I wrote a short online piece about RR last winter. If you’re interested, I started a thread around it after it went up: http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ad.php?t=19656Originally Posted by BushrangerCZ
I’m neither a military professional nor a trained military historian, but my understanding is that there were better than Rogers, but few better self-promoters.
If you don’t read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed. – Mark Twain (attributed)
it's funny 'cause it's true
The Men in the Jungle by Norman Spinrad
Songs from the Stars by Norman Spinrad
Thanks mate... will check it out
To understand the latter books about WWII better from the tactical side I'm slowly making my way through Taktik im Russlandfeldzug and 'Handbuch der Taktik' by the same author. A hat tip to Sven or Fuchs for both, it clarifies a lot (and creates a lot of new questions). Cross reading is sometimes quite fertile, helping you to see different angles.
Interesting comment on the German Amazon page, about a Danish officer scoring best in class after it's study. The German (officer?) acquaintance bought it afterwards for his serving son.
P.S: In the 'Human Face of War' Jim Storr cites and incorporates some German experiences. When you start to recognize passages you have probably read to much...Taktik im Russlandfeldzug: Eike Middeldorf
Von Klaus Veltz am 16. April 2014
Format: Gebundene Ausgabe Verifizierter Kauf
Ein daenischer Offizier, Bekannter von mir war, nach dem Studium dieses Buches, der Beste seines Lehrganges.
Deshalb habe ich das Buch fur meinen Sohn, OLt, beschafft.
P.P.S: An Italian movie classic contains a famous scene with perhaps a nod to Stern's book. Many Russian dead were also ploughed over, with grain growing it.
Last edited by Firn; 11-07-2014 at 10:15 PM.
... "We need officers capable of following systematically the path of logical argument to its conclusion, with disciplined intellect, strong in character and nerve to execute what the intellect dictates"
General Ludwig Beck (1880-1944);
Speech at the Kriegsakademie, 1935
An Italian movie classic contains a famous scence with perhaps a nod to Stern's book. The communista asks feebly why the Soviets, having so much land couldn't leave this little piece in peace. Don Camillo answers, quite harshly, that who suffered twenty million deaths can not preoccupy itself with some 50,000 or 100,000 which the enemy left in his home. Keep in mind that many Soviet dead were also ploughed over to grow grain.
IIRC in the Viaz'ma Catastrophe a local farmer tells the author that while ploughing they tried hard to fix their eyes on the birch trees in the distances to see as little of the Soviets remains they moved.
Last edited by Firn; 11-07-2014 at 10:33 PM.
... "We need officers capable of following systematically the path of logical argument to its conclusion, with disciplined intellect, strong in character and nerve to execute what the intellect dictates"
General Ludwig Beck (1880-1944);
Speech at the Kriegsakademie, 1935
One helluva tale: Welsh Guards in Helmand
In June 2014 I posted a short review of 'Dead Men Risen', as below in Part B and a new review by a British Army veteran, with two tours in Helmand, appeared today on WoTR hence Part A:http://warontherocks.com/2014/11/the...ad-in-helmand/
The book has now been released in the USA, minus any reviews:http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Men-Risen...Dead+Men+Risen
Here is one poignant passage:He ends with:And yet it is only now – four years later and reading a publically available book — that I am now fully aware of things like: the intent of previous commanders in that area of operation; why troops and patrol bases were laid out as they were; how the battle for Babaji had been fought and the casualty figures associated with it. Similarly, I do not remember ever being briefed that “this is spot where Lt Col Thornloe died” during the several instances when I drove straight over it. I do feel genuinely upset by this “new” revelation and I can’t help but think that we desperately need to get better at passing down the stories of previous deployments as they are quite obviously relevant to the people that follow them on the same spot of land.Amazon link (UK) with 127 reviews:http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Men-Ris...1712629&sr=1-3Overall, I would strongly recommend (this book); it is as accurate and as full and frank a description of a UK Battle-Group deployment as you will find....
Part B
In 2011 'Dead Men Risen:The Welsh Guards and the Defining Story of Britain's War in Afghanistan' by Toby Harnden was published, winning plaudits and prizes. The author is an accomplished journalist and writer. His book 'Bandit Country': The IRA and South Armagh (Hodder, 1999), was excellent and so I sat down expecting a similar read.
'Dead Men Risen' was far better, harsh at times in portraying the campaigning, including the loss to an IED of the Welsh Guards CO. It combines interviews of a large number who served, with a good, balanced measure of criticism tactically and beyond.
davidbfpo
the path of most resistance
The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout Ph.D
The Systems View of Life: A Unifying Vision by Fritjof Capra, Pier Luigi Luisi
"Now only an expert can deal with the problem
'Cause half the problem is seeing the problem." Laurie Anderson, Only An Expert
Ed Macy. Apache
The book of AH64D pilot on his mission in Afghanistan.
I like to cite one good quotation which shows how the real power works:
Back at the squadron’s place in the line, Geordie and Darwin had opened a book on who could get the longest handshake with the PM. It would mean holding on for as long as you could, even if he tried to tear himself away. They were also challenging the rest of the team to see who could ask him the oddest question and still get an answer.
‘Just make sure it’s all respectful, please. I still want a career in the army.’ The Boss hated every second of this.
‘I’ve got a belter,’ said Darwin. ‘Who’s got a camera?’
A few of the boys had brought one down.
‘Right, here’s what Geordie and I are going to do. We’ll ask Mr Blair if he doesn’t mind a picture. When he says, “Yeah, sure, chaps, where do you want me?” we’ll say, “Just there’s fine thanks, sir,” and hand him the camera. I bet he’ll be so embarrassed he’ll take the picture anyway.’
<...>
Someone did ask for a photograph, but instead of pulling Darwin’s cheeky prank we all [people with the mindset of a professional assassin, by author's words] gathered sheepishly round Blair instead – Darwin included. The most rebellious we got was slipping the odd thumbs up to the camera behind Blair’s back as we posed up for the group snaps.
Last edited by mirhond; 11-25-2014 at 10:25 PM.
Haeresis est maxima opera maleficarum non credere.
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