Military History for Beginners (Part 1)

Twice recently I had the opportunity to suggest books for an eighteen year old. Without particularly knowing what they were interested in, just generic "Military History" (OK, there is hope left in the world....).

Sometimes I need something like that to realize just how deeply knowledgeable I am, but I will have a stab at it here.

First, every generation writes it's own "popular" history. Right now there is a book on First World War UK war resistors masquerading as Military History on Amazon, it is an interesting read, but not something for the market I am interested in. But it keeps popping up in my recomendations.

So start with the basics, authors. Two major figures of the last generation are John Keegan (Still active) and Stephen E. Ambrose (1936-2002). A trip to the bookstore or local library should turn up multiple titles by both authors. Pick one related to a subject he (she?) has expressed interest in, it will probably satisfy any eighteen year old.

The whole issue of Nazi Glorification and the Hitler Channel is too complex for a beginner, but one very useful specialist book I like to recommend is Richard Overy, Why the Allies Won (1995). And his survey, Russia's War (1997) is pretty good too, nice readable length.

In particular I would recommend Keegan's Face of Battle (1976), one of the foundations of the "new" military history (Don't ask), or Six Armies in Normandy (1982). You can probably find one of those at the local Friends of the Library. He has been a prolific author throughout the field. And the Ambrose book on D-Day should be available cheap.

Another popular historian to consider from the prior generation is Cornelius Ryan (1920-1974). Three enormously successful books, The Longest Day (D-Day),(1959), The Last Battle (1966) about the Fall of Berlin, much material reprised by Max Hastings for Armageddon, and A Bridge to Far (1974). One was for sale at my local chain book store, and there should be plenty of used copies out there. And yes, they were the inspiration for the two movies of the same titles.

(Revised & Expanded, Dec 9, 2012)

Next Post: Things to Avoid

June 22, 1941

Seventieth anniversary and all that. Even NPR noticed, although they were more interested in reporting the "New" information that Stalin had reports Barbarossa was coming.

It's not the reports, the question is, why did he ignore them?

Duh.

Well, I've done my duty today, apologies for the absence.

Libyan No Fly Zone

So?
And why should we care?

It's the Italians, and their European Friends who are worried about waves of Boat People.

They have air forces, let them conduct the campaign. Make it clear through NATO channels that we will support them with AWACS, Tankers, and Logistics. But let them organize a command and conduct the campaign.
Send John Boehner (You know, the guy whose party claims we are broke?) to Germany and France to turn his pockets out and say, "We'll support you to about the extent you are supporting us in Afghanistan. Now put your heads together and arm twist the Italians into a program, the AngloSphere is fully committed elsewhere."

Bad Military Fiction

Specifically,

The Pirate Hunters by Mack Maloney

Tor Forge, May 2010.

I mean, at one point the bad guys were "waving 50 caliber machine guns in the air"

And geographic absurdities.

OK, as a nothing book it was OK; But the standards of editing just seem to keep declining.

And when I start to have followers, I'll start to add Amazon links.

German "Frightfullness"

The German (WW I/II) (Well, Colonial and Franco-Prussian Wars too, not than anyone cares)

Is "Schrechlichkeit"

I think; I've had a terrible time tracking this down.

Apologies

I guess I have been more depressed than I thought I was, for some reason I have totally neglected this for the past couple of years. We'll try and post semi-regularly and build up a body of work so I have SOMETHING I can refer people too.

And I have set up another separtate blog for my local residence issues.

What We Need by Barrett Tillman (Book Review)

"What We Need: Extravagance and Shortage in America's Military"
by Barrett Tillman, St Paul, Minnesota, Zenith Press (MBI), St Paul, Minnesota, 2007; 254 pp.
go
Every now and then MBI tries to publish a serious book. Not sure how well distributed this one was, another "surface find" at my local Public Library. About half of it is just repeating things most of us already know; The Air Force is failing to manage the future need for Airlift (Some interesting details I had not known); The F-22 and similar programs are unaffordable, yada, yada.

And there was a significant amount of coverage on the subtle problems that there really should be no excuses for five years into a major conflict. A shortage of (Small arms) range time and Ammunition?

Plus a plea for the NRA to be recognized (Encouraged?) to play it's original role in pre-training manpower in individual marksmanship skills. Kind of a contrast to the high level issues in other parts of the book, I agree, we need to revitalize the NRA and the Civilian Marksmanship Program.

OK; Say Two and a half stars.