What Are You Currently Reading? 2012

[Tukhachevskii]

Infantry Combat: The Rifle Platoon
Well I am disappointed to say the least. Regardless of the choices one makes the character then goes and does things you had no intention of doing. For example, early on I noticed that there was high ground on my northern and eastern flanks but only later, after I had chosen my course of action was I given the option of sending out patrols. Secondly, I was not, during this phase at least, given the option of ensuring that my sections and fireteams had mutually supporting positions and fields of fire (I assumed that was given, I now realise I am an ass for assuming that!). Thirdly, no options were given for the placing of mines in relation to avenues of approach or obstacles (which the protagonist Lt. Davis placed at his own leisure). I could go on. Infuriating. One such debacle is followed by a disquisition by Antal on

1. how I should never have chosen to mount a forward slope defence of the wadi (which I didn’t!),

2. on how I should have spread apart my high value weapons to prevent them being destroyed (an option I wasn’t given!),

3.should have conducted active security patrols (which I did only after the position had been established by Davis and not before! Again no option given. )

4. and how I should have used obstacles and mines to cover dead ground, defiles and avenues of approach (over which I had no control given that Antal/Davis placed them where THEY thought they would be most effective thereby undermining the whole point of the exercise).

You get the picture. I know I’m being bitter but I can accept mistakes of my own making, but I won’t be blamed for Davis’ mistakes especially when the option I have chosen is not quite/or never the one Davis/Antal executes. I will persevere though, don’t get me wrong, I’m learning a lot especially about Antal (I think his tacit presupposition is that there is a text book answer regardless of his protestations to the contrary). I wish I had not bought this (or, for that matter, Armour Attacks and Company Team) before taking them out on loan from the library. I could have requested a copy ordered through my local library but, given my skin tone, I was afraid that “the filth” would be knocking on my door wondering what a manual labourer with my skin tone (and a previous trip to Yemen to boot) was doing ordering the thing. We live and learn. We live and learn. I computer game version of this might be better if ALL the decisions can be taken by the player.


However, all is not doom and gloom, I also bought a copy of The Longest Night, which as far as I have read is excellent. And also The Ship who Sang and The Lost Fleet: Dauntless. Both of which are excellent. The latter especially so for it’s extremely realistic (if that’s the word) depiction of what space warfare would resemble. Can’t wait to get the entire Lost Fleet series.

I also got the complete collection of the adventures of Jeeves and Wooster (thanks Mum!) but that’s by the by.

Toodle pip chums.

Happy New Year to you all.

Update: have successfully completed mission after a marathon 24 sinceposting the above. I enjoyed learning through my failures!

[Bill Moore]

Just finished the The Fifty-Year Wound, How America's Cold War Victory Shapes Our World. By Derek Leebaert

I think the review provided by Joseph Nye on the cover captured my thoughts on this book perfectly, "Read this book. You will, encounter questions worth pondering, as we enter another long struggle."

The author wrote, "The first justification of any war is that even its horrors are the lesser evil."

The author was rightfully very critical of the CIA's poor performance throughout the war, and in his view their continued incompetence. He cites repeated operations failures and worse signficant intelligence failures throughout the many decades they attempted to gain intelligence on the USSR. According to the author, President Reagan over 8 years only received briefings from the CIA three times due to his low confidence in their work.

Some may be surprised the author suggests both Ike and Reagan were the key architects of the Cold War victory. Very insightful read at many levels.