5 comments about Ike: An American Hero.

1. Excellent Presidential Biography that was both appropriately critical and complementary. This book is a must for anyone interested in both the military history as well as the Presidential biography.



2. Once Korda reached 1945 in IKE, it feels like he filed all his research away and said, "Let's wrap this up!" Unfortunately, Ike still had 25 years left in him. Consequently, Korda's biography feels incomplete. Furthermore, for all the space Korda accords to Ike's WWII years, he pays scant attention to the Holocaust. What did Ike know about the Holocaust, about the Final Solution? What was his reaction to the liberation of the concentration camps (Korda mentions Ike's presence at just one, a sub-camp). In light of the preeminence of Holocaust studies in the past 15 years, Korda really could have shed new light with a discussion of Ike and the plight of the Jewish people. Similarly, the creation of Israel receives no mention in this book, even though Ike, as Supreme Commander of the AEF and, later, commander of NATO, would have seen, heard, and possibly opined on "The Palestine Question." In short, if well done, a 900-page offering from Korda would have been more edifying than a 700-page tome.



3. The first 1/3 of the book is spent on the first 45 years or so of Ike's life, which is remarkable for its dullness. He really did nothing of note or of interest until WW2. Then, most of the rest of the book is dedicated to war-years (which is already well-trodden ground). Relatively little space is dedicated to his two terms as President, which I find appalling. Four years at war get almost 500 pages but 8 years as leader of the most powerful country in the history of the world get maybe 50? A very imbalanced treatment, IMO, and very disappointing.
   
   On a lesser note: the habit of the author to drop (un-translated) French and German phrases is pretentious and annoying. The author also makes a few attempts to dabble in psycho-history, which I've never been able to take seriously. Aside from these minor points, the writing is o.k.
   
   I'm sure one wouldn't have to work very hard to find a better treatment of Eisenhower and his work.
   
   Not terrible but not recommended.



4. Michael Korda's beefy biography of Dwight Eisenhower is a must read for anyone who thought of Ike as just the avuncular President of the quiet 1950's. Korda's portrait of Eisenhower paints Ike as an intelligent and thoughtful leader in both World War II as Supreme Allied Commander and in his many Post War roles. When Eisenhower took over the presidency in January 1953 the post war peace had all but unraveled with Korea raging, the French losing their grip in Vietnam, and the Middle East a boiling cauldron of activity. Ike's stalwart character appears to have been a great force in keeping this potential incendiary period in check.
   
   Korda paints Eisenhower as a simple but forthright and principled individual. I was particular impressed with the resolute character of Eisenhower and his strong sense of duty in whatever assignment or job he undertook during his career. As Korda says, "while Eisenhower was the last president born in the 19th century, he was a 20th century thinker." As supreme commander of European theatre during World War II and as President of the United States, Eisenhower never seemed to get raddled no matter how difficult or bleak the situation appeared. It is not hard to see how Eisenhower commanded such world respect during the War and the Post War period. One wonders what the situation would have been in Iraq if Eisenhower had been the chief executive today?



5. Easy to read and enlightening about Eisenhower.
   If we hadn't had Eisenhower in WW 2 we would have had to invent him.
   He was so much more than contemporary opinion of him during the 50's.
   A true great American hero.
   More evidence that Truman should have fired MacArthur so much sooner.
   MacArthur- the tin soldier.

5 comments about Patton: A Genius for War.

1. Patton is often described as "controversial". To those who have never fought in war, or perhaps even just engaged in competitive sports, or who otherwise have only a sort of normal, everyday idea about how people ought to act, I suppose he is: Arrogant, sometimes outwardly cruel, demanding, competitive, a taskmaster, single-minded, agressive, angry, all the rest. I've never fought in war, but I've played my share of competitive sports (a paltry parallel, but the best I can do). In sports, everyone (if they're lucky) had a coach like this somewhere along the way, and they most likely took more lessons away from that man or woman than all the colorless middle-of-the-roaders combined. They most likely achieved things under that person's direction that they didn't know they had the capacity to do. They most likely recall details about that person many years later, after they've forgotten most of the others. When the old team-mates get together, that's who most of the stories are about (many told as being funny, now - not so at the time).
   
   To me, that's Patton: An American original who just barely escaped being a bombastic buffoon. He avoided that fate and scaled the heights of history because he was a born leader of men - one who either broke them (rarely), or got the best out of them (much more often); because he knew his business inside-out; because he worked at it day and night; and most of all, because finally, he WON.
   
   I think that this intensely personal essence is what is most completely captured in this book. It fills in many of the overlooked or understated details from the well-known George C. Scott movie, and adds much new material besides. An excellent book, worthy not only as a war biography, but as a study of what it honestly takes to do REALLY well at any endeavor in life.



2. I for one, certainly do not agree with Alistair Horne's phrase,"Revisionism at best" with regards to this book.
   As mentioned by earlier reviewers, Carlos D'Estes book traces the Patton family history to soldiers in earlier times. That General Patton was influenced by these family heroes is without doubt. In fact, it explains a lot about the man's sense of destiny, responsibility, and continual need to excel at whatever he attempted.
   More than a quick sketch of a complex man, this is a biography worth reading and studying.
   Patton was one of his kind.
   An invaluable book to anyone seeking to understand Patton on and off the battlefield.
   Well written, I couldn't put it down.



3. This is by far the most comprehensive and enjoyable biography I've read on General Patton. Mr. D'Este has painstakingly recorded the entire life of one of the greatest battlefield commanders in history. As the New York Times Review states "...he neither damns nor beautifies his subject". There's no better way to sum up this work. It's brilliant and fair. I'm looking forward to the author's new book on Winston Churchill that should be arriving this year.



4. I had never read anything regarding General Patton, but after having watched the movie "Patton" again, I went to find the best biography of Patton available. I read many of them, but BY FAR, this is the best available. A work of biographical art: reveals the humanity of Patton the warrior, and reviews his place in history without prejudice.
   
   Sincerely recommended to everyone who wishes to read an excellent biography of General George S. Patton.



5. I've been facinated by history since grade school and just fell in love with this book. Patton was an amazing character and one of those rare individuals that only comes along every hundred years or so.
   
   This book is very long, but gives as complete a biographical picture of Gen Patton as possible. It details his entire life, from childhood through WW1 and WW2 all the way until his untimely death. Sadly his career was constantly derailed by lesser gifted generals like Ike or Bradley. If you are a history buff or Patton fan, then this book is for you.

5 comments about Lost Victories: The War Memoirs of Hitler's Most Brilliant General.

1. Lost Victories is superior to Guderian's Panzer Leader and also better than 'Panzer Battles'. The early chapters on the planning and evolution of the Polish and French campaigns is remarkable. Manstein accomplished the near impossible at Sevastopol and almost the impossible at Kursk where (as was often the case) his carefully laid plans were perverted by the powers above. His firm stance against getting German armies sucked into city fighting beginning with Warsaw were tragically forgotten by Stalingrad. His theories about mobile defence, attacking on the other side of a river to defend a bridgehead etc... were revolutionary for their time. It may have been a different story in Normandy in 1944 if Manstein had been in charge rather than the hodge podge of commands which included the discredited Rommel and the over the hill Rundstedt. One of the main reasons the Germans were defeated is that experienced, brilliant generals like Manstein were eventually replaced by yes man that far from strengthening Hitler's position hastened his downfall.



2. Lost Victories is an excellent first-person memoir of some of the critical battles of the Second World War. Its primary focus is on the Eastern Front in Russia and the Ukraine; von Manstein speaks some about the attack on France in 1940 and opines on what might have been done with England thereafter, but for the most part, his command was in the East.
   
   This is not a starter treatment of the Second World War, and it will appeal only to those readers who are looking for an in depth discussion of certain topics. It is not a comprehensive treatment of the war -- von Manstein naturally only discusses theaters in which he was involved directly, and the book generally focusses on military matters, leaving political topics for others. It also proceeds in some detail, occasionally even providing a division-by-division account of battles. That was sometimes more than I wanted, and I found it possible to skim some of the more detailed parts without sacrificing the overall discussion, however.
   
   Those readers who seek a deeper understanding of the military conflict in the East will be rewarded. I found two features of the book particularly compelling. The first is the lengthy discussion of the Stalingrad endgame (the German Sixth Army was already encircled by the time von Manstein arrived on the scene). The second is the author's discussion of Hitler's strengths and (mostly) defects as a supreme military commander. There is a chapter devoted to this discussion, but the comments and impressions that von Manstein sprinkles throughout the other chapters are even more telling.
   
   I had two small critcisms. First, the book would be more enjoyable with more and better maps, so that those of us who don't have a deep familiarity with the geography of southern Russia and the Ukraine can better place the action. There are a few maps, but they aren't always well-placed in the book and they often don't include all of the key locations.
   
   Second, I wanted more discussion of Operation Citadel (Battle of Kursk), which was one of the critical engagements of the war. I think that von Manstein's actually wrote an in-depth discussion of this battle, but that the editors of this edition chose to replace it with a shorter discussion that the author wrote later for a magazine. That would explain why this chapter is uncharacteristically brief and why its style seems out of place with the others.
   
   Overall, this is a fascinating read, and it has enriched my understanding of the war on the Eastern Front.



3. It is a "must read" strategy book by the one of the best WW2 German generals. It is not the full memoirs. Still it is a 5 star (great) reading.



4. German Field Marshal Erich von Manstein wrote "Lost Victories" in 1955, ten years after the end of the Second World War and eleven years after he had been dismissed from command on the Russian Front by Adolf Hitler.
   
   Von Manstein served in the German Army from 1914 through the First World War, the bitter interwar years, and the major campaigns of the Second World War in Europe. He was, by all accounts, a master of the operational level of war, whether as a commander or as an outstanding staff officer. His memoirs are still in print at least in part because his narrative powers were equal to the task of describing the military operations in the Second World War in which he participated. "Lost Victories" may provide as good an account from the German side of the War in Europe as we are likely to get from a participant. His understanding of the huge battle waged over an immense manuever space in Western Russia is almost as unique as the nature of the fighting itself. If his account is tinged with some "I" and "me", that is perhaps to be forgiven in an autobiography by a man who saw all too clearly the wasted strategic opportunities to conduct a war with a defined and achievable political purpose.
   
   This book is highly recommended to students of the military art and of the Second World War.



5. Let me first say, that I am one of those who considers Field Marshal Erik von Manstein one of the best operational minds to have fought in the Second World War. His achievment in the post-Stalingrad months (Dec 1942- Feb 1943) will go down as a classic in mobile warefare. Enough has been written about his 1939 operational plan to invade France to fill a volume. In short, he was the consumate military professional.
   
   Which is why it pains me to offer only a 3 rating to his memiors. Don't get me wrong. The memior reads very well; the translation is excellent, and the prose is easy. My main complaint lies with the memior's content. I first read Lost Victories twenty years ago and took most of what Manstein wrote as fact. However, as I read more and more about not only the Wehrmacht, Germany, and Hitler, I began to doubt the narrative that von Manstein and the Feld Herren as a whole have been put to paper. This memior is long on ommisions, and short on introspection. Like other senior officers, Manstein piles the blame on the most senior Wehrmacht leadership while conviently excusing himself. The sad fact remains that von Manstein rarely vocalized any complaints concerning the Nazis treatment of men like Fritsch or Bloomberg (his former superiors sacked by Hitler), the introduction of the swatiska on thier uniforms, the establishment of the Waffen SS, or the treatment of Polish civilians, Jew, or captured officers. In his memiors, Manstein does take a few pages to offer his criticisms of Keitel (OKW) and von Braunstisch (OKH), yet not once did he explicitly critique in name the poor tactical generalship of either General Hoepner -the 4th Panzer Army Commander and his immediate commander during the initial stages of Barbarossa, or Field Marshall von Leeb -the overall commander of the Northern Army Group. This I thought was rather odd considering that these 2 men at that stage of the war still excercised complete freedom of movement. Manstein vaguely critiques the "High Command" (ie either the OKH or Hitler himself). Like other generals, Manstein leveled his stongest critiques on those that were dead, and thus couldn't defend themselves.
   
   The Chapters covering Stalingrad at the battles along the Don are the most dramatic of the memior. Many do find fault with Manstein's decision not to relieve General Paulus of command of the 6th Army in November-December 1942. This was a period of high drama and emotion, when as most experts believe that the 6th Army could have broken out of Stalingrad. It was also the period of greatest danger when the entire front was collapsing back to Rostov. Manstein's reasons for not relieving Paulus are clear enough -namely he didn't have the authority to do so. The other reason, which he barely skirts around is the fact that the Soviets had nearly a half million men, 3000 guns, and 2000 tanks around Stalingrad. If the 6th Army did breakout, this vast force would be unleashed and the entire Don Bend as well as von Kleists Army Group in the Kuban would have been become a giant tomb for the Germans. Manstein after the war could have offered this terrible but truthful fact to the public, but instead said the sacrifice of the 180,000 men of the 6th Army was never an option. Somehow I do not believe him.
   
   The last area of criticism is leveled at von Manstein's decision to back Zeitzler's (OKH) and Hitler's decision to strike at Kursk. In his memiors, he does say he strongly desired to wait until the Soviets struck first and then offer a counter blow on "the back hand". That is, he wished to conduct another mobile counter attack like he did earlier in March at Kharkov - this time from the Northwest and drive the Soviets offensive forces Southward into the Black Sea. This operation, brilliant in conception and most probably would have had sufficient motorized forces to execute was never considered. Hitler couldn't stomach the idea of giving another inch of territory (Manstein's plans included a planned withdraw initially so he could spring his trap), instead followed Zeitzler's idea of a pincer attack on the Kursk sailent. For some reason, von Manstein allowed himself to initially concur. Again, I find this strange. Manstein never was one to keep quiet when considering other people's failures. OKH's Kursks attack lacked imagination, was totally predictable and lacked any strategic value. On paper it looked like the "safe" plan. Even if it was successfull, Manstein, Zeitzler, Guderian, and most of all Hitler knew the Soviets had sufficient strength to bleed the outnumbered German's white. Manstein's plan, on the other hand, had all of the makings of a classic battle of annihilation, which could have bought Hitler another year, or maybe even a stalemate in the East.Yet, Manstein offered little defense of his plan.
   
   Finally, von Manstein like Guderian, Halder, Kluge, Rundstedt, et als. said he had no prior knowledge of the Final Solution, Russian Slave Labour, and the killing of POWs. He says very little, but does offer up evidence of the Soviet's own crimes while he commanded the 56th Panzer Corps in the Courland. As time goes by, I find this harder and harder to believe.
   
   Overall, the reader will have to judge for himself. Of all the memiors, this one is the best written, and there are many times where one can see Manstein's genius as he discusses in his cool, rational prose the many tactical and strategic problems he faced. He is also very kind when ever he writes about the enlisted soliders who served under him, especially the German NCOs. He was never an "armchair" general. Both as commander of the 38th Infantry Corps, and the 56th Panzer Corps he led from the front, and made his decisions based upon first hand knowledge. It was also heartbreaking to read about the death of his only son in 1943. While Erik von Manstein had many faults, he was anything but the stiff, monocoled Prussian caricture that some in the West like to paint of the Prussians. He was a brilliant yet flawed general. His memiors should be read, but critically so. While reading the memiors it is also good to keep in mind that her served one of the cruelist dictators of the 20th Century.

5 comments about The Diary of a Napoleonic Foot Soldier.

1. The "diary" (it was put together years after the Napoleonic Wars0 privides the reader with a decent perspective on the hard life of a conscript in Napoleon's Grand Armee. The fact that a conscript was literate is in itself remarkable - even more so when you judge the book's command of language (maybe with a little "help" from the editor.) But the book, as short as it is, is not for everyone. I would recommend it to those who are familiar with the Napoleonic campaigns, military historians, or those (like myself) who enjoy memoirs. The brutality and senslessness of the combat, and especially his account of the retreat out of Russia are fabulous. Less so the rest of the book, especially the letters at the end.



2. I find this book to be a great read. Almost everyone has some knowledge of the glory of Napoleon and his mighty army but few have heard about the common soldiers who fought them. This book truly depicts the hell that is war. Although it's an easy read for anyone, it's of considerable historic value. It provides a first hand account of the methods of warfare for the better party of 16th-19th century. Excellent read, go get it.



3. I had absolutely no knowledge of war in general or of this era but just happened upon this book and found it a totally compelling read. Absolutely fascinating. Keep in mind too that I am female, college educated (engineering/art) but one who avoided all history and related classes like the plague in high school & college--but I truely enjoyed this book and it made a huge impact on my mind. I plan to insist that my children read it. It certainly makes one thankful for what one enjoys in our society today.



4. An outstanding book for anyone interested in history. Although it was somewhat common for politicians, generals and admirals to keep logs, it was extremely rare for a person of lower rank to write anything. Mainly because few of them could read or write.
   
   The main part of the book and by far the most interesting is the authors diary of Napoleon's march into Russia during 1812. Nearly half of million men entered Russia. Jakob details the problems of such a large army and the lack of food. The Russians were destroying everything whilst in retreat. These problems however were nothing compared to that which was to come after the army left Moscow to return home. Only 25,000 from 500,000 survived. Jakob barely got out alive despite the hunger, attacks from other soldiers in his own army and the Cossack raids onto the rear of the retreating army.
   
   The book was not written as a daily diary. That was just not possible. Jakob wrote the diary years later. The main item that stands out is that he details the facts without clouding the images with any political views or emotions.
   
   I truly wish that there were more books of this nature by the common solider or sailor.



5. After reading a brief biography of Napoleon, I picked this book to get acquainted with the tough lives of soldiers. I agreed that Napoleon was a great soldier and strategist, but the events that ocurred in the Russian Campaign were disastrous, with a total disregard for the lives of soldiers, especially the allies. These people died slowly, mostly because of starvation and cold, fighting and dreaming to get home alive.
   
   A few people did manage to get home save, and this story is a unique account of that, in particular when the army have to "reculé" from Moscow. A fascinating book to learn the unknown facts of wars in this period.

5 comments about American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880 - 1964.

1. This is perhaps the best biography of an American ever written. Manchester juxtaposes the good MacArthur (the military genius and patriotic family man) with the bad MacArthur (the megalomaniacal general whose lapse led to his entire air force being destoryed on the ground at Leyte; not even his wife called him "Douglas"). MacArthur is still one of the most polarizing figures in American history; I have spoken to WW2 and Korean veterans who either love him or hate him. This book is a study of greatness. No matter your opinion of MacArthur, one cannot deny the fact that he graduated from West Point with one of the highest averages ever, or how his post-war control of Japan shaped that nation's history. An excellent look into the life of an American Hero/Villain.



2. william manchester & his work are a national treasure. i picked this up after being blown away by manchester's 3-volume churchhill series.
   
   few historians can produce a work like this that's both painstakingly researched & scholarly and so well-written and absorbing. be it churchhill or maccarthur, manchester always takes the long view in terms of how his subject fits in the pantheon of great leaders.
   
   this volume about america's greatest general of the last century provides both a great history of the time period (wwi-korea) as well as a colorful & in-depth look at one of the great personalities of american history. as with churchhill, macarthur is complex, courageous, brilliant and flawed.



3. General Douglas MacArthur is one of the few military figures in American history who, even today, evokes heated partisan responses. The title of the headline for this piece clearly tells where this writer is on the partisan divide. The nickname "Dugout Doug" goes back to the days when after the Japanese invasion of the Philippines General MacArthur got himself out of harm's way, with a due fanfare, while his subordinates and the troops for the most part got left behind to face the brunt of the Japanese forces. It was not pretty. This story and many others are detailed in the late journalist William Manchester's biography of the general.
   
   The history of the United States has produced a few military figures who were flamboyant. It has also produced a fair number with some military skills. It is, however, unusual to have the two come together as they did in the self-advertised grandeur of MacArthur. Europe has had some familiarity with the `man on horse back'. One thinks of France, in particular. In America that notion, at least publicly, has not been presented by military leaders while in uniform. MacArthur was an exception. Manchester is not incorrect to see that if there were such a candidate for the role of Caesar (or its modern variant, Bonaparte) in the United States MacArthur by skill, élan and appetite fit the bill. That thread runs through the whole story line here.
   
   No one can question that MacArthur had exceptional military skill in both World Wars, especially his role in the Pacific in World War II. One, however, should note, and note carefully his role in dispersing the Bonus Army in Washington, D.C. in the early 1930's. That might provide a taste of what the American Caesar had in store if he ever took power. Furthermore, one should note that MacArthur was well out of his element when he faced essentially `unconventional' armies in Korea. Call it `limited warfare' if you will but he totally underestimated his North Korean and Chinese opposites in the age of new `warfare'. Later American generals faced, and are today facing, similar conditions. And making the same wrong estimation. That MacArthur's reputation has mainly survived his Korea debacle owes more to hubris, including his own, than reality. In any case, read this book to get a flavor of the old American Army and its most well known general.



4. I could not put the book down... Douglas MacArthur's life from beginning to end was so interesting... His life had meaning... Say anything you wish about his personality but his accomplishments during his life will never be out done... Well written book.. and well worth reading...



5. This superb biography examines the many sides to General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964); superb commander in war and peace, vain malcontent, and megalomaniac. The author begins by examining his famous father`s service in the Civil War. Then we learn of MacArthur's upbringing and days at West Point (graduating first in his class in 1900), and his reckless bravery during World War I. As the author shows, MacArthur was a progressive-minded superintendent at West Point from 1919-1922, and chief of staff during the 1930's (where his aide was Major Eisenhower). Then we learn of his skilful island-hopping as commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific during World War II. My late uncle served in the Philippines and cursed MacArthur's name 50 years later, but Mac was talented and sparing of his soldier's lives. Ironically, his greatest success may have been as military governor of occupied Japan, where he helped implement democratic reforms. Then came his blundering command in Korea (1950-51) where he misread Chinese intentions and went over President Truman`s head - for which Truman rightly fired him. Mac had previously doubled-crossed President Hoover over the Bonus Army and made juvenile threats to President Roosevelt over retaking the Philippines. In his last years, he advised against action in Vietnam. As the author shows, a complex figure, talented but flawed.
   
   William Manchester (1922-2004) was a superbly readable historian, who used a nice mix of quotes, memos, messages, and family life to describe MacArthur. The result is a well-crafted, balanced account of a man the author probably disliked but admired. Readers should also consider the author`s other superb books, THE GLORY AND THE DREAM, ARMS OF KRUPP, etc.

1 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

5 comments about American Patriot: The Life and Wars of Colonel Bud Day.

1. A real page turner, I read this over the weekend while visiting family.
   
   It's not only an amazing story about Bud, the history before and after Viet Nam are equally insightful. I think it's suitable for 8th graders and up and should be required reading for all students. The incredible journey of Bud is fascinating and I rate this as one of the best non fiction books I've ever read. For those who don't read 'war' books, this is the exception you must read.
   Did you see the movie Forest Gump? About a man who just had one amazing life experience after another? There's no relation at all to the mens lives, but that's the way this book reads. Bud just seems to have one amazing experience (not easy ones!) after another. Learn about his journey and how he served under 3 separate armed forces divisions. He is one tough guy and the truly an AMERICAN PATRIOT.
   
   2008 Political Note: John McCain and John Kerry are both mentioned in the book.



2. I have to say I really enjoyed this book. I'm also glad folks like "Bud" Day stand up to our Govt. to right the wrongs that were done to fellow GI's like myself.
   
   I would recommed this book highly!!!!!



3. There are several excellent reviews of this book already posted, so I'll keep mine brief. Yesterday I was having a really lousy day, and wallowing in self-pity after work, my dear spouse took pity on me and said "I was saving this for your birthday, but let me give you something." She dug around in a hiding spot and handed me this book.
   
   I read the entire book, cover to cover, over the next six hours. Couldn't put it down. I had never even heard of "Bud" Day until last night. Today, I have to tell you that I stand taller myself having read this book.
   
   A young Marine in World War II, a pilot in Korea in Vietnam, and the holder of every decoration for bravery that this country can award. He never did it for the glory- he simply saw his duty and did it. His story is about a man who wanted to rise up from the wrong side of the tracks, better himself and make something of himself. Clearly, he succeeded. But so did Robert Coram, the author, who paints a realistic picture in following the life of George Day, his wife and children.
   
   Robert Coram starts his preface as follows: "...Every time I was with Bud Day and the Mistys [the group he commanded] or the POWs, I recalled that line from James Michener when the admiral is standing on the bridge of an aircraft carrier watching his pilots take off against the terrible defenses at Toko-Ri and says to himself, 'Where do we get such men?'"
   
   Get this book and read it. Get an extra copy or two and give as gifts to YOUR favorite patriot. And while you're at it, get a copy of his book about John Boyd. Both should be on your bookshelf.



4. A must read! Puts life into perspective. Traffic, bills, taxes seem trivial compared to the hardship he endured.



5. This is a great book that is bound to be of interest to many pilots.
   
   It is the story of Misty 1, the leader of the Top Secret Squadron that flew some of the most dangerous missions of the Vietnam War, alone, solo, on the deck, with no wingman or back up. But it's more than that. Much more.
   
   Most of our tales of American heros are old, from the Revolutionary War or perhaps World War II. This book starts there, but there is so much more.
   
   It's a story that Americans should know about a deadbeat kid from the wrong side of the tracks who bettered himself and served his nation with honor. I got misty eyed in places.
   
   And the end of the book -- when Colonel Day and his wife successfully fought Washington politics and self-serving revisionist history is the stuff of legends. When our own government sought to betray its veterans, Bud Day's small law firm sued in the Supreme Court and prevailed. The story of what really happened behind the scenes in the 2004 election was even more amazing. God bless Colonel Bud Day, and God Bless America.
   
   Americans should read this book. It should be required reading for high school history classes. This story exemplifies the service, deeds and honor that made America great, not in the long-ago past, but today; not just in the past but also for the future. It's timely reading for the 2008 election. Bud Day was John McCain's roommate in the Hanoi Hilton prison camp, where they both suffered torture and inhumane treatment.
   
   This is a story of honor and the American Dream, and Robert Coram tells it well, and in honor of the father he never understood.

5 comments about Goodbye, Darkness: A Memoir of the Pacific War.

1. Historian William Manchester (1922-2004) recounts his experiences and those of other U.S. Marines in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. These haunting pages are not for the feint-of-heart. Readers see how the Marines island-hopped across the Pacific against tough Japanese defenders. Readers sense the sights, sounds, and smell of battle, along with its sickening brutality and near-ceaseless death. The Marines had the highest casualty rates during the war - my late uncle was in the (Army) invasion of the Phillipines in 1944-45, and 50 years later he somberly described it as a battle to stay alive. Manchester returned to the Pacific in 1978 to write these pages. It must have been difficult; I once saw a powerful film of Marine (and Japanese) veterans that returned to Iwo Jima in 1985.
   
   Ex-journalist Manchester writes readable prose, but some criticize his making the experiences of other Marines seem as if his own. This book isn't easy on the stomach, but it gives a realistic look, as do GUADALCANAL DIARY (by Richard Tregaskis) and the fictional THE NAKED AND THE DEAD (by Norman Mailer).



2. The first serious books I began reading as a child were World War II histories. In my nearly 50 year reading life (so far!) I've read hundreds of books about the War from all perspectives, grand histories, military strategy, biography and autobiography, unit accounts, picture books, official military reports. William Manchester's autobiography of his Marine experience in the Pacific is the one book I've read that is the exemplar, that if you were to read only one book about World War II, this would be the one. It contains enough "big history" to give you a good and accurate sense of what the War "was." But against that larger background Manchester shares his own story and weaves it into a big narrative that feels like an "everyman" experience.
   
   I recently read Max Hastings book, "Retribution," which describes the "big history" of the last year of fighting in the Pacific, the time and place for most of Manchester's autobiography. These two books provide a nice contrast in approach and reading them both would give you a very strong sense of history and of psychology for that aspect of WWII.
   
   "Goodbye, Darkness" is one of my favorite books and one that I've reread several times and will read again. Manchester teaches a great deal about life and death, war and peace. This is a powerful book that will be read generations from now.



3. I was engulfed in this book from the first page. I've read several memoirs of airmen and Marines' who served in various wars, but this is perhaps the most graphic, and gripping of all that I've read. It is hard not feel a great sense of patriotism after reading "Goodbye, Darkness." I did find it a little difficult to distinguish what battles the author specifically served in, but this is just the result of him giving a quick-and-dirty rundown of all the events that occurred in the Pacific theater--a good thing considering most people's ignorance (including myself) of the events that took place there.



4. This is one of the best books I have ever read! It is so moving a account of a brave US Marine surviving, leading and triumphing in World War II. The author's account of events is amazing. I highly recommend it for all of those interested in an important time in US and World History.



5. Those of my generation who read World War II memoirs are so removed from that time and place that we merely grasp at this experience of war and the American society that fought it. In between us and our grandparents lies the redolence of the 1950s, the enduring narcissism 1960s, and the incubus of a cold war. But for those of us willing to learn, Goodbye Darkness is surely among the most competent of guides.
   
   The book memorializes William Manchester's experience as young sergeant of Marines through the eyes of a middle-aged traveler visiting the locales of epic Pacific Theater battles. His description of the historical context of each battle rests upon a foundation of ample scholarly research. Manchester provides personal recollections where appropriate. (He spent time on Guadalcanal after the fighting ended there; his combat experience was on Okinawa.) And he then describes his visits to these island battlefields during a subsequent 1979 trip. He admits in the Author's Note that he "resorted to some legerdemain in the interest of re-creating, and clarifying the spirit of, the historical past." In any case, the writing is just what you've come to expect from Manchester: funny, sensitive, learned, deft, fine.
   
   Goodbye, Darkness is the summation of Manchester's post-war cathexis, with the author enjoined a quarter century after the fact with the bloody fugue that hacked his manhood from a boy's life. As with his previous works, Manchester's voice is strong and clear, but here it's more personal. He is wrestling with ghosts, specifically his own disaffected, alienated doppelganger from a quarter century ago; the savage young sergeant of Marines who visits his middle-aged persona in the ragged, misbegotten battlefields of post-war dreams.
   
   I admired the restraint of this book. Manchester loads the tumbrel of war horrors lightly. He economizes on the brutality and asks nothing for its personal cost. Despite the brutality of the landings on Tarawa, Guadalcanal, Saipan, Guam, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and others described in the book, Manchester balances the strategic, the tactical, and the personal. He observes that "the whole history of war is a story of men moving closer and closer to the ground and then deeper and deeper in it." That's very much the story of the Marine Corps experience on the beaches of the Pacific islands and it's fighting ground that Manchester is burrowing into here, not the angst of his generation.
   
   One of the characteristics I most appreciated was a resolute refusal to whinge, self-indulge, or to ponder the bellybutton of his generation. Indeed, some of the best writing in the book considers the unique qualities of his generation and their capacity to fight this kind of gruesome war. Manchester has no interest in the sympathy of his readers, either for himself or his generation. It's not sympathy, but respect is that I find his generation deserves, but I find my respect is rooted in Manchester's refusal to demand it.
   
   His description of the atmosphere at the front is powerful without resorting to melodrama. Quoting the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca, Manchester describes his comrades with their "sad infinite eyes, like those of a newborn beast of burden." In describing why they did what they did, often risking their lives, often dying in desperate fighting, he says of his comrades "we were all psychotic, inmates of the greatest madhouse in history, but staying on the line was a matter of pride. Pride was important to young men then." (Written in the twilight of the Vietnam War, all the book's references to Vietnam are oblique.)
   
   Manchester's father had fought in World War I. He brought home a grave wound and a quiet dignity. That dignity reverberated through Manchester's youth, creating in his mind and spirit an appetite for glory and honor. The Pacific War reduced that appetite, grinding away the shibboleths of war. In war "I realized that something within me, long ailing, had expired," he writes. "Although I would continue to do the job, performing as the hired gun, I now knew that the banners and swords, ruffles and flourishes, bugles and drums, the whole rigmarole, eventually ended in squalor."
   
   What made them the Greatest Generation? What ignited them and drove them to return, wounded, to the line from safe hospitals to fight alongside their comrades in desperate battles, as Manchester himself did during the war? As he writes, "It was an act of love. Those men on the line were my family, my home. They were closer to me than I can say, closer than any friends had been or ever would be. They had never let me down, and I couldn't do it to them. I had to be with them, rather than let them die and me live with the knowledge that I might have saved them. Men, I knew now, do not fight for flag or country, for the Marine Corps or glory or any other abstraction. They fight for one another." A great insight and a great book.

5 comments about Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival.

1. The most striking thing about this book is how jaded the author appears about his "stories". Surely that colors all reporting and transforms all horrors covered into soundbites for the news-tainment culture that prevails today. So the book gives the strong impression of merely scraping the surface.
   
   While the sometimes inappropriate morbid humor developed in such extreme situations is realistic (as I can testify having grown up in a war zone), it does convince me that the author does get touched by what he has reported on. Shame that this does not come through in his personal memoirs.
   
   Closing the book, my parting thoughts are discomfort at the role today's news media plays, hope that the writing of the book has proven cathartic for the author in dealing with his own personal loss, disappointment at just skimming the surface of the author's experiences and feelings on being confronted with and reporting on some of humanity's ugliest moments in the past few years.



2. Anderson Cooper writes a great book and hearing him read it on audio makes it all the better. I think everyone should get a copy.Attacks on the Press in 2006: A Worldwide Survey by the Committee to Protect Journalists (Attacks on the Press)Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and SurvivalAnderson Cooper: Profile of a TV Journalist (Career Profiles)Planet in Peril (2 DVD set)



3. I don't remember when the name or the face of Anderson Cooper first entered my consciousness, but over the past few years he has grown to be one of the most recognized and respected journalists on TV--a guy whose demeanor and candor inspire trust and belief. In this autobiography, Cooper reveals the inner pain and doubt that both torment him and drive him to become better at his craft. His own painful experiences make him empathetic to the pain of others, perhaps best personified in his clearly emotional questioning of Senator Mary Landrieu over the mishandling of Katrina (transcribed in the book, watchable on YouTube). Did he cross a line in that interview? Probably. But for an audience tired of politicians' soundbites passing as real news and numb to talking heads who mistake emotional vacancy for stoicism, or conversely, show emotion in a thinly-veiled attempt to push their own agenda, Cooper's search for accountability when people are suffering in silence is quite refreshing. Finally, a journalist who seems to be on "our side": the side of the Objective Truth. Someone we can root for.
   
   At the same time, his inner demons, his search for answers in a world where very little is explainable by logic, and a nagging self-doubt that he has become what he loathes most--an apathetic, cynical vulture feeding off the pain of others--makes for an interesting portrait of a man searching for a reason for optimism while perched on the brink of despair and madness. His accounts are compelling, addictive, numbing, and inspiring ... this book is hard to put down, and by the end of it the reader gains a greater appreciation for a world full of both beauty and brutality, and the men and women who choose to make a living out of uncovering both the light and the shadows for the consumption and education of the general public.



4. I loved this book. He is a wonderful journalist. I recommend this book to anyone that loves world news and travel all in one.



5. This book is fantastic! I purchased it and read the entire book within 72 hours. His descriptions of the accounts are breathtaking. The section that touched me most was about Katrina and the Aftermath. I lived in New Orleans as a volunteer relief worker for 1 year, November '06 - October '07. It was a life changing experience for me. The experiences I had begin 14 months after the storm. To read Anderson's accounts, just hours and days following the storm, it was unbelieveable. To read his accounts from the view of someone who was choosing to be there, it's amazing. I recommend this book to everyone.

5 comments about To The Limit: An Air Cav Huey Pilot in Vietnam.

1. I'm a civilian helicopter instructor with about 1100 hours. I learned that the guys who flew in Vietnam did things on an almost daily basis that we could consider suicidal. This book will open your eyes to what is possible when lives are at stake, nobody cares about wrecking an expensive turbine-powered machine, and the crew are willing to get themselves killed to bail out some troops on the ground. That said, I don't think I am going to see if a Robinson R44 can chop down a stand of bamboo...



2. I bought 'To The Limit' a few months ago and have now read it from cover to cover three times. I've read a lot of Viet Nam aviation books over the years and I always considered Robert Mason's 'Chickenhawk' the standard for the helicopter community. Tom has now raised the bar. 'To The Limit' has got to be the most laid-back, lucid and sensitive book I have read on the subject.
   He has a down-to-earth style (must be the Georgia upbringing!)which doesn't need profanity (as another reviewer pointed out), an obvious concern for the aircraft, his crew and his 'customers, and a very honest appraisal of his inner feelings under what can only be described as the highest possible levels of combat-induced stress.
   Definitely a five star book - if there where more available, he'd get them.



3. For me as a Combat vet, Vietnam 1966-68 101st Airborne grunt. I thought the book was great. I don't often read books about Nam, but this looked like a must. It brought back a lot good memories and not so good as well.Only Vietnam vets will have a true understand of this fine book.The UH-1H (AKA) HUEY was the best Helicpter ever built and I we all loved to see Charlie model UH-1C and the AH-1G Gun Ships too. Frank Allen



4. An engrossing, fast moving story of a 1st CAV warrant officers experiences mid 1967-1968. Tom does a great job of explaining the elements of helicopter flight and flying tactics. The year he experienced had a high degree of combat, frequently against NVA, rather than VC. He writes well, has a story to tell, and tells it well.
   
   I've read some other helicopter pilot's stories who served in the same III Corps AO I did in 1967 (with an assault helicopter unit, but not as an air crewman). The intensity level written about here is yet another level above what we were experiencing pre-Tet.
   
   Like all the warrants I remember, he saw himself as a pilot rather than an officer, and measured others by their piloting skills rather than their rank. We enlisted men loved them for that. Officers with real skills (not surprisingly, the minimum AFTQ score - equivalent to an IQ score - for a WOC was higher than for an officer candidate).
   
   I think you'll find this book a real page turner.



5. It was 5 years ago since I was first introduced to the legendary helicopter named "Huey". She is a lovely aircraft which teachs you the helicopter flight and also forgiving one.
   
   I like to thank Mr.Johnson because he had let me know why this helicopter which I am lucky enough to fly with is called legendary. As a military helicopter pilot I am thrilled to read every page, every line. Tom A. Johnson did a great job, he conveyed the past, he conveyed the priceless experience about emergencies. Furthermore, I felt as if I dated back to Vietnam Era and I was one of the pilot on his formation.
   
   I sincerely hope to meet Vietnam Huey Pilots and I am so eager to listen their stories. Land safely Guys,whenever&wherever.
   
   Cem KURKCU
   FW&RW Army Pilot