Book Description
Evan Thomas takes us inside the naval war of 1941-1945 in the South Pacific in a way that blends the best of military and cultural history and riveting narrative drama. He follows four men throughout: Admiral William ("Bull") Halsey, the macho, gallant, racist American fleet commander; Admiral Takeo Kurita, the Japanese battleship commander charged with making what was, in essence, a suicidal fleet attack against the American invasion of the Philippines; Admiral Matome Ugaki, a self-styled samurai who was the commander of all kamikazes and himself the last kamikaze of the war; and Commander Ernest Evans, a Cherokee Indian and Annapolis graduate who led his destroyer on the last great charge in the last great naval battle in history.
Sea of Thunder climaxes with the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the biggest naval battle ever fought, over four bloody and harrowing days in October 1944. We see Halsey make an epic blunder just as he reaches for true glory; we see the Japanese navy literally sailing in circles, torn between the desire to die heroically and the exhausted, unacceptable realization that death is futile; we sail with Commander Evans and the men of the USS Johnston into the jaws of the Japanese fleet and exult and suffer with them as they torpedo a cruiser, bluff and confuse the enemy -- and then, their ship sunk, endure fifty horrific hours in shark-infested water.
Thomas, a journalist and historian, traveled to Japan, where he interviewed veterans of the Imperial Japanese Navy who survived the Battle of Leyte Gulf and friends and family of the two Japanese admirals. From new documents and interviews, he was able to piece together and answer mysteries about the Battle of Leyte Gulf that have puzzled historians for decades. He writes with a knowing feel for the clash of cultures.
Sea of Thunder is a taut, fast-paced, suspenseful narrative of the last great naval war, an important contribution to the history of the Second World War.
Customer Reviews:
No Bull..........2007-09-29
It's no wonder were in the mess we are, when myoptic vision clouds reason.
This was not a hit on Halsey..Duoh! This was a very good read. Maybe Ken burns took some info here?
I see a lot of whinners(on other forums) saying the Japanese never had a plan to sue for peace if they took Hawaii..(?)
Any way Good book.
Thanks, Mr Evans
Non-Fiction Thriller.......2007-09-12
A non-fiction historical work of serious scholarship that can compete with any thriller. An absolute page turner that's hard to put down. When Thomas finds the time to do this kind of research with his TV panelist and news magazine gigs is a mystery. He is an absolutely first rate writer and story teller, and Sea of Thunder is not to be missed.
Good Read, but............2007-08-06
I got this book on Friday and finished it Saturday night. A decent book over all but as other reviewers have stated I find the revisionist aspect a bit much. I think the 'slam' on Halsey tended to be over-kill. The author even goes as far as mentioning the two occasions where Halsey sailed into typhoons to further his knocks on Halsey. Interesting, but not in the scope of the book. The author does point out the reasons behind Halsey's choice to go after Ozawa but only in passing. I found the study of Japanese vs. American admirals a bit slanted in the Japanese admiral's favor. As far as the 'racist' aspect of Halsey's statements "Kill Japs, Kill Japs. Kill more Japs" & etc. We only need to look at quotes by other Admirals and Generals to understand the purpose behind these statements. I gave it three stars only because it was a page-turner, I think what kept me reading was to see if the author was going to go into a more in-depth study of the choices made by the admirals and why they made them. I was left with the impression that the Japanese admirals made the choices they made mostly because of the training received at Eta Jima and the choices made by American admirals were due to some personal flaw as in Halsey's 'need' to get the Japanese carriers at all costs. What I wasn't left with was the stunning victory by the Americans and how important it was in shortening the war. I am just starting to read 'The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors' by James D. Hornfischer so I can compare two different author's views on the Leyte Gulf naval battles.
CORRECTION to Thomas' text.......2007-07-27
Evan Thomas incorrectly states that Admrial Spruance's son married Admiral Halsey's daughter. In fact, Margaret Halsey married Preston Lea Spruance who was only distantly related to Admiral Spruance.
- Halsey Spruance, a decendant of Margaret Halsey and Preston Lea Spruance
A good story.......2007-07-11
I did not know as much about the battle before this book. Thomas gives an excellent perspective of all sides of the battle. I felt I was a bit oversold on the book and it did not live completely up to expectations which is why I only give it 4 out of 5.
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
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History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
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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:
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.
Amazon.com
Commander's Palace is an American restaurant treasure. For many years, patrons of the beloved New Orleans institution have been urging the Brennan family, its proprietors, to publish the restaurant's recipes. Commander's Kitchen, written by co-owner Ella Brennan's daughter, Ti Adelaide Martin, and Chef Jamie Shannon, realizes that wish, presenting more than 150 accessible recipes for the restaurant's acclaimed Creole dishes. These reflect a mix of French, Spanish, African, Arcadian, and Native American cooking traditions. The book also provides a glimpse of the history, lore, and daily backstage to-and-fro that have made the century-old restaurant a required dining destination.
"We like to push things to the edge," says Shannon of Commander's vibrant cooking, and in chapters that treat drinks through desserts, the book proves his point. Dishes like Shrimp Tasso with Five-Pepper Jelly, Pan-Crusted Sirloin Steak with Cayenne Butter, and Braised Lamb Shank with Merlot Mushroom Sauce are typical of the heady offerings, fare both earthy and sophisticated. Also presented are recipes for many of Commander's famed brunch dishes, the classic creamed-spinach- and artichoke-garnished Eggs Sardou among them; "The Chef's Table," a chapter of "show-off" dishes served at the restaurant's renowned in-the-kitchen table; and a selection of sweets, including Chocolate Molten Soufflé and the Creole sine qua non dessert, Bread Pudding Soufflé. Illustrated with color photos and containing technique tips throughout (readers learn, for example, the difference between sautéing and panéing), the book is an exuberant portrait of a remarkable American restaurant and its unique cuisine. --Arthur Boehm
Book Description
Commander's Palace is one of the most critically acclaimed and beloved restaurants in the country. It was named the outstanding restaurant in America by the James Beard Foundation, and is always rated the most popular restaurant in New Orleans by Zagat. It consistently receives awards from magazines such as Food & Wine, Wine Spectator, and Southern Living. A trip to New Orleans just isn't complete without a meal at Commander's Palace.
Now home cooks can bring its unmatched style, hospitality, and great food to their own tables. Reflecting the restaurant's fascinating culinary intersection--a New Orleans landmark combining native ingredients and techniques with exciting and evolving contemporary flavors--Commander's Kitchen takes readers behind the doors of a truly exciting culinary experience.
Featuring 150 recipes from the restaurant's extensive offerings and other Brennan family recipes,
Commander's Kitchen describes step-by-step the secrets to Shrimp and Tasso Henican with Five-Pepper Jelly, Eggs Louis Armstrong, Pan-Seared Crusted Sirloin Steak with Cayenne Butter, Braised Lamb Shanks with Merlot Mushroom Sauce, and, the queen of Creole desserts, Bread Pudding Souffle. Of course, four varieties of gumbo are also included, along with dozens of information-packed sidebars, personal anecdotes, tips for throwing a New Orleans--style bash, and juicy tidbits of Commander's Palace lore. Lavishly illustrated with color and black-and-white photographs that beautifully capture the lively Commander's Palace spirit,
Commander's Kitchen lets the good times, and the exceptional dining, roll.
Customer Reviews:
Brings fond memories to mind.......2004-05-23
If you want to remember your meals at Commander's and perhaps try one or two of the dishes on a slow weekend, you will want this on your shelf. At the same time, it will be the occasional book, not one to reach for time and again.
Great compliment to a great restaurant!.......2004-03-27
This is an excellent compliment to one of the best restaurants. Ilove to cook & eat!! Most restaurant cookbooks have cookbokks which its hard to duplicate their meals. Usually they have recipes so complicated ( require kitchen appliances the average person doesn't have or ingredients impossible to find. Nothing is further than the truth with this book. It has easy to follow recipes, which can be cooked with basic cookware. The dishes come out fantastic. If you love creole food, but can't get to New Orleans regularly-- BUY THIS BOOK. You won't regret it.
Eating great...New Orleans style!.......2003-09-08
When my wife and I recently visited the Commander's Palace restaurant and sat at the Chef's Table (located in the kitchen where you are pampered by the staff), current Executive Chef Tory McPhail wrote "Eating great...New Orleans style!" on a menu he signed as a memento of our visit. Not only was he right about the food we had at Commander's Palace that evening, but he also provides a short and to the point description for this cookbook.
This book is a must for those that "live to eat" (as opposed to those that "eat to live") and truly enjoy the New Orleans and Creole food styles. The recipes we've tried so far have turned out wonderfully (the recipe for the Chocolate Molten Souflee alone is almost worth the price of the book) and, thus far, have been easy to follow. The narratives provided by the authors about both the food and the restaurant itself are a great addition to the great recipes.
I would recommend this book, and the restaurant, to anyone.
Learn about Creole and Cajun cuisine..........2002-03-22
Having spent 4 years of my life in Texas I was introduced to the wonders of Creole and Cajun cuisine. Generally, Creole developed in the city of New Orleans using local produce but influenced by the multicultural nature of the city. Cajun (or Acadian) cooking is food from the country.
I am partial to the simplicity of one-pot cooking offered by Cajun cooking. These are wonderful hearty and spicy meals (gumbo, red beans & rice, etoufee, jambalya) that I often cook to serve large groups of people. In fact, Chef Jamie includes many of these recipes in the "crew" section of the cookbook since he used them for staff meals.
Creole Class Act.......2001-12-28
As a longtime fan of Commander's Palace (and creole and cajun cuisine in general), I found the book as much fun to read as the dishes were to prepare. The beautifully presented recipes and well written preparation tips were made all the better by the inclusion of tidbits of New Orleans and Brennan family history. This book is a must have for both veteran and novice cooks interested in preparing great Louisiana style food.
Every recipe that we have tried from this book has been a hands down home run with our friends and family. The recipes are scaled for truly generous portions. For Christmas Eve dinner we prepared the Venison Stew and the Jalepeno Corn Bread for family in the upper midwest. They liked the meal so much that we left them the recipe book and I have just ordered another for myself!
Amazon.com
The opening salvo of the Aubrey-Maturin epic, in which the surgeon introduces himself to the captain by driving an elbow into his ribs during a chamber-music recital. Fortunately for millions of readers, the two quickly make up. Then they commence one of the great literary voyages of our century, set against an immaculately-detailed backdrop of the Napoleonic wars. This is the place to start--and in all likelihood, you won't be able to stop.
Amazon.com Audiobook Review
Since Patrick O'Brian launched his series of historical novels with Master and Commander in 1970, millions of readers have enjoyed the adventures of Captain Jack Aubrey and his friend, surgeon Stephen Maturin. O'Brian's prose, so immediate and yet so distinctly capturing the language and culture of the English navy in the first moments of the 19th century, rolls effortlessly off the tongue of actor Robert Hardy. Never for a second do we doubt that this is the way an English naval officer would have expressed himself in 1800, and that these are the sights, sounds, and emotions he encountered. As Aubrey sails his ship into battle, we don't need the sounds of cannon to share this moment with him; Hardy's voice is the ideal instrument. (Running time: 4.5 hours, three cassettes) --Lou Schuler
Book Description
3 Cassettes, 4 1/2 hours
Read by Robert Hardy
Abridged
AudioBook contains an illustration of the sails of a square-rigged ship.
The 1st installment in O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series
"The best historical novels ever written..."
-The New York Times Book Review
This, the first in the splendid series of Jack Aubrey novels, establishes the friendship between Captain Aubrey, Royal Navy, and Stephen Maturin, ship's surgeon and intelligence agent, against the thrilling backdrop of the Napoleonic wars. Details of life aboard a man-of-war in Nelson's navy are faultlessly rendered: the conversational idiom of the officers in the ward room and the men on the lower deck, the food, the floggings, the mysteries of the wind and the rigging, and the road of broadsides as the great ships close in battle.
Customer Reviews:
Disappointing Sea Story.......2007-06-13
I began this book prepared to like it, I really did. Actually, I was pre-reading it to see if it was suitable for my son. It is not.
First, let me say that this book is not for children. Certain topics of a sexual nature are routinely mentioned, indirectly. All of that action takes place off-stage or implicitly.
At the start, I was all for Captain Aubrey. I wanted to like him. After all, he is the hero of twenty more sequels. I tried to like him. I just couldn't. He is an obtuse, vain, vulgar, amoral jerk. His only real and true skill is in seamanship and the classical violin.
The author uses the immersion method to introduce his audience to the terms and jargon of early nineteenth-century navy seamanship. Nothing much is explained to us landlubbers, which makes following the copious sailing and battle descriptions a bit sketchy. I tended to gloss over at the mention of too many "stuns'ls" and "topgallantmasts."
There is a vein of anti-Catholicism which surfaces several times. Two characters are secret Catholics, and neither acquits himself heroically in that regard. One takes an oath against the Pope to obtain his commission; the other avoids revealing his true creed by turns of phrase and re-directing the conversation. Aubrey hates all Catholics (if he knows them to be so) and makes no bones about it. Of course, one would not expect to find pro-Catholic sentiment in His Majesty's Navy.
All of the technical jargon and religious differences aside, the story did mostly hold my interest. In the end, I was not satisfied with the resolution of the story. I am sure that is directly related to my dislike of the main character. I don't plan on pursuing any of the abundant sequels at present. I think I'll try the Midshipman Quinn: Collection (Bethlehem Budget Books) books next.
A Superb Book.......2007-06-10
Master and Commander sets a very high bar for the rest of the novels in the Aubrey/Maturin series.
O'Brian is a writer of immense qualities, and his ability to relate the intricacies of naval warfare in the beginning of the 19th century is both immersive and enjoyable. O'Brian does not start with a remarkable character, but builds him from the ground up, and builds up his friendship with Maturin as well. Viewers of the Master and Commander movie saw Aubrey in command of a ship of the line, but that is 10 books into the series, and at the start of this book Aubrey is a lieutenant without a ship.
The book is thoroughly laden with action, but it is a welcome break from the pattern that most authors assume of building to an immense action at the end of the book. O'Brian scatters action and excitement throughout, and there is still plenty of book left when the largest bit of action is done, and they are not boring pages to be skimmed till the finish.
Master and Commander is easily one of the best historical novels out there and one of the most enjoyable pieces of literature I have yet read. After reading this book, the next three came in quick succession, and I am sure the others will be soon to follow
So many wonderful things...........2007-05-30
I love this series - have read them all five or six times. There are many reviews that summarize the story of "Master and Commander" and indeed the many following books. I'd just like to highlight a few points.
About the early 19th century speech idiom and thought processes, so well captured by O'Brian: while these may present difficulty to those who aren't familiar with the writings of that time, they also represent a great opportunity. The O'Brian books are a delightful way to begin to appreciate the charm and subtleties of a long-gone way of life. Read Jane Austen for an appreciation of the overall social framework, for instance. Pick up on the strict codes that governed conduct: some perhaps too macho for today's taste, as where any insult to a gentleman - by a social equal, not by one of the "lower orders" - called for either an apology or a duel, the duel itself being a formal affair with each man having a "second" (a supporter) in attendance, the challenged one having choice of weapons. That's why, as Jack and Stephen leave that first concert, they coldly tell each other where they may be found, in the event of one deciding to "call out" the other. Also, later, when Jack is almost directly accused of cowardice (being "shy" in 18th/19th century idiom) by James Dillon, Stephen is depressed at the thought of two people he respects shaping up to fight each other.
Yet at the same time, note the courtesy in conversation: see the point early in the Aubrey-Maturin relationship where Jack holds back because he doesn't want to commit the rudeness of questioning a guest about personal matters. Stephen however picks up on the unspoken question and is happy to tell something of his life story, an indication of their growing mutual esteem.
Then, the technicalities of sailing ships - anyone today who has done some sailing should be able to grasp what's happening fairly readily, but admittedly readers from the prairie states may be on unfamiliar ground. (I confess to an unfair advantage, perhaps, with time in the Royal Navy - no, not in sailing ships! but there are many terms still common today.) The diagrams of a ship's rigging and sails, in the books, should help, and there are passages where O'Brian finds an excuse to give quite a good lesson in "the naming of parts." But isn't it a little strange that those who revel in action novels where every detail of modern weaponry is cataloged at length, should be unwilling to ride over the equally complex details of that wonderful creation, the fighting sailing ship, and just enjoy the story? You can always go back over the unfamiliar parts later in learning mode. Dictionaries are for the second time around.
The humor: there is so much of it! Word-play, especially Jack's malapropisms, of which there are many. Of course some rely on the reader already having a general knowledge background. Jack says someone is roaring "like a bull in a basin" - you have to recognize the Biblical misquote: "the bull of Bashan" (Psalms, 22:12-13; Amos 4:1). And also in Master and Commander, Jack's wonderfully mangled French lets him down, as so often, when he is told about the Catalan language and says it is a "putain" - Stephen has to gently correct him, the word for a dialect is "patois." Jack says he could swear the other is also a word, "I must have heard it somewhere" - well, since "putain" means prostitute, we (and Stephen) are left to speculate just where he heard it! Oh, those sailors when they get a run ashore... Then there are the sly puns - Jack had once been injured by a woman in Deal (a coastal town) hitting him with a smoothing-iron because she did not think her man should be *pressed* - the press-gang was the Navy's way of grabbing unwary landsmen and "pressing" them into Navy service whether they wanted it or not: but to *press* is also to iron clothes! I strongly suspect O'Brian was tempted to write that his wound was *dealt* him by a woman in Deal, but thought that would be overdoing it.
Another aspect of his word-play is the frequent use of favorite phrases that stem from other well-known authors. Every time we see the phrase "remote and ineffectual" we're reminded of Belloc's famously amusing poem (see Poetry Archives if it's unfamiliar). Incidentally, Belloc was a keen sailor. Then "Expense of spirit" is a phrase that surely has its most famous use in that Shakepeare sonnet. And more...and there are probably others that I'm missing because I'm not familiar with the source. But those that one recognizes are pleasant - a kind of sidelong glance from the author as if to say "Here's a little smile, if you're a reading person."
An inexhaustible treasure trove of riches. Enjoy!
Mastery.......2007-05-27
This is a great, readable novel sent on a wartime sailing vessel during the Napoleonic Wars. I have a love affair with this time period, and the sailing ships thereof, and this novel brought home the goods in both respects, conveying the realism of close quarters on a ship of war. In this case, I also learned something: how warships of that era managed their financing, so far from home. I may continue to explore the books in this series, from time to time.
When "Civilized War" Was Not a Complete Oxymoron.......2007-04-27
MASTER AND COMMANDER, the first of twenty complete novels and one unfinished volume in the Aubrey/Maturin series, is a mixture of both pleasing and annoying elements, though I do believe that the earlier outweigh the latter. Set primarily on the high seas along the European coast with a few incursions onto English land, this historical novel portrays the adventures of the sloop "Sophie" as she battles the French and Spanish during the Napoleonic Wars of the early 1800s.
Pleasing elements include the very human traits of the character of Jack Aubrey, who has just risen from the rank of lieutenant to that of master and has been given his first command of a ship of war. The reader shares his mixed emotions, ranging from pride that comes from being called "Captain" to estrangement from crew mates that inevitably results from his position of supreme authority aboard ship to disappointment that his ship is merely a sloop and not a man-of-war. We see Aubrey's attempt to mimic the great fighting ships fail miserably as the cannons he has had mounted on her bow threaten to dismember her timbers with their recoil, and we feel his resignation as he has them returned to the shipyard. We also come to understand Aubrey's motivation, accurate for the time period, not to achieve memorable military victories but to enrich himself (with a paltry bit for his officers and crew) by capturing prizes such as merchant ships not under English protection. We are also privy to many of his foibles, which include his chagrin at catching a venereal disease from his high-ranking mistress who has obviously been a trifle too flirtatious in his absence.
A few other characters, including of course the second main protagonist of the novel, Dr. Stephen Maturin, are also well developed for the reader's enjoyment. Maturin is portrayed as a superb physician, an erudite student of nature, and a consummate wordsmith whose tongue is always ready with an appropriate Latin phrase or precise English locution for the topic at hand. He is also versed in Catalan and can correct Aubrey's poor attempts at French. In medicine, Maturin is a miracle worker, able to repair a depressed skull fracture by removing the top of a sailor's skull and resuscitating a drowned midshipman. Maturin's skills may strain credulity, but his naivety at all things naval or military is endearing.
Actually, my favorite character portrayal is that of the pederast mate who adores Aubrey, who in turn is oblivious to the nature of the man's devotion and sees him merely as a loyal and able seaman. This particular example tells us much of Aubrey's innocence and ignorance of many facets of life, his incredible luck as a ship's master notwithstanding, and of Maturin's vocabulary since it is he who describes the man as a "pederast."
In addition to character portrayals, one of the strongest elements of the book is the picture it gives us of the nature of European marine warfare at the beginning of the 19th century. It is portrayed as a strange mixture of utter barbarity, with chains shot from cannons eviscerating sailors, and of gentile manners with victorious captains entertaining their captive equivalents with sumptuous meals and gentlemanly conversation. For officers, at least, if one was not cut down by a cannon ball, warfare was more or less a civilized pursuit in which capture, release upon parole, and eventual formal exchange was the understood procedure. This concept of "civilized warfare" is nearly surreal when contrasted with the impersonal ravaging of modern wars and forces one to think that perhaps civilization has retreated from a higher state of two centuries ago. In any event, the historical picture is a valuable one.
To the novel's discredit, its author throws technical terms about willy-nilly, and if one is not conversant with the architecture, sails and rigging of a late 18th to early 19th century sailing ship, the significance of quite a few orders being issued from the quarterdeck will be lost upon the reader. Neither is the tendency to overawe the reader with linguistic oddities limited to seafaring terms. Aubrey comes out with British colloquialisms now and then ("I'm clemmed."), and words such as "tremontana" occur with some regularity. Having a large dictionary at hand when reading MASTER AND COMMANDER is almost a necessity. There are also spots in which the story line is broken by skips in chronology, and the reader must reconstruct in his mind the missing intervening events that brought the characters to their present situations; this becomes more evident near the end of the book, as if the author were rushing to a conclusion and leaving out bits and pieces here and there. In this regard, a few references pop up for which the reader has not been prepared, such as a mention late in the book to the Sophie's four lunatics-to which the reader has never been introduced before.
Considering both the strengths and weaknesses in the novel, I must conclude that I am far from agreeing with a New York Times book reviewer that the Aubrey/Maturin series are "the best historical novels ever written." Their predecessors, the Hornblower novels by C. S. Forester, are surely of equivalent if not of higher quality, although each is shorter and may lack some of the complexity of character development found in the Aubrey/Maturin stories. Still, MASTER AND COMMANDER has been a fairly captivating read and has inspired me to proceed to the next novel in the series. If one has enjoyed Forester's Hornblower series, he will enjoy O'Brien's novels as well, for they are very similar in genre. However, if one is approaching this particular type of historical novel for the first time, may I suggest that Forester may prove a better read than O'Brian?
"O'Brian," by the way, is an assumed name for a somewhat ne'er-do-well Englishman actually named Richard Patrick Russ (1914-2000), whose own life is interesting if perhaps somewhat unenviable. Readers interested in knowing more about the author may find the biography PATRICK O'BRIAN: A LIFE REVEALED by Dean King to be a valuable study.
Book Description
The Sound of Music endeared Georg von Trapp (1880–1947) and his singing family to the world, and it also showed us how desperately the Nazis wanted Captain von Trapp for their navy. In To the Last Salute we learn why. Trapp’s own story of his exploits as a submarine commander during the First World War is as exciting as it is instructive, bringing to stirring life a little-known chapter in the naval history of that war.
In his many guises Trapp describes life as captain of Austro-Hungarian U-boats in the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas, emerging by turn as the Imperial Austrian naval officer, the witty observer of international politics, and the indefatigable and ultimately heartbroken patriot opposing the Allied enemy. He relates deadly duels with submarine sweepers, narrow escapes and excruciatingly close calls, and the spectacular sinking of cargo and war ships—all the while maintaining a keen sense of the camaraderie of seamen from every corner of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A picture of a lost time, a portrait of a remarkable character, a window on early submarine warfare: Trapp’s story, in English for the first time, offers a rare combination of human interest, historical insight, and true life-and-death adventure.
Customer Reviews:
U-boats and insights into the geopolitical situation of Austro-Hungary in WWI. .......2007-10-09
This is reasonably light read broken into bite-size chapters covering a variety of experiences surrounding the author's service as a WWI Austrian U-boat captain, the boat technologies of the time and the everyday impact of the politics as Austria's empire unraveled. Austria's relationship with it's wealthy and larger German ally is seen from another perspective as well as the polyglot nature of the many ethnic groups belonging to and participating in the Austrian war effort. A fine military account from the man responsible for "The Sound of Music."
An engaging and moving memoir of life in the Austrian Navy.......2007-09-26
To the Last Salute is Georg Ritter von Trapp's memoir of commanding a U-boat in the Austrian Navy during World War I. While his style of writing does take some getting used to, von Trapp provides an engaging and suspenseful tale of life on a primitive submarine during an oft-neglected period of military history. The book also gives us an insight into von Trapp as a man, more insight than one finds in other books on the life of his famous family. His accounts of the horrors of war and the loss of his beloved navy at the end of the war are especially moving. For those interested in von Trapp, the Austrian Navy, World War I, and the history of submarine warfare, the book will be especially useful; anyone interested in the story of an intriguing, thoughtful, and courageous man will enjoy the chronicle of von Trapp's adventures as well.
Interesting History of the True Life "Captain" from the 'Sound of Music'........2007-08-22
Captain Georg von Trapp's Memoirs were published in Austria in German in the 1930's. One of his Grandaughters (an offspring of one of the real life von Trapp Family Singers)has translated her famous ancestor's work into English and now we can all see why the Evil Nazi's were so set on getting "The Captain" into their Navy when they took over Austria.
The work is very short and von Trapp has a matter of fact writing style similar to that of U.S. counterpart Gene Fluckey in his memoir of the USS Barb. Unlike Fluckey however von Trapp had to go to war in an antequated obsolete gasoline powered Austrian U-boat which was barely a step above the Turtle or the Hunley. A german U boat Captain told him upon going inside the ship that he "was lucky to be Alive". In addition he had to deal with a multinational crew that grew more restless as the war went on and their countries began to break away from the Hapsburg yoke.
The memoir is a good glimpse of a theatre of WWI which is barely mentioned, the Naval War in the Adriatic and the Mediterranean. Very little has been written of the War at sea between the Austrian navy on one side and the Italians and the French on the other. Most I have seen have dealt with the Royal Navy in the Dardanelles.
The book also begins with some von Trapp Family background and reveals many interesting facts such as the Captain's first wife was English and many of 'the children' were a lot older than 'sixteen going on seventeen' when they escaped Austria. Sadly when the Captain died of lung cancer in 1947 it may have been related to all of the gas fumes he inhaled on the poorly ventilated u boat during the war.
Finally!.......2007-08-08
I've wished for this book to be translated into English for a very long time! It was worth the wait.
I've always wanted to know more about Captain von Trapp, in his own words and this book is as close as I am going to get. It did not disappoint as it provided a window to see the Captain, the man.
I could not help but believe this book was more a compilation from a journal he may have kept. I also could not help but believe, if not for his modesty, there was so much more he could have shared.
Perhaps, without realizing it, he showed us many sides, least of which were his tender and compassionate side. How many military captains do you know would allow a rescued kitten to live on board his submarine?
I gave this book five stars, not so much for literary greatess as for the enjoyment received from reading it and having a few more questions answered.
It should be enjoyed by all Sound of Music fans and I believe those interested in history will enjoy it as well. Even though I knew the outcome, I could not help but hold my breath as he told of daring escapades while captaining his u-boats. I found myself, while reading about his experiences, thinking of the movie, K-9, The Widowmaker.
My only complaint, it was only 188 pages log. :-(
Excellent to see in an english translation.......2007-06-27
I had known of this book for many years, and had even thought about seeing if a publisher would be willing to entertain a translation. It was wonderful to see a member of the family lead the effort and have a copy back in print and in english after too many years out of print. It is a wonderful story of a patriotic naval officer, of a now absent navy tell of his adventures as the most successful captain of the Austro-Hungarian Navy. His work with his crew (from all over the empire) dealing with bureaucratic officers, sinking ships in an old sub, that his German peers recommended not taking to sea (they thought it unseaworthy and an antique), and then further adventures in a French sub, sunk then raised to strike again against them is intersting. Those who have read Lowell Thomas' account, or Edwyn Gray's books on the German WW1 submarine service will find this a very different tale and one worth comparing to other efforts.
For those who wondered where the Captain in the von Trapp family singers came from this fills in a void covering elements of his older children and first wife. Through his first wife, he was related to the inventor of the modern torpedo, who had set up a factory in Austra-Hungary before WW1.
The book is well written and reads quickly, and tells the tale of a dedicated and talented patriot in an prior phase of his life, which was later known to the world in song and story.
Book Description
The units of the Waffen-SS were some of the most successful and influental combat formations produced by any country in this century. Their abilities and accomplishments, in both defense and offense, remain legendary. Finally, the commanders of these elite units are examined here in detail. In this book, the first of a two volume set, forty-four biographies reveal the lives of the most senior Waffen-SS commanders. Details are provided for education, as well as pre-Third Reich era service in military and civil posts, and includes promotions, assignments and decorations. The 1933-1945 era, the most detailed, reveals all their commands and related data similar to their earlier service. Officially documented recollections of the combat actions that resulted in bestowal of their highest awards (Knight's Cross and German Cross in Gold) are finally discussed. Heavily documented, their individual stories continue until their eventual fates are revealed. Apart from the most famous leaders, such as Paul Hausser and Josef "Sepp" Dietrich, these volumes reveal and examine the many divisional commanders who have previously remained unknown except by the men they led. Included are the commanders who rose through the ranks after graduating from the SS officer school system. Along with numerous private archive sources in the U.S. and Europe, more than a dozen former divisional commanders contributed information or illustrations from their private collections. In additon to text data, this volume is profusely illustrated with more than 400 rare or previously unpublished photographs, and 35 documents. Order of battle charts with an explanation of symbols provided, detail the units themselves. With a foreward by Otto Kumm, the highly decorated last commander of the "Leibstandarte," this initial volume finally fills a significant knowledge void in recording the history of the Waffen-SS., over 400 b/w photographs, maps, documents, 8 1/2" x 11", glossary, appendices, index
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Reference.......1999-12-25
Waffen-SS Commanders is a two-part series on the major commanders of the Waffen-SS, perhaps the most controversial fighting formation in history. Yerger's sympathies with his subjects shows, but he is willing to distinguish between SS officers who conducted themselves in a professional manner and proved themselves in combat and the political favorites of Himmler who rose from the ranks of the German Polizei and whose units were particularly brutal in anti-partisan operations but were no match against professional soldiers. Examples of the former include Otto Baum, Heinz Harmel (whose treatment of prisoners and civilians at Arnhem earned praise from the Allies-General Harmel is still alive and at nearly 100 years of age still conducts his daily life in the same way as he did as a soldier), Paul Hausser and others. The lesser lights among the commanders of the Waffen SS include Friderich Jeckeln, Curt von Gottberg, and Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski, who testified for the prosecution at Nuremberg out of survival and not remorse for any actions-his brutality during the 1944 Warsaw uprising and his granting of POW status to Polish insurgents to insure that he would not be branded a war criminal in the eventuality of a German defear are documented by Yerger. To his credit, von den Bach did not renege on his promise to the Poles, although had Germany somehow won the war or negotiated a separate peace with the West, the Poles probably would have suffered a different fate.
As controversial a subject as the Waffen-SS was, not all of the commanders could be considered brutal criminals or incompetent as portrayed by revisionist history. To be sure, they served an ideology which was evil and most of the commanders were members of the NSDAP, but the majority of SS commanders were in fact professional soldiers equivalent to their army counterparts in the Wehrmacht. Most of these commanders did conduct themselves in a correct manner and fought with honor for their country, even if the regime they served had few redeeming qualities. It is a tribute to these commanders that the Waffen-SS still arouses much passion, even today, and most modern armies today use tactics and innovations which originated with the Waffen-SS over 50 years ago.
Excellent Study of SS Commanders.......1999-12-25
If you have Part 1 of Yerger's study, be sure to get this book. It follows up his previous book in the same fashion. Yerger obviously has great sympathy for his subjects, but is willing to criticize those Waffen SS commanders who in his view were less than professional soldiers, especially the Higher SS and Police leaders who were given commands because of their political loyalties rather than their skills in combat. This contrast is shown in the section on the Krueger brothers, the only two brothers to achieve general rank in the SS. Walter Krueger, who was renowned for his command of the Das Reich division is favorably mentioned, as befits his combat leadership and prowess in battle, while his brother Friederich-Wilhelm, who rose through the ranks of the Polizei, is described as "a career SS officer with an interest in power and was brutal in controlling his administration within the General Government (of German-occupied Poland)." Officers who conducted themselves as worthy soldiers in Volume 2 include Felix Steiner, Kurt "Panzer" Meyer, Sylvester Stadler who ordered an immediate inqiry into the events at Oradour, one of the war crimes which the SS was accused of-a controversial event even today. Stadler was temporary commander of Das Reich and ordered a court-martial of the officer accused of the massacre of civilians of that village) and many others. In Volume 1, commanders such as Paul Hausser, Otto Baum, Heinrich Harmel (whose professionalism and humane treatment of prisoners and civilians during the Battle of Arnhem was praised by the Allies) and Karl Kreutz, are praised for their military compentency and bravery in combat while commanders who never faced true combat formations, for example Friederich Jeckeln, Curt von Gottberg, Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski(who testified for the prosecution at Nuremberg not because of any remorse but instead out of self-preservation) are not looked upon with much sympathy.
Such criticism is refreshing, especially with regards to a subject as controversial as the Waffen SS. Certainly there were some SS commanders who were either overrated or extremely brutal, but the vast majority conducted themselves in as professional a manner as any commander on the winning side. That they served an ideology which was evil does not diminish their service to their country and Yerger depicts this in a non-judgmental way.
Excellent Study of SS Commanders.......1999-12-25
If you have Part 1 of Yerger's study, be sure to get this book. It follows up his previous book in the same fashion. Yerger obviously has great sympathy for his subjects, but is willing to criticize those Waffen SS commanders who in his view were less than professional soldiers, especially the Higher SS and Police leaders who were given commands because of their political loyalties rather than their skills in combat. This contrast is shown in the section on the Krueger brothers, the only two brothers to achieve general rank in the SS. Walter Krueger, who was renowned for his command of the Das Reich division is favorably mentioned, as befits his combat leadership and prowess in battle, while his brother Friederich-Wilhelm, who rose through the ranks of the Polizei, is described as "a career SS officer with an interest in power and was brutal in controlling his administration within the General Government (of German-occupied Poland)." Officers who conducted themselves as worthy soldiers in Volume 2 include Felix Steiner, Kurt "Panzer" Meyer, Sylvester Stadler who ordered an immediate inqiry into the events at Oradour, one of the war crimes which the SS was accused of-a controversial event even today. Stadler was temporary commander of Das Reich and ordered a court-martial of the officer accused of the massacre of civilians of that village) and many others. In Volume 1, commanders such as Paul Hausser, Otto Baum, Heinrich Harmel (whose professionalism and humane treatment of prisoners and civilians during the Battle of Arnhem was praised by the Allies) and Karl Kreutz, are praised for their military compentency and bravery in combat while commanders who never faced true combat formations, for example Friederich Jeckeln, Curt von Gottberg, Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski(who testified for the prosecution at Nuremberg not because of any remorse but instead out of self-preservation) are not looked upon with much sympathy.
Such criticism is refreshing, especially with regards to a subject as controversial as the Waffen SS. Certainly there were some SS commanders who were either overrated or extremely brutal, but the vast majority conducted themselves in as professional a manner as any commander on the winning side. That they served an ideology which was evil does not diminish their service to their country and Yerger depicts this in a non-judgmental way.
Pictorial biographies of Waffen SS commanders........1999-03-14
Like other works by Yerger, "Waffen SS Commanders" is primarily a picture history. It also has nice 2+ page biographies of the military careers of senior Waffen SS officers. There are occasional passing references to their lives after the war, but nothing beyond 1-liners. Some of the biographies are of well known figures such as Dietrich and Hausser whom you can read of elsewhere, but this is probably the only place you will find biographies of minor figures such as Jungkuntz and Hampel. This is the first volume of what is intended to become a 4-volume series, and alphabetically only goes up to Kreutz. Guess who wrote the preface to this book!
Amazon.com
Other than the sobering fact that real lives are regularly at stake, running a navy ship is a lot like running a business: leaders of both must get the most out of their crews to operate at peak efficiency and complete the tasks at hand. As commander of the highly acclaimed USS Benfold, Captain D. Michael Abrashoff irrefutably demonstrated how progressive management can succeed at sea; in It's Your Ship, he translates his methods into an approach that can also be applied by land-bound captains of commerce and industry. Describing "the ideas and techniques that I used to win my sailors' trust and, eventually, their enthusiastic commitment to our joint goal of making our ship the best in the fleet," Abrashoff cites embarrassing failures along with subsequent triumphs to illuminate the keys to his accomplished 20-month tenure aboard the guided missile destroyer. His suggestions: lead by example; listen aggressively; communicate purpose and meaning; create a climate of trust; look for results, not salutes; take calculated risks; go beyond standard procedure; build up your people; generate unity; and improve your people's quality of life. While hardly original on the surface, Abrashoff's course should provide practical direction and inspiration for any leader hoping for similarly positive results in similarly rigid organizations. --Howard Rothman
Book Description
Other than the sobering fact that real lives are regularly at stake, running a navy ship is a lot like running a business: leaders of both must get the most out of their crews to operate at peak efficiency and complete the tasks at hand. As commander of the highly acclaimed USS Benfold, Captain D. Michael Abrashoff irrefutably demonstrated how progressive management can succeed at sea; in It's Your Ship, he translates his methods into an approach that can also be applied by land-bound captains of commerce and industry. Describing "the ideas and techniques that I used to win my sailors' trust and, eventually, their enthusiastic commitment to our joint goal of making our ship the best in the fleet," Abrashoff cites embarrassing failures along with subsequent triumphs to illuminate the keys to his accomplished 20-month tenure aboard the guided missile destroyer. His suggestions: lead by example; listen aggressively; communicate purpose and meaning; create a climate of trust; look for results, not salutes; take calculated risks; go beyond standard procedure; build up your people; generate unity; and improve your people's quality of life. While hardly original on the surface, Abrashoff's course should provide practical direction and inspiration for any leader hoping for similarly positive results in similarly rigid organizations. --Howard Rothman
Customer Reviews:
Yet another management book.......2007-09-14
Yet another book on management-this time a naval perspective! Despite the criticism of such books in the research article by Dr Peter Teiman,"The many varieties of management",I have to admit that this book has a lot of practical value.
Dr Peter Teiman
Switzerland
It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy.......2007-09-04
I thought this was a very well written book, considering that it was highlighting management techniques. Those types of books are ususally very boring, prop your eyelids open type of books. Michael Abrashoff explained his style of management in a manner which would make it interesting to a broad range of readers and it is told as a well written story should be.
3 words rating.......2007-08-31
" I DONT KNOW", how to rate this book because i have not received it. I was told that i would receive this product between 16 AUG and 29 AUG. it is now SEPT 1ST and still no product.
Engaging, Insightful, Inspiring.......2007-08-31
I really enjoyed this book---Abrashoff does an excellent job of weaving his Navy story with practical business insights, without going overboard on the analogies, if you'll excuse the nautical pun.
What I appreciate about the author is that he turned the Navy culture upside down by seeking input from everyone on his ship (slightly over 300), insisting on being told when people disagreed with him, and `mixing with the masses' at lunch and in other contexts.
Note: below I touch on excerpts from the book, so if you don't want a "spoiler" review, then you may wish to stop reading.
"Look For Results, Not Salutes" was the name of one of his chapters, and encapsulates much of his guiding philosophy.
Abrashoff understands the importance of getting in other people's shoes. He motivated his crew to attain cross-training expertise (which would greatly improve the ship's battle readiness and abilities) by noting that for those under 21, getting the expertise would enable them to have later curfews time to more thoroughly enjoy ports of call when they were abroad.
One of my favorite stories came when a four-star Marine General, Anthony Zinni, toured the ship and Abrashoff picked Fireman Joseph Cotton, 20, not only to receive a special pin marking his expertise, but also to give Zinni a tour of the ship.
"Zinni was stunned that I would give up my face-time and let an enlisted man escort a four-star. That this poised 20-year-old neither choked nor forgot his lines, and that his knowledge of the ship was quite sophisticated, shocked the general, but pleased him enormously. It was a grand slam."
That night, Zinni tore up his prepared speech at the Navy's birthday ball and talked about leadership on the Benfold, "specifically how we empowered our young sailors to assume major responsibilities."
Abrashoff talks about the impact of praising sailors--describing the encounters as highlights of his day that built up trust and morale--and "they didn't cost me or the navy a dime."
Abrashoff mixes good examples with bad examples, and isn't above noting where he slipped up or let his ego get in the way on his career journey.
He stresses the importance of doling out praise in person. E-mail and other forms of communication fall short of the mark. Abrashoff told the story of his sister's boss at a major bank. He sent an e-mail congratulating and thanking one of her assistants for a job well done. "That very afternoon, he rode the elevator with her and didn't even acknowledge her existence. It completely wiped out any good his e-mail could have done," Abrashoff wrote.
Another tale also spoke volumes about the importance of being authentic, and not simply going through the motions of authenticity:
Abrashoff found out the names and birthdays of sailors' spouses, and sent a card to each one. It sparked goodwill, with many sailors letting him know how much the gesture touched their families.
Another ship tried to mimic the approach but bungled it because they sent all the cards on the same day (bureaucrats who had not been empowered to think outside the confines of directives).
I zipped through this book in less than a week---it's easy reading, engaging reading, and enlightening reading.
Good lessons for government managers.......2007-08-23
Working for a government agency with many former military managers, I found Abrashoff's professional tearing down of the command and control model from within the Navy quite refreshing. Nothing is more tiresome than leadership by intimidation. The effectiveness of true inspiration and earned respect in an adapted leadership model is readily apparent from Abrashoff's experience.
Book Description
If the Battle of the Bulge was Germany's last gasp, it was also America's proving ground-the largest single action fought by the U.S. Army in World War II. Taking a new approach to an old story, Harold Winton widens our field of vision by showing how victory in this legendary campaign was built upon the remarkable resurrection of our truncated interwar army, an overhaul that produced the effective commanders crucial to GI success in beating back the Ardennes counteroffensive launched by Hitler's forces.
Winton's is the first study of the Bulge to examine leadership at the largely neglected level of corps command. Focusing on the decisions and actions of six Army corps commanders-Leonard Gerow, Troy Middleton, Matthew Ridgway, John Millikin, Manton Eddy, and J. Lawton Collins-he recreates their role in this epic struggle through a mosaic of narratives that take the commanders from the pre-war training grounds of America to the crucible of war in the icy-cold killing fields of Belgium and Luxembourg.
Winton introduces the story of each phase of the Bulge with a theater-level overview of the major decisions and events that shaped the corps battles and, for the first time, fully integrates the crucial role of airpower into our understanding of how events unfolded on the ground. Unlike most accounts of the Ardennes that chronicle only the periods of German and American initiative, Winton's study describes an intervening middle phase in which the initiative was fiercely contested by both sides and the outcome uncertain. His inclusion of the principal American and German commanders adds yet another valuable layer to this rich tapestry of narrative and analysis.
Ultimately, Winton argues that the flexibility of the corps structure and the competence of the men who commanded the six American corps that fought in the Bulge contributed significantly to the ultimate victory. Chronicling the human drama of commanding large numbers of soldiers in battle, he has produced an artful blend of combat narrative, collective biography, and institutional history that contributes significantly to the broader understanding of World War II as a whole.
This book is part of the Modern War Studies series.
Customer Reviews:
Narrow View at the Top.......2007-07-11
The book is well written and informative. Even for a veteran reader of WWII books there was much new material, or at least material presented in a different way. However, the basic premise of the book is somewhat flawed. At the early stages of the battle of the Bulge it was a series of small and very brave actions that made the difference in slowing down the Germans. Even later, the Corps Commanders, including those for whom the author has great respect, merely backed up decisions made by subordinates. Indeed the battle, whether in the north with the stand at the Elsenborn Ridge or in south with the releif of Bastogne, would have taken place regardless of who was the respective Corps Commander. Additionally, while the author's description of the education of his players is quite laudatory, some might find their higher command education as insular. A warning, this book is not for someone who has not read extinsively about WWII.
Very different way of looking at the battle.......2007-04-30
I agree with the first reviewer that this is one of the most refreshingly new ways at looking at a very studied battle. I have read many of the general histories (A Time for Trumpets by McDonald is my favorite). Looking at the men who commanded the six corps that bore the brunt of the battle, examining their history and education, explaining the corps system and it's reason for being where all very educational and interesting. Dr. Winston did a great job of explaining what each of these men were up against, the resources at their disposal, and how they executed their missions, be it defence or offense, carefully planned, or on the fly. Dr. Winston broke the Bulge battle up into three phases, explained what each corp commander faced in each phase and assessed each commander's performance for each phase and then did an overall assessment in the epilogue. He also tried to measure the effect of Allied air power in the battle, from direct support (ground attack, air superiority and air resupply) and indirect support (interdiction missions against communication and supplies).
My only peeve with this book is the sloppy editing/proofreading concerning the identification of German combat units. If the reader was not familiar with the battle, he/she could find it confusing. Some Wehrmacht units were identified as Waffen SS and vice versa, the 9th Panzer Division was also identified as the 9th Panzergrenadier (which never existed). These errors were not systematic, which points to proof reading/editing. Doctor Winston has an excellent grasp of the Allied order of battle. There are numerous sources of the German order of battle easily available to the author, his editors and his publisher. So I found this factor annoying (I find sloppy proof reading/ fact checking in anything I read annoying) and considering Dr. Winston's background and intense interest in the Ardennes battle, disappointing.
But besides that slight annoyance, I found this book an excellent read and would recommend it to anyone interested in this particular battle or wanting to know how the corps system functions.
The American victory in the Ardennes from a different perspective.......2007-04-21
Just when you thought that there couldn't be another useful book on the Battle of the Bulge, Professor Harold Winton proves us wrong with this fine portrait of the battle that focuses on the way it was commanded by the six American corps commanders who were involved: Gerow, Middleton, Ridgeway, Milikin, Eddy and Collins. This emphasis on what Winton calls "the middle level of command" allows us to see the battle as it developed operationally and provides the reader with perhaps the clearest and most understandable narrative of the Battle of the Bulge ever written. Winton helpfully divides the history of the battle into three phases and covers the activities and decisions of the officers in each phase: their relationships with their superiors and subordinates, what tactical demands the battle placed on them, and even how they held up physically and psychologically. Since the book also includes brief biographies of those officers, Winton is able to evaluate the effectiveness of how the US Army educated its officers for higher command between the World Wars - all six were CGSS and five of them were War College grads. Winton also takes the time to show the true role of allied air power in the battle. All in all, this book is a must-read for those who study the Battle of the Ardennes and the US Army in the Second World War.
One small sour note: either Dr. Winton or his editors at University Press of Kansas - a military history publisher of note - should have been aware that Marlborough was not at Waterloo (see p.160).
Book Description
Real war stories told by real soldiers for readers who want to know what it was like to be in the thick of battle. These are riveting combat narratives about the weapons and warriors of some of history's bloodiest conflicts. Each book is a gritty, action-oriented account of life and death in the heat of battle. Original titles as well as long out-of-print gems will explore conflicts ranging from the blood-soaked fields of the Civil War to the current war on terror and everything in between. The books are published as high-quality and affordable trade paperbacks, making them terrific editions for all who are interested in military history.
WWII began with a metallic roar as the German Blitzkrieg raced across Europe, spearheaded by the most dreaded weapon of the 20th century: the Panzer. No German tank better represents that thundering power than the infamous Tiger, and Otto Carius was one of the most successful commanders to ever take a Tiger into battle, destroying well over 150 enemy tanks during his incredible career.
Illustrations: 51 b/w photos; 3 maps; 50 illustrations
Customer Reviews:
Amazing career.......2007-08-21
Simply amazing the luck in his career. Being able to survive 5 years of war says a lot about his skill and bravery too. Also very notable is that both his father and brother also survived WW2. Remarkable feat for all three to fought in multiple campaigns and survive.
This book provides the first person point of view from the company level of combat. The technical descriptions of the vehicles, equipment, and difficulties in serving on the front lines along with trying to stay warm in an unheated steel machine in the freezing winter is all described. The strengths and limitations of the Tiger tank with regards to road marches, bridge crossings, and need for infantry support is completely detailed.
Notable in his career was his time spent outside a tank where his experienced front line infantry battalion was lacking equipment and replacements. Meanwhile, a newly formed and inexperienced Air Force infantry regiment passed on their way to the front line, courtesy of the arrogant and boastful Goering. This new regiment had new machine guns, but no experienced sergeants to direct their fire or officers to coordinate the defenses. As a result, this unit was quickly overrun by the Soviets in their first engagement. All the new equipment was lost along with hundreds of German casualties. A tremendous waste of material and irreplaceable lives.
What really made this book unique were copies of his original German Army citations and documents. The translation of these documents to English is also very helpful. The unit history summaries on the company and battalion battles are also very good historical reading. The difficulties in maintaining, repairing, refueling, and re-arming these mechanically complex machines is detailed. But what is most important and recognized is the efforts it took to care for the men who lived, fought, and died as part of their Tiger tank.
Panzer Aces I and II provide more battles and overall campaigns of other German tank aces. Other history books provide overall descriptions of battles and statistics. This book along with Audie Murphy's autobiography, To Hell and Back, show the human side of the battle and the bond that forms among soldiers who serve in combat with each other. It is the human and individual experience over the entire career that makes this book worth reading. Nice addition to a book collection.
great first hand account of tank fighting in WWII.......2007-08-08
I agree with many of the other reviews in that this is a great first hand account of tank warfare in WWII. With that in mind, some the narration is somewhat bland.
I especially liked the conversation Carius had with Henrich Himmler, speaking his mind.
The only account I've read of a tanker in a Jagertiger. Great insight.
Almost didn't buy it, glad I did........2007-06-09
I saw some of the negative reviews and alt
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