History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Choices Under Fire: Moral Dimensions of World War II

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Thought provoking analysis about the choices we make
Bad Things During the Good War
Understanding history allows tp explain the present
A unique mix of history and moral analysis
Morality in War is Difficult - A Great Book

Choices Under Fire: Moral Dimensions of World War II
Michael Bess
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0307263657
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Book Description

World War II remains a celebrated event in our collective memory—a time of great high-minded clarity, patriotic sacrifice, and national unity of purpose. It was the quintessential “good war,” in which the forces of freedom triumphed over the forces of darkness. Now, in his provocative new book, historian Michael Bess explodes the myth that this was a war fought without moral ambiguity. He shows that although it was undeniably a just war—a war of defense against unprovoked aggression—it was a conflict fraught with painful dilemmas, uneasy trade-offs, and unavoidable compromises. With clear-eyed, principled assurance, Bess takes us into the heart of a global contest that was anything but straightforward, and confronts its most difficult questions: Was the bombing of civilian populations in Germany and Japan justified? Were the Nuremberg and Tokyo war crimes trials legally scrupulous? What is the legacy bequeathed to the world by Hiroshima? And what are the long-term ramifications of the Anglo-American alliance with Stalin, a leader whose atrocities rivaled those of Hitler?

Viewing the conflict as a composite of countless choices made by governments, communities, and—always of the utmost importance—individuals, Bess untangles the stories of singular moral significance from the mass of World War II data. He examines the factors that led some people to dissent and defy evil while others remained trapped or aloof, caught in the net of large-scale operations they saw as beyond their control. He explains the complex psychological dynamics at work among the men of Reserve Battalion 101, a group of ordinary working-class Germans who swept through the Polish countryside slaughtering Jews, and among the townspeople of the Plateau Vivarais-Lignon, who rescued thousands of Jewish refugees at their own peril. He asks poignant hypothetical questions, such as what would have happened had the Catholic Church taken a hard line against Nazism, placing an imperative on its members to choose between their loyalties.

As Bess guides us through the war’s final theater, the politics of memory, he shows how long-simmering controversies still have the power to divide nations more than half a century later. It is here that he argues against the binaries of honor and dishonor, pride and shame, and advocates instead an honest and nuanced reckoning on the part of the world’s nations with the full complexity of their World War II pasts.

Forthright and authoritative, this is a rigorous accounting of the war that forever changed our world, a book that takes us to the outer limits of moral reasoning about historical events.

Customer Reviews:

Thought provoking analysis about the choices we make.......2007-07-23

Reading this book forced me to fundamentally assess the choices I make in my own life. I know that the purpose of the book is to reflect on the choices of others during WWII, but I could not, as I read the stories of the polish soldiers who volunteered to kill Jews, or the french citizens who risked their lives to save them, or the discussions that lead to the very deceptive term "collateral damage", separate my own questions about what I would choose.
As we face the on-going war in Iraq, these questions take on even deeper meaning. One cannot walk away from this book without an understanding that everyday we make moral choices that shape the way we will interact with the world, when the chips are down. We must confront our own humanity, our own flaws even during "righteous wars" and realize that each of us define the image of oour society and that the choices we make really do matter.
Most importantly, the author makes the most compelling argument for peace and cooperation that I have ever read. This book will leave you deep in though about yourself and your country and the choices we make for some time. I think it is one of the best books I have ever read.

Bad Things During the Good War .......2007-04-15

"Choices under Fire" is a baker's dozen of essays about the moral issues faced in World War II. The essays can be read separately. Among the subjects the author discusses are racism, the kamikazes, the atomic bomb, bombing civilian populations, the battle of Midway, cooperating with Stalin, the holocaust, and the war crimes trials. For a seasoned reader of World War II books most of the issues discussed and the conclusions drawn are not especially new or original. This is material that has been hashed over before.

However, I thought especially interesting -- and new to me -- was the comparison of the ordinary men in a special German unit charged with killing Russian Jews with another group of ordinary French provincials who took it upon themselves to rescue Jews. The author explores why two groups of similar people responded so differently to the choices they faced in the War. Also good was his account of the slow erosion during the war of the revulsion against bombing civilian populations. This led to the fire-bombing of Dresden and other cities. I would characterize the author's discussion of Hiroshima as sensible as opposed to much of the emotion aroused by this issue.

The author is fair-minded and objective about a number of controversial subjects.

Smallchief

Understanding history allows tp explain the present.......2007-03-26

Understanding history allows to explain the present

A candidate in the French presidential elections(Mr. Le Pen) recently compared the 9/11 attacks on the United States to the carpet bombing of Dresden and Marseille by the Anglo-American air forces during the WW II . It is not an isolated case of an abusive employment of historical facts for political manipulation. There is no other defense against such manipulation than knowing and understanding history.

Michael Bess' book is a milestone in our knowledge of the WW II which, despite its ambiguities, was a just war fought against an evil tyranny. Approaching the history of that war from an unfrequented avenue, the author brilliantly defends upholding of moral principles and imperatives in the course of war, irrespectively of how evil and monstrous our enemy is. He exposes a tremendous impact of the choices made under fire, be it by the Commander in Chief or by a foot soldier on the results of the struggle and on its perception decades after. Ultimately, keeping our hands clean is not only a moral but also a political imperative.

On the background of an impressive and vast panorama of WW II Bess exposes diverging perceptions between and within the major participating countries of the legacy of that war and asks Did we learn anything?" Certainly he is among those who did. Making a strong case for a need to follow the internationalist impulse in relations between countries and for the reconciliation between former enemies he articulates lessons which are far from a universal recognition but absorbed by many already.

I read the book from a multiple perspective of a veteran of WW II (fighting the Germans in Warsaw,Poland), a prisoner in a German P.O.W. camp, a former UN staff member and peacekeeper, and a resident of Germany now. In a rewarding experience I found myself in a full accord with the author's incisive insight into the neglected aspects of that titanic struggle and with his conclusions.

It is definitely the most important book about the WW II I ever read and I recommend it to everyone interested in explaining our present by understanding the past. It reads well and leaves you with a rich plate of food for thought.

A unique mix of history and moral analysis .......2007-01-25

The subtitle "Moral Dimensions of World War II" almost says it all about this unique moral analysis of the conduct of both the Axis and Allies in World War two. What the subtitle does not say is how fair and even handed this book is. The author Michael Bess can rightfully praise American airmen in Midway as an example of how moral character effects the course of a battle. He writes: "We rightly cherish the memory of their deed, not just because it resulted in a pivotal victory, but because of what is says, more broadly, about the society that produces such men as these." Make no mistake, however, this is no flag waiving book claiming America and her allies were God's chosen instrument -- far from it. Indeed, the author concludes quite strongly in his treatment of allied bombing of civilians that it was (as McNamara admitted in "The Fog of War") a war atrocity and "the single greatest moral failure of the Anglo-American war effort." Without in anyway lessening the evil of Germany or Japan in WW II or claiming any moral equivalence between the opposing sides, the author points out that American and British hands were not clean in WW II -- even if they were not as filthy as our opponents.

That is what is so enjoyable about this thought provoking book: it can praise what we did right (such as the courage of D-Day in Europe and TAFFY 3 during the return to the Philippines) and objectively identify what we did wrong(fire bombing civilians and internment of Japanese Americans), while at the same time helping us understand that the horrific brutality of our enemies was not the result of flaws only they somehow had -- all without excusing either us or them. A wonderful mix of history, sociology and moral philosophy. I've never read anything like it.

Morality in War is Difficult - A Great Book.......2007-01-12

A realistic and heavily documented look at the reality and truth to the choices that were made in World War II from the surprise assault on Pearl Harbor to the Atomic Bombs to the War Crime Trials in both Europe and the Pacific. Morality in war continues to be a difficult story.

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)

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Check and see
Suprise! Suprise!
Prescient St Augustine?
Something of a disappointment
Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy..

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
Anatoly T Fomenko
Manufacturer: Delamere Resources LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621066

Product Description

`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.

Customer Reviews:

Check and see.......2007-06-21

I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.

Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22

Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.

Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05

We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:

a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;

b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;

c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.

Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:

It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.

- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.

- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.

Fomenko goes by the following axioms:

- Chronology is the basis of history;

- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;

- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;

- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;

- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;

- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.

Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?

The Russians:

Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.

The Westerners:

Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.

The Chinese:

Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.

The Arabs:

Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.

The Divinity:

Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.

According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.

St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."

Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09

After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.

However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:

- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.

I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.

The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.

It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?

Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.

Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).

Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy.........2005-07-30

If you agree with Fomenko that Roman chronology is basically the foundation of the entire edifice of global chronology; you would also certainly agree that despite its numerous gaps and inconsistencies, Roman history is the best-documented field of ancient history, and thus a reference scale. But how well is the actual date of the Eternal City's foundation known?

Firstly, Rome is supposed to have been founded by the Trojans who had to flee after the fall of Troy. Some claim Rome to have been founded by Aeneas and Ulysses shortly after Troy had fallen; others are of the opinion that there was an entire dynasty that ruled for 500 years between the fall of Troy and the foundation of Rome.

Well, that's just an innocent 500 years long misunderstanding compared with what heretic Fomenko says, asserts, proves in his second volume: Second Roman Empire, Third Roman Empire, Biblical Kingdom of Israel, Biblical Kingdom of Judah, Holy Roman Empire are stories about basically same events, written from different points of view at different times. The underlying events have actually taken place during xii-xv cy. These histories have been written and perfected by multitude of highly talented humanist and clerical writers of xiii-xvi cy disguised as "ancients" with glorious names like Homer, Pluto, Thucydides etc..Chronology 2.0 beta..

Historians are kindly invited to report the bugs.

The General and His Daughter: The War Time Letters of General James M. Gavin to his Daughter Barbara (World War II: The Global, Human, and Ethical Dimension)

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It's a 'must' for any serious, in-depth World War II collection
Straight From the Heart
the general and his daughter
Letters from a Father to his Daughter.
The War Time Letters of General James M. Gavin to his Daughter Barbara

The General and His Daughter: The War Time Letters of General James M. Gavin to his Daughter Barbara (World War II: The Global, Human, and Ethical Dimension)
Barbara Gavin Fauntleroy
Manufacturer: Fordham University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0823226875
Release Date: 2007-03-15

Book Description

James Maurice Gavin left for war in April 1943 as a colonel commanding the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division—America's first airborne division and the first to fight in World War II. In 1944, “Slim Jim” Gavin, as he was known to his troops, at the age of thirty-seven became the 82nd's commanding general—the youngest Army officer to become a major general since the Civil War. At war's end, this soldier's soldier had become one of our greatest generals—and the 82nd's most decorated officer.Now James Gavin's letters home to his nine-year-old daughter Barbara provide a revealing portrait of the American experience in World War II through the eyes of one of its most dynamic officers. Written from ship decks, foxholes, and field tents—often just before or after a dangerous jump—they capture the day-to-day realities of combat and Gavin's personal reactions to the war he helped to win. And provide an invaluable self-portrait of a great general, and a great American, in war and peace.The book's more than 200 letters begin at Fort Bragg in 1943 and continue to December 1945, as Gavin came home to lead the 82nd at the head of the Victory parade in New York. This correspondence constitutes the majority of Gavin's private wartime letters, but except for rare appearances in regimental newsletters, it has never before been published. In her Introduction, Epilogue, and Notes, Barbara Gavin Fauntleroy gives a privileged glimpse of the private man. Edited by Gayle Wurst, the book features historical overviews by Starlyn Jorgensen, a preface by noted Gavin biographer Gerard M. Devlin, and a foreword by Rufus Broadaway, Gavin's aide-de-camp.

Customer Reviews:

It's a 'must' for any serious, in-depth World War II collection.......2007-07-07

THE GENERAL AND HIS DAUGHTER: THE WARTIME LETTERS OF GENERAL JAMES M. GAVIN TO HIS DAUGHTER BARBARA provides an excellent portrait of the American experience in World War II, telling of a commander who at the age of 37 became the 82nd Parachute Infantry's commanding general, and the youngest to become a major general since the Civil War. His letters were written from the field to his nine-year-old daughter Barbara and provide plenty of 'you are there' insights into the realities of combat. It's a 'must' for any serious, in-depth World War II collection, especially libraries specializing in memoirs and writings from participants.

Straight From the Heart.......2007-06-03

This is an absolutely marvelous book. Barbara Gavin Fauntleroy has given us a very personal glimpse of a Soldier's Soldier who led his men from the front and was truly one of the great Generals of WW II. General Gavin's letters reveal the sensitivity and love that he maintained despite the strains of combat and command. One cannot read this book without feeling that you have shared so much of the personal experience as well as the love and devotion he showed to his daughter. It is a book that lifts the spirit and makes you respect the "Two Star Platoon Leader' even more.

the general and his daughter.......2007-05-29

A unique footnote to World War II, and an unusual view of a famous general

Letters from a Father to his Daughter........2007-05-29

There are a lot of books written about World War II and its commanding generals. There are usually written by historians, or participants writing long after the battles. This book is different. There are the wartime letters written by Jim Gavin to his daughter Barbara. They begin in 1943 when Gavin, then a colonel left the states commander of the 505th PIR or the 82nd. At that time Barbara was nine.

There are approximately 200 letters included in the book. They were written on board ships, in foxholes and tents. They do not have the afterthoughts or 'point-proving' of books written later. They are the personal messages of a father to his daughter. They talk about the day to day realities of what Gavin was doing at the time, and about his personal reactions to combat and the war.

The book provides an insight into the man and the times that is rare to find.

The War Time Letters of General James M. Gavin to his Daughter Barbara.......2007-05-13

Excellent insight into the humane side of a great military man. Good reading.

Latvia in World War II (World War II: the Global, Human, and Ethical Dimension)

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Latvia in World War II
Latvia in World War II
Life in a Small Country Between Germany and Russia

Latvia in World War II (World War II: the Global, Human, and Ethical Dimension)
Valdis Lumans
Manufacturer: Fordham University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

Latvia | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0823226271
Release Date: 2006-07-31

Book Description

”In clear and eloquent prose, Lumans deals sympathetically but firmly with the mixed up interpretations of these horrible events; writes a chilling chapter on the Holocaust in Latvia; and describes many of the human tragedies that underlay the statistics.”
—Choice

Customer Reviews:

Play by play.......2007-08-14

This book gives an incredibly detailed description of Latvia in World War II, but includes events immediately preceding the war and those that briefly follow. The text is very well organized and has pages and pages of endnotes. Anyone who has heritage from Latvia -or Estonia and Lithuania- and is interested in this critical period of Latvian history, would find this book about as informative as anything available in English.

Latvia in World War II.......2007-01-07

Valdis Lumans' volume on Latvia in World War II provides a thorough and impartial account of that Baltic nation's experiences before, during and immediately after the war, along with an excellent bibliographic essay on the historical literature on that topic. Latvia in World War II, intended as a starting point for the literature that is sure to emerge on Latvia as result of the opening of new archival resources in the early 1990s (with the collapse of the Soviet Union), is a well-written synthesis and analysis of the secondary literature on Latvia's history during the war and an excellent resource for scholars, teachers, and members of the general public interested in eastern Europe in the 20th century.

This account of Latvia's fortunes in the war years is strengthened by Lumans' own poignant connection to Latvia and its history. Lumans' father, a former Latvian legionnaire, was declared, as were thousands of other Latvians who for various reasons fought on the German side during the war, a "displaced person" after the war and was provided refuge in the U.S., along with his family, including Lumans. The senior Lumans and many among the thousands of other exiles who settled mainly in Anglo-American countries including the U.S., Canada, Great Britain and Australia "carried with them their prewar images of Latvia," which they "passed on to their children and children's children as the latter grew up as Latvians far from Latvia." Lumans' parents brought with them a sense of nationalistic pride in and nostalgia for their homeland and its former leader Karlis Ulmanis, hatred of Stalin and the Soviet Union, and a perception of Hitler and the Nazis as liberators of Soviet- occupied Latvia. It was not until Lumans entered college at the University of Florida that he gained a new perspective on events in the Baltic States during the war, and his interest and determination to, as he puts it, reconcile myth and reality, was a factor in his decision to take on this scholarly endeavor.

Latvia in World War II begins with an overview of Latvia and its cultural, political and economic history from the 12th to the 20th centuries. Latvia's relationship with Russia and Germany after World War I is covered in this chapter, and the conflicted nature of those relationships is captured in a song sung by Latvian soldiers, "We'll beat those Reds, and after that the Blue-Grays [Germans]." The struggle to clearly identify their national enemies continued into the World War II era and beyond. Lumans describes the newly independent country's armed forces, foreign policy and relationship with its neighbors in the early 20th century, and makes clear that what Latvians desired above all else was to "be left alone to follow its own destiny."

A year after Hitler took power in Germany, Latvia also moved from a democratic to autocratic model with a coup that brought Karlis Ulmanis to power. The Ulmanis dictatorship lasted six years, until the Soviets occupied the country in 1940. The era was characterized by imprisonment of political enemies, censorship of the press (which led to Latvian ignorance of the growing threat of Soviet and German aggression), economic centralization (and "Latvianization"), and repression of minorities. Ulmanis' economic and political priorities did not include support of the military, and therefore the country found itself unprepared as World War II loomed. Further, military leaders and civilians alike had difficulty determining which country posed the greater threat to the tiny nation: the Soviet Union or Germany.

The next few chapters of Latvia in World War II describe the manner in which Latvia became a victim of both Soviet and German aggression and political maneuvering as World War II broke out. Even though Latvia attempted to maintain its neutrality, Hitler's ambitions for Eastern Europe, his pact with Stalin, and the Soviets' determination to control the Baltic region meant Latvians had little control over their own destiny. Ulmanis and members of the Latvian Cabinet allowed the Soviets to occupy the country in 1940 without a fight, which, as Lumans points out, was also the response of other European leaders faced with the "threat of overwhelming force." By summer 1940 the Soviets had put a government in place, and Latvia became the 14th Soviet republic in the USSR.

Among the strengths of Latvia in World War II are Lumans' detailed descriptions of daily life in Soviet- and German-occupied Latvia. By clearly describing Sovietization, for instance, the reader gains a more thorough understanding of the dramatic changes and tremendous difficulties Latvians endured under both periods of Soviet control of Latvia. Under Soviet rule during 1940 and 1941 (the "Year of Terror") Latvians endured economic restructuring, political imprisonments and executions, deportations to Soviet GULAGs, and outright murders. It is no wonder that some Latvians saw the German invasion of summer 1941 as the arrival of the liberators. Others, on the other hand, fled the Germans and went to Russia.

Under German occupation (mid-1941 to mid-1944), Nazi leaders' competing interests meant that Latvians' desire to once again become independent were encouraged by Germany while at the same time Germany milked the country for military personnel and other resources. Worse, as result of German occupation thousands of Latvians were deported, put in concentration camps or lost their lives in other ways. Lumans addresses the difficult issues of Latvian complicity in Nazi efforts not only to dominate Europe but to eradicate minorities, including Jews. At the same time, he guides the reader through the complexities of Latvian social and political goals during the war, making clear that Latvians' actions were motivated by a variety of objectives and/or fears. The excellent chapter on Latvia and the Holocaust could stand alone, useful for example as student readings in courses on 20th century Europe, World War II, or other European or world history classes.

Lumans' expertise on Germany during World War II and the Nazi military machine no doubt contributes to the strength of the chapters on the Latvian Legion and other Latvian military actions during the war. The detailed chapters on the role of Latvians in service to the German and Soviet causes and as partisans underscore the diverse perspectives and allegiances held by Latvians during the war. Thousands of Latvian military men died in battle, many of them convinced that service to the German cause would guarantee an independent Latvia in the future.

As the Soviet army forced a German retreat in 1944 and 1945, Latvia once again became a pawn to larger nations' ambitions, and the Soviets reoccupied the country, once again annexing it into the Soviet Union. When the war was officially over in Europe in 1945, Latvians saw no reason to celebrate, for they were now at the mercy of another conquering force, one that most Latvians considered far worse than the Germans. With the war's end, the Baltic States were among the few countries whose pre-war independent status was not restored.

Rather than returning them to Latvia and sure punishment by the Soviets, the U.S. declared hundreds of thousands of former members of the Latvian Legion and other Latvians held by the Allies to be Displaced Persons and given refuge in other countries. Lumans offers an engaging discussion of the issue of culpability and criminality on the part of Latvians, as well as the steps that led to decisions about the fate of Latvian laborers, refugees and former soldiers who were part of the Latvian Diaspora. Latvia once again became independent with the collapse of the Soviet Union in the last 20th century, and Lumans describes the challenges this nation faces as result of a dramatically altered population, economy, environment and culture.

This is a particularly well-researched and written volume that is accessible to a broad audience. Lumans' style is engaging and his provision and analysis of sources on Latvia in the war years is a treasure to scholars of World War II and Twentieth-century European history in general.

Latvia in World War II.......2006-11-10

This is a very interesting book, particularly for those of us not overly familiar with the Baltic states during this period. That area of Europe is not normally in the forefront for most Americans interested in the continent's history, and this book helps bring it into clearer focus. Since I am typical in that sense, it is helpful in understanding the tragedy of those smaller countries trapped between Germany and the Soviet Union before and during the war.

I know the author personally and find his treatment of the subject to be fair and interesting. I would recommend it to those interested in this area.

If there is any criticism to be directed at this book, perhaps it could be said that more familiarization with the area of the Baltics might help the general reader grasp the material more easily.

Life in a Small Country Between Germany and Russia.......2006-10-02

Latvia is a small country on the Baltic that has the disadvantage of being a tiny country inbetween two giant and agressive military powers, Germany and Russia. After having a very difficult time during World War I, Latvia became as an independent country in 1921.

Latvia attempted to remain neutral during World War II, but in 1940 Latvia was occupied by Russia. In 1941 the Germans came and established a puppet regime that acted in their normal manner executing large numbers, including some 70,000 jews and forcing others into German military service. In 1944 the Russians came back through driving out the Germans only to begin their own reign of terror which was to last for fifty years.

This is a supurbly researched description of a small part of the life in a small segment of the Eastern front during the war.

It appears that this publisher is beginning to publish a series of books on the actions of individual countries during the Second World War. If this is true, it is to be welcomed since this book on Latvia and a companion book on France are excellent.

Historical Dimensions of National Security Problems (National Security Studies Series)

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Historical Dimensions of National Security Problems (National Security Studies Series)
Klaus Knorr
Manufacturer: University Press of Kansas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

History & Theory | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0700601430

Book Description

This book provides historical perspectives on general problems in national security policy that have recurred through history. In eight original essays prepared expressly for this volume, a group of political scientists and historians demonstrates that the study of historical experience can greatly benefit the study of national security problems in the contemporary world.

The plan for this volume was generated by widespread concern over the neglect of history in the study and teaching of national security and related problems in international relations. The student chronically thinks that everything he sees is happening for the first time; the experience of past societies in dealing with similar problems goes unnoticed.

The authors are evenly divided between historians and political scientists. They exhibit diverse ways of bringing historical knowledge to bear on contemporary issues. Taken together, their essays exemplify how historical study can enrich the social sciences.

Book Description

At the now-peaceful spot of Tennessee's Fort Pillow State Historic Area, a horrific incident in the nation's bloodiest war occurred on April 12, 1864. Just as a high bluff in the park offers visitors a panoramic view of the Mississippi River, John Cimprich's absorbing book affords readers a new vantage on the American Civil War as viewed through the lens of the Confederate massacre of unionist and black Federal soldiers at Fort Pillow.

Cimprich covers the entire history of Fort Pillow, including its construction by Confederates, its capture and occupation by Federals, the massacre, and ongoing debates surrounding that affair. He sets the scene for the carnage by describing the social conflicts in Federally occupied areas between secessionists and unionists as well as between blacks and whites. In a careful reconstruction of the assault itself, Cimprich balances vivid firsthand reports with a judicious narrative and analysis of events. He shows how Major General Nathan B. Forrest attacked the garrison with a force outnumbering the Federals roughly 1500 to 600 and a breakdown of Confederate discipline resulted. The 65 percent death toll for black Unionists was approximately twice that for white Unionists, and Cimprich concludes that racism was at the heart of the Fort Pillow massacre. Fort Pillow, a Civil War Massacre, and Public Memory serves as a case study for several major themes of the Civil War: the great impact of military experience on campaigns, the hardships of military life, and the trend toward a more ruthless conduct of the war. The first book to treat the fort's history in full, it provides a valuable perspective on the massacre and, through it, on the war and the world in which it occurred.

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"The Red Badge Of Courage" of Civil War Non-ficton!

Brothers One And All: Esprit De Corps in a Civil War Regiment (Conflicting Worlds: New Dimensions of the American Civil War)
Mark H. Dunkelman
Manufacturer: Louisiana State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
General | Civil War | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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War's Relentless Hand: Twelve Tales of Civil War Soldiers (Conflicting Worlds: New Dimensions of the American Civil War)

ASIN: 0807131962

Book Description

During the Civil War, the regiment was the fundamental component of armies both North and South, its reliability and effectiveness crucial to military success. Soldiers' devotion to their regiment—their esprit de corps—encouraged unit cohesion and motivated the individual soldier to march into battle and endure the hardships of military life. In Brothers One and All, Mark H. Dunkelman identifies the characteristics of Civil War esprit de corps and charts its development from recruitment and combat to the end of the war and beyond through the experiences of a single regiment, the 154th New York Volunteer Infantry. Dunkelman offers a unique psychological portrait of a front-line unit that fought with distinction at Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Lookout Valley, Rocky Face Ridge, and other engagements. He traces the evolution of natural camaraderie among friends and neighbors into a more profound sense of pride, enthusiasm, and loyalty forged as much in the shared unpleasantness of day-to-day army life as in the terrifying ordeal of battle. AUTHOR BIO: Mark H. Dunkelman is the author of The Hardtack Regiment: An Illustrated History of the 154th Regiment, New York State Infantry Volunteers, and Gettysburg's Unknown Soldier: The Life, Death, and Celebrity of Amos Humiston. He lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

Customer Reviews:

"The Red Badge Of Courage" of Civil War Non-ficton!.......2004-09-11

A vivid,entertaining and detailed account of the every day life and death of a Civil War Regiment. This book will be "The Bible" for re-enactors in the coming years. I was able to learn a thing or two even though I have been self fed Civil War books for the past few decades! A first rate research and reporting job, well written and having the feel of a conversation with a veteran from the conflict. The book focuses on the 154th New York Infantry. A unit that was engaged in many of the wars legendary battles. I knew the south went shoeless at times, but never knew many a yankee boy also left blood stained foot prints in the snow due to a lack of shoes. Members of the 154th will tell you these things and more: The boredom, the fear of coming battle, the sorrow of death in camp and on the battlefield, the forced marches they made and maybe only having one hard-tack cracker to eat at the end of it, and so on. If you love social history of men at arms, or Civil War action, get this book for your library.

Going to War with Japan, 1937-1941: With a new introduction (World War II: the Global, Human, and Ethical Dimension)

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Going to War with Japan, 1937-1941: With a new introduction (World War II: the Global, Human, and Ethical Dimension)
Jonathan Utley
Manufacturer: Fordham University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Japan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0823224724
Release Date: 2005-05-01

Book Description

How did Japan and the United States end up at waron December 7, 1941? What American decisions mighthave provoked the Japanese decision to attack Pearl Harbor?In this classic study of the run up to World War II, Utleyexamines the ways domestic politics shaped America'sresponse to Japanese moves in the Pacific.

One War at a Time: The International Dimensions of the American Civil War

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Lively writing, but not overly compelling
Who knew any of this was going on?
Not Battles and Leaders
Very Very Very Good.
Addressing A Neglected Area

One War at a Time: The International Dimensions of the American Civil War
Dean B. Mahin
Manufacturer: Potomac Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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19th Century | World | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1574882090

Book Description

One War at a Time - Lincoln's axiom for Union diplomacy- refutes the opinion of most historians and biographers that Lincoln played only a minor role in U.S. foreign relations. It reveals his continuing efforts to avoid a war with England or France while using the threat of war to prevent European recognition of Confederate independence. Mahin covers Confederate efforts to obtain diplomatic recognition, the construction of warships for the Confederacy in Britain, the British role in the blockade-running operation, and the postwar "Alabama claims" against Britain. Mahin also provides the first full anlysis of U.S. and Confederate reactions to the French intervention in Mexico and to the efforts to establish an imperial government in Mexico.

Customer Reviews:

Lively writing, but not overly compelling.......2007-04-20

Dean Mahin, in his book One War at a time, examines Abraham Lincoln's involvement in the diplomatic efforts of his secretary of state, William H. Seward. Mahin makes an intriguing claim at the outset of his book - that the policies of the Lincoln administration were largely responsible for maintaining the neutrality of both Britain and France, as Lincoln and his secretary of state William Seward "successfully used the threat of war with the United States to prevent European recognition of Confederate Independence..." Mahin evaluates American diplomacy through the lens of multiple diplomatic crises in an effort to support his thesis. Unfortunately, he does a poor job of demonstrating that the efforts of the Americans had such a significant impact as to prevent either the British or the French from recognizing the Confederacy. Instead, he merely proves that Lincoln's government was often focused on conciliation instead of threatening war. Rather than carefully analyzing the evidence, Mahin tends to focus on the details of the story, which makes for an intriguing read, but not an overly compelling one. The Trent incident, in which an American captain flagrantly violated international law by stopping a neutral vessel outside of territorial waters and seizing two passengers, nearly resulted in a British declaration of war on America. Mahin fails to explain how Lincoln was able to turn this concern into a British fear of war - instead, Mahin says, Lincoln was concerned about how to escape the incident without a loss of national dignity and writes a conciliatory letter to the British government to avoid hostilities.

All told, this was a very entertaining & informational book. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a broad basic history of international relations during the American Civil War from an American perspective (as opposed to a foreign point of view). However, the thesis presented at the outset of the book is not as well defended as I think it should be.

Who knew any of this was going on?.......2007-03-04

The essential thesis of One War at a Time is that Lincoln's handling of foreign affairs during the Civil War was not minor, haphazard, or otherwise trivial as his political enemies would have preferred to think. Whether author Dean Mahin has properly argued the point or not is for more knowledgeable readers to determine. For me, the most relevant and interesting idea to come out of this book is that The United States even had a foreign policy during the Civil War era. It is not something that's made it into the popular consciousness.

Whether Lincoln's role was trivial or not, and it appears it was not, it's clear enough that he had pressing domestic matter to attend to, so it's not surprising to me that large portions of such international issues were handled through secretary of state William Henry Seward and various diplomatic personnel in Europe. Mahin's approach is multi-faceted, so the reader will also learn of Confederate foreign policy of the time, and how both sides played a high-stakes game in the capitols of Europe (mainly London and Paris though) over issues of formal recognition, trade, naval affairs, neutral rights, and arms control. Similarly, the British and French diplomats in America are presented here. When everything is put together we are left with a swirling cauldron of tense and vital issues and events. On more than one occasion the US and Britain came close to formal war, and the possibility of the same with France remained a possible option. The results in all such cases would have been bad for most sides, with the exception that the Confederacy would have likely benefited from an additional Union war with European powers. Sadly for them but not for subsequent history, they failed to gain even simple diplomatic recognition of their existence, however sympathetic most European leaders were to their goals.

Yes, America was a nation in the world even back in the middle of the Nineteenth Century, a time we tend to think of as a period of isolation. Lest anyone be tempted to forget or trivialize the issues, diplomacy and foreign affairs that threatened to devolve into open war with the then-superpowers of the world did not receive back-burner attention in Washington, and the apparent mythology that seems to have developed around the Lincoln White House would appear to indeed be the result of contemporary opinions rather than an objective truth.

Not Battles and Leaders.......2006-06-24

Battles and Leaders is the mold for Civil War history, what we expect and want. The 3 Fs, fronts, flanks and feints coupled with leaders fill almost all of our books. Politics is limited to the problems Lincoln or Davis have with the states and congress. International relations are limited to the Trent, Maximilian and the Ironclad Rams. This limited treatment works equally well in the nineteenth century as today.

This book is devoted to international relations during the war. Great Britain is the major player, the most troublesome and interesting. France follows Great Britain except for the Mexico adventure. The balance of Europe is not that important to the story but is well covered.

In 1860, Great Britain and American were not close allies. Memories of the revolution and war of 1812 were fresh for veterans and their children. Additionally, America was starting to challenge British supremacy both economically and politically. Seeing two nations where one had been would have slowed or even stopped this challenge. Popular democracy was not a popular idea with the "ruling class" in Britain. The CSA, in spite of slavery, was closer to their idea of how things should be than the universal white male suffrage of the USA. The emerging middle class and the working class admired the USA and were anti-slavery. This forced Palmerston to walk a thin line as he tried to keep from becoming entangled in a class conflict amid a cotton famine.

The author does an excellent job of introducing the major players, their positions and reasoning. In addition, we get the physical limits of trans-Atlantic communication in the world of 1860. This helps us understand the mis-information problem that caused so many problems.

Chapters on the Trent, the Alabama and the ironclad rams detail the inner workings of both governments. All of this plays out against Lincoln's "one war at a time" policy and British fear of American expansion into Canada. The chapter on Canada is one of the best in the book, providing a complete explanation of each side's position and fears.

British blockade-runners, neutrality and the Union blockade are a book length story. The chapter devoted to this subject gives us an impressive amount of statistics and food for thought. The author concludes and supports the idea that British support of block-runners added months to the war by preventing a logistic collapse of the CSA. Union efforts to force Britain to curtail this meet with almost no support. It simply was not in their best interest and they refused to help. However, this did not stop them from publicly deploring the war and the suffering it caused.

French activities in Mexico and their attempts to support the Confederacy form an interesting sideshow. However, their efforts in Mexico and the on going civil war this caused created sever problems for Lincoln as he walked a thin line considering his historic support of Mexico.

The general European chapter quickly tours the continent, giving us an overview of the major nation's attitude toward the USA and CSA. The majority of the monarchies were not in favor of rebellion and had strong anti-slavery populations. This curtailed any idea of support for the Confederacy but did not translate into support for the Union.

The CSA international effort centers on Great Britain and France but includes Mexico and the British colonies in the Bahamas. All of these efforts fail; the why and how makes a good story and is fully documented. The effort was much larger than it seems but suffered from a number of problems. To often the wrong man gets the job. It is questionable if the CSA had the right man for the job or even if the Union had the right man. The critique of Adams, Lincoln and Steward is at odds with many histories but very well supported.

Overall, this is a very strong, well-written history of international relations during the Civil War. While it will not answer the questions about how close war or recognition came, it will provide food for thought on these subjects.

Very Very Very Good........2003-02-26

Well out of the 30 odd books I have read in the last 2 years on the Civil War and politics leading up to the war, this was one of the better books.
It shows Lincoln as an able player in foreign relations that he was.
The style of writing, and the fact that each chapter deals with an almost different topic, makes the book for a very good read. There is no getting bogged down with this book, and this book should end up on you not finished list.
When I about about 1/2 through the book I was already looking to see what about books this author had written.

Addressing A Neglected Area.......2000-06-12

"One War at a Time: The International Dimensions of the American Civil War" sounds a bit pretentious at first glance. However, author Dean B. Mahin met the challenge he laid out for himself by writing one of most comprehensive accounts of Civil War foreign policy ever published. Any reader, novice or expert, will gain fresh understanding of our international policy in that era and a new appreciation of Abraham Lincoln's role in development and execution of that policy. This important book addresses a dimension of the Civil War that has been sorely neglected in the literature that tends to focus on battles and individual leaders. New ground is broken by the author who contends that Lincoln was deeply involved in foreign policy while other historians have often minimized his role. Mr. Mahin is well equipped to tread on this ground because his well researched book reflects the authors' insights gleaned from his forty years of service with Federal agencies including the Department of State and the U. S. Agency for International Development. His research led him to diplomatic correspondence, diaries, letters and speeches and these amply footnoted references support his contention that Lincoln conducted a diplomatic balancing act in his dealing with foreign powers, especially England and France. In particular he deals in depth with French intervention in Mexico and how this was countered. Lincoln's axiom of fighting one war at a time is the unifying theme in these discussions. Further Mahin brings an insightful writing style that lends new understanding to subjects that have been covered by other authors such as the "Trent Crisis" and the "Alabama Claims." His chapter titled "Cotton is King" provides an outstanding summary of Confederate finance, diplomacy and trade of this important commodity. In short, this is a "must-read" book for those who wish to enlarge their understanding of the international dimensions of the Civil War.

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