History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Calculations are only as good as your numbers
  • Pants on fire?
  • Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
  • Very Interesting
  • History as Science Fiction
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ChineseChinese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
IrishIrish | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
JapaneseJapanese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
WomenWomen | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Augustine, SaintAugustine, Saint | ( A ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Doctors & MedicineDoctors & Medicine | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Lawyers & CriminalsLawyers & Criminals | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Love, Sex & MarriageLove, Sex & Marriage | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Assyria, Babylonia & SumerAssyria, Babylonia & Sumer | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
Early CivilizationEarly Civilization | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
HistoriographyHistoriography | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | World | History | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Asian American | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Asian AmericanAsian American | Poetry | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
FrenchFrench | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
VictorianVictorian | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
EpicEpic | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
GermanGerman | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
RussianRussian | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
SpanishSpanish | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ChineseChinese | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Conspiracy TheoriesConspiracy Theories | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
War on DrugsWar on Drugs | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
English (All)English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
ArabicArabic | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
ArmenianArmenian | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
CzechCzech | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
GreekGreek | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
HungarianHungarian | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
JapaneseJapanese | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
KoreanKorean | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
NorwegianNorwegian | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Persian & FarsiPersian & Farsi | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
PolishPolish | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
PortuguesePortuguese | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
RomanianRomanian | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
RussianRussian | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
SwedishSwedish | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
TurkishTurkish | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
ScienceScience | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Online ResearchOnline Research | Genealogy | Reference | Subjects | Books
Native AmericanNative American | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Science | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books
History of ScienceHistory of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books
Magic & WizardsMagic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Sailor MoonSailor Moon | Popular Characters | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
PilatesPilates | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
HistoryHistory | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:
  1. History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology) History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
  2. History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III
  3. Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History And Legends, Unearthed And Explored Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History And Legends, Unearthed And Explored
  4. Before the Pharaohs: Egypt's Mysterious Prehistory Before the Pharaohs: Egypt's Mysterious Prehistory
  5. They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies

ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

5 out of 5 stars Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

5 out of 5 stars Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

5 out of 5 stars Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

4 out of 5 stars History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Beginning Operations (Sector General Novels)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Beginning Operations
  • Think your friends are strange?
  • Three books in one.
  • Great to see the beginning..
  • Classics reissued
Beginning Operations (Sector General Novels)
James White
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

BritishBritish | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century | Classics | Contemporary | General | Historical | Humor | Letters & Correspondence | Middle | Old | Poetry | Renaissance | Shakespeare | Short Stories
AnthologiesAnthologies | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Stableford, BrianStableford, Brian | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
FantasyFantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books | Alternate History | Anthologies | Arthurian | Contemporary | Epic | General | Historical | History & Criticism | Magic & Wizards | Series
AnthologiesAnthologies | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Series | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Alien Emergencies: A Sector General Omnibus (Sector General) Alien Emergencies: A Sector General Omnibus (Sector General)
  2. General Practice: A Sector General Omnibus General Practice: A Sector General Omnibus
  3. Double Contact (White, James, Sector General Series.) Double Contact (White, James, Sector General Series.)
  4. Mind Changer : A Sector General Novel Mind Changer : A Sector General Novel
  5. Final Diagnosis: A Sector General Novel (Sector General) Final Diagnosis: A Sector General Novel (Sector General)

ASIN: 0312875444

Book Description

James Whites novels and stories of Sector General, the outer-space hospital that treats humans and aliens alike, have entertained generations of SF fans. This omnibus includes the titles Hospital Station, Star Surgeon, and Major Operation, along with an introduction by Brian Stableford.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Beginning Operations.......2006-08-05

The book began strongly. Often with books in which there are multiple species, it is difficult to keep up with the transitions. This is deftly handled by the author. The reader is drawn further and further into this world and attachments to characters are formed easily. I will need to read more by this author.

5 out of 5 stars Think your friends are strange?.......2005-09-30

After spending some time at Sector General where the humans and aliens learn to interact with the main purpose being to give health and understanding to all; most of the people we meet on a daily basis here on earth who may have peviously seemed a bit strange are not so unusual any more. I love this author. He has a beautiful mind and develops interesting and unusual problems to be solved.

5 out of 5 stars Three books in one........2004-04-01

James White is one of the first sci-fi authors I grew up with and in fact is one of the first authors, right up there with Zane Grey and Robert Heinlein, whose books I learned to read without being pushed into it by parents or teachers.
The first book in this omnibus is really a bunch of short stories put together. These stories help us to understand how Sector General came about and allow us to see where the main characters of Conway and O'Mara came from. It also allows the reader to get use to how the hospital deals with everyday problems, ill aliens and special VIPs.
The next two books are full length novels, one about war and the other is about one of the biggest patients you'll ever read about. A 511 pages full of humor, drama and optimism. James White believes that, not only can we all get along, even with aliens, but that we could thrive working together. He believed in the humanity in everybody, including aliens!

4 out of 5 stars Great to see the beginning.........2001-06-26

I have read the later James White books and was pleasantly surprised to be able to pick up and read his early writing. You will find that the characters were the same back in the 60's as they are now, but it is wonderful to see how he came up with the "Hospital to Aliens" in space. If you have never read any of his books pick this up for an introduction, but I have to say his later books are still my favorites. He reminds me of the old style of writing in the 50's and 60's and it is wonderful that they have reprinted these older titles.

4 out of 5 stars Classics reissued.......2001-05-24

This omnibus collects the first three Sector General books--Hospital Station, Star Surgeon, and Major Operation. White's Sector General books exemplify the medical subgenre of the SF puzzle story--what weird E.T. thing is going on and how do we solve the problems it presents?

This series is part of my personal "Golden Age" of science fiction and I'm delighted to see it back in print.
FIRST BATTLE: Operation Starlite and the Beginning of the Blood Debt in Vietnam
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Marines in the first ground battle in Vietnam.
  • The First Battle
  • The First Battle: An Outstanding Work of Military History
  • An Incredible, fast moving operation
FIRST BATTLE: Operation Starlite and the Beginning of the Blood Debt in Vietnam
Otto Lehrack
Manufacturer: Casemate
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | Asia | History | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Vietnam | Asia | History | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Military | History | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | United States | Military | History | Subjects | Books
Vietnam WarVietnam War | Military | History | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | World War II | Military | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Con Thien: The Hill of Angels Con Thien: The Hill of Angels
  2. Impact Zone: The Battle of the DMZ In Vietnam, 1967-1968 Impact Zone: The Battle of the DMZ In Vietnam, 1967-1968
  3. Full Circle: A Marine Rifle Company in Vietnam Full Circle: A Marine Rifle Company in Vietnam
  4. The Hill Fights: The First Battle of Khe Sanh The Hill Fights: The First Battle of Khe Sanh
  5. The Battle Of An Loc (Twentieth-Century Battles) The Battle Of An Loc (Twentieth-Century Battles)

ASIN: 1932033270

Book Description

The First Battle is a graphic account of the first major clash of the Viet Nam War. On August 18, 1965, regiment fought regiment on the Van Tuong Peninsula near the new Marine base at Chu Lai. On the American side were three battalions of Marines under the command of Colonel Oscar Peatross, a hero of two previous wars. His opponent was the 1st Viet Cong Regiment commanded by Nguyen Dinh Trong, a veteran of many fights against the French and the South Vietnamese. Codenamed Operation Starlite, this action was a resounding success for the Marines and its result was cause for great optimism about America's future in Viet Nam.

Those expecting a book about Americans in battle will not be disappointed by the detailed descriptions of how the fight unfolded. Marine participants from private to colonel were interviewed during the book's research phase. The battle is seen from the mud level, by those who were at the point of the spear. But this is not just another war story told exclusively from the American side. In researching the book, the author talked with and walked the battlefield with men who fought with the 1st Viet Cong Regiment. All were accomplished combat veterans years before the U.S. entry into the war.

The reader is planted squarely in America in1965, the year that truly began the long American involvement. Operation Starlite sent the Viet Nam War into the headlines across the nation and into the minds of Americans, where it took up residence for more than a decade. Starlite was the first step in Viet Nam's becoming America's tar baby.

The subtitle of the book is: Operation Starlite and the Beginning of the Blood Debt in Viet Nam. Blood debt, han tu in Vietnamese, can mean revenge, debt of honor, or blood owed for blood spilled. The Blood Debt came into Vietnamese usage early in the war with the United States. With this battle, the Johnson Administration began compiling its own Blood Debt, this one to the American people.

The book also looks at the ongoing conflict between the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marines about the methodology of the Viet Nam War. With decades of experience with insurrection and rebellion, the Marines were institutionally oriented to base the struggle on pacification of the population. The Army, on the other hand, having largely trained to meet the Soviet Army on the plains of Germany, opted for search-and-destroy missions against Communist main force units. The history of the Viet Nam War is littered with many "what ifs." This may be the biggest of them.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Marines in the first ground battle in Vietnam........2006-02-21

I am not sure what the other reviewers were reading, but this book was not that interesting. I could even have rated it lower.
The material for the book was the first Marine campaign in the war called Operation Satellite. A clerk made a typo and renamed it Operation Starlite. Regardless of the name, the setting was close to the DaNang military airport. The Marines thought that the VC were resting a large troop of soldiers to launch at the airport. In fact, the VC regiment was resting and regrouping and was not going to attack the American airport. Through a series of air strikes, helo and naval landings--the Americans fought a regiment of Viet Cong and killed 600 at a cost of 54 of their own soldiers.

The book goes through the story of the battle and what happened. I don't particularly care what segment (squad, etc) went what way, what they used for weapons, etc. A large part of the book describes this and the book has no flow and doesn't excite the reader to pursue further. I did, and found much the same throughout the book. Also, the book is generally pro-VC and makes no mention what some of the VC did to their fellow countrymen. This was a tough read at only 200 pages.

For those interested in battles and plotting them on the map, this book may interest you. For those who lost family, this may also be of interest. For the great majortiy of lay readers, there are better Vietnam stories elsewhere.

5 out of 5 stars The First Battle.......2005-10-02

I actually would rate this book a 4.75, but I'll have to settle for a 5. My wife and I have just returned from a return trip to I Corps with fellow Marine veterans and Captain Ed Garr, mentioned in the book, as one of the guides. I really enjoyed the book overall and I thought "setting the stage" was well done. I visited the Operation Starlite battlesite for the first time and saw one of the rapidly deteriorating Amtrac's that the Vietnamese have recently covered and hold up as a symbol of America's defeat in Vietnam. The book did a great job of filling in the holes and fleshing out my memories. The book was clinical in a positive sense but could, I think, have benefited from more indepth, first hand accounts. All in all, an enjoyable book that even my wife could read without getting annoyed because of the tendency of accounts of Marines to be rather raw. Good job Otto Lehrack.

5 out of 5 stars The First Battle: An Outstanding Work of Military History.......2004-09-05

Otto Lehrack has described, analyzed and ultimately explained in fewer than 200 tightly yet lucidly written pages the reality and significance of Operation Starlite--a battle that took place in August 1965 and was, as the title notes, the "First Battle" of the Vietnam War between U.S. troops and Viet Cong Regulars . The description of the battle itself is set in a carefully and clearly established historical framework and geographical setting while throughout the text the reader is given insightful "color commentary", including relevant and invariably interesting facts about the personal history of the key unit commanders on both sides as well as the operational doctrine, training and tradition, unit history and behavior in combat of both the Marines and Viet Cong who fought this critical engagement.

A significant part of the appeal of this excellent book lies its methodical "zoom in" approach, commencing with the reader's high-level historical and geographical orientation in Chapters 1 and 2 entitled, respectively, "Inching Toward the Abyss" and "America Touches the Tar Baby." These chapters together total only 18 pages yet set out the best capsule account of America's long slide into the Vietnam War I have read anywhere. The opening sentence of Chapter 1 is chilling both in retrospect and, whether or not so intended, in its implicit parallels with current events: "The United States came to this pass in baby steps, characterized more by Cold War fears, hubris and inattention than by level-headed policy examination."

Having given us a high level zoom view, First Battle narrows the focus somewhat and moves to an informative and substantive discussion of the Marine's entry into the geographical area in Southern I Corps where the battle was fought, including an excellent discussion of the establishment of and operations at the Marine's Chu Lai base, and, tightening the focus again, moves to the engagement itself, addressing in logical sequence the intelligence that led the Marines to conclude the 1st VC Regiment was on the Van Tuong peninsula south of Chu Lai base, the command process leading to the Marine's decision to undertake the operation, including a helicopter reconnaissance flight over the peninusula whose "brevity and apparent casualness" did not fool the VC, the Marines'decision to undertake and the planning for a surprise assault combining amphibious and helicopter elements and the conduct of the assault itself. These chapters also provide specific description of and insight into the planning of the VC who, though warned by the reconnaissance and able able to determine the Marines' objective, nevertheless "seriously underestimated the speed with which the American Marines could mount the attack." Lehrack develops this point nicely and it reappears as a theme throughout the book both in connection with the fast-moving operations of the Marines in Starlite and the later flexibility and ingenuity shown by the VC and North Vienamese forces in adapting to American tactics and capabilities as the war continued.
Lehrack has documented the text in a highly professional manner and the text itself artfully interweaves facts from a variety of primary and secondary sources to tell the story of Starlite. In this regard, Lehrack conducted extensive interviews not only with Marines participating in the engagement at all levels of command but, very significantly, with numerous members of the VC 1st Regiment. (It was apparently during these interviews that he came to understand the Vietnamese concept of "blood debt" that appears in the title of the book and, as he explains it, sheds light on the conduct of the VC and North Vietnamese both during and after the war.) The descriptions of the key small unit engagements that took place in the context of the battle now called Operation Starlite are vivid and filled with detail that illuminate both the nature of the action and the character of the combatants themselves, which one can only conclude was remarkable on both sides. There is insufficient space to do justice to the excellent discussions of these engagements in First Battle. Suffice it to say they make for a "good read" and are clearly informed by the author's research, including review and assessment of command logs, after-action and interrogation reports, his walks of the battlefield and interviews and conversations with the participants on both sides and, finally, his own combat experience as a Marine infantry company commander in the Vietnam War.

This is an excellent book and I recommend it highly. One cautionary note...if you're not familiar with the lexicon of Marine and VC operations in Vietnam, make sure you identify the glossary set out in Appendix 2 (page 188) of the book before you start reading so that, as you read, you can refer quickly to its brief but clear definitions of terms.


5 out of 5 stars An Incredible, fast moving operation.......2004-08-01

Otto Lehrack's, The First Battle, Operation Starlite and the Beginning of the Blood Debt in Vietnam, is a well-written account of the U.S. Marines' first major operation of the Vietnam war. Lehrack brings the story to life through the eyes of Marines in the mud, compellingly describing action during the operation without pulling punches, and keeping historical context accurate.

A very readable, fast moving, incredible story, the author went to extraordinary efforts to interview US Marines, the South Vietnamese ARVN, and the 1st Viet Cong Regiment, to make sure the operation's details accurately depict command and grunt level decisions. The reader can almost taste the fear, hear the shooting, and feel the pain of war. Lehrack brings human realism to the forefront, making accounts of the battle a struggle of real people.

Highly recommended.

Morton M. Rumberg
Captain, USAF, Retired
The Secret Beginnings of Germany's Panzer Troops (Schiffer Military/Aviation History)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    The Secret Beginnings of Germany's Panzer Troops (Schiffer Military/Aviation History)
    Michael Scheibert
    Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

    GeneralGeneral | Military | History | Subjects | Books
    StrategyStrategy | Military | History | Subjects | Books
    Military ScienceMilitary Science | History | Subjects | Books
    ReferenceReference | Transportation | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Military | History | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
    StrategyStrategy | Military | History | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
    Military ScienceMilitary Science | History | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
    ReferenceReference | Transportation | Nonfiction | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
    All 4-for-3 DealsAll 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
    ASIN: 0764307886

    Book Description

    Covered are the secretive origins and development of German's Panzer troops are recounted in numberous photographs, along with a historical account of the vehicles used by the Panzer troops that would later storm through Europe., over 100 b/w photos, drawings, 8 1/2" x 11"
    Funtastic Frogs Operations and Beginning Place Value
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Funtastic Frogs Operations and Beginning Place Value
      Judy Goodnow , and Shirley Hoogeboom
      Manufacturer: Ideal
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

      ArithmeticArithmetic | Math | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Math | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Education | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
      MathematicsMathematics | Specific Skills | Education | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
      ArithmeticArithmetic | Math | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Math | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Education | Nonfiction | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Education | Professional & Technical | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
      MathematicsMathematics | Specific Skills | Education | Professional & Technical | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
      All 4-for-3 DealsAll 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
      ASIN: 1564513653

      Book Description

      Here's a fun way for your students to explore addition and subtraction with and without regrouping. They will use Funtastic Frogs and Logs for Frogs to combine groups to find out how many in all, take away frogs to find outhow many are left, show numbers in more than one way, add and subtract two-digit numbers with and without regrouping, explore place values, and solve problems. Your students will love learning about addition and subtraction this way.These activities are perfect for learning centers, large or small groups, or for individual use.
      beginning operations a sector general omnibus
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        beginning operations a sector general omnibus

        Manufacturer: orb
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover
        Similar Items:
        1. Double Contact (White, James, Sector General Series.) Double Contact (White, James, Sector General Series.)

        ASIN: 0739422464
        Angel on the Yardarm: The Beginnings of Fleet Radar Defense & the Kamikaze Threat
        Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
        • FDO, CIC and CAP
        Angel on the Yardarm: The Beginnings of Fleet Radar Defense & the Kamikaze Threat

        Manufacturer: Diane Pub.
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback
        ASIN: 0788114530

        Product Description

        This account of the USS Langley takes her from her precommissioning detail to the completion of her wartime cruise in the Pacific -- 29 Jan. 1944 to 17 May 1945. Contents: serving on Admiral Towers' & Admiral Nimitz' staffs; the capture of Kwajalein, Majuro & Eniwetok; Espiritu Santo & the first strikes on Palau; the assault on Hollandia; Operation Forager & the Battle of the Philippine Sea; the Battle for Leyte Gulf; Lingayen Gulf & the South China Sea; raids on Tokyo in support of Iwo Jima; fast carriers vs. Kamikazes at Okinawa, & much more. 11 illus

        Customer Reviews:

        4 out of 5 stars FDO, CIC and CAP.......2006-08-26

        Angel on the Yardarm, The Beginnings of Fleet Radar Defense and the Kamikaze Threat, by John Monsarrat, Naval War College Press, 188 pages.

        This is a well written account of the WW2 Pacific theater from the point of view of a Fighter Direction Officer. The author restricts his scope to his own wartime experience with the FDO/CIC department of the light carrier CVL-27 (USS Langley). The author's entire combat experience was spent on the Langley and the Langley's entire combat record was experienced by the author. Coverage includes initial setup of the CIC, installation of the radar equipment, selecting and training sailors for the radar-man job, intercepts, combat operations, and bomb damage.


        Chapters:
        1. Introduction
        2. Reporting Aboard at Harvard
        3. Desk-Bound in the Bureau of Aeronautics
        4. Serving on Admiral Towers' and Admiral Nimitz Staffs.
        5. Learning Radar and Fighter Direction

        6. Carrier Duty at Last -- The author is assigned to USS Langley, a CVL. The officers of the FDO/CIC are given free hand to design and setup the CIC and radar equipment. The author is an advertising exec in civilian life. He soon puts his natural networking ability to use, visiting all the other ships in the yard in an attempt to distill best practices. He apparently did a good job. Also his department must train a crew of radar men. Normally they are assigned at random, but the officers continue to network and get a chance to review the service records of all the crew and select out a likely group for radar training. This early work in finding the best setup and the best radar-men yielded benefits for the entire combat career of Langley. Its interesting to see how the civilian skill of networking pays off handsomely in later combat.

        7. Shaking Down the Langley -- Practice, practice, practice of strikes and intercepts along with laborious calibration of the radar by having the air group fly different altitudes over and over.
        8. Return to Pearl Harbor
        9. The Capture of Kwajalein, Majuro and Eniwetok
        10. Espiritu Santo and the First Strikes on Palau
        11. Assault on Hollandia
        12. Operation Forager and the Battle of the Philippine Sea
        13. Under Halsey the Palaus and Philippines -- The author reveals that the smaller CVL's consistently outperform the Essex CV's on initial detection even though the Essex class has the same radar set and a higher antenna. There is some speculation about the cause, but in their ability to spot bogeys and route the CAP, the CVL's contribute far out of proportion to the size of their air group. One can imagine a task force commander with four Essex class carriers trying to swap one for a smaller CVL.
        14. The Battle for Leyte Gulf
        15. Supporting the Troops on Leyte
        16. The Task Force Meets a Greater Power -- Typhoon
        17. Lingayen Gulf and the South China Sea -- Interesting counter radar tactics include the launching of "gulls" which are radar reflective balloons attached to four foot planks to fool Japanese radar into believing that the task force was still there.
        18. The Langley Takes Her Lumps -- Late intercept and Kamikaze hits on CV Ticonderoga are attributed to uniformed big egos. After Langley spots a bogey, USS Washington's (BB) CIC declares them friendly even though there is no IFF. Langley repeatedly refers to them as bogeys (unknown) and Washington (the senior ship) reiterates that they are friendly, but they aren't.
        19. Busy Interlude in Ulithi
        20. Raids on Tokyo in support of Iwo Jima
        21. Fast Carriers Versus Kamikazes at Okinawa
        22. Homeward Bound
        Appendix: Log of the USS Langley (CVL-27)
        Basic operations in printing;: Operation sheets for use with classes in beginning printing,
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Basic operations in printing;: Operation sheets for use with classes in beginning printing,
          William Albert Fitzgerald
          Manufacturer: The Peabody Press
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Unknown Binding

          GeneralGeneral | Publishing & Books | Reference | Subjects | Books
          ASIN: B00086QBQS
          Kilpatrick and Our Calvary:  Comprising A Sketch of the Life of General Kilpatrick with an Account of the Calvary Raids, Engagements, and Operations Under His Command, From the Beginning of the Rebellion to the Surrender of Johnston
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Kilpatrick and Our Calvary: Comprising A Sketch of the Life of General Kilpatrick with an Account of the Calvary Raids, Engagements, and Operations Under His Command, From the Beginning of the Rebellion to the Surrender of Johnston
            James Moore
            Manufacturer: W.J. Widdleton
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Leather Bound
            ASIN: B000H6721M
            KILPATRICK AND OUR CAVALRY: Comprising A Sketch of the Life of General Kilpatrick, with an Account of the Cavalry Raids, Engagements, and Operations Under His Command, from the Beginning of the Rebellion to the Surrender of Johnston
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              KILPATRICK AND OUR CAVALRY: Comprising A Sketch of the Life of General Kilpatrick, with an Account of the Cavalry Raids, Engagements, and Operations Under His Command, from the Beginning of the Rebellion to the Surrender of Johnston

              Manufacturer: W. J. Widdleton, Publisher
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Hardcover
              ASIN: B000I76C2K

              Books:

              1. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
              2. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
              3. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
              4. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
              5. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
              6. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
              7. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
              8. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
              9. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
              10. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

              Books Index

              Books Home

              Recommended Books

              1. History: Fiction or Science
              2. Chicken Soup for the Couple's Soul
              3. The Painted Kiss: A Novel
              4. The New Complete English Springer Spaniel
              5. the Torso
              6. Biology, Sixth Edition
              7. Who Rules America
              8. The Ecology of Natural Disturbance and Patch Dynamics
              9. The Father of Spin: Edward L. Bernays and The Birth of Public Relations
              10. The Prosperous Retirement: Guide to the New Reality