No comments about Corporal Brown's Campaigns in the Low Countries: Recollections of a Coldstream Guard in the Early Campaigns Against Revolutionary France 1793-1795.

5 comments about A Hundred Miles of Bad Road.

1. I looked forward to a description of this little talked about segment of the Vietnam war. I was disappointed that there was little of the daily life of a tanker and the flow of the book made it a hard read. I would not recommend it although there is little else out there on the subject.



2. Dwight and his comrades fought the NVA on the west side of Tan Son Nhut Air Base and stopped them in their tracks. If they had not stopped them, the NVA would have overrun the base. I was just outside the west side of the base next to the Vietnamese Joint General Staff compound. We had VC taking down the wall around the compound with RPGs. We had no weapons and the Vietnamese guards had only personal arms. If the NVA had gotten past Dwight, we would have been goners. Luckily, a company of Vietnamese Marines arrived and quickly put the VC unit out of action. Afterwards, we found the remains of many brave 716th MPs and other individual American military attacking the VC from the other side. I wrote a letter to Dwight and thanked him for his bravery and determination not to give up to overwhelming odds. I hope he got my letter. Howard A. Daniel III, Master Sergeant, US Army Retired



3. This Is a story of truth from the men who were In vietnam.Nolan served in the vietnam war.And from reading this book he takes you there.And tells us the american people what we never knew that happened during this war.An amazing truthful book to read.I would give it ten stars."Truth In justice for all of our vets" They are the back bone of this country.The goverment should know. When our vets came home sick and dying from agent orange.Our goverment denied everything.Even the one who gave the orders to drop It. Killed his own son.When his son died he knew it was from agent orange. He later killed himself because of his guilt.Since he was a high ranking officer he was sworn to silence.Like all the other military officers. Our goverment does not care about the men who not only died for this country.Also the ones they killed and never admitted to.The cost to the goverment would be to great.So deny ,deny, at all cost. As the govement has always lied about our vets.When they came home sick from Vietnam also Saudi Arabia.The goverment denied all of this again.Deformed babies,cancer,of all kinds.The goverment again denied our men came in contact with any chemicals to make them sick.When it has been proven that the air they breathed and the contact with tanks were contaminated from Iraq weapons used on our military soldiers.WHY''



4. I had no contact with Dwight Birdwell or the 3/4 Cav for 33 years, but the book took me back to Highway 1 last week. Accurate and truthful are the events and people (not the case in too many war memoirs). The photos are real troopers who got bloody. Even the dates were interesting for sorting memories.

   One of my most vivid memories of the war had been Birdwell on a burning tank firing a .50 caliber machine gun until it glowed in the night, and his silhouette carrying out the badly wounded. That memory is in the book (Chapter 19) and accurate to the number of RPG's fired.

   The lifers, loafers, heros, and base camp warriors are there also, warts and all. Read Tennyson for the glory of the cavalry, read Birdwell for the real thing.




5. I've been a big fan of Keith William Nolan for quite some time. I read The Battle For Saigon with interest because I was a member of the 377th Security Police Squadron USAF that was given the task of defending Tan Son Nhut Airbase. I took part in the defense of the airbase during Tet 68. I read One Hundred Miles of Bad Road, after reading The Battle For Saigon, and finally realized just what Troop B, 3/4 CAV endured out on Highway One outside the west perimeter. The tenacity of the 25th INF and the leadership Lt. Col. Otis and Captain Virant was instrumental in thwarting the sustained ground attack by seven NVA/VC Regiments. This is an accurate account of the battle in and around Tan Son Nhut Airbase. I highly recommend this book.

No comments about The Memoirs of Sir Sidney Smith.

5 comments about The True Intrepid.

1. Bill Macdonald has contributed valuably by sleuthing some of the past of the mythic character, Sir William Stephenson.
   
   Macdonald is a journalist from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, who on hearing of the death of Stephenson in 1989, decided to investigate the past of a man who hailed from Winnipeg and was entrusted by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill with serving as his intelligence czar in North America during World War II.
   
   Fortunately for history, Macdonald was able to uncover glimmers of the truth of Stephenson's humble origins; his move to Britain during the 1920s and 1930s; and his businesses. One was steel; through the steel industry, Macdonald may have come to appreciate the Nazi commitment to expanding its military. Churchill became prime minister after the British debacle at Dunkirk. He promptly dispatched Stephenson to the U.S. Based at Rockefeller Center, Stephenson established an aggressive intelligence program and helped advise the U.S. in formation of what became the O.S.S., predecessor of the CIA. Macdonald interviewed a former Univ. of Toronto professor who directed the vital communications links conveying Nazi communications intercepts among British, Canadian, and U.S. codebreakers.
   
   Behind the stories and myths surrounding Stephenson, Macdonald has shone light on some important, classified aspects of World War II. When I read the first edition of this book, I found the story somewhat hard to follow and strange, though also strangely plausible. For the paperback edition, a former CIA staff historian has offered an introduction, probably because he would have had the same reaction.
   
   I am reminded of another recent book (The Secret of Hut 26) reporting how the U.S. developed computers in Dayton, Ohio for attacking Nazi codes. The story was revealed by veterans of this endeavor wishing to report their contribution, 50 years later. Similarly, interesting stories and people, can arise from Winnipeg. Owing to the highly original investigative reporting, I give this book 5 stars.



2. MacDonald has successfully revealed much of the often clouded life of Intrepid, a man whose primary career goal was - of course - to remain in the shadows. The immensely likeable and non-descript Stephenson (Intrepid) was the penultimate spy: you wouldn't notice him in a crowd and if you did, you'd find yourself charmed and at ease. This side of the man has been overlooked in past books, but MacDonald reveals just how significant this particular trait is to an effective intelligence officer. In Stephenson, readers will learn how charm hid the great depths of intelligence, honor and violent resolve that made Intrepid a name to admire in the history of his profession. MacDonald also offers a highly-readable, compelling look at the events of Intrepid's life, keeping an admirable balance between objectivity and the thrills of a good story. David R. Bannon, Ph.D.; author "Race Against Evil."



3. If the 20th century was to be represented by 4 or 5 individuals, William Stephenson would have to be one of them. By this I mean that his life was incredible. He would be worthy of an interesting biography in any of the lives that he led: a scientist, a businessman or a spymaster.

   The book goes into much more detail of Intrepid's life, as well as those of some of his associates than the famous Man Called Intrepid book (which is worth reading as well!). This book will inspire and awe anybody! Well researched and well enough written.




4. A thoroughly researched and well documented account of the quintessential North American spymaster William Stephenson. New information dispels past myths about a fascinating man who, with the help of his "unknown" agents,played an crucial role influencing the events of the Second World War.



5. This book researches and chronicles in great detail the life of one man who, while obscure and unknown, played a pivotal role in the unfolding of World War 2. This book tells an important history and heightens my appreciation of some of our stories that has never been adaquitely told.

No comments about From Selma to the Super Bowl The Story of a Boy from the Bottoms.

No comments about Major General Adam Stephen and the Cause of American Liberty.

No comments about Tuskegee Airman Fighter Pilot: A Story of an Original Tuskegee Pilot Lt. Col. Hiram E. Mann.

4 comments about THICK LUCK: The Search for POWs & MIAs.

1. I appreciated the book for the amount of detail and background behind each of the MIA Searches that the author undertook. It was good to read about the positive reaction of relatives of the missing once they had been found and sad to read of the false trails that had to be painstakingly followed. The author's descriptions of the battlegrounds and topographical features added value to this fascinating book. I devoured in it two sessions.



2. After attending annual meetings in Washington, D.C. every June to meet with JPAC officials like David Combs I was so gratified to read his book of the true accounts concerning recovery efforts. I am a 100% disabled veteran and sister of a marine missing for 38 years in the jungles of Vietnam and this book has answered so many questions. David has allowed me to go with him on these field activities and witness exactly what goes into finding our missing loved ones and I am so grateful. Those of us who still wait for answers had no idea of the dangers and sacrifice that goes into the search for our loved ones. I couldn't be more proud of all of these brave men and women. My thanks to all of them.



3. David Combs writes a journal of his work with the Joint Task Force Full Accounting (JTF-FA), Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and Central Identification Laboratory - Hawaii (CILHI) in finding and retrieving the bodies of men who have been lost in the jungles and mountains of Cambodia and Laos. His book "Thick Luck: The Search for America's POWs & MIAs" chronicles some hazardous and tedious work done by a small by hardy group of people trying to bring our missing veterans back home again. The book mainly focuses on efforts to locate crash sites and find the remains.
   
   The author who takes great risks to his own physical being including a piece of bamboo that lodged in his eye and countless slips, trips and falls, paints for us what it is like to be a part of his team. You will find yourself riveted to his story as he takes us on fourteen expeditions into Southeast Asia as they travel and search for whatever evidence they can find. It entails having to deal with lots of politics and red tape, lots of time and much personal sacrifice. Combs presents his book like a journey and the reader has little trouble following along as part of his team.
   
   This book is a must read for anyone involved in MIA/POW issues or who wants to learn about these recovery teams. The author certainly enriches us with lots of facts but I particularly enjoyed his information on recovery of "Earthquake McGoon" James B. McGovern who was lost in Laos in 1954 while helping the French.
   
   The book shows the great amount of work that goes into this recovery effort and the dedication of those who have taken on this task. These are honorable men and women and the author gives us that insider view of what really goes on these teams. The book is both educational and entertaining as well. Add this book to your list of must buy and read books!
   
   The MWSA gives this book its top rating of FIVE STARS!



4. Thick Luck is a fascinating true adventure of the quest to find our missing soldiers lost in the Vietnam War in Laos and Cambodia. The US government has made a tremendous commitment to find them and this is the story of the men and women who risk their lives in hostile environment to do it. A rare view into the culture of the Laotian people. Heartening accounts of the families responses when given news of their loved ones.Excellent.

5 comments about Rommel: Battles And Campaigns.

1. Kenneth Macksey is not the kind of writer who will produce a repetition of existing arguments and bore the reader. It is true that he looks at Rommel with a very critical view but that is what I expect from an expert on World War II who is very accurate and does extensive research for his books. Don't let bad critics to keep you away from this book, because it's a terrific factual short account of Rommel's meteoric carreer and not an hagiography of the man. The photo captions are very informative and the maps are numerous and very good.



2. Anglo accounts of World War Two frequently sing the praises of Rommel and his victories. Reality? Rommel was second rate for the Germans, and got his job, and promotions largely due to propaganda reasons and friendship with Hitler.
   
   While a tactical genius, and excellent at operations, his stratgic level decision making was poor at best... ignoring logistical realities and the larger strategic picture.
   
   Rommel's job in the sand was to hold off the British- not conquor the Middle East. He failed, largely due to ignore logistics.
   
   Macksey does an excellent job reviewing Rommel's life and accurately pointing out his strenghs and weaknesses.
   
   If you are looking for a honest appraisal of Rommel, buy this book. If you a Rommel fan-boy, don't.



3. In Rommel: Battles and Campaigns, Macksey (a British officer in WWII) continues his efforts to atone for British defeats in France and North Africa by painting the German military leadership as incompetent. This book is less of an objective review of Rommel's campaigns, but rather a poorly masked attempt to completly discredit any and all actions taken by Rommel in WWII. The strong bias in this account is evident within the books first few pages and continues throughout the volume. I have tried to read this book twice without success. The unbalanced nature of the account is so annoying that after my second attempt the book found it's rightful place in my circular file. Hence this review.

   Avoid this one like the plague! There are too many numerous and well written accounts of Rommel's war record to waste time on this one.




4. The reader should don a pair of waders before opening this book because of the amount of mud that it slings. This book has little to do with examining battles or campaigns, rather it is an exercise in character assassination. It is another entery in the author's ham-fisted attempts to convince the reader that Rommel was a sham, and a mendacious simpleton.



5. Kenneth Macksey, in his biography Rommel: Battles and Campaigns, is highly critical or Rommel. Macksey sees Rommel as a leader who changed little about his tactics from the First World War, despite massive technological changes. Macksey believed Rommel had a huge amount of luck in his battles. This differs from most historians' views, with David Frazer (Knight's Cross; HarperCollins) pointing out that war relies to a large extent on luck. There is also the cliché that `you make your own luck'. Macksey views Rommel's advance through France in 1940 critically, and is quick to move acclaim from Rommel to his superiors, fellow generals, and troops. Although Macksey does have examples to support this view, they are highly specific, and are lost in a general evaluation of Rommel's successes. Macksey sees Rommel's success in North Africa as due to the poor leadership of the Allied forces, not the skill of the `Desert Fox'. Frazer again has a different view, and states that in almost every single battle of his African campaign, Rommel was hugely outnumbered, but won some marvelous victories against vastly superior opposition. This was an interesting account, obviously from an anti-Rommel perspective, but giving excellent details on all of Rommel's battles, great maps and visuals as well.

2 comments about Berlin Diary: The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent 1934-1941, an Unparalleled Eyewitness Account of Hitler's Germany.

1. The author makes a large number of observations about what is happening and how it is done. This is along with the historical recording of events. These observations have stood the test of time. They explain the German's rapid success in the early years.



2. This is a great book and a terrific read. Originally published in 1941 by William L. Shirer, who worked in Berlin during the war with Edward R. Murrow and the radio team of Columbia Broadcasting System, it went on to sell almost 350,000 copies by August and remained at the top of the best-seller-list until after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
   
   Shirer worked in Berlin at a time when all of the world got its news through foreign correspondents writing in newspapers. Later, he made the leap to CBS and radio to work with the legendary Edward Murrow. The two captivated all of America with their radio broadcasts from Berlin and Europe as the war unfolded.
   
   "Berlin Diary" offers unparalleled insights into Hitler's Germany by an intelligent and talented news correspondent writing as events unfolded. Shirer was quick to learn that German Army reports on the fighting in the opening years of the war were usually frank and accurate, while those of the German Navy and especially the Air Force were not. Afforded regular access to Adolph Hitler he ponders later in the book on how easy it would have been to assassinate the German leader And he provides first-hand descriptions of Nazi leaders such as Rudolph Hess, Hermann Goering, and especially Joseph Goebbels, who most of the foreign news correspondents detested.
   
   Shirer also describes the tremendous effect the British bombing of Berlin in the early days of the war, even by small groups of Royal Air Force bombers, had on the population, depriving them of sleep and forcing the German war industry to lose valuable hours of production time. The author notes that if the British had sustained the bombing campaign and sent over even more bombers, the pressure on Hitler and the Nazis to end the war might have been tremendous.
   
   "Berlin Diary" is also a tribute to Shirer's analytical talents and his ability to piece together what is actually happening or will happen next in the war is uncanny. He is quick, for example, to find out about the Nazi extermination of those who are mentally retarted or otherwise physically incapacitated throughout Germany, a move resisted by many Germans. Of course, it is clear that the author had a wide network of contacts, who kept him informed as to developments in the Third Reich. Indeed, Shirer shows that resistance to Hitler and the Nazis early in the war, both passive and active, was at a much higher level than was generally appreciated abroad, both during the war and even after it.
   
   "Berlin Diary" is a tribute to an incredibly talented individual and to all civilian war correspondents, who lived dangerous lives in a dangerous regime to bring the news to the world. Shirer's reporting showed America the threat Hitler posed to free countries everywhere and no doubt played a role in President Roosevelt's decision to get involved in the war.