All in War
Shelby Foote's “THE CIVIL WAR: A NARRATIVE, VOLUME II, FREDERICKSBURG TO MERIDIAN”
One of the people I would like to meet in heaven and have a beer with is author Shelby Foote.
Robert Harris’ “DICTATOR”
As the old saying goes, power corrupts. In this book we see how all can become ensnared by its tendrils, even those who like Cicero profess to aspire to higher ideals.
Bill Yenne's THE AMERICAN AIRCRAFT FACTORY IN WWII
As a lifelong fan of historic aircraft, reading details of how and where the B-17s, the B-24s, and P-51s were developed and manufactured provides a useful insight into what “mobilization of the homefront” meant.
Mori Juzo's THE MIRACULOUS TORPEDO SQUADRON
Translated by Nicholas Voge from the original Japanese, this memoir tells the story of one Japanese naval pilot from the time he earns his wings to his combat experience in China, Pearl Harbor, Midway, and Guadalcanal.
James Holland's “DAM BUSTERS: THE TRUE STORY OF THE INVENTORS AND AIRMEN WHO LED THE DEVASTATING RAID TO SMASH THE GERMAN DAMS IN 1943”
Yes, the raid contributed significantly to the Allies war effort. Hopefully, too, people today who only connect with war via video games will occasionally pick up and read a book like this.
Felipe Fernández-Armesto’s “OUR AMERICA: A HISPANIC HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES”
I have to believe that the resulting “blended” view of where we came from will be a natural outgrowth of the increasing diversity of U.S. society. For some that will only happen when the current generation of white traditionalists dies off and is replaced. I hope we don’t have to wait that long. Books like this certainly help!
Shelby Foote’s “THE CIVIL WAR, A NARRATIVE: FORT SUMTER TO PERRYVILLE”
This book is the perfect antidote for anyone who seriously believes that politics back then was any different from today. Lincoln faced incredible dissension and disagreement within his own party and his own cabinet. This makes Gates’ recent revelations about his relationship with the Obama Administration pale by comparison.
Jim Baggott: “THE FIRST WAR OF PHYSICS: THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE ATOMIC BOMB, 1939-1949”
I’ve always been fascinated by “big science” projects and how they were managed. Often there’s a confluence of private and public sector, academia, and military; the nuclear arms race as presented here is certainly not an exception.
Robert F. Dorr's MISSION TO TOKYO: The American Airmen Who Took the War to the Heart of Japan
This book describes what it was like to bomb Japanese cities via B-29 raids conducted by the U.S. during 1944 and 1945. Most of the action is from the American perspective and takes place on the air-base islands off Japan from which most raids were launched (chiefly Tinian and Saipan), in the air while over water, or over Japan itself
Eugene Fluckey's THUNDER BELOW
I read a lot of history books where you get caught up in the sweep of big ideas, big movements, and larger-than-life historical figures. In THUNDER BELOW we have a captain, his crew, and the ship, doing their job while trying to stay alive. It’s a keeper.
C.S. Forester's THE SHIP
Forester’s message is pretty transparent, though: high class are low, educated or not, smalltown or urban, young or old — all have parts to play in the well oiled war machine that cares less about class than about performance.
Stephen Budiansky's “BLACKETT'S WAR: THE MEN WHO DEFEATED THE NAZI U-BOATS AND BROUGHT SCIENCE TO THE ART OF WARFARE”
Blackett’s War is an uneven but very interesting account of how basic science and engineering techniques, now called “operations research” or “operational research,” were applied to solving military problems during World War II.
Josh Barkan's BEFORE HIROSHIMA: THE CONFESSION OF MURAYAMA KAZUO (Short Story)
This short story looks at the events leading up to the bombing of Hiroshima from the perspective of a young Japanese intelligence officer who pieces together evidence of what’s coming. Unfortunately, no one’s believes him.