several hundred miles across very difficult terrain, and did it during early winter, often waiting for the frost to harden the mud on the roads. Knox then was appointed to command Washington's artillery, a position he held from that point until the end of the war.
   
   This means that for all of the major battles of the Revolution that Washington fought, Knox was there with him, directing the guns. He also served as an engineer and logistics chief, and on more than one occasion Washington entrusted the army's safety to Knox, assigning him to ensure the army's crossing of the Delaware to Trenton, for instance. By the end of the Revolution, when the French army joined with the Continental army to besiege the British at Yorktown, the French army's engineers and artillerists were pleasantly surprised to discover that Knox, a young man with no formal training as a soldier, was nonetheless very skilled and knowledgeable.
   
   Knox didn't really leave public service at the end of the war. Instead, he wound up succeeding Washington as commander-in-chief of the army, then served as Secretary at War for the Continental Congress during the period running up to the ratification of the Constitution. Knox supported the constitution, and advocated to Gouveneur Morris a government constructed rather like the one that emerged from the convention; Knox wrote his letter to Morris six months before Morris helped write the Constitution. Knox then served Washington as Secretary of War, among other things constructing the army and founding the modern American Navy, an action for which he usually isn't remembered. The Humphreys frigates ("Constitution", "United States", "President", "Constellation", etc.) were constructed at Knox's direction, though of course Humphreys himself gets the majority of the credit for the idea. These warships were large enough that they could defeat single British frigates in single combat, and fast enough they had a chance of outrunning any larger ships they encountered. Knox deserves some credit for their success, and for the founding of the Navy. He left Washington's cabinet several years before the end of the administration, serving in various capacities in the Massachusetts legislature and government before retiring from public life.
   
   But his signal achievement, probably, was his advocacy of the establishment of a military academy for soldier cadets. As early as the last years of the Revolution he argued that something along these lines be done, and he even established a school for army officers (especially artillerists) in his military camp. He pretty much tirelessly argued for the establishment of a permanent academy at West Point, and finally, after 25 years of advocacy, succeeded in 1803 when the United States Military Academy was established. Knox died three years later, a victim of a chicken bone that lodged in his throat, the wound becoming infected.
   
   The author does a good job of outlining Knox's life without getting into details too much. This is appropriate for a short biography of a soldier of the American Revolution. This book is very comparable to Terry Golway's biography of Nathaniel Greene, "Washington's General", which was released a few years ago, and was, to my mind, very successful. This is a highly recommended account of the life of a very interesting, and little-known, American soldier, and it belongs on the shelf of any military history buff who studies the American Revolution.

5 comments about AT LENINGRAD'S GATES: The Combat Memoirs of a Soldier with Army Group North.

1. Herr Luebecke's account reveals the average patriotic Germans account of his youth and his being drafted into the Wermacht.Outstanding read, highly recommend this book to any one looking for firsthand accounts from the German point of view



2. Easily the best WWII biography ever is The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer (even if it is partly fictionalized as some speculate). That book is the standard by which all other war biographies are measured. I found the most compelling chapters to be the defense of Memel on the Baltic coast and Sajer's subsequent evacuation to Germany.
   
   Fans of the Forgotten Soldier will definitely want to read this book as well. Lubbeck also ends up in the defense of Memel and is finally evacuated from the Baltic coast on one of the last ships to leave before the end of the war. Lubbeck's experiences are not nearly so harrowing as Sajer's and are not described in such detail but it is very interesting to get a second perspective on that part of the war which is not widely documented.
   
   The book is well-written (unlike most German soldier memoirs, it has an American historian as coauthor) and includes good maps. Lubbeck is very precise about dates and locations of battles. The book includes a decent number of pictures of Lubbeck himself at various points in the war. As a forward observer and artillery officer, anyone interested in those aspects of warfare will find the book interesting. Also, unlike Sajer, Lubbeck describes in detail his life before the war including the Great Depression and during the rise of Nazism. And he describes life after the war as his family was split by the division of Germany into East and West and his eventual emigration to the United States and life after the war. To the backdrop of the war is his love affair with his future wife. Regardless of all the positives, I just didn't find the storytelling that compelling. In spite of fighting in France in 1940 and in Russia from 1941 to 1945, Lubbeck spends little time on the front line (which of course is probably why he is still alive to write the book). Written over fifty years after the fact, there was a lack of detail.
   
   I give the book three stars not because it is bad, but because my standard is high. Of the war biographies I have read, this one ranks in the middle. I am the kind of person that will read almost any war biography. This one was certainly worth the price. I put Leningrad's Gates in the second tier of war biographies behind Sajer and others like Panzer Commander.



3. The best war memoirs, such as Charles MacDonald's Company Commander, are written as soon after the events described as possible and focus on what the author personally observed. Unfortunately, there has been a tendency of late to peddle World War Two memoirs before the last of these vets pass on and we have men in their mid-80s trying to piece together events that happened over 60 years ago. William Lubbeck, a former German officer who became a US citizen in 1961, provides readers with an account of his life and wartime activities which is interesting, but rather vapid at times. Instead of an in-depth portrait of life at the front, with crisp details, one senses that the co-author was struggling to pry details out of Lubbeck and had to settle for anecdotes. Readers who are interested in the author's participation in the siege of Leningrad will learn a few things, but will be disappointed to see that despite the title, only about one quarter of the book concerns operations around that city. As German war memoirs go, this one has nothing on Ernst Junger's classic from the First World War or Guy Sajer, but it is interesting to see things from the point of view who started the war as a private and ended it as a captain. Unfortunately, much of the historical value of this book is undermined by the author's over-focus on maintaining contact with his fiancée during the war - while certainly of high interest to him personally at the time, it detracts from his front-line narrative.
   
   The books first three chapters focus on the author's childhood on a farm in central Germany, the depression and the beginning of Nazi rule. In August 1939, the author was drafted into the Wehrmacht and he saw his first action in France in 1940. For the rest of the war, the author served on the Russian Front in the 13th Company (Heavy Weapons) of the 154th Infantry Regiment, 58th Infantry Division. Initially serving in the signal platoon, the author gradually shifted to being a forward observer in late 1941 and was sent back to Germany for officer training in December 1943. In May 1944, the author returned to his old company as its commander and fought with it across the Baltic States to the port of Memel. Unusually, the author succeeded in escaping from the advancing Red Army by German destroyer and surrendered to the British in Copenhagen. The last 50 pages of the book's 250 concern the author's post-war life in Germany, Canada and the US. There are about 20 photos in the center of the book which are quite good.
   
   One notes reading this book that the author was possessed of the foolishness of young soldiers but that he was also quite lucky. I cringed when I read that he brought home to his family in Germany a 75-mm `dud' shell that had landed next to him (apparently, the Wehrmacht didn't teach much safety) and he liked to wander around the front-lines at night looking for `action.' Lubbeck was wounded four times during 1940-45 but each time it was a minor injury (`RTD' in modern parlance) that didn't require hospitalization. This was very lucky for a German soldier on the Eastern Front and doubly lucky not to be captured by the Soviets.
   
   Throughout this book, the author is making a pitch for `good, patriotic Germans' who fought for their country but opposed Hitler and the Nazis. He also claims that his family was `persecuted' by the local Nazis for their political views. These claims seem dubious. Von Stauffenberg opposed Hitler, as did Bishop Clemens August Graf von Galen, but the author's opposition to the Nazis doesn't appear based upon any overt act. Indeed, late in the book he admits one uncle was a Nazi official and that his fiancée had a framed picture of Hitler in her room. Instead, like most Germans, the author probably supported the Nazis (he sort of admits this in the early chapters) when they were building up Germany but became disenchanted when the war turned sour. Nowadays, it's important for German veterans to remind their American readers that they were against the regime and just `doing their job.' Unfortunately, the author never mentions that something like 1 million Soviet citizens died in Leningrad due to starvation and artillery bombardment, of which he was a part. Not one word about the magnitude of suffering inflicted upon the Soviet people. Instead, the author seems to accept the `stab in the back' theory of 1918, that the Treaty of Versailles was a terrible injustice (forgetting about Germany's equally harsh Treaty of Brest-Litovsk inflicted on Russia) and that the Bolsheviks were a sub-human menace that needed to be stopped before they threatened Western Europe. Opposed Hitler? It's clear that the author swallowed Nazi propaganda hook, line and sinker and has still not come to terms with what he was part of. At one part, he claims that some German soldiers `may have' committed crimes in Russia, but most of the atrocities were done by `racist fanatics.' Right. Just go look at the captured German records in the National Archives and it quickly becomes apparent that Wehrmacht troops were involved in massacres in the USSR, right alongside SS troops. Interestingly, the author never mentions any SS troops in this book, even though they were serving in this sector.
   
   I found the last chapters on the author's successful career in the US as an engineer particularly vapid. I kept wondering when he was going to have the self-realization to ask, `did I deserve this success?' but he never does. So, poor Ira Hayes, who helped raise the flag on Iwo Jima dies in a pool of vomit in a pigsty and Audie Murphy came home as a homeless person, while a former German officer who participated in one of the most brutal sieges in history comes over here and lives the "American Dream."



4. This in a nice firsthand account of combat in World War II form the German perspective. It is the humanity of the story and the personality of William Lubbeck that stand out in the story, which is told at a late age. Lubbeck served with the 58th Infantry Division in the Western Campaign of 1940 and in the Army Group North on the Eastern Front. His is the tale of a ambitious infantry soldier that was promoted to an officer in the crucible of war. The story provides a satisfactory explanation as to why German soldiers fought in 1944 and 1945 as they did. It also tells less glamorous stories of lice and dirt and how soldiers travelling home changed trains on the border and deloused before going further. This is also a story of an infantry man, who didn't ride a Tiger and walked into Russia while the baggage train and artillery were drawn by horses and the only pleasure and recreation was a good bath and a latrine. There is also a love story between Lubbeck and his future wife Annelise, their relationship while he was at the front, his worries about her during the allied bombings and her uncertainty of his fate at the front. I appreciated also his detailed descriptions of life at the front and the remarkable sequence of events that enabled him to survive the last few weeks of the war. The section describing life in East Germany right after the war, including a close encounter with a Soviet patrol, was also interesting. As an aside, I was impressed by the number of personal wartime photographs included with the narrative. They're helpful in visualizing the situation within Lubbeck's unit. I have read several good memoirs of the Russian Front, but Lubbeck's stands out as truly remarkable. His account of his experiences was refreshingly candid and provided great insight into the horrors suffered on both sides of the line. I recommend this book.



5. I found this book to be a very warm recollection of terrible times. As a reader I felt I had shared in Lubbeck's experience. His story is told at a late age so it is interesting to see what memories stand out, I also followed his post war life with interest, both because Lubbeck comes out as a likeable man and because post war Germany was a troubled land in dark times, the war was over but the hardships were not.
   
   Lubbeck served with the 58th Infantry Division in Army Group North on the Eastern Front. His is the tale of a ambitious infantry soldier that was promoted to an officer in the crucible of war. The story provides a satisfactory explanation as to why German soldiers fought in 1944 and 1945, it also tells less glamorous stories of lice and dirt and how soldiers travelling home changed trains on the border and deloused before going further. This is also a story of an infantry man, who didn't ride a Tiger and walked into Russia while the baggage train and artillery were drawn by horses and R&R was a good bath and latrine.
   
   It is the humanity of the story and the personality of William Lubbeck that stand out in the story. There is also a love story between Lubbeck and his future wife Annelise, their relationship while he was at the front, his worries about her during the allied bombings and her uncertainty of his fate at the front.
   
   All in all a rewarding book.

5 comments about Stilwell and the American Experience in China, 1911-45.

1. This is a remarkable book and well worth reading nearly four decades after its initial publication. Tuchman is a gifted author and her subject, "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell, is an outrageous, memorable figure. Even readers with a limited familiarity with China or the Pacific theater during the Second World War will find "Stilwell and the American Experience in China" captivating.
   
   Joe Stilwell was, to say the least, an unusual Army officer for his generation. He had a gift for languages and was drawn to career-limiting foreign assignments from the moment in he left West Point. He spoke fluent Spanish and French before he accepted a chance posting to China in his mid-thirties primarily because it offered the opportunity to get out of the country and learn a new language and culture. By the time the US entered the Second World War, Stilwell was the most highly rated Corps commander in the Army, but also had many years experience in China and spoke fluent Mandarin. Although George Marshall wanted him to command the first US ground campaign of the war - the TORCH landings in North Africa - Stilwell was sent to Asia because no one else was better qualified to serve in China, a region of great importance after the British were booted quickly out of Hong Kong, Singapore and the rest of East Asia by the Japanese.
   
   The irony of this book is that Stilwell was at once the best-qualified officer in the US Army to serve in Asia in support of Chiang Kai Shek's KMT Army and also the worst possible choice because of his abrasive mien. On the one hand, no other senior officer had his command of the language, years in country, or understanding of the Chinese culture. On the other hand, no other senior officer was as tactless or boorish - two qualities that do not serve one well in Asia. For instance, Stilwell had the habit of assigning mocking and often cruel nicknames to his tormentors, real and perceived. Almost from the beginning, Chiang Kai Shek, his nominal superior in the China theater, was "Peanut" - an insulting moniker that Stilwell used rather openly and regularly and was well-known by the Generalissimo and his staff, an incredible affront to the Chinese sense of position and authority. Even more insulting and offensive was Stilwell's occasional reference to his polio-stricken command-in-chief as "Rubber legs."
   
   Yet, Tuchman is clearly a fan of Stilwell's. She sees in him the same talent, passion and energy that led Secretary of War Stimson and Chief of Staff Marshall to put him in the role and steadfastly defend him in the face of repeated requests for his dismissal by scores of highly placed US, British and Chinese officials, whose number included FDR himself. But after reading "Stilwell" one cannot help but think that Stimson and Marshall made a mistake in sticking with Joe for so long.
   
   "Stilwell" also reads like a case study in the perils and heartaches of coalition warfare. From the outset, the major allies in the CBI Theater - the US, British and Chinese - were fundamentally at odds over objectives and therefore completely out of sync on strategy. The British did not see the point in bothering with China at all and wanted only to regain their colonial possessions, Hong Kong and Singapore above all, and Burma only if convenient and if it could be done without mixing Chinese and Indian troops. Chiang Kai Shek, on the other hand, had little interest in ejecting the Japanese from China in a bloody, all-out racial war, but rather preferred to stockpile American supplies and allow the US Navy and nascent Air Forces to slowly erode the Japanese war machine. Meanwhile, the US was guided by FDR's dream of seeing China emerge as one of the world's great post-war powers, fully on the side of the United States and committed to democracy. Tuchman stresses repeatedly that the US public, and to a certain extent the US government, was greatly misled on the truth of the KMT regime. The missionary lobby and other important Chiang supporters, including high-level visitors that were successfully hoodwinked, such as defeated presidential candidate Wendell Wilkie, generated a flood of propaganda that gave the average American a wildly unrealistic and positive impression of the Chinese ally. Tuchman contends that Stilwell himself saw the balderdash written about the KMT as the primary culprit in the inability or unwillingness of Washington to change policy once it became clear that the continued support Chiang was a waste of resources and American prestige and position.
   
   "Stilwell" succeeds on many levels and will likely remain in print and widely read for decades to come. It is a stellar blend of biography, military history, American foreign policy, US-China relations, and a case study in coalition warfare.



2. This book is of exceptional quality and stands up very well after nearly forty years. If not for Tuchman, Stilwell, who was one of the best generals in the U.S. Army during World War II, would be lost to history given his unrewarding work in a backwater region.
   
   Tuchman does an excellent job of letting Stilwell speak for himself. His integrity, brilliance, and humble nature come through. So do his pugnacious and combative personality, which while quite useful for a general in an operational command, were counterproductive in China. Having written a book on Stilwell myself, I believe she is absolutely right that he was the wrong man for this posting, which was about diplomacy as much as it was military campaigns. If he had not gone to China, he probably would have lead the U.S. invasion of North Africa instead of Dwight D. Eisenhower. Given their differing personalities and Stilwell's Anglophobia, Vinegar Joe would not have done well there either. He was an exceptionally able military leader, but he needed to be commanding field armies rather trying to be a diplomat.
   
   This book, though, is more than a biography. It is a life and times study with Stilwell being a tool to study the U.S. relationship with China. Many people blamed Stilwell for poorly managing relations with China that ended up weakening Chiang Kai-shek and allowed the Communists to come to power. An easy claim to make since Stilwell died in 1946. Tuchman is balanced in her account and gives Stilwell's critics their moment. She also develops Chiang's point of view and shows that he and Stilwell were pursuing different policies because they had different goals. This leads to her main theme that China has never been under the sway or control of the United States, and that we have many experts on China, and ignore them at our peril. Tuchman was writing with the Vietnam War in mind, seeing Stilwell's experiences as setting in motion events that brought U.S. involvement in that region. That assertion seems a little simplistic, but this book is still highly, highly relevant given the current nature of U.S.-Chinese relations.
   
   With all these points made, this book is not without certain shortcomings. She skimps a bit on operational matters, which is understandable given her focus. While this biography is good, very good, it is not Tuchman at her best. "Guns of August" is better. That comment, though, is like complaining that you won an Olympic gold medal without setting a world record. Most of us would take Olympic gold under those conditions and Tuchman really deserved the Pulitzer she won for this study.



3. As much as I think this books has provided a lot of information/insight during the period, I found author's comtemptuous attidude towards Chinese a bit hard to swallow. In a way, she was somehow biased when she wrote the book. In no way I'm accusing her of distorting the fact, but, how the fact is presented will shape the opinion of a general reader about Chinese. This is probably not the main point of the book, but for a book that has won putlizer prize, I would have expected more.



4. This book very elegantly and faithfully documented the Stilwell's point of view of what happened during this part of history, but it is very one-sided.
   
   First of all, the KMT commanders were not mostly corrupt and incapable like Tuchman had described in this book. A direct quote from TIME artile titled "The Army Nodbody Knows" in the June 16, 1941 issue:
   "...Four years of war have hurt China a lot, but have also taught China a lot. The most spectacular discovery, for a nation in which military leadership has classically been an affair of coin and cunning rather than martial skill, has been that China could turn out first-class officer talent.
   
   There is no younger officer class in the world than that of the Generalissimo's crack divisions. Generalissimo Chiang is 53, Chen Cheng is 41, Chen's Field Chief of Staff is 34. It would be hard to find a divisional or regimental commander in those divisions over 40. Regimental colonels are sometimes in their 20s.
   
   These baby officers are tough babies. They are trim as well-kept guns, big fellows, by Chinese standards, hearty and jolly in rest and brutally energetic in action. They lead in person. With their divisions they clamber up mountainsides which would put most corpulent U.S. colonels hors de combat. In nearly four years of fighting, the young officers have mastered the arts of the field--silent de ployment, timely retreat, sudden concentration, plausible ambuscade, dependable supply of vegetable camouflage..."
   
   But as this book has gone out of its way to emphasize, it is true that Chiang's administration towards the end of the second Sino-Japanese war was becoming weak and corrupt, which eventually led to his lost of mainland China to the Communist. However, this fact needs to be put into context as well. China fought alone for 4 years against a vastly more superior enemy. Therefore many of the best Nationalist Chinese generals were KIA or incapacitated early in the war of resistance against Japan. There were 73 KMT generals KIA during WWII (plus 1 Chinese Communist general), more than any other country Allied or Axis. It is reasonable to assume that many of the KMT military commanders that managed to survive and rise in ranks to the end were more interested in self preservation and personal gain, rather than defeating the emeny. Chiang knew this all too well but could do very little to alleviate this problem, all he could do was execute one or two of them from time to time to warn others not to go too far. So Tuchman's analogy comparing KMT to AVRN is not only inappropriate, but also failed to take into account the context of China fighting a 8-year long war with marginal industrial capacity and grossly inadeqate military supplies. It is a miracle that Chiang did not surrender and broker some kind of peace agreement with the Japanese.
   
   Finally, this book has indirectly proved that Stilwell spent (and wasted) way too much time and energy accusing the KMT leadership and fighting Chiang and Chennault, instead of accepting the tremedous shortcomings of his Chinese Ally and try to work out a less than perfect solution to fight the Japanese. His despise and hatred toward Chiang got to a point when Roosevelt gave Chiang an ultimatum to hand over command of all Chinese armed forces to Stilwell (with explicit instruction to keep this confidential), he rushed to have the letter read out loud in front of all the Chinese and American generals attending a meeting, for the sole purpose of embarrass and discredit Chiang in public. This event led directly to his recall as Chiang replied to Roosevelt that the KMT would rather fight alone than cave in to this ultimatum.



5. How far will the united States go to support a ruler on the words of others? Stilwell was, first and foremost, a soldier; a general of uncommon skills. Not so much the common touch as the respect by the troops for putting them first, their welfare was his top priority. His years in the east made him the obvious choice for the China post. No general has been asked to do as much as he had to do on the political front, treating with allies who were concerned above all for their place in the sun, while at the same time, fighting a tenacious, skilled, dedicated enemy. Surely a harbinger of what was to come in a place tro the north, called Korea.

5 comments about A Year of Absence: Six women's stories of courage, hope and love.

1. As an Army wife, having gone through one deployment, and at the end of the second one, this book made me realize that my feelings, and the things my husband and I go through, are natural. I felt as if this book described my feelings and my mistakes. It was a relief to read stories of women who have gone through what i have gone through. To those military moms who think that the wives cant feel what they feel just because we didnt give birth to the soldiers, you are wrong. We are the ones who have to hear their complaints, frustrations, and have to come up with wise words when they are down. Your love for your child is different and so is their love for you. You will always be their mom, just dont underestimate what it takes to stand by a soldier, be faithful, wise, and strong.



2. Finally, a book that got it right. I've gone through my husband's 6mo deployment in 2002 to Kosovo living by myself in Schweinfurt. Then the next deployment to Iraq in 2004 while stationed in GA. This time with the surprise of finding out I got pregnant sometime in the week before he left. There was talk about an extention for them, but thankfully, they came home 1 year to the day. We are now on our third deployment. This time Afghanistan. I'm now home with three dogs, a three year old and a new baby that was 3 mo old when he left. Each deployment has been totally different with our location and family size. I love this book because every woman's story was a bit different. In their job status, family size and coping mechanisms. All were right on! I know and knew women just like them. I read this book after borrowing it from the library on post. Now its going on my Amazon.com wishlist and will be recommending to anyone who will listen. Thank you Jessica for giving us an outlet to share with the world of what its really like.



3. Although I am the wife of a retired soldier who spent 24 years in the Army with two tours in Viet Nam, I still could identify with these women during their husbands' deployments to Iraq. I was especially pleased to read about Baumholder since that was where we were stationed in the 70's. This is a different war from ours, the Army has changed, women are much more independent than I was in the late 60's and early 70's when my husband went to war; however, the loneliness, worry about your spouse, counting down of days until he/she comes home, sometimes the anxieties and sheer terror that you feel...those things remain the same. This is one of my favorite books about this war and I think that it is ideal reading for any woman who watches her man leave for war. I was glad to read that the Army has Family Readiness Groups and support groups for the families. A glimpse into these women's lives was so revealing and I felt their pain. Just an excellent read, in my old Army wife opinion.



4. all i can say is that by reading this book the last 3 deployments my husband has gone thru and the time i have spent by myself and the kids are finally validated.
   im a army wife of 8 years, and 3rd deployment survivor.
   i am german where my husband was stationed at for 10 years, and deployed to iraq twice from there.
   i got the book and instantly started to read, and i couldnt stop, i sat on the couch for 6 hours crying and sobbing.
   and realizing what i have been thru, some of the things i have pushed aside, as my husbandactually deployed from darmstadt in january, pushing into iraq right away, i pushed aside not sleeping for 2 years, while everytime at night i started to jump up when i heared car doors slam, checking the window as my heart almost stopped.
   i am one of these women, and i feel after reading this book that i am somewhat relieved.
   now that my husband is deployed for the 4th time in his career, i told him as soon as he gets home he will read that book to understand what i had to deal with.
   i absoloutly love this book and will keep it for my kids to read, when they grow.
   i am at peace in a sence.
   thank you jessica redmon



5. As a military spouse and after reading so many great reviews here and elsewhere, I felt the need to read this book. It was a little fluffy for my liking. I did relate to events and day to day life of the women. However, I felt as though a lot was missing from this book. I was left wanting to know more about the characters. I think it could have been developed a little more.

5 comments about Mustang Ace: Memoirs of a P-51 Fighter Pilot.

1. Helped by fameds historian Eric Hammell, who helpe shape the original manuscript into a cohesive and envolving story, Robert Goebel, an eleven-kill ace in WWII, wrote a very pleasant book, from training in the United States till ace status in Italy and Europe. If you're into fighter pilot biographies, this one will not disappoint. But I dare to say: the best ever written was "THE BIG SHOW", by Pierre Clostermann.



2. In doing research for a book of my own, I have read -- and continue to read -- as many accounts of the air war over Europe as I can, from many perspectives. Mr. Goebel's book, which he was kind enough to personally autograph for me, is not just an amazing, technical account of the details to flying and fighting in what is arguably the most significant fighter plane ever developed, but also tell the story of the American spirit, as an individual, and collectively in the Armed forces, which represented an era that is the foundation of what we enjoy in a free land today. His ability to tell his story, and the story of those around him -- in America's and the world's most pivotal time in history -- is first class reading from a first class author, in addition to his being a first class gentleman and a first class American Ace. Set around the 15th Air Force's 31st. Fighter Group flying out of Italy, 'Mustang Ace' is great reading on every level. It brings both smiles and tears as you get close to real people who won or lost each day by their skill, their courage and crazy luck -- good or bad -- that often made no sense. If you like airplanes, WWII air combat history and personal achievement on a scale few can imagine, then there is nothing better. This is the real deal; an untypical story portrayed with the typical modesty of a real hero, a real Ace, from an elite group of men that have never been fully appreciated for what they did, and how they did it.



3. We trained together in the FTC but were sent to different Squadrons,
   Wonderful memories!
   
   Woodbine 30



4. One of the most detailed accounts of being a successful ace fighter pilot. Mr Goebel's wartime experiences again show us all what sacrifices our veterans make.



5. It seemed to me to be a very true account of how it was back then, and I liked the way he wrote his account.
   
   Rinty

5 comments about Faith in the Fog of War: Stories of Triumph and Tragedy in the Midst of War.

1. A book and devotional written with the raw point of view that is War, barest of human condition coupled with the life of a Christian's walk of faith. Chris brings new perspective to the many faces of war and the perspective observation through the "Christian len" looking at our own individual lives. His writings allow each of us to apply that view to our own lives with the soul searching questions he includes in each chapter and we find ourselves asking at many points in our lives. Reading his writing had me stopping and taking into account many areas of my own walk of faith and what it means to me. I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a devotional with the meat of what we need to be asking ourselves in our daily lives as Christians. A must read. A Must HAVE for those Christians serving our country.



2. This book is a literal testimony of God's power and love. Chris' straightforward account of just about everything that happened in the front lines will enable one to be transported to Iraq and experience battle in God's presence without dodging the impact of war - from the distinct sound of bullets flying over his head to the honest human emotions that stirred in his heart will make you laugh and cry. Chris has vividly narrated how God carried him through it all. It's absolutely encouraging and inspirational and it would not take long for one to realize that God really authored this book. Chris was just a mere instrument so that we can see and feel His love and power in all and every given moment. We will be doing ourselves a favor for reading this book especially if we want to recognize God's presence in our lives...whether you're a believer or yet to be one.



3. This book changed my view of the war in Iraq, what is happening over there and what it means to me. Chris brought truth into my life through his stories and the applications he draws. The sheer honesty he exudes is inspiring and refreshig.



4. One of the most eye opening situations one can be in is on the battlefield, with one's mortality at stake. "Faith in the Fog of War: A Soldier's Stories of Triumph and Tragedy in the Midst of Battle" is the memoir of a U.S. Soldier who served in the Iraq war, and his reflections on his faith. His experiences are poignant and enlightening. "Faith in the Fog of War" is especially recommended for Christians and anyone concerned about the Iraq war.



5. I had seen Chris on a local Atlanta Christian TV program promoting this book. Since I have a military ministry helping wounded Marine Families,and am interested in the spiritual treatment of PTSD, this man and his book interested me. It gave me more insight of our military's war experiences and
   how those who believe in God were able to face the daily grind of war with more strength. I liked his parallel comparisons of war experiences and Bible
   verses to help him cope with what he was doing in Iraq.
   I recommend the book we all need to understand what war is and how it effects our military (all volunteer)men and women and their families.

5 comments about Blood Makes the Grass Grow Green: A Year in the Desert with Team America.

1. This is one of the greatest books I have read about soldiering in a war. I got this book at my local library and immediately started to read it and couldn't put it down. Being a psychologist with experience working with the military and returning soldiers I am glad someone had the guts to write this account! It was funny, sad and sometimes made you mad- but it's the military thru and thru.
   
   I love the parts in the beginning about lying of recruiters and how the military loves the paperwork and all the passive aggressiveness.
   
   I'm looking for more from this author and hope a movie of it comes out.



2. Wow i could not put it down for fear of missing out on the next line.



3. Well it wasn't all bad, it certainly brings up some of the things the army doesn't like to tell us about like those re-enlistment "Incentives" but the over all writing of the book seems rather childish especially for an older person with university etc.
   
   But certain things are just not right. Most glaringly is the fact that Rico couldn't have been in the 5/2 Bobcats 25th ID because quite simply that unit doesn't exist in the 25th Division. Perhaps he meant 2nd Battalion 5th Infantry 'Bobcats' in which case perhaps he really was. Even a pathetic soldier like Rico would surely know his own unit seeing as he spent 3 years of his life there.
   
   I'd love to see his Personal Record and see for real what he really did in the Army if in fact he was at all.



4. A good topic that kept me interested. Unfortunately, I thought the writing was immature and a bit self-serving.



5. Review of: "Blood Makes the Grass Grow Green" -- Johnny Rico.
   
   In this novel nom de plume Author "Johnny Rico" provides his readers with a poignant first hand account of his combat tour fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan.
   
   I found the book, as written from the perspective of that of a lower enlisted soldier, to be quite relevant in describing the daily hardships, relationships, anxieties, folly and foibles experienced by U.S. soldiers attempting to tame the Afghan countryside. For that reason I place a high value on the nature of this work.
   
   I knocked through the book's 318 pages in a few sittings finding it to hold my attention and interest with minimal bogging in spots.
   
   Regardless, the book was successful in providing me with a perspective of insurgent fighting I had never heard of before. For that I would recommend the book as being "well done."
   
   Five stars.
   
   
   JP