5 comments about Memoirs: Ten Years And Twenty Days.

1. This has been one of a number of books in either biography or memoirs categories of the elite or main players from World War 2 that I have read and again this is excellent reading.
   The book gives details of his earlier career in the German Navy during World War 1, inter war years then through to World War 2 and his days as the last leader of the Third Reich - covers everything from torpedeo development / failures, submarine development or advancement to counteract Allied advances in anti submarine warfare, uboat losses and the aces, the constant pressing to enlarge the uboat fleet and gain a naval air arm - this book is well written, easy to follow and certainly not something you will get bored with.



2. The book is fairly complex reading; only because, I feel, that I was looking at it from "my side", and the analysis was that much more difficult. Doenitz was a remarkable man, a brilliant strategist, and a professional soldier in the highest regard. One has to constantly keep referenced to the basis of Doenitz's dissertation, and moreso, keep in proper perspective the historical trackwork of the war.
   One of the things that I found a little humourous was the statement that Doenitz was "appalled at the pictures of the contrentration camps". I believe that statement was to keep his neck out of the noose! And he was smart enough to know that he was in a position to "stay above" any indictments of war crimes and atrocities. His only crime, as recorded, was to have been "GrandAdmiral ReichMarine". To his credit, many allied high-ranking officers, Nimitz in particular, accorded him the highest respect and esteem. To his fear and chagrin, Eisenhower seemed to be "gunning" for him; at least as I perceived it.
   Excellent book. Read the liner notes on rear cover. I think you will agree. Gives one pause to wonder...



3. Ten Years and Twenty Days is a direct reference to the time Karl Doenitz spent in Spandau Jail having been convicted of War Crimes.
   
   As an English boy growing up in a post-war Britain (I was born in 1950), we would play games where the Germans always lost - just like the Cowboys always won and the Indians always lost. Much later in life, I began to research various ships and shipwrecks through my scuba diving and the name of Karl Doenitz came up time and again. Over many years I came to respect this man for the way in which he conducted both himself and his branch of the war with Britain. I consider him to have been an honourable enemy of my country.
   
   Having read so many accounts of this once great Admiral before reading his own memoirs, I have reached the conclusion that he was convicted of no more a crime than "being one of the enemy" and it was for that he served his ten years and twenty days. Others, of course, were directly responsible for the great human atrocities of WW2 and it was they who were either sentenced to death of life imprisonment.
   
   I am sure there are those who will disagree with my assessment of this man - and, indeed, their own assessment may be more accurate. Nevertheless, this book is a great work and one which should be read by all those with an interest in Karl Doenitz the German Naval Officer and Karl Doenitz - the last Fuhrer who's first task on succeeding Hitler was to seek peace.
   
   NM



4. My friend lent me this book. It was my first book on the naval aspect of the Second World War. I figured after the hundreds I had read on the land and air element I should start to look into the naval war. I could not put this book down, I devoured it. I have been gobbling up submarine books since that day.
   Wow! First you have to be awed by the fact that this is a book written by the man that became the successor to Hitler. Second, its the best way to get the big picture of the U-boat campaign from the German viewpoint. Doenitz wrote this before he found out about allied successes in breaking his naval codes.
   There are many fascinating stories here, about individual submarine actions, convoy battles, raids, rescue missions. Great stuff that you could make into great movies some day. You really get a good sense of how close the Germans were to winning the war. Thankfully, and Doenitz goes into it, the Third Reich did not take the U-boat arm seriously until it was too late. Whew!
   Doenitz was charged with war crimes after the war and jailed. Specifically for conducting unrestricted submarine warfare.
   Like every nazi that seems to write after the war - he defends himself by saying that being at the front he was not aware of everything going on back at home. Truth? Maybe, maybe not. But you cannot stop yourself from sympathizing with the man who was left holding the bag in May of 1945. We forget that the Allies waged unrestricted submarine warfare against the Japanese from the beginning. Doenitz has written that some American admirals were sympathetic after the war, and tried to get him acquitted. Very interesting story. A must for every World War Two reader.



5. Do you know Doenitz? Are you a WWII enthusiast? A historian? A submariner? Then, this book is a MUST HAVE. There are lots of books about the WWII submarine campaign, from both sides, many of them better written. So what's special? No other book provides that specific background knowledge and information. Why didn't Germany build more submarines than it did in the crucial early years? How did the wolf pack tactics evolve? What measures did the German Naval High Command take after discovering their torpedo crisis? How did they counter Allied scientific breakthroughs? Why didn't they devine Enigma was being broken? Finally, you will hear the German opinion about Roosevelt's "Short of War" strategy - nowaday's United Nations would be in turmoil...

   Second, if you can read between the lines, this book will reveal the personality of one of the mightiest leaders of WWII. Was he a war criminal? Maybe, but certainly his biggest crime was to be a soldier (with very limited horizon apart from his daily duty) who happened to fight on the wrong side. Bad luck, for both sides...

   This book certainly doesn't replace other narratives about the "Atlantic War", but it supplements all of them. Only here, you can find the background story.

   If you're looking for more WWII memoirs, try Doenitz' superior, Raeder, and DON'T OVERLOOK Churchill, as he was the greatest writer among all of them.

   If you still have no idea as to who Doenitz might have been, then try to read Lothar Guenther Buchheim's vivid picture about how the submariners themselves felt, instead; that is indeed great war literature.

3 comments about A Vietnam Experience: Ten Years of Reflection (Publication Series: No. 315) (Publication Series: No. 315).

1. These are the reflections of a well-educated leader for any age, yet an experienced Navy pilot in his post-captive years as a POW during the Vietnam War.Jim Stockdale makes clear throughout this book the differences between enlightened leadership and the business ethos permeating the Pentagon after Eisenhower.He even reveals early censorship and manipulation of "facts" by TV and print media decades ago. Throughout this philosophical lecture-filled book, this decorated Vice Admiral sprinkles historical naval decisions to underline his points.This is recommended for those who believe in the careful study of history and the wisdom of those who pass them down.



2. I read Vice Admiral Stockdale's obituary and became interested in his writing, given what I learned about him in the outline of his career. It was truly tragic that his moment in the national spotlight made him seem a confused old man, as anyone reading any of his writing will quickly discern.
   
   This book could well serve as a 150 page handbook on the true meaning of manhood and ways of attaining it. Stockdale had a classical education and put it to excellent use during a long public career and an unbelievably difficult eight year period as a prisoner of war. He has important things to say about character and courage and leadership and adversity and history. The breadth of sources from which he draws his observations is breathtaking.



3. It is an honor to review this book. Vice admiral Stockdale reflects on his personal experience as senior officer in a POW camp in Vietnam during 8 years. This is one of the most remarkable example of human fortitude I have ever heard of told by a man of supreme intelligence and culture.

2 comments about Lt. Charles Gatewood & His Apache Wars Memoir.

1. 
   
   Louis Kraft writes sensational books, my first knowledge of him came from GATEWOOD AND GERONIMO (New Mexico Press, 2000), which was also a History Book Club selection. And for being an "independant historian" he has turned out several very good books of history, this being a notable one.
   
   Unless one has read on the Apache wars in Arizona Territory, 1878-1886, the name Charles B. Gatewood may have very little meaning. But finally due this book and the efforts of Mr. Kraft, Lt. Gatewood is at last receiving some well deserved historical attention.
   
   Within a couple years of being posted to Arizona, Lt. Gatewood was in charge of the Apache Scouts and pretty much the key man concerning operational relations with the Apaches. Now, from Mr. Kraft and the University of Nebraska we can read Lt. Gatewood's 'recorded experiences', but only up to a point, for Lt. Gatewood died before he could complete them. What we receive here though is a valuable primary source printed for the first time.
   
   Have interest in the Indian Fighting Army in late Arizona Territory Apache Wars? Then you cannot pass this book up.
   
   Recommended.
   
   Semper Fi.



2. Louis Kraft does exactly what you're supposed to do with a memoir--he illuminates Gatewood's own words and Gatewood's life. Gatewood's description of meetings with the Apache, of life trying to manage the reservation, is absolutely priceless but Kraft puts the lieutenant into the broader context of his time and circumstance. Gatewood is a man worth knowing, and Kraft does an excellent job of introducing him to us. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
   Deb Goodrich,
   Publisher
   Kansas Journal of Military History

2 comments about Memoirs of a Cold War Colonel: A look into an Intelligence Officer's thirty year career.

1. Although this is my brother's book, I thoroughly enjoyed it and have loved watching how it has developed. He and Peggi had a wonderful marriage that was cut short with Peggi's passing.
   I found things out about my family that I was not aware of, mainly because I was 12 years younger.
   This book was a work of love for Bill and I hope all enjoy it that read it.
   Merrilee



2. This is a great book!! I enjoyed it thoroughly. It gives you insight on what military men had to go through in the cold war era and how it impacted their families.

3 comments about The Irish General: Thomas Francis Meagher.

1. It seems every time you turn around someone's writing a biography of another Confederate general from the Civil War. Somehow, there's not quite the enthusiasm for biographies of Union soldiers that there is for the Confederates. This current book examines the interesting life of one of the more unusual characters from the Union Army in the Civil War era: Thomas Francis Meagher. Meagher is famous as the Union general who led the Irish Brigade, a hard-fighting unit which was famous for its opposition to the Emancipation Proclamation, and also famous for its ability to consume large amounts of whiskey. Meagher himself supposedly drank to excess, though whether he did so on the battlefield or not is a matter of debate.
   
   Wylie's account of Meagher's life is a full one, following the man through life, beginning with his childhood in Ireland, involvement in the Irish uprising in 1848 (which was very small and never had much chance of success). He then recounts his exile in Tasmania and escape. Meagher made his way to America, became a citizen, earned a law degree, and did the lecture tour circuit in order to make money. When the Civil War started, Meagher was at first sympathetic to the Confederates, but changed his mind and wound up raising troops for the Union. These troops were formed into a regiment which he wound up serving in. After First Bull Run, Meagher raised more troops and wound up leading the resulting brigade, fighting through all of the crucial campaigns up through Chancellorsville. By this time the Irish Brigade was down to a few hundred men, and Meagher felt they'd earned a rest and a period to recuperate, but the high command disagreed, and he resigned during the dispute. He did later get himself reinstated, but didn't fight again for the remainder of the war, and primarily distinguished himself with a very poor performance trying to move a body of troops from Tennessee to North Carolina, which almost led to his removal from command. He then, at the end of the war, accepted a post as secretary of the Territory of Montana, and served as the interim governor while the office was vacant or the governor absent. He died in a bizarre accident two years after the end of the war, falling off of a steamboat into the river, his body never being found.
   
   Wylie is a judicious and intelligent biographer, and this is a careful, well-written biography. The author contends that Meagher's drinking certainly had an effect on his life, but also notes that it might have been exaggerated by enemies, of whom Meagher had many. One of those enemies was William T. Sherman, who recounted the famous incident where Meagher complained to President Lincoln about Sherman's rather draconian attitude towards discipline, and Lincoln's rather comical response. This is, frankly, and intelligent and well-written biography, and I think a valuable addition to any Civil War library.



2. Wylie's book is very well researched and well written. I not only learned about the very rich and flawed life of an infamous Irish general and rebel, but I also learned a good deal about the historical struggles in Ireland that inspired him. I learned much about the Civil War, as well as how communication and politics worked around the war. I learned still more about early Western history as it applied to newly developing territories. If you have any interest in Montana history at all, this book is a must read. The author provides a colorful and detailed, very human picture of what Montana was like when it was first forming. This includes some history of the sociopolitical struggles between the settlers and the Native Americans as well. Meagher was certainly a very colorful and very human character who suffered many ups and downs and wore quite a few important hats in his day. Even Meagher's death is well researched. "The Irish General" is a real page-turner overall.



3. This is the best book on General Meagher that is available today. The research is prodicious and the writing is excellant. It is a fair view to a complicated man. Dont miss out on a excellant book if you are a fan of General Meagher, the Irish Brigade, the Civil War, or Montana History. The photographs are also excellant.The bibliography is also excellant.

5 comments about Fighting for the Confederacy: The Personal Recollections of General Edward Porter Alexander.

1. The world owes a great debt of gratitude to Gary W. Gallagher for his efforts in producing this book. Even though I would consider myself a "Private" in the ranks of civil war buffs, I have read dozens of memoirs by Civil War era men and women. None of them moved me the way this book has. At heart, I am a "Union girl", but when I finished reading this book and had to close it, I truly felt like I had lost a friend. E. Porter Alexander was a gifted, candid, and witty writer. His reminiscences are like sitting down with your favorite uncle for an evening of story telling by the fire. This book is a treasure, and is definitely worthy of more than one read.



2. Although Alexander's memoirs weren't written as memoirs as such they provide a good insight into the war as fought by the Army of Northern Virginia. General Alexander held an important position in the Confederate Army and was in a position to see much which was otherwise missed by historians or left out of the memoirs of more senior officers who had reputations to protect after the Civil War was over. A fascinating book!



3. This is a wonderfully engaging memoir, written by E. Porter Alexander, engineer, staff officer, and, as most recall him, the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia's First Corps artillery guru. What sets this book apart is its honest, candid view of events from Alexander's perspective. Not the usual glorification of the cause and its leaders as with many other actors from the Civil War. This book stayed hidden from sight for many years after it was completed; it is a blessing to those who study the Civil War that it came to see the light of day with publication. The Introduction concludes by stating that (page xxiii): "'Fighting for the Confederacy' is a book to be savored, one of those wonderful volumes that is both instructive and pleasurable to read."
   
   One line that exemplifies this, focusing on Lieutenant General Leonidas Pope, a corps commander in the Western Theater's Army of Tennessee, is enchanting. Polk was a bishop in his church and, for some unfathomable reason, had the confidence of President Jefferson Davis and General Braxton Bragg. When Alexander and the troops of General James Longstreet's First Corps joined Bragg's army at Chickamauga, he observed that (page 289): "So all our pious people with one consent & with secret conviction that the Lord would surely favor a bishop turned in & made him a lieut. Gen., which the Lord had not." A sly way of saying that Polk was a disaster as a general (and, indeed, Alexander was accurate in his assessment).
   
   A couple passages that make this volume--and Alexander's method--so refreshing. At the close of his discussion of the battle of Chancellorsville, Alexander notes that Union Commanding General Joseph Hooker lost his courage and will--as did his top commanders. Alexander observes that the Union Army was intact, outnumbered the Confederate force and could have won the battle with better leadership. Then, in a passage extraordinary for a Confederate officer, he says (page 217) "Had it been Grant in command, he would not have dreamed of giving up the fight." This suggests a perspective on the war that many partisans--whether Union or Confederate--never had. Indeed, had the Union Army listened to Generals Meade and Reynolds who were arguing strenuously to counterattack the Confederate forces, the end result might have been a significant Union victory. We'll never know, of course, but Alexander does suggest an alternative history.
   
   Then, Gettysburg. . . . Here is the poignant scene, told from Alexander's perspective, where Longstreet must order Pickett's forces (and others) to advance. But Longstreet fears a disaster, and obviously is in a state of inner turmoil (see pages 254 and following). At one point, it is almost as if he were giving Alexander the task of deciding whether or not the charge takes place. At a later time, Longstreet expresses openly his fear (page 261): "I don't want to make this attack--I believe it will fail--I do not see how it can succeed--I would not make it even now, but that Gen. Lee has ordered & expects it."
   
   So, in the end, this is a wonderful first person description of the war, one of the finest of Civil War memoirs.



4. I have read many books of self accounts of the civil war. This book tops all others in the details and extra touch of personal feelings that where experenced by this brave man and all his fellow soldiers that fought this conflict. If you enjoy accounts of the civil war this book is a must read!!!!!



5. While there may be debate what is the best Civil War memoir overall (many would likely pick Grant's), E.P. Alexander's memoir is easily the best written by a Confederate. The book is candid (he was writing it for his family) and pulls no punches about what it was like to serve for the Confederacy. Alexander also led an interesting career, seeing service in both the Eastern and Western Theaters so that makes the book all the more interesting. I could write pages about how good this book is, how well it is written, and what a page turner it is, but several other reviewers have done that so I'll just say--Go read this book. You won't be disappointed.

5 comments about All the Way to Berlin: A Paratrooper at War in Europe.

1. It's a bit troubling to see a couple of reviewers here complaining about Jim "Maggie" Megellas being "self-serving" and a "blowhard" because he's honest about the 82nd Airborne Division's WWII mission. That mission was to kill Germans and win the war. Maggie was very good at this as was his platoon, the 504 PIR and the 82nd, the greatest Airborne division of all. How else were we to win the war?
   
   "All the Way to Berlin" is the best Airborne book I've read and I've read a lot of them including S. Ambrose's "Band of Brothers". I've never understood why Ambrose, who taught at the University of Wisconsin passed up Wisconsin's greatest Airborne hero, Jim Megellas.
   
   Not to take anything away from the 101st Airborne, another bunch of terrific, fighting paratroopers, but no one fought harder and longer with less against formidable opposition than the 82nd. And within the 82nd, the 504PIR, 3rd BN, H Company was one of the best.
   
   My friend Bill Hannigan from St. Paul went all the way from Africa to Berlin with the 82nd. He became a squad leader in Maggie's platoon and is one of those paratroopers who knows Maggie best. Bill says Maggie was not only the best and bravest at killing Germans. "He cared about all of us. He did things for us. He's been a good man all his life."
   
   Bill is one of the dwindling numbers of Maggie's platoon who continues to work for the Medal of Honor which Maggie was originally put in for after his heroism at Herresbach. The platoon killed and captured 100's of Germans during that battle and as they moved into the town, Maggie single-handedly attacked and took out a Mark IV tank that threatened his platoon. This part of the action was somehow deleted from the paperwork as it moved through channels. Maggie then received the Silver Star instead of the requested MOH. Several years ago, Maggie's platoon friends resurrected the original MOH request and it is now the subject of a bill in the House of Representatives.
   
   Next month, Maggie - who is now 90 - starts a tour in Iraq where he will begin to deliver thousands of his books to the troops. Last year he visited his beloved 504 in Afghanistan where the troopers gave him and AR and 50 rounds of ammo and took him on patrol.
   
   You will see in this great book how Maggie holds paratroopers in special regard. And if you understand paratroopers and the famed 82nd Airborne Division you will know why we love Maggie and this book about our WWII Brothers.
   
   Tom Laney, Editor
   Badger Airborne News
   Badger State Chapter
   82nd Airborne Division Assoc.



2. After reading several reviews about this book, I felt compelled to comment.
   
   I read Mr. Megellas' book after having the pleasure and honor of meeting him in the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. It was a real treat for me to have the opportunity shake his hand and talk with him for a few minutes. As time rolls on, opportunities to meet a veteran, much less a hero of World War II are few and far between. We talked a bit about Operation Market Garden and his plans to go to Holland. I can tell you that in my brief encounter with him that he was very proud, humble and personable.
   
   With that said, I think that the critic's who accuse Mr. Megellas of being self-serving are very wrong in their assessment. This book is written in a style that is very direct, blunt, straight forward and "matter of fact". There are no words wasted beating around the bush or attempts at being politically correct. By his own accord, the author admits to us that it has taken him years to write these words because they are so painful to repeat. I do not get the sense that he is bragging. I get the sense that he is sharing his pain with the reader and giving us his impression of the unbelievable experience he lived through. It goes without saying this man is a hero.
   
   This book is an excellent read and I would recommend it to anyone even remotely interested in World War 2 or combat. It's so packed full of action I can't believe they haven't made a movie about it.



3. One of the best combat narratives I have ever read. Engrossing, and compelling in its brutaly honest depiction of total warfare. Highly recomended.



4. If anyone has read Band of Brothers as well as other war books, you will notice that James Megellas has been a resource for many. This book is a must read for anyone that enjoys War books. The book might not be elegantly written but you have to remember that this was written by a person that was there and not by some author embellishing the facts trying to make it a sexy book. Every once in a while I find myself picking the book up to re-read it.



5. My wife and I had a few minutes to kill in Dallas/Ft. Worth before catching a connecting flight to our spring vacation destination. The airport was full of people. As we were cruising hte terminal for a bite to eat, I observed a distinguished-looking old man in full military dress uniform sitting quietly at a small card table precariously positioned between the throngs of traveling traffic and a tiny bookstore. On top of the table beside his folded hands was a small stack of books. The chaotic masses appeared oblivious to his presence. I noticed his chest full of medals.
   
   Lt. James "Maggie" Megallas was the most decorated officer of the 82nd Airborne Division following World War II. From the rugged mountains of Naples in winter, and the beaches at Anzio, to the Battle of the Bulge, few men have survived more combat. 'All the Way to Berlin' is a sobering account of his experiences. I was awestruck by the daring and heroic crossing of the Waal River and the capturing of the bridges at Nijmegen as part of Montgomery's "vainglorious" Market Garden operation.
   
   I pray that for the sake of the future of our nation you will remember these men and share their story with someone you love.

5 comments about Secrets Of A Gay Marine Porn Star.

1. Having grown up in the south s a gay man myself, this book hit closer to home than any other I had read on the subject in years. Rich's descriptions of family life, church life, mindsets, and beliefs is dead on. And unless a person has grown up in the Bible Belt, it's almost impossible to really describe it to them in full detail and help them understand the feelings a gay man can develop in that region. It's refreshing to see someone be so honest and real, even about his own denial and gut-wrenching struggles with sexuality, drug use, promiscuity, and faith.



2. Secrets of a Gay Marine Porn Star delved deeply into the heart, soul and mind of a young man who was a student at Bob Jones University, which rejected anything remotely known to have homosexual overtones. Mr. Merritt tells of his stint as a U.S. Marine, his times as a gay porn star, and how he came to reconicle himself in this crazy world of ours. It doesn't matter what you do, but who you are that counts.



3. This is the book that psycho stalker "jonahcruise" wishes he had the talent to write. Except that his porn star aspirations went limp & according to the men he "served" with, he wasn't a real Marine, either. Even outted himself to keep from being deployed... how patriotic. All he's left with now is selling his aging bod to strangers & selling his fan fiction to tabloids. Pathetic sod. Unlike Merritt, whose story makes a good read & is actually true & verifiable by many.



4. I was spell-bound. To be from the same city, with much of the same background, it was like looking in the mirror. The first 125 pages or so are my story too. When I meet someone, I always want to know things like "when did you KNOW" and "how did you come out." This book answers those questions and many more, so by the time you hit the back cover, you really feel like you are a comfortable old friend of Rich Merritt! Cudos, Rich!



5. I had the honor of meeting Rich Merritt back in April 2007 when I attended a conference in New York and found him to be so honest as he is in this book. I had the pleasure of talking with him for my podcast as well - Ramble Redhead and he talked about his family, his experience in the Marines, his porn career and so much more. The interview showed a man who was willing to face his demons and be able to move on in a positive manner.
   
   This book is so amazing and I am so honored to have been able to meet this great author and hope you will read the book!

5 comments about The Seventh Sense: The Secrets of Remote Viewing as Told by a "Psychic Spy" for the U.S. Military.

1. The Author writes beautifully and this book really gives you an insight into his remote viewing experiences and thinking. Its not as historically or factually heavy as some on the scene but its a fantastic ride to hear one of the military psychic spies tell of his personal experiences in a way that makes you feel as though the dialogue is personal with you the reader.
   
   I found this to be an enjoyable, inspirational book in a field where most of the books can be dry and soulless. A very welcome addition to my remote viewing library.



2. First part is a good read. One can get lots of useful concepts out of. The second part, the one gives clues and exercise on how one can jump start his/her remote viewing abilities is even much more useful. The exercises might appear difficult to do, or not really effective for the skeptics, but I can attest they work. I have had quite a bit of amazing results since I was able to "reinvent the wheel", a new (little) language made of symbols that we meet in every day's life that the Universe/God/Cosmic Consciousness can use to talk back to us.



3. Trying to describe the process of remote viewing and how it truly works takes someone who is a gifted writer. Lyn Buchanan does just that in a very masterful way. Many who read this book go on to study Controlled Remote Viewing with Lyn's company, P>S>I and find that his claims in the book are not fabricated, but easily replicated in a lab setting. While Remote Viewing in and of itself can be considered very abstract, Lyn Buchanan expresses the nuances and brain processes of it in a very clear way. Although other military men participated in this project, Lyn Buchanan seems to have the best grasp of what remote viewing truly is and what can be done with it. I highly recommend the book -- it is a great read.



4. I'd like to start by saying that, while this book is informative for anyone new to the subject, it is hardly the best. It does provide an interesting backdrop to the topic of remote viewing, because it was the US military who really formalized the process that is used today. But if you want a more wholistic approach to the subject, I'm sure there are better books out there.
   
   Secondly, I believe that Lyn Buchanan job is to dissemenate at least some level of disinformation, because:
   
   A) he says in the book that remote influence is not possible, but Ingo Swann and others say it is. Being told that something is not possible discourages people from trying it, and will also make it more difficult to acheive because you've been 'primed' to believe that it isn't possible.
   
   B) In this book and in his subsequent books, he maintains the mantra that the US government has terminated Remote Viewing studies. To believe that, you'd have to be a fool.
   
   C) Military service is like smoking; Nobody every really quits.
   
   On the upside, I actually had my very first and completely unintentional Remote Viewing experience while reading this book. I was about half way through the book and had come across some paragraphs that were descibing what it was like to be emmersed in the 'remote target'. Many of the desciptions I found to be very similar what it feels like to be in a lucid dream, another area of conciousness I am facinated with.
   
   I thought to myself, 'I'd like to try to remote view something in this reality while in a lucid dream.'
   Then I thought 'Well if I was going to do it, what target would I choose?'
   My next thought was 'I guess I'd read the last word in my roomate's bedside journal, because I don't know what's in it and it changes every night'
   My next thought was(and I'm not sure why I thought this) 'IF I were be in a dream right now performing the session, the word I would find would be 'it'.
   
   After that brief pause from reading the book, I went back to reading. I didn't think anything more of the word I had chosen because I didn't think I had actually done anything; I was merely thinking outloud.
   
   When I got home later that day, I found myself in my roomates room using his computer (because mine was not working). I glanced over at his journal and thought. "Hmmm, i wonder...."
   
   I picked it up, opened it to the last page, and the last sentence on the last page was 'That day was the happiest day of my life, I am so glad I was there for it.'
   
   Needless to say, my interest has been peaked.



5. Excellent book by an actual participant of a secret program I learned of in the 1960s as a young Army wife. Only problem is Buchanan sides too much with the military and doesn't tell all that was done to some psychics. For a closer version of the truth, read Psychic Warrior by Brian Moorehouse.

3 comments about Vietnam's Forgotten Army: Heroism and Betrayal in the ARVN.

1. This a great story too long left untold. In addition to telling a wonderful but tragic tale of two men sharing similar histories whose lives take radically different courses, it is also a story about the betrayal of South Vietnam by this country. Mind you,I opposed the Vietnam War at the time, but it has become abundantly clear to me that it was a war that could have been won.
   This is no whitewash. Wiest makes it clear that the Army of S. Vietnam had a lot of problems, but he also makes it clear that many of these were caused by US training a lack of understanding on our part of the Vietnamese culture and society.
   It is a thoughtful and thought provoking book. A must read for anyone interested in the Vienam War.



2. `Vietnam's Forgotten Army" is about two ARVN soldiers and how they have lead their lives based on the concepts of Freedom - Country - Family - Duty - Honor. Their stories of loyalty, betrayal, life, death, love and hate are told so brilliantly compelling that makes it impossible to put the book down.
   
   The South Vietnamese Army is probably the military force that is most analyzed and most harshly judged by the US. In the teachings of history in current Vietnam, ARVN doesn't even exist. The war, according to the Communist Vietnam, is the fight for Freedom by the North Vietnamese Communist to liberate the South from the colonial US.
   
   This book is one of the very few books that introduces the readers to a fairly balanced view of the Vietnam War and its complexity.
   
   The one problem I have with the book, right from the beginning, is the explanation of Hue and Dinh's support of the war: "In a nation where Confucian values of family and honor are of the utmost importance, Dinh and Hue were drawn to the support of South Vietnam for the most Vietnamese of reasons, following paths blazed by their fathers" (p. 11) Mr. Weist then goes on to dedicate several more subsequent pages about `Family Matters' to support this reason.
   
   While this is undoubtedly a big reason, it is not the only one.
   
   Before 1954, the year Vietnam was divided, most Vietnamese people had already had a good idea of what communism was.
   
   Between 1945-1954, the North Communist initiated a systematic execution of anyone who was thought to be dangerous to the Vietnamese Communist Party. Ten of thousands of nationalists, Catholics and others were massacred in a campaign called `The Great Purge'. They also emulated China's Land Reform Campaign that lasted from 1945 to 1956 during which an estimated 15,000 landlords were killed.
   
   During this time, my father, who had lost most of his family including his mother and sisters due to starvation and sickness, seeing the French as the lesser of the two evils, joined the French Army and later, owing to his father's advice, moved South.
   
   My mother's grandfather, a land owner, sentenced by the Communist People Court, was staked to death in his own rice paddy. Her father was captured and then was fortunate enough to be set freed by his loyal former farm worker, ran home, gathered up his family and fled South via Hai Phong Harbor along with other millions of refugees to seek Freedom in the South.
   
   By the early 60's, when both Dinh and Hue joined the military, South Vietnamese fear of communism was proven valid by Mao's cruelty of `The Great Leap Forward' and `The Cultural Revolution' during which, 20 million of Chinese had perished.
   
   
   I believe that both North and South Vietnamese fought for the Freedom of Vietnam. For North Vietnam, Freedom meant a self ruled nation with Vietnamese leadership, regardless of how totalitarian this leadership was. For South Vietnam, the value of Freedom was not universal. For some people, it was National Freedom in a Democratic Vietnam, advanced and prospered like France or US or at least as the imperial past. For my father, it was political freedom, the idea that it could be under a common wealth, as long as this common wealth brought peace, law and order, security and prosperity to the populace. For my mother and probably the majority of Vietnamese people, the value of Freedom was an individual one. It meant having enough rice to eat, freedom to raise families, freedom to worship their gods or ancestors and own property. Sadly, these values became the great sources of conflicts within the South Vietnamese hearts.
   
   In this book. Andrew Weist did point out this complexity:
   "Certainly the South Vietnamese state and the ARVN were imperfect. Even so, South Vietnam fought for twenty-five years and the ARVN lost more than 200,000 dead. After the war, millions chose to flee South Vietnam rather than live under the suzerainty of their brothers from the North."
   
   The book did an excellent job in highlighting the reasons for the destruction of South Vietnam: Cultural hubris of American Leadership, moral blindness of the media, corruption and incompetence of the Vietnamese Leadership and the lack of enforcement of the democracy ideology for the South, thus in the critical hours, Democracy for South Vietnam could not stand against ideology trained soldiers of the North.



3. "Vietnam's Forgotten Army" is the most complete personal account of ARVN soldiers at war and in the aftermath as experienced by two middle-ranking officers through the personal choices they made. It is written with balance and flair by a scholar who is devoted to a thorough accounting of Vietnam. With firsthand research, Wiest provides the crucial missing voices, those of the South Vietnamese often misportrayed, overshadowed, and underappreciated by their powerful American allies. He gives readers glimpses of what American advisers and their Iraqi counterparts may be facing in Iraq today.