Saturday 31 May 2014

Into The Gates of Hell: Stug Command '41 - Bob Carruthers and Sinclair McLay

Title: Into The Gates of Hell: Stug Command '41
Author: Bob Carruthers and Sinclair McLay
ISBN: 978-1-7834-6242-1
Softcover
Pages: 313
Photos: 0
Publisher: Pen and Sword Publishing

This book is the second in a series of books based upon notes and manuscripts drafted by an un-named German officer under the pen-name Ritter von Krauss of his experiences during the First and Second World War. His works, written, it is believed, between 1954 and 1968, were released to the authors with the strict stipulation that his family name never be revealed and that none of the works be published while his immediate children were still alive. The manuscripts themselves have been verified as genuine and, while little is factually known about von Krauss, it is believed that he came from a wealthy aristocratic family reduced to poverty in the 1920's. A firm believer in National Socialism, he is felt not to have harboured any anti-semitic views but rather saw the movement and Hitler as a way to reunify and strengthen Germany. It is also believed that he served as an armoured officer in both world wars. 

Carruthers and McLay have created an enjoyable read out of the strawman manuscript that they received. The story centres around the German assault on the Fortress of Brest-Litovsk during the opening days of Operation Barbarossa (the German attack on the Soviet Union in 1941). The plot is not terribly complicated but it does impart a great deal of information regarding the various types of equipment in use, tactics of the day, weapons capabilities and historical context. The characterization is rather two dimensional as the Germans, for the most part, are painted in a civilized yet negative and barbaric light in their actions, while the Russians themselves are portrayed as less sophisticated but determined and sympathetic. I felt that this was rather shallow and perhaps a little too stereotypical. Overall, the storyline felt very dense with, I felt, too many lines of approach; it all felt a mile wide but an inch deep.

Nevertheless, the authors do bring to light individuals who played key roles in the defence and assault of Brest Litovsk whose names have subsequently been lost to all but the most ardent of historians. Without the key intervention and initiative of Commissar Fomin and Captain Zubachyov, the battle for the fortress would have been much shorter and easier for the Germans. As it was, their example served to energize the defence and resulted in a bloody fight lasting for weeks instead of hours; as much as possible, the authors have utilized actual participants within their rendition of the battle.

I would have enjoyed having a map of the fortress and a regional map to cross reference against the narrative. This would have provided a much better appreciation of the nature of the fighting. Also, it would have been helpful if the authors had provided historical footnotes to further enhance the storyline by adding additional actual information in a similar way that Peter Tsouras or George McDonald Fraser do in their works of historical fiction.

This work was an enjoyable read and I did find it to be both entertaining and educational. Certainly, there is room for improvement but I still believe that it is worth perusing. Historical fiction is a very difficult genre within which to work and the authors have written a worthy addition to that body.



Monday 26 May 2014

Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone - Rajiv Chandrasekararan



Title: Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone
Author: Rajiv Chandrasekararan
ISBN: 978-0-307-27883-8
Softcover
Pages: 365
Photos: 0
Publisher: Vintage Publishing
Hubris and naivety, two words that best describe the feeling that one is left with after reading Mr Chandrasekaran' s book. The US invasion of Iraq and the subsequent overthrow of Saddam Hussein were seen by many Americans as the finishing of a job stated in 1990. Flush with a relatively painless victory, the Government of President Bush was ready to welcome the Iraqi people into the 'democratic' club (as perceived by the the leadership of the United States). The author's book relates his experiences and views as he watched the unfolding of this effort to build a new, democratic Iraq from the ashes of the old over a period of one year from 2003 to 2004. 
The author approaches his subject as a reporter would, relating his narrative through discussions with a variety of individuals (both Iraqi and American) charged with developing or affected by the decisions and policies of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) led by the controversial Paul Bremer. He is not interested in passing judgement on the success or failure of the CPA, more to the point he wishes to convey a sense of the environment within which the organization functioned, the challenges it encountered, what it aspired to attain and what it actually achieved culminating in the overall impact that this had on the individuals involved.
As I progressed through the book, I was struck by the sense of initial optimism brought about by a fundamental lack of understanding and appreciation of the nature of environment or the task at hand by the very people charged with transitioning Iraq. The inappropriate criteria used to select individuals and the paternalistic approach to the Iraqis that typified many of the American's attitude towards rebuilding. Compounding this was the seemingly misplaced criteria of political expediency versus acknowledged requirements as the driving force behind the decision making process within the CPA. It is evident from the author's notes that there were those that attempted to fulfil their mandates to the best of their abilities; however, it did not take long for initial idealism and dedication to be suffocated by intransigence, self interest and incompetence. 
As a former Baghdad bureau chief for the Washington Post, the author is uniquely qualified to shed light on the World of Oz that was the US Green Zone in 2003/04. HIs regional knowledge and ability to travel outside the walls of the Zone; thereby being able to ascertain an impression of the impact of the CPA's efforts 'beyond the powerpoint' (which typified their methods of presenting successful statistics), add a level of credibility to his work. He avoids cynicism and sarcasm in his writing although, it is suggested through ironic narrative.
This book is a fast, easy read but also extremely eye-opening and educational. The author has done a commendable job in conveying the atmosphere and attitude of the Green Zone and I recommend this book. The experience of the CPA during their first years in Iraq is not a story of success, rather one of good intentions matched neither by capability, understanding nor effective planning. I was reminded of the commercial where a patient is in cardiac arrest and the medical staff are struggling to save him, when a complete stranger rushes into the room and saves the day. When the staff, in obvious relief ask him if he is a doctor he replies "No, but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night". Unfortunately, in the case of the CPA and Iraq, the patient died.

Monday 12 May 2014

The Scapegoat: The life and tragedy of a fighting admiral and Churchill's role in his death - Steve R Dunn


The information presented was written by Chris Buckham; however, it was published in Soldier Magazine. Therefore, the material is reproduced here by the author with the permission of the magazine. If you would like to republish this information or refer to excerpts please contact the Assistant Editor Soldier Magazine (rclark@soldiermagazine.co.uk). Website for the Magazine is: http://www.army.mod.uk/soldier-magazine/soldier-magazine.aspx


Title: The Scapegoat: The life and tragedy of a fighting admiral and Churchill's role in his death
Author: Steve R Dunn
ISBN: 978-1-84624-971-6
Hardcover
Pages: 252
Publisher: Book Guild Publishing
Photo's: 4 b/w
Rating: 4/5

The Battle of Coronel in WW1 has, for the most part, faded into the annals of history; the author has shed new light on this engagement. Drawing upon a myriad of primary sources, Dunn highlights the politics, jealousies, tragedy and farce that undermined the ultimately futile efforts of Admiral Cradock to stop the German Far East fleet from escaping back to Germany at the beginning of the war. Well-written, balanced and critical, the author presents the reader with a macro level canvas encompassing issues of political interference, ship building technology and service environments of both adversaries before focusing on the personalities of Cradock, Churchill and the battle that cost him (Cradock) his life. An engaging read of a noble yet tragic figure.       

United States vs German Equipment 1945 - Uwe Feist


The information presented was written by Chris Buckham; however, it was published in Soldier Magazine. Therefore, the material is reproduced here by the author with the permission of the magazine. If you would like to republish this information or refer to excerpts please contact the Assistant Editor Soldier Magazine (rclark@soldiermagazine.co.uk). Website for the Magazine is: http://www.army.mod.uk/soldier-magazine/soldier-magazine.aspx



Title: United States vs German Equipment 1945
Author: Uwe Feist
ISBN: 978-0-8117-1314-6
Hardcover
Pages: 312
Publisher: Stackpole Books
Photo's: multiple b/w and colour
Rating: 4.5/5

 
Following awareness of ongoing complaints from US soldiers regarding the quality of their equipment when compared with that of the Germans, Gen Eisenhower ordered that a comprehensive investigation of said claims be made and the results reported back to him. This book is a verbatim reproduction of that report from March,1945. Replete with numerous accompanying photos, it covers everything from tank vs panzer to shelter halves, rations, personnel weapons and helmets. This is an excellent source document for both the casual and professional historian who is interested whether or not the Germans had consistently better equipment in terms of quality, but were beaten by quantity. I particularly enjoyed this high quality publication.

The Encyclopedia of Warfare - Multiple Authors, Foreword by Dennis Showalter


The information presented was written by Chris Buckham; however, it was published in Soldier Magazine. Therefore, the material is reproduced here by the author with the permission of the magazine. If you would like to republish this information or refer to excerpts please contact the Assistant Editor Soldier Magazine (rclark@soldiermagazine.co.uk). Website for the Magazine is: http://www.army.mod.uk/soldier-magazine/soldier-magazine.aspx


Title: The Encyclopedia of Warfare
Author: Multiple Authors, Foreword by Dennis Showalter
ISBN: 978-1-78274-023-0
Hardcover
Pages: 1024
Publisher: Amber Books
Photos: 100’s maps
Rating: 4/5
 
As a reference guide to international conflict, this book has few equals. Drawing upon the collective knowledge of multiple historians, it summarizes over five thousand different battles ranging from the earliest recorded fights of the ancient world up to engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan. The book is written in chronological order by period with each subsection broken out by consecutive year. This makes for very easy reading and research. Additionally, for the more significant engagements, coloured maps are included. Each battle may be taken in context with others or read in isolation with equal effect; an excellent reference text encompassing a daunting period.