2 comments about General Walter Krueger: Unsung Hero of the Pacific War (Modern War Studies).

1. Douglas MacArthur, e.g., in his autobiography "Reminiscences", had a tendency to downplay the merits of others so that the spotlight could shine solely on him. An example of this is MacArthur's characterization of one of his most trusted lieutenants, General Walter Krueger (commander of the U.S. 6th Army in the Pacific in World War II), as at times too cautious, slow, and methodical. But the evidence suggests just the opposite, that Gen. Krueger was in fact a quick-thinking and fast-acting strategist who could outmaneuver and outfight any opponent. (To his credit, on several occasions MacArthur did lavish praise on Krueger.)
   
   Kevin Holzimmer's biography of General Krueger rehabilitates this fine soldier's reputation by showing, for example, that it was apparently Krueger, not, as it is generally believed, Eisenhower (then Krueger's chief of staff), who came up with the successful operational plan of the 3rd Army in the well-known pre-war strategic testing operations by the U.S. Army in Louisiana and Texas in 1941.
   
   In addition, the book demonstrates that Krueger was heavily responsible for the success of the campaign in New Guinea and the retaking of the Philippines.
   
   Overall, the book makes a strong argument that Krueger (despite some positive wartime publicity and his selection to head Operation OLYMPIC, the invasion of Japan) never received his proper due as a wartime commmander and strategist. (He led, or was otherwise involved in, over 20 different military operations over the course of the war in the Pacific.) Part of the problem may have been due to Krueger's own abrasive personality and stubborness, which did not make him many friends in the military despite his brilliance.
   
   In any event, this book is a long overdue examination of Krueger's contribution to the success of the Allied forces in the Pacific in World War II. (Although Krueger did pen in the 1950s his own account of his war time activities, the book was not well received. Although it has been reprinted on occasion, it is currently out of print.) In so doing, it does a very credible job of examining the tensions that often existed among MacArthur, Krueger, and Lt. Gen. Robert Eichelberger (commander U.S. 6th Army) during the battles in the Pacific.



2. I marked this book down from four stars to three because the maps which were provided were poor since they were not detailed and requires the reader the unnecessary burden or locating important place names and filling them in. Good maps are essential to the understanding of army, fleet and air movements.

5 comments about The River War.

1. careful build up to climax of campaign at Omderman. Officer's perspective shows objective military analysis of force & probable outcomes for each engagement. Great narrative on cavalry movements in the field (almost like a sports report). Clear explanation of how the jehadi warrior code applied then as it does today. Refreshingly free of modern sentiment but full of respect for men fighting to the death on both sides; and of those who suffered terrible disease. The territorial value of securing sudan is argued weakly by Winston - suggesting the main motive behind the campaign was the political value of winning back hearts and minds after the disgraceful Khartoum incident. Good account of the French trying to interfere (Fashoda etc) and being told to 'pise oef' in a friendly British way. I am now going to read Gordon's 'Letters at Khartoum' - as recommended by Winston in these pages.



2. Winston Churchill had the opportunity to say many things and one of them was "I have not become the Queen's first minister in order to preside over the dissolution of the British Empire". Or was it the "... the King's first minister..."? I don't recall whether it was his first or second term as Prime Minister. In any case, history recalls WSC as a Imperialist in the grand tradition with all the baggage that may entail. However, before we join in that celebration or condemnation, let us read carefully some passages from The River War.
   
   First we read "What enterprise that an enlightened community may attempt is more noble and more profitable than the reclamation from barbarism of fertile regions and large populations? To give peace to warring tribes, to administer justice where all was violence.....etc,etc" All very conventional late 19th stuff believed by the great majority of Europeans and North Americans of the time. But a few sentances later we find "Yet as the mind turns from the wonderful clouldland of aspirations to the ugly scaffolding of attempt and achievement, a succession of opposite ideas arises." Churchill then goes on to detail the struggle of those "tenacious of liberty" who oppose the imperial task and the "greedy trader","inopportune missionary","ambitious soldier" and "lying speculator" who dishonor the enterprise. Then he he says "...it hardly seems possible for us to believe that any fair prospsect is approached by so foul a path".
   
   Much later in the book as WSC is describing the aftermath of the Battle of Omdurman and the flight of the Khalifa Abdullah. He points out that Abdullah flees after the defeat of his army alone and unarmed and joins the remnants of his army and "...found many disheartened friends; but the fact that, in this evil plight, he found any friends at all must be recorded in his favor and in that of his subjects." He goes on to point out that this "tyrant, oppressor,...scourge...embodiment, as he has been depicted to European eyes, of all the vices; the object, as he was believed in England, of his people's bitter hatred, found safety and welcome among his flying soldiers."
   
   I am not ripping these statements from context. Churchill repeatedly pays tribute to the courage of his enemies, who indeed at one climactic moment were trying their personal best to turn his body into chopped meat, and clearly, as other reviewers have pointed out, gives tribute to Krupp, Maxim, Nordenfelt, Lee, Metford, Martini and Henry and their like contributers to the Machine Age civilization that enabled the reconquest of the Sudan. He never attributes any other motives to his Arab enemies than rational calculation of self interest, planning and thoughfulness, no condescension of uknowable savage impulses or fanatical behaviour, though great willingness to fight and die.
   
   So where does this leave us? Winston Churchill was both a young man of his class and time and also possessor of some level of moral honesty that was with him at an early age. That made him tell the truth about what he saw. In June 1940, that individual moral honesty was all that prevented a long lasting German National Socialist State from taking root in Europe with incalculable consequences.
   
   It is well to ponder all this as we read The River War. As other reviewers have pointed out, the stage of violence at the end of the 19th century is a stage of violence at the beginning of the 21st century. The facts and nature of war among human beings stays the same along with our inability to avoid it. Let us at least be with Winston Spencer Churchill in being honest about it.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Q



3. "The River War" is recent reprint of Winston Churchill's 1899 book. Much of the action takes place near the Darfur region which is very much in today's news. The value of the book, besides entertainment, is the insight it gives into major power statesmanship, and military tactics. The 2007 reader is left with the realization that only the technology changes and that the British were much more efficient that we are.
   
   Churchill is an excellent writer. In fact, I wished I could tell him "If this Prime Minister thing doesn't work out, you can always go back to writing." But, of course, that is exactly what he did do after losing the post war election.
   
   Roger Neiswander



4. Warning!!! Don't buy the edition of 'The River War' published by Wildside Press (ISBN 1592246109). It has NO MAPS OF ANY KIND. NONE. This book is primarily a description of a military campaigns, and large parts of the text, including almost all of the discussion of strategy and tactics, are almost incomprehensible without a map. Unless you already know where Korti and Metemma are, not to mention Suakin, Korosko, and Abu Hamed, get another edition.



5. A very good account of the Reconquest of the Sudan... W.S.Churchill prose is dear to me because he knew how to tell a tale...
   I have another edition (I must clarify) but it is not available at the moment...
   Get also MY EARLY LIFE (and the film about it is also very good).
   
   ADB
   
   PS: The editions with maps are of course BETTER!

3 comments about Unsung Patriot: Guy T. Viskniskki How the Stars and Stripes Began.

1. Every individual, generation, and country has their own heroes. Many of these heroes receive medals, ribbons, trophies, or plaques to pay tribute to them for their zeal, heroism, or accomplishments. They are the benefactors of acclaim for their personal endeavors in the military, business, sports, or entertainment. There are also innumerable brave, talented and skilled heroes who never receive accolades. These are the "unsung" heroes serving behind the lines while others receive the ovations.
   
   "Unsung Patriot" is the biography of Guy T. Viskniskki, the founder, and first editor-in-chief of "The Stars and Stripes" newspaper. "Stars and Stripes" was published during the fighting months of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in World War I during 1917 -1919.
   
   At age forty, Guy left a successful career in newspaper editing and publishing to respond, out of a sense of patriotism, to enlist in the armed forces. He expected to be placed on the frontline with the troops in Europe. However, he was assigned to General Headquarters directing newspapermen throughout the American zone in France. While in France Guy conceived the idea of a newspaper written "by and for the soldiers" of the A.E.F. He saw this as a venue for raising morale among the Allied troops in Europe.
   
   November in 1917 Second Lieutenant Guy T. Viskniskki was appointed press officer and censor at the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). As a veteran of the Wheeler Newspaper Syndicate, and former editor of the Bayonet, a camp newspaper of the Eightieth Division, Camp Lee, Virginia Guy developed and explored the feasibility of publishing a newspaper for the AEF.
   
   Once it was established that an AEF newspaper could be produced in France, Guy became the first managing editor of "The Stars and Stripes." He successfully faced the challenges of staffing, paper shortages, and maintaining editorial control with integrity. The paper "Stars and Stripes" became Guy's legacy. In the years following the war he again resumed his newspaper career. Guy served as editor of several newspapers, and as a consultant in the publishing industry.
   
   Guy Viskniskki became Virginia Vassallo's unsung hero. Full of pride of her heritage and of her Grandfather's endeavors Virginia has produced this book as a tribute to honor his memory. Virginia started with a few notes and memories to preserve some family history for her grandson. Completely immersed in the process the endeavor became a monumental project. The allure for one more bit of information drove her into writing this thoroughly researched and well documented tribute to this "Unsung Patriot: Guy T. Viskniskki".
   
   Virginia used her grandfather's never before unpublished memoirs, various internet sources, interviews, newspaper articles, and correspondence to research the background information for this book. She made contact with Jim Mayo, President of the Stars and Stripes Museum to enlist his assistance. Jim was eager to help her in this project and made available additional valuable resource facts and records.
   
   Guy T. Viskniskki is remembered for his patriotism, integrity and perseverance. He was a man of character. It is Virginia's hope that the book will provide inspiration to small town newspaper editors and the editor-in-chiefs of newspapers around the world.
   
   Veteran's Associations, Sons of the American Revolution, and members of the American Legion will remember Guy's unfaltering efforts for their cause. As readers they will celebrate this tribute to an indefatigable mentor and for his advocacy for the citizens of United States of America.
   
   Virginia's esteem and high regard for the accomplishments of Guy T. Viskniskki come through brilliantly in this tribute. She created a masterpiece in this well-rounded accolade of a dynamic, yet complex, man whose legacy is the "Stars and Stripes." Virginia is incredibly articulate. Her words are well chosen, her organization meticulous, and her presentation is compelling.



2. Reviewed by David Olvera for Reader Views (5/07)
   
   "Unsung Patriot: Guy T. Vikniskki, How the Stars and Stripes Began" is a tale of two books, the one that it is, and the one that it could be. By reading the title and the forward one expects to hear the tale of how the Armed Forces newspaper began and Guy T. Vikniskki, the journalism pioneer behind it. However, the book strays from this initial introduction and unfolds only a rich biography of Vikniskki.
   
   Vikniskki's biography is well-supported. Vassallo (Vikniskki's granddaughter) has done her homework and presents a near perfect archive of her grandfather's entire life, even though she never met the man. At times the archival approach can be confusing. There are several Vikniskkis in play and without a clear chart it is hard to keep up, on some occasions the author repeats chronological points as in the case of chapters one and two by introducing overlapping genealogies, etc.
   
   The author concludes her introduction with, "Who is my grandfather?" As I concluded the book, I never felt a connection between the author and her subject. There was no internalization of a bond between granddaughter and grandfather. I felt the author did not fully convey what this man's life really meant to her, even though she framed the book in this context.
   
   But "Unsung Patriot" also has vast potential. Vassallo's superb documentation of Vikniskki strikes me as a great novel on wartime journalism that was not written. Luckily, literature has sequels and Vassallo's pen is literally sitting on greatness -- if not absolute greatness. Vikniskki's work is so incredibly relevant to the current war on terrorism; it almost jumps out of the pages to shake you. Stars and Stripes helped boost moral and contributed to heroic WWII efforts, but modern media does not echo Vikniskki's patriotism. Simply put, today's journalism needs people like Vikniskki. I know this because Vassallo paints a long, yet elegant portrait of a man that saw an opportunity in journalism and seized it for the good of an entire nation.
   
   Overall, "Unsung Patriot" has many facts and many details. It is a respectable biography on a very relevant figure for our day and age. Ultimately, it leaves you at the edge of your seat waiting for Vikniskki to make a triumphant leap into our time.



3. This thoroughly researched biography illuminates the life of one of journalism's least-known giants. Almost single-handedly, Guy Viskniskki created and developed an American newspaper that began with a few hundred copies in the early days of the Twentieth Century and ended up a few years later with a circulation of well over one hundred thousand. And he did it in France, in the middle of World War I.
   
   The newspaper was and still is known to servicemen and women throughout the world as THE STARS AND STRIPES. Viskniskki's primary goal during the 1917-1918 period was to produce an eight-page newspaper that was written specifically FOR American soldiers, BY American soldiers. And that credo continues today, even though the current version is usually forty or more pages thick and is now distributed daily to our service men and women throughout the world.
   
   Coordinating the production of THE STARS AND STRIPES during World War I was a monumental task that was continually bombarded with production problems. Some of these problems included shortages of paper, a lack of printing equipment, an ever-changing distribution network, and assaults on its editorial independence by high-ranking Army officials. But through it all, Guy Viskniskki continued to turn out a newspaper that was as good as many privately-owned newspapers back home in America.
   
   THE STARS AND STRIPES was originally started in 1861 during another war: the American Civil War. And it was revived again in the early 1940s when the United States entered World War II. Always up to date and changing with the times, today it is as good a source as any for the frontline news that comes out of Iraq, Afghanistan, and some of the world's other hot spots.
   
   Viskniskki's career in journalism, however, did not end with the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. After returning to the United States he continued to work in the newspaper business. He bought several failing newspapers, reinvigorated them with his own brand of journalism, and then sold them at a profit. In so doing, he quickly developed a solid reputation as a newspaper management consultant and efficiency expert. Newspaper moguls like William Randolph Hearst hired him as a business manager and reorganizer. In that capacity, Viskniskki managed the King Features Syndicate, the New York American and the Pittsburg Sun-Telegraph.
   
   Later, with his own company, Guy T. Viskniskki and Associates, he managed and improved some of the leading newspapers in the country, such as the Portland Oregonian, the Los Angeles Times, and the Detroit Free Press. It was Viskniskki's task to reorganize these papers and put them on a sound operating and financial basis. He was successful in every case and quickly became a sought-after speaker and consultant for many other newspapers.
   
   After a full and productive life, Guy Viskniskki died in 1949 but the memory of him continues to live on through this book, which was written by an ardent admirer who also happens to be his granddaughter, Virginia Vassallo.
   
   Ms. Vassallo has obviously inherited some of the Viskniskki writing genes. Her research is extensive, her structure sound and interesting, and her writing style is clear and concise. There is no doubt in my mind that Guy Viskniskki himself would be pleased with this book. It is probably the best and most accurate source around for anyone interested in the history of THE STARS AND STRIPES, journalism in the early Twentieth Century, or the entrepreneurial spirit that helped shape some of our nation's best newspapers.
   
   Russ Heitz
   [...]

1 comments about I Acted From Principle: The Civil War Diary Of Dr. William M. Mcpheeters, Confederate Surgeon In The Trans-mississippi (Civil War in the West).

1. St. Louis physician and Southern sympathizer, Dr. McPheeters' experience with Federal arrest and banishment, plus his day-by-day account of life in camp and with the local populace, gives an excellent picture of the impact of the Civil War in the Western Theater. You'll also gain knowledge of medical treatment, Confederate Trans-Mississippi politics, and military excursions by General Stirling Price.

No comments about Fighting for Liberty and Right: The Civil War Diary of William Bluffton Miller, 1st Sergeant, Company K, 75th Indiana Volunteer Infantry (Voices Of The Civil War).

1 comments about The Life of General Stonewall Jackson.

1. This book tells about young Thomas Jackson as an orphan in Ohio. He went to many different places like his Uncle Brake's. In the end he went to West Point.

   As a lieutenant in the United States Army, he performed an amazing win over the Mexican forces. He was an artillery officer, and with his light artillery went toward the strong castle of Chapultepec. The Mexican troops killed or wounded all his unit except Jackson and another man. The two of them with two cannon weakened the fortress so much that the Americans stormed over the castle walls and took it.

   The book goes on about his career as an officer and general in the Confederate Army.

   I liked this book because it was pretty interesting. I didn't like this book because it made you feel like you were in an airplane over the battle, and not really at the battle. That is why I gave it only three stars.

3 comments about ADVENTURES IN MY YOUTH: A German Soldier on the Eastern Front 1941-45.

1. This was a well written and detailed autobiography of a young Austrian's experience in the German Army as an infantry officer on the Eastern Front. He covers his officer training in 1941/42 when the army was still interested in turning out gentlemen as well as competent leaders of men. Armin saw his first action in Russia in 1942 and his last as a badly wounded hospital patient in Danzig in 1945 where he began two years of Soviet captivity.

   This book deserved 5-stars, but the publisher did not include any maps! How a reader is suppost to follow a military campaign of movement without maps is beyond me and is the only real flaw of this book. Be warned that the print is small (paperback size), and some photos would have been nice too(there were none). Despite its flaws, it is still a good read.




2. Excellent account of a young platoon leader and company commander's experiences fighting the Russians in WWII. Explains in detail elements of WWII German officer training; one of the reasons the German Army remainded a deadly opponent to the end of the war was the overall high quality of its company grade officers and NCOs. Describes in detail how it felt to be on the receiving end of a massive Soviet artillery barrage and to defend against tank-supported massed infantry assaults. Points out things this officer did right and wrong in combat, and how a young men deal with death in combat. One of the handful of books written from a company grade infantry officer's perspective; most accounts deal with panzer and panzer grenadier units, but this one does not. It focuses on the combat actions of an infantry regiment equipped with horse-drawn waggons for supply and occasionally transportation. Rock solid history of small unit to regimental combat on the Eastern Front in WWII.



3. What a great read. This is a superbly done memoir that I found to be interresting, informative, humbling and fascinating. It ranks among the best I have read (in my personal opinion) about the German soldier in WW2. I do agree with a previous reader that a lack of photos and maps keeps me from giving it a 5. However, compared to SS Panzergrenadier (a bunch of crap), Adventures in my Youth is absoutely worth the time. Thank you, Armin, for leaving us this narrative.

2 comments about Eisenhower and Churchill: The Partnership That Saved the World.

1. For someone looking for very light reading on Ike and Churchill, this may be an appropriate choice. I could envision a high school history teacher assigning this to 16-18 year old students. It is generally enjoyable but it certainly isn't thorough or definitive. It can't be compared to masterpiece works of history,... This, indeed, is "history lite."

   But what is supremely disappointing about this book is its factual errors. For instance, at one point in the book Mr. Humes writes of Ike and Churchill meeting in '59, apparently AFTER their respective political tenures were completed, with Ike lamenting JFK's handling of the Bay of Pigs and Berlin Wall crises, and Churchill disparaging Anthny Eden's tenure as PM of Great Britain. But they certainly DID NOT have this discussion in '59. Ike's Presidency lasted until January '61 and our setbacks in Cuba and Berlin didn't happen until later in 1961-62. How could Humes, or more importantly the editor, get this wrong? At another point in the book, he dates the Suez Crisis to 1959 - it happened in October 1956! Earlier he writes of the tragic death of Ike's son at age 3. Hume identifies the baby as Dwight David. His actual name was Doud Dwight, his first name being Mamie's maiden name. He dates Wilson's entry into WWI in 1916. It was 1917, after the 1916 election wherein Wilson campaigned on the "He Kept Us Out Of War" slogan.

   If it weren't for these inexcusable factual errors, I could endorse this as light summertime reading for the casual historian... I'm also surprised that David Eisenhower wrote a forward to the book (well done) and that Bill Buckley provided a jacket-cover recommendation. These guys obviously didn't read it - they surely would have noticed the aggravating factual errors I found.

   Finally, while I'm an Ike fan and believe he's one of America's finest leaders of the 20th century - both as General and President - I think Humes gives too much credit with the suggestion that he "saved the world" along with Churchill... Professor Humes would be advised to remember,... that other heroes ... deserve lots of credit...




2. Mr. Hagerty, who wrote the prior review of this book, was kinder than I can be. I read David Eisenhower's Foreward and recalled what a fine writer he is - as is his father, John Eisenhower. Unfortunately, Mr. Humes has done a remarkably poor job of telling the story of the Churchill - Eisenhower relationship. I first became uneasy while reading Humes' own acknowledgments, replete with what appeared to be mere namedropping than acknowledgment of assistance in preparing the book. In fact, it appears more likely that the author simply put the thing together relying on faulty memory rather than on independent sources.
   
   I cannot recommend this for anyone who wants to know something about either Churchill or Eisenhower. The factual errors are so many as to make one wonder how the thing got published. I found myself wondering about factual statements I knew to be correct because of all the errors. For the casual historian, this book could in fact prove to be misleading. To be avoided.

No comments about Behind The Spoon: Army Basic Training.

3 comments about Three Years a Soldier: The Diary and Newspaper Correspondence of Private George Perkins, Sixth New York Independent Battery, 1861-1864 (Voices of the Civil War).

1. The book, "Three Years a Soldier", by Richard Griffin, is one of the most interesting books on the Civil War that I have read in a long time. This book covers the three years of service by George Perkins of the 6th NY Independent Battery, Perkins being a great-grandfather of the author, Griffin. The book consists primarily of the Perkins journal and newspaper articles. George Perkins was clearly proud of his service and wanted posterity to read these documents.
   
   Many history books concentrate on "big picture" matters, such as wartime strategy, decisions made by leaders, etc. But an equally fascinating historical question is to understand the mindset of people of the time. Why did they do what they did, what was important to them, etc. Obviously this book falls into the second category and in a highly successful way. George Perkins is particularly of interest in this regard because he shares so many core values of his contemporaries in spite of having the education and background that could easily have made him much different. This only goes to show how deeply embedded these values were to Americans of the 1860s:
   
   - Patriotism. Perkins doesn't say much about why he joined the Army in Dec 1861, but a growing sense of patriotism shows itself in the course of the journal, particularly a resentment of those who had not joined the army.
   - Courage. George doesn't talk much about courage, but this was a core value that he obviously shared with his contemporaries. On a number of occasions, he mentions close calls with snipers or artillery while he was carrying out his battery duties under fire.
   - Religion. The Winter of 1863-64 saw a nationwide revival movement, especially in both Confederate and Union armies. George was an active participant in early 1864.
   - Individualism. George Perkins did his duty when in combat. But in camp or while training, he was a constant pain to his officers, consistently showing a resentment of authority and a feeling of superiority to those men placed over him. It is actually quite amusing to read of the various ways he flouted authority. To his credit he generally accepted, with few complaints, the punishment that almost always followed. George was certainly not the only soldier with this mindset.
   
   The most important things one can say about George Perkins are also the simplest. When his country needed him, he was there, and when the bullets were flying, he stood to his duty. I feel honored to read of his service and I recommend this book to all.



2. Perkin's diary offers great insight into the daily life of an ordinary artilleryman during the Civil War. Men in the artillery were cross-trainied and Perkins did a little bit of everything from driving caissons and battery wagons to serving on the gun crew. Also the 6th New York Independent Battery was first used as foot artillery and then later was made into horse artillery thus providing insight from an artilleryman's perspective who served with both the infantry and the cavalry. Reading the diary you live every day with Perkins. He was no perfect soldier and was often given extra duty for various infractions, usually for being late somewhere. I was amused by the number of entries that stated he didn't have to stand guard duty because he couldn't be found. The diary refelcts the ups and downs in his morale, his occasional bouts with illness, and his very palpable grief at the lost of a brother.



3. Although not a staple of Three Years a Soldier, the issue of white perception of race adds to the growing assurances that most northerners really were not abolitionists. Private George Perkins letters and commentary on slavery and blacks themselves rejects the popular elementary depiction of white Union soldiers liberating the slaves. Perkins reveals that he is against slavery not for its moral effects but rather its social implications. His letters consist of racist views and expressions thus perpetrating Perkins as antislavery but not an abolitionist.
   
   This diary and correspondence with the Middlesex Journal, the hometown newspaper of Woburn, Massachusetts, illustrate a soldier who joined as a patriot to fight for his country. However, the differences between Perkins's private thoughts and his public column bear additional attention. First, Perkins attitudes towards politics or public matters appear more frequently in the journal than his diary. The tendency to preach on the commitment to the cause and the moral superiority of those who act as the "defenders of our liberty [who] shall make our nation pure and Christian-like" reveal a man deeply committed to the ideals of a patriotic duty. (255)
   
   An interesting revelation in Perkins diary is his attitude towards officers, particularly when it comes to discipline. A republican who believed that he was morally and intellectually superior, Perkins saw his duty as a soldier as to question the commands and decisions of those above him in rank. Perkins did not subscribe to camp discipline and saw it as meaningless in the grand scheme of fighting for the Union. He desired officers who wanted to connect with their men, who shared their discomforts and tribulations. Interestingly enough is Perkins admiration for Major General Joseph Hooker, the much-maligned commander of the Army of Potomac during the Chancellorsville campaign. Perkins credits "Fighting Joe" commenting that his bravery, careful judgment, and treatment of common soldiers improved the army after Ambrose Burnside. Indeed, Perkins was high on Hooker but the general's political attachment to the radical republicans perhaps really illustrates Perkins affections for the man.
   
   This book adds to the ever-growing home front and community studies that illustrate the varying ideological perceptions of the common soldier. From political agendas to social commentary to racial attitudes, much can be gained using this work as an initial probe that could lead to larger texts. An outstanding introduction, which clearly puts Perkins's perspective in its proper place, this book is a great addition to a Civil War library.