Friday 15 March 2013

Run Silient, Run Deep - Edward L Beach



Title: Run Silent, Run Deep
Author: Commander Edward L Beach
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co
Pages: 337

Content: A very good read. A novel dealing with the American submarine campaign in the Pacific during the Second World War, this book touches upon a number of themes that speak to the heart of operational leadership. The book traces the character of the Captain as he faces not only the challenge of training his crew for operations but also the unique struggles and stresses of operations themselves. Multiple relevant themes such as the responsibilities of command outweighing personal relationships,  the isolation of command, morality of operational decision making and efforts to maintain the line between personal animosity for the enemy and respect for his role as a soldier for his nation all blend together in a tightly knit story that clearly conveys the difficulty of submarine operations. A must read for those looking to appreciate the role that a Commander must play in order to be effective and to begin to comprehend the blurring of the lines regarding ethically acceptable/unacceptable decision making in wartime.

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