3 comments about Packs On!: Memoirs of the 10th Mountain Division in World War II (Stackpole Military History Series).

1. In the style of Ernie Pyle, the author relates the experiences of members of the 10th Mountain Division who fought the veteran fighters of the German Army in the mountains of northern Italy during World War II.



2. Author A. B. Feur skillfully puts a collection of personal combat stories together into his book "Packs On! Memoirs of the Mountain Division in WWII". The author is one of the more prolific chroniclers of WWII history and this book may be his best to date. The Foreword is written by Senator Bob Dole and adds a real touch of class to the telling of this unit.
   
   Feur takes us through the unit's campaigns after a well written introduction that gives us insights on the way the unit was put together and how they trained. He then takes us to Alaska and the Kiska Campaign. That campaign turned out to be a fight for an island that the Japanese had already abandoned and left. There were causalities and deaths due to "friendly fire" in the fog and the confusion of the battle that had no opposing forces.
   
   We follow the unit onward to Italy and Europe and into the mountains and snow. The author allows us to see each battle area through the eyes of the different veterans who wrote their memories of the events. This enhances the story telling format and enriches the final over-all story of the unit. The many different and diverse voices make the book entertaining as well as educational. It feels more personal then any straight telling of historic events would have. Feur expertly weaves all these individual stories together and connects them with facts, data, maps and old photos to make this whole book a first class reading experience.
   
   This is book captures the essence of what this unit was all about. The author realizes that strength of this story was to allow the men who were there to tell it--and he does that well! The Military Writer's Society of America gives this book its highest rating of
   FIVE STARS!



3. very good service I received the book within 5 days of ordering it very informative book. This book was about my fathers army war days in Italy and the training in colorado, so many of the stories in the book I had heard form my father. Good history!

4 comments about More Generals in Gray.

1. A tome devoted to biographical sketches of 137 men united only by their arguable status as Confederate generals sounds like one of the ultimate Civil War "buff books". It is a pleasant surprise to open its pages and discover no dreary catalogue of minutiae. Instead, the author has condensed years of research into a series of sparkling capsule lives that reflect the wide range of characters and events in America's bitterest conflict.

   Each of the subjects has some claim to having held the rank of general in the Confederate military but not enough of one to have earned listing in Ezra J. Warner's authoritative "Generals in Gray". However solid or dubious their entitlement to the highest rank, however, they form a cross-section of important and interesting Southern officers and citizens. They came from a variety of backgrounds. Ten were born in the North, nine in Border States, nine abroad (including one veteran of Napoleon's Grande Armee, whose unit's performance in the defense of New Orleans fell short of Napoleonic standards). Not all had embraced independence eagerly. Michael Jefferson Bulger, for instance, voted "no" in the Alabama secession convention but nonetheless enlisted in the 47th Alabama Regiment. At Cedar Mountain, he suffered wounds to his arm and leg, binding the latter with corncobs and suspenders. At Gettysburg, he was captured after being left for dead. Following such mishaps, he ended up living to age 94, enjoying a placid post-war career as a farmer and occasional politician.

   In contrast to the indestructible Bulger, Edward Gantt was a fire-eating secessionist who resigned his seat in the first Confederate Congress to raise a regiment in Arkansas. After being captured with the garrison of Island No. 10, he returned home on parole but then experienced an astonishing change of heart. In late 1863, the formerly rabid states-righter slipped across the Yankee lines and spent the rest of the war urging his former countrymen to lay down their arms.

   Many more such tales are told here. The author has a keen eye for incisive facts and quotations, and his writing wastes few words. For the serious student of the Civil War, this work is a valuable reference. For everyone else, it offers hours of fascinating browsing.




2. I have owned and used Mr. Warner's classics Generals in Blue and Generals in Gray for over 40 years. Mr Allardice shows us the men appointed General by the various Southern States. This book proves the point the Government of the Confederacy was still having growing pains; the point being the generals from the Trans-Mississippi not being confirmed by the CSA Senate, in Richmond, Va. This is a great book for the Civil War Buff. It is a must need in your War Between the States Library.



3. Ezra Warner's classic 1959 volume tells us the stories of the 425 Confederate General Officers about whom we can't argue as to whether they were, in fact, a General; this volume tells the stories of several about whom we CAN argue. Warner gives the criteria, and this book does, too; a man had to be nominated to General Officer rank by President Davis, AND confirmed by Congress.
   
   The reasons to be here, not in Warner's book, are several; most commonly, a man could be a General of state militia, nominated by the Governor, confirmed by the legislature, not a General of the Confederacy. [President Jefferson Davis makes this book that way]. These militia officers can be seen as the equivalent of modern National Guard Officers. In some cases, there was a disconnect between the President and Congress, in others, there is doubt as to who appointed the man, and when. Thus we have the first Hispanic General, Santos Benavides--some records have him as a Colonel, others as a late appointment to Brigadier General. [The first American Indian General is in Warner's book--no doubts about Stand Watie].
   
   A special case is that of nine officers appointed to Brigadier General by General Edmund Kirby Smith using his expanded powers as Commander of The Transmississippi Department. Communication between Richmond and the West was most difficult after the fall of Vicksburg in July, 1863; Smith was, thus, in a situation unique in American history. These nine men are but a small part of a most complicated story; Warner lists them in an appendix; here they get full honors.
   
   In these reviews, I try to differentiate between books for the general reader, and those for "people like me". This book falls, I think, somewhere in between. It is superbly done, well written, well illustrated; a most respectful account of men deserving full respect, even if they aren't a "big name". For those poor folks who are like me, this book is, indeed, essential. You know who you are....



4. I was uncertain about the merit of this title before I purchased, but I need not have been. Author Bruce Allardice has created a worthy supplement to Ezra Warner's "Generals in Gray."
   
   The presentation format of "More Generals in Gray" is very close to that of Warner's classic reference works, but in single column vs. two columns for Warner's books. For most of the 137 entries a photograph, sketch, painting of the person is provided, except where ones were not available. The author provides background information including birthdate, state, parents, education as well as prewar occupation. Following this is a description or relevant military career, ranks achieved, commands, postwar life and death. Allardice closes each biography with a description of what sources led to the inclusion of the particular figure as a general. Notes and sources are provided after each entry as well.
   
   One caveat is that the reader should not expect to find a large list of generals overlooked by Warner, that is not the direction of this work. Instead, Mr. Allardice has cast a wider net to include those who would be legitimately rejected by the earlier criteria. He carefully provides detailed criteria and explanation for his additions. Most names here are men who were either never really promoted/confirmed or who were generals in state service or appointed in the Trans-Mississippi by E. Kirby Smith.
   
   This brings us to the strength of the study: the inclusion of men acting as generals who were either appointed by Kirby Smith or who led state forces as generals in actual campaigns. Both of these are indeed generals in the true sense of the word. Those studying the Trans-Mississippi will definitely find the backgrounds provided here beneficial.
   
   The less exciting entries for the reader are those appointed very late in the war (e.g. March 1865 or later) but never confirmed and really never served in the capacity of general. In addition, there were those referred to as generals in various Confederate post-war histories, but whom the author demonstrates did not really achieve the rank. Though it is perhaps a thankless task, the author is to be commended for setting the record straight with regards to these men.
   
   As a bonus, in an appendix Mr. Allardice lists another ~135 individuals sometimes referred to as generals by less authoritative sources. In one or two sentences for each he explains the reasons for excluding them.
   
   "More Generals in Gray" is a well-written and organized supplement to Warner's work. This volume will appeal the most to a narrower group of civil war enthusiasts and particularly those studying more obscure engagements. Note that now is a good time to obtain inexpensive remaindered copies.

2 comments about Subcommander Marcos: The Man and the Mask.

1. "We Are All Marcos Now"
   Subcommander Marcos and the Politics of Zapatismo
   
   Review of Nick Henck, Subcommander Marcos: The Man and the Mask (Duke, 2007), 499 pp.
   
   Robert Ovetz, Ph.D.
   
   The Zapatistas are widely credited with launching the anti-globalization movement on New Year's day 1994, the first day the North American Free Trade Agreement came into effect. What is less known is that in doing so the Zapatistas created a new model that has made taking up arms compatible with simultaneously taking up the cause of grassroots democracy, a paradoxical phenomenon vividly illustrated by Nick Henck in his fascinating new book Subcommander Marcos: The Man and the Mask.
   
   When I interviewed Subcommander Marcos and reported for CNN on the uprising on that day in San Cristobal de las Casas, it appeared as if they had emerged overnight, a spontaneous rupture in the supposed political calm of Mexico and the emerging web of a restructured global system. Nothing could be further from the historical record, a record Hick Henck, associate professor of law at Keio University in Japan, recounts and examines with exhaustive thoroughness and insight. The Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN or Zapatista) uprising was no spontaneous rebellion, but a model of revolutionary armed struggle refashioned by local indigenous communities facing the terror of local violent greedy landholders and corrupt local and state officials.
   
   While never having met Marcos, Henck's biography carefully explores countless published interviews, communiques, media reports, web postings, and the two other existing published books about Marcos. Although a biography, Henck's focus is informed by his passion to understand the movement of Zapatismo from the perspective of the man who has become a charismatic, even sexy, icon of the rebellion. Subcommander Marcos makes a convincing case that Zapatismo transformed not only the global movement challenging to "neo-liberalism" and globalization but how the movement was organized.
   
   Despite preparing for guerrilla warfare in the jungles and countryside for 10 long years, after a mere 12 days of conflict in 1994 the Zapatistas agilely transformed themselves from an "army of liberation" into a facilitator of mass mobilization of what they call "civil society". That they were eventually successful in achieving significant progress towards three major objectives in less than a decade has remained the backstory to coverage about the enigmatic and secretive masked pipe brandishing icon Subcommander Marcos. The Zapatista uprising put indigenous issues center-stage with the Mexican media and public for the first time, with an indigenous rights bill being debated in both chambers of the Mexican Congress. This debate led to the passage of a watered down version of the San Andres Accords between the Zapatistas, its civil society allies and the government as a constitutional amendment. Although it is impressive that the government would amend the constitution in response to the Zapatista movement, the amendment has not lived up to claims that it expanded the rights of Mexico's indigenous peoples. The amendment also did not reverse NAFTA's rescinding of Article 27 of the constitution, which prohibited the privatization of communal ejido land, and some indigenous groups even consider it to be unconstitutional. Lastly, the Zapatistas were one of the primary forces that contributed to the end of the PRI's seven decades of one party rule.
   
   It appears that for Henck the transformation of the Zapatistas into Zapatismo is of much greater significance than either the story of the former professor turned revolutionary cell leader Subcommander Marcos or their ability to change government policy and provoke a political realignment. After a few years of being ignored in the jungles the handful of FLN (Forces of National Liberation or Fuerzas Liberacion Nacional) members who composed the cell in Chiapas found the locals were sympathetic to calls to pick up arms in self-defense against the theft of their lands by rancher death squads. But the indigenous only really responded to their calls to organize and arm themselves when Marcos and his compatriots realized that "in order to survive we had to translate ourselves using a different code...this language constructed itself from the bottom upwards." (p. 94)
   
   This was no abstract rhetorical exercise but took on tangible dimensions for those who joined, especially among women. As Henck so fascinatingly details, once local young indigenous women discovered that joining the Zapatistas protected them from being raped and forced marriages, they began to join in droves. (p. 100-101) And as the Zapatistas gained a few allies in assorted villages those allies used their family relationships and status in their communities to literally open the tap to a rush of recruits.
   
   As Marcos so deftly recognized, after years of futile effort the number of recruits exploded from only a few dozen members to thousands in just a matter of a few months when they finally surrendered to the needs of the local communities and "decided it would be better to do what they said." (p. 135)
   
   Whether this sudden change in fortunes for the EZLN was catalyzed by Marcos's own innate skill of organizing or something that was thrust upon him from below is less important than Marcos's own flexibility in recognizing the need to break with his own inflexible model of insurgent politics. Eventually, the EZLN formally broke off from the increasingly irrelevant and inactive FLN.
   
   The shift from a military to political strategy resulted in a shift in the man we know as Marcos. As Henck explains, "Marcos abandoned his own personal dreams of becoming a revolutionary guerrilla hero and, reacting to the general public's response to the uprising, began to explore an alternative role for both himself and the movement. He and the EZLN had been gearing themselves for a decade toward a predominantly military role. Now, almost overnight, they opted instead for a predominantly political one. Few politicians and military men have abandoned so rapidly a course of action pursued so intensely, for so long, at such a high personal cost to adapt, revise, and reject their strategies when faced with the dawning realization that they were obsolete." (p. 224)
   
   This internal shift in Marcos's thinking makes Henck's book invaluable less as a biography than as a case study of the emergence and evolution of a new political model, one in which a marginalized top down political organization is reformulated by those it aspires to lead to being led by them. In this process of self-organization from below the movement's objectives become indistinguishable from the model they choose to organize themselves. As a result the EZLN transformed itself from vanguard to facilitator of a horizontal political project of movement building and decentralizing and de-evolving power to local autonomous communities.
   
   Soon after the ending of actual fighting, the EZLN became the framework for building a national movement of movements to challenge the neo-conservative restructuring forced upon Mexico by the PRI and NAFTA. The EZLN and its network of allies soon began organizing frequent Encuentros (or "encounters") and nationwide tours to accompany numerous rounds of negotiations with the government. These efforts were facilitated by the charismatic Marcos becoming an irresistible media spectacle that could at once attract vast national and international media coverage and attention and facilitate a bridge across the diversity of interests among its allies in civil society.
   
   Under the emblem of Subcommander Marcos, the EZLN gave birth to a new radical democracy that at once built a national movement to challenge the global capitalist agenda while linking up to the movement as a support network to defend its project of de-evolving political power to local autonomous cooperatively run villages.
   
   Ever able to read political forces of change and adapt, Marcos early on recognized the shift taking place: "What other guerrilla force has agreed to sit down and dialogue only fifty days after having taken up arms? What other guerrilla force has appealed, not to the proletariat as the historical vanguard, but to the civic society that struggles for democracy? What other guerrilla force has stepped aside in order not to interfere in the electoral process? What other guerrilla force has convened a national democratic movement, civic and peaceful, so that armed struggle becomes useless? What other guerrilla force asks its bases of support about what it should do before doing it? What other guerrilla force has struggled to achieve a democratic space and not take power? What other guerrilla force has relied more on words than bullets?" (p. 235)
   
   The answers to these questions are less important than the fact that they were being asked by the nominal leader of an armed guerilla "army of national liberation." Merely asking these questions underlined a gradual shift of autonomous politics from the margins to the center of the methodology and strategies of the global resistance, anti-war, social justice and environmental movements that have blossomed over the past 13 years. Self-organized, de-centralized, bottom up, and horizontally organized movements, networks, affinity groups and campaigns have achieved a new level of respect, legitimacy and power since the emergence of Zapatismo. These models are exemplified by the higher profile anti-WTO/IMF/World Bank and environmental justice movements, the massive growth of the World Social Forum and less obviously the indie music, microcinema and freecycling movements to name just a few. We have Zapatismo to thank for the re-emergence of what some now call "horizontalism" since 1994.
   
   Throughout Henck's Subcommander Marcos its is hard to avoid asking the inevitable question of "why a biography?." Despite all the glittering stardom for Marcos, his mask and pipe, the success of Zapatista movement is about far more than the man behind the mask. Even as he was "outted" as former UAM professor Rafael Guillén, his own identity no longer mattered. Like the similarly masked hero "V" in the film "V for Vendetta", Marcos had become the anonymous face of those who dreamed of justice and flirted with the forbidden thoughts of escaping to the jungles and picking up a gun to get it. In Mexico at least, where millions answered his calls to mobilize against military repression, it was a dream shared by too many for either the PRI (the Institutional Revolutionary Party or Partido Revolucionario Institucional) or its successor the PAN (the National Action Party or Partido Acción Nacional) or needless to say the Zapatista's "ally" the PRD (the Party of the Democratic Revolution or Partido de la Revolución Democrática) as well to ignore. As Henck generously concludes, "Marcos's charisma served a higher cause than his own ego; it elevated the Zapatista struggle from a localized indigenous uprising to an internationally recognized symbol of resistance to neo-liberalism." (p. 239)
   
   If there is one failing in Henck's biography is it exactly how Marcos was able to translate the hopes and aspirations of the indigenous led Zapatistas into an effective digital media campaign at the dawn of the internet age. Henck provides us with little to envision how Marcos's skillful use of the internet and relationships to Mexican and international celebrities and elites could have possibly emanated from the remote EZLN jungle camps and low tech impoverished indigenous villages. But then again, that could be because it is a safely guarded secret tactic held closely to the chests of the Zapatistas. Despite the obvious need for secrecy, my insatiable craving to know how the EZLN not only crafted their message but actually got it into the right hands to build the national and international recognition and support that repeatedly halted the onslaught of the Mexican military and brought them back to the negotiating table has not been satisfied. For that one must turn elsewhere such as the writings of theorist Harry Cleaver for insights into the workings of the Zapatismo media machine.
   
   For all my biases as the reportedly first journalist to break the story of the Zapatista's new year's uprising for the English language media , Henck's Subcommander Marcos is less a biography than an enlightening case study of how one of the possibly most influential political movements of the 21th century was born, faultered and was then rejuvenated by those it sought to lead. Subcommander Marcos convincingly demonstrates that Zapatismo has created a new model in which taking up arms may finally no longer be incompatible with simultaneously taking up the cause of autonomy and democracy. This book has arrived just in time, when the anti-globalization movement appears to have run out of steam precisely because it has failed to provide a visionary model of the future in the present.
   
   [Robert Ovetz, PhD is an adjunct instructor of political science at College of Marin and of sociology at Cañada College in California.]



2. Nick Henck's biography of Subcommander Marcos is much more than a description of the man's life so far - remember, he's not dead yet! It is an exploration of the Zapatista movement and its significance for 21st century Mexican and Latin American politics. Moreover, Henck demonstrates that, although Marcos is not indigenous to Chiapas himself, his life and work holds important lessons for contemporary indigenous peoples struggling for recognition and respect all over the world.
   
   This book traces Marcos's life from his early days in Mexico City as a child, then student and academic, through his involvement in leftist politics, his move to the Lacandon jungle, his stewardship of the EZLN, and his leadership of the resistance struggle in Chiapas. Marcos is important because he was able, first, to lead a successful armed uprising against an established, corrupt, and dictatorial regime - one that has an important alliance with the United States - and, second, by his skillful use of modern communications he prevented the regime from retaliating with maximum military force. Marcos is, therefore, both a worthy successor in the tradition of Bolivar, Che and Castro, as well as a new type of Latin American revolutionary. In this way, Henck shows that his example provides tremendous optimism for independence movements all over the world, but particularly in Latin America.
   
   This book is surely the definitive work in English on Subcommander Marcos and the EZLN, and is an important contribution to the literature on Latin American revolutionary movements. As such, and as both a challenge and a request to Professor Henck, I hope that he will use this opportunity to develop his research to write more on leaders of contemporary Latin American resistance movements - including Hugo Chavez - in order that we can learn more about this important challenge to the current neo-liberal orthodoxy.

No comments about German Fighter Ace Werner Molders: An Illustrated Biography (Schiffer Military History).

1 comments about Brotherhood of Warriors LP: Behind Enemy Lines with a Commando in One of the World's Most Elite Counterterrorism Units.

1. ...Mr Cohen's book. Devoured the book in two days. Fascinating perspective on Israel's military, particularly the training behind their elite forces. As an American, I was especially enlightened by Mr Cohen's analysis of our shortsightedness in combatting terrorism here in the states. The Israelis are trained to kill the terrorist. The average US police officer is trained to NOT shoot because of the bureaucratic mess he would encounter in discharging his weapon. Mr Cohen explains the Israeli emphasis on shooting thousands of rounds to become proficient and comfortable in using his firearm and in real world simulation whereas the US police force practices sporadically at a shooting range. He discounts the importance of aiming, but instead being instinctive in using one's weapon. Mr. Cohen's stories of encountering the enemy in numerous raids on terrorist hot spots make for a fascinating read. One mission describes his posing as a blonde US college journalist interviewing a leading terrorist organization leader. After making the target comfortable in two hours of interview time at a cafe, Mr. Cohen suddenly springs at his enemy, smashing him in the mouth, while his hidden comrades in arms take down the perp's two bodyguards. Great stuff. By way of background, I am a 52 year old southern California housewife and mother of two daughters and a son.

5 comments about Be Not Afraid, for You Have Sons in America: How a Brooklyn Roofer Helped Lure the U.S. into the Kosovo War.

1. This book was so one sided and the author didn't even try to hide that fact. There was nothing about the the countrys history to say why the Serbs would think/know that that country was theres. Its would not be a good book for someone to read if they didn't know anything about Serbs.



2. Having just finished Stacy Sullivan's "Be Not Afraid, For You Have Sons In America," I can only say that it an extraordinarily undervalued gem. Not unlike Chuck Sudetic's "Blood and Vengeance," Sullivan takes a complex international disaster and makes it intelligible by weaving "big picture" historical, stategic and political facts into the lives of the ordinary people who always make history.
   
   Anyone can find the history of the Balkans in general and Kosovo in particular by perusing the recent texts that focus on the governmental players, but this book sees the tragedy in the lives of those who experienced it and make it ever so real.
   
   The book is also highly relevant to our post-Sept. 11 world. It depicts how Albanian-Americans were able to use the openness of our society and gulibility of our leaders to subvert American foreign policy in ways that were totally legal. Her chilling message for today is clear. If blue collar expats in Brooklyn can fund and arm an insurgency across the world, how much easier it would be for weapons of destruction to be acquired and utilized right here at home? Sullivan's book makes the Oklahoma City bombing - much less the continuing threat of Al Qaeda - very close indeed.
   
   Did Sullivan get every just right? As someone who has travelled to Albania and the rest of the Balkans and read more than a little, there are some facts she missed (such as the role of the Berisha family), but not much. I learned a great deal from this book.
   
   Finally, even if the reader has no interest in the intricacies of the Balkans, this book should be purchased and read. It is one great tale.



3. This is a well-written, readable account of the guerrilla war in Kosovo. The author spent years in and around Kosovo, and is clearly in command of her topic.
   
   If you're not familiar with the Kosovo conflict, this is a very solid introduction to it. If you are, it's still very much worth reading. This is the first book examining in detail how Albanian-Americans supported the KLA guerrilla movement, and it adds a lot to any discussion of the Kosovo issue.
   
   Stacy Sullivan's writing is light and very readable, but she has done her homework, and the tone never lapses into sentimentality or self-indulgence. There is a clear pro-Albanian bias, but this is hardly surprising... she spent most of her time on the Albanian side of things.
   
   (This has definitely affected the book's reviews. You may notice that several reviewers have said "it's great" and then given it low reviews, because it didn't agree with their own opinions about the war. This is unfortunate, because it's a book well worth reading whether think the Kosovo intervention was a good idea or not.)
   
   I have some quibbles with the book. She really doesn't give enough time to KLA atrocities, including the ones that have caused KLA members to be indicted to the Hague. She largely ignores the strange cross-currents in the province, like the killings of "collaborators" (who may or may not have been such). And some of the numbers in the final chapter are a bit iffy.
   
   But these are quibbles. There are a lot of wonderful pieces in here: her Albanian-American protagonist shopping for Stinger missiles in a Pakistani arms bazaar, young Americans in a disorganized KLA "boot camp", Geraldo Rivera setting off an artillery strike. And the general quality of the writing is high, and the book takes a complicated subject and boils it down into a clear narrative.
   
   Highly recommended to anyone who's interested in this still-controversial topic.
   
   
   Doug Muir



4. Sullivan's book recounts the Kosovo conflict as seen by participants and supporters of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK). Despite this focus on one side of the conflict, it is remarkably even-handed, and does not gloss over misconduct by the UCK and Kosovo Albanians during and after the war. It is not (and does not claim to be) a complete history of the conflict, but it's an important contribution to that history.



5. Having lived many years in Kosovo after the war, I found many people who have not lived here think the KLA and the revolutionary movement did not exist, or that they are terrorists of the worst kind. This book shreds those misconceptions and illustrates how love of one's country will lead any person on a similar path to ensure his country and countrymen's freedoms. Any westerner will question his or her own patriotism - how far would you go to save your country from oppression? I bet many would hide and run away, not find ways to make a different path for so many!

5 comments about Lasting Valor.

1. Without gushing unnecessarily, this is a hell of a book. It's full of rich details that etch vivid images -- from life in rural Wyoming to bloody combat -- and also has a quiet irony and humor that take some of the bitterness out of Baker's tale. A really readable book; not something you read because you should, but because Baker and his story capture you and make you want to find out what happened next. A good read.



2. A must read for a different view of WWII from the perspective of a black American army officer. Great addition to a high school or college course.



3. I love this book and had a hard time putting it down. At first it was just a little slow, but quickly picked up its pace.

   It is so vividly written that, though I am white, I felt Baker's experiences along with him. I felt the sting of anger when a bus driver told him to get to the back of the bus and when the colonel told him to take off the DSC ribbon. I felt his anguish at leaving the Italian woman in Italy, and the joy he derived from his children. This book deserves to be a best seller.




4. I purchased this book to tap into the life lessons of another black leader.

   And I really gained more than I expected. Vernon Baker talks about race, and how being Black during WWII, while in the army also meant having to work harder to prove yourself than his white commanders had to.

   While these racial problems still exist everywhere, and everyday, on many levels, the difference is that Baker's behind, and everyone one of his troop's behind was on the line, just because they had to make a difference in times when their white leaders used them to cover up the fact that they were cowards. To be in, and part of the team, if you will, they had to be braver than their cowardly commanders who really didn't want them there.

   Another interesting point in this story is, "The American Army mostly ignored its black combat troops along the Western Front while the French hailed their valor and awarded the Cross of War, to every member of three all-black regiments. Most American history books fail to record any of this, and the Army certainly didn't bring it up."

   "Lasting Valor," he gives details that weaving WWII battles, his Wyoming upbringing, and the women who came into his life (his traditionally thinking male identity), into one story that will touch everyone's heart.

   Also, this book ends in a message similar to Herman Wouk's message, from "War and Remembrance," when it states, "War, however, is the most regrettable proving ground. For the sake of my nineteen comrades, I hope no man, black, white, or any color, ever again has the opportunity to earn the Medal of Honor. War is not honor. Those who rush to launch conflict, and those who seek to create heroes from it, should remember war's legacy. You have to be there to appreciate its horrors. And die to forget them."

   I'd love to see this book become required reading for high school students, throughout America.




5. This is an inspiring story about one of the TRUE heroes of the United States, honored (much too late) both at home and abroad. That being said, Bantam Books should be ASHAMED of the absolutely SHODDY, INFERIOR quality of this paperback edition! When I opened my NEW copy, the first page in the photograph section fell out, which led me to look more closely at that section. The pictures are so poorly reproduced that many, if not most, of them are barely recognizable as photographs! Bantam Books has given this Great American Hero, Mr. Vernon J. Baker, the same disgraceful treatment that the U.S. Army gave him for so many years. Reprehensible and unconscionable!

5 comments about Heavy Metal: A Tank Company's Battle to Baghdad.

1. Kudos and thanks to Captain Jason Conroy and veteran journalist Ron Martz for a compelling, inspiring and instructive combat story about Charlie Company's battle to Baghdad. The book provides a clearer vision of war for those of us who have never been in combat and presents some awesome personal stories in that "up close & personal" way. This is an amazing story of survival - all came home - from Charlie Company. The story is told in an "unspun" version which is very refreshing. Telling us what went right and what went horribly wrong shows that Capt Conroy and Ron Martz took off any "armor" that some may use to hide the truth. The portrayal of courage and the commitment of the young soldiers was very poignant. The book should be read and viewed as one of those rare accounts you can read and truly look at the "lessons learned" and carry them as vital tools for the future. One cannot be the same person after reading this gripping story of what these men went through on their way to Baghdad. I highly recommend this book to any person who wants to learn more about the reality of war and a profound example of the human spirit at work under adverse and life threatening conditions.
   Review by: J. Glenn Ebersole, Jr., Founder & Chief Executive, J. G. Ebersole Associates and The Renaissance Group (TM), and author of "Glenn's Guiding Lines - Thoughts From Your Strategic Thinking Coach" Newsletter.



2. Heavy Metal is a very informative book without losing the reader in trivial information. Prior to reading this book I did not know much about tanks. Conroy describes tanks, their crews, and the impact of tanks in modern warfare quite well. Some other reviews have mentioned that it lacked detail, but I believe Conroy did an excellent job of describing what he saw and what his group accomplished. His portrayal of his men and the army appear to be quite honest. He admits to problems he faced while he also describes how he and his men problem solved. I would recommend this book to those entering the service as it provides perspective on leadership roles.



3. Heavy Metal is an outstanding and insightful glimpse of the innerworkings of an armor company training and going to war. The authors' dedication to put the soldiers at the forefront of the story truly shows. For this reason, Heavy Metal succeeds at clearly illustrating the bravery, tenacity, and creativity of the armor warriors that fought during the famed Thunder Runs into Baghdad.
   Considering the conditions that the authors endured and the short time involved getting this fine work to print, Heavy Metal is an indespensible reference for the combat operations that shaped the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom. This book will not only make you proud of the soldiers that fought through tremendous uncertainty and harsh conditions, it also illustrates how armor (tanks) can be used in future operations.



4. I picked this up to read on a month long travel trip. I ended up reading it in one sitting! Consequently, Im very glad I had also purchased a few other titles on the same topic. I really good read, disturbing and terrifying at times with a great deal of insight, but a great read.



5. Pretty good and straight to the point. Not to much offhand detail descriptions of every little thing. Pretty factual and reads quickly. I am a retired armor soldier and this was a pretty good book. I would like to find one written from a crew members point of view but this is close being a company level view of things.

5 comments about Richard The Lionheart: The Mighty Crusader.

1. This is the first book of Miller I have read and I was very impressed by the clarity of the text and the factual analysis. The author gives a brief but very useful introduction to the history of the previous two crusades (before Richard I set foot on the Holy Land) and then goes to the adventourous campaign of the English king, covering the lightning conquest Cyprus, the conclusion of the siege of Acre in just four weeks, the march toward Jaffa, the battle of Arsuf and of course the two failed attempts to conquer Jerusalem. The book contains also chapters on the the logistics behind Richard's moves, the sea war and the lessons Richard learned studying Vegetius' "De Re Militaris". The text is not condensed and very easy to read, featuring only 30 lines per page and the book contains some 15 black and white photographs (two of them maps)in a special section.



2. In this short book, we have an excellent study of military career of Richard the Lionheart during the Third Crusade. The entire book is basically geared toward that campaign where Richard squared off with Saladin. It pretty clear that Richard the Lionheart, may have been bad King of England but he proves to be a very able commander in battles and campaign. His ability to see the long term stratgic problems set him apart from many of his fellow European commanders. The author studied not only Richard's military efforts but his diplomatic effots as well. It bit ironic that Richard probably got along personally with his enemies better then he did with his allies, many who turned against him during the campaign and after.
   
   The book is short (only 215 pages), well written and nicely researched. The author wasn't too judgmental on Richard, choosing to look at him from the historical contemporary point of view instead of the more present politically correct perception which many modern historians falls into that trap. The book proves to be very readable because its not cluttered with overwhelming amount of information. There seem to be enough in the book to present the author's case on Richard very nicely.
   
   The book come recommended to anyone who got a close interest in the Crusades and the life of King Richard I, the Lionheart of England.
   
   Overall, a pretty interesting book that wasted no pages in bringing the reader right into the Third Crusade.



3. I would like to recommend this book, to anyone with an interest in the Crusades, Richard I, or combat leadership in general.
   I found that the focus on Richard's militay exploits to be excellent, and leaves the extraneous accusations of his activities for a reader to find else where if they're so inclined.
   I noted one date in the book that lead me to some issue and that was the reference after the battle of Hattin, the movement to and fall of Jerusalem on July 4th, 1187. If memory serves me, the battle was on July 4th, and the Holy city fell months later.
   Still all in all a great book, and a shining example for combat leaders to never ask their charges to do anything more than they would do themselves.



4. An interesting and informative read, examining Richard from a personal and politico-military perspective but also looking at the history and logistics of the Third Crusade. My only complaint is the rather naive view of the 'Saracen' army that is presented here.



5. This book is perhaps the most concise, readable book on Richard that I've come across. I would refrain from calling it a full biography, since the main focus of the book is purely on Richard's campaign in the Holy Land (and admittedly so), however, Miller uses many opportunities to dissect the tendencies and characteristics of Richard's personality.
   
   It's clear from the writing that the author served as a soldier in a previous life, and hence this book stands apart from others like it because of its heavy focus on the logistical and tactical aspects of the Third Crusade, even going as far as to specify (estimating, of course) the weight of soldier's rations, supply trains, etc. The tables and appendices are particularly valuable.
   
   In short, this is an incredibly readable book on war written from a soldier's perspective, thus making it a fascinating and quick read without ever falling into the familiar sludge where rambling historians and academics seem to get trapped. I look forward to reading other military works by David Miller.

5 comments about Fifty Dead Men Walking: The True Story of a British Secret Agent Inside the IRA.

1. I liked this one! It shows how McGartland, an intelligent soul, was plucked from his lifestyle by British Intelligence to became "Agent Carol", the government's best informant in Ulster for decades.



2. The moment I started to read this book I couldn't put it down. I read it in a day and even now months later I remember it like I read it yesterday. The images Martin McGarland created will stay with me for a very long time. This book is not only an education into the troubles in Ireland it is also a testament to the strength and courage of an amazing man. I would recommend this book to everyone and anyone.



3. The moment I started to read this book I couldn't put it down. I read it in a day and even now months later I remember it like I read it yesterday. The images Martin McGarland created will stay with me for a very long time. This book is not only an education into the troubles in Ireland it is also a testament to the strength and courage of an amazing man. I would recommend this book to everyone and anyone.



4. Tremendous book . I had Read It Several Years ago , When i was in the Uk, saw it on Amazon , and read it again .
   Martin Mc Gartland is a tribute to the Irish People .
   A young man who became an agent for the special branch, knowing that if he was found out by the IRA it would mean Torture , then certain Death.....
   He was known as 'agent Carol' and gave vital information which saved many lives both protestant and catholic.
   His title of the book "Fifty Dead Men Walking" is an understatement , i truly believe he saved alot more than fifty.
   It is an essential read, and also to read his second book "dead Man Running" Thankyou Martin , for all you have sacrificed.....



5. Was it worth it Martin? Hero is no word for a hood turned tout.
   
   Recommended reading would be a book called "Ten men Dead" about real men and real heroes who suffered at the hands of Thatchers Government and the RUC, a far more truthful account of the troubles.