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War Books: Suggestions?

BullzeyeBullzeye Member Posts: 3,560
edited June 2002 in General Discussion
I've read a few in my time. What's your favorite?

Just read a copy of "My War Gone By, I Miss it So". Deeply disturbing, very politically incorrect, but I think it speaks to more soldiers than are willing to admit it. It says a lot about the rush and the thrill of war, existing right along side the terror and horror of it. I dont want to get into too much detail, for fear of offending someone.

"Starship Troopers", by Robert Heinlein, is a favorite of mine. Even though it's Sci-fi, it's truly a marvelous piece of literature if you can draw the obvious parallels between the "Bugs", who have no fear, no concern for life, and seemingly endless numbers, and Communist nations like China.

It contains a lot of military philosophy too. Heinlein was a staunch Conservative, and he creates his version of a perfect military, and a perfect society in Starship Troopers. Example: Flogging is brough back as a common punishment for crimes. Reason: What's more primally frightening to people than pain?

NOTE: Do NOT see the movie! It disregards almost all of the book, and it sucks!
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Comments

  • beachmaster73beachmaster73 Member Posts: 3,011 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Bullzeye....Try "The Forgotten Soldier" writtten by a former member of the Grosser Deutchland Division(I think his name was Guy Saher) about the war in the East. It is a good book to cure anyone of the romance of combat. "The Mark of the Lion" is a great one if you want to read about the most incredible stud of World War II. And if you really want to learn about the complexities of amphibious warfare, "The Amphibians Came to Conquer" the story of Admiral R. Kelly Turner and his Pacific War....Just a few. Beach
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  • salzosalzo Member Posts: 6,396 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    My favorite war "fiction"
    Catch-22
    Slaughterhouse five
    All quiet on the western front
    Red Badge of Courage.

    "The powers delegated by the proposed constitution to the federal governmentare few and defined, and will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace negotiation, and foreign commerce"
    -James Madison
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  • mousemouse Member Posts: 3,624
    edited November -1
    Bible and Sword;England and Palestinefrom the bronze age to
    Balfour. It's aboutBritain's role in the restoration of Israel.
    Great read to understand the History of the middle east conflict.

    "I Will Bear Witness" by Victor Klemperer A diary of the Nazi Years.
    2 volumns. A picture of daily life in the third Reich.Covers years 1933 to 1945. I'm in the process of reading the second volumn now.
    It shows you the war from the prospective of the victims.

    As God is My Witness by Carl Rosenberg. history from German invasion of Warsaw, in 1939 till end of war as witnessed by the author. First hand descriptions of the invasion of Warsaw, and two years interment in Auschwitz.

    "The Unknown War"by Harrison Salisbury" Russia's struggle against the Germans,with loss of lives totally 30,000,000.

    The World Must Know byMichael Berenbaum History of the Holocaust as told in the USHolocaust memorial museum. Couldn't put this one down.

    These book don't go into warfare from a soldiers viewpoint, but look at the political and social aspects of warfare. Some provide statistics that are incomprehensible to fathom.
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  • boogerbooger Member Posts: 1,463 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    "About Face" By David Hackworth, he went from WWII to Vietnam. He is the most decorated living soldier, good book.

    Them ducks is wary.
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  • askani88askani88 Member Posts: 94 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    War of the Rats and It's sequel, The End of War by David L Robbins hardcore WW2 books.
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  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,697 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    We Were Soldiers Once, And Young. By Moore. What the movie was based on. I havn't seen the movie, but that is the best combat book I have read. An amazing account of close quarters combat in the 'Nam.

    "Not as deep as a well, or as wide as a church door, but it is enough."
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  • whiteclouderwhiteclouder Member Posts: 10,574 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    How 'bout "A Complete Idiot's Guide To War Books"

    Clouder..
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  • airborneairborne Member Posts: 1,728 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose.

    B - BreatheR - RelaxA - AimS - SightS - Squeeze
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  • Wild TurkeyWild Turkey Member Posts: 2,425 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What is the title of "We were soldiers once, and young" quoted from?

    I didn't see the movie; one of my ROTC instructors lived through it. Don't need to go there....

    Wild Turkey"if your only tool is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail"
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  • Wild TurkeyWild Turkey Member Posts: 2,425 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What is the title of "We were soldiers once, and young" quoted from?

    I didn't see the movie; one of my ROTC instructors lived through it. Don't need to go there....

    Wild Turkey"if your only tool is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail"
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  • EX-SFEX-SF Member Posts: 19 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you want to learn about Special Forces, try "Green Berets At War" by Shelby Stanton. Lot of VN history there.
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  • n4thethrilln4thethrill Member Posts: 366 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    i hope theese qualify 93 confirmed kills-carlos hathcock/ and a sniper in arizona

    you can be king or street sweeper but everyone is going to dance with the reaper
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  • garandfangarandfan Member Posts: 271 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    One of my favorites has always been the classic Sun Tzu's "The Art of War". My favorite fiction probably has to be Clancy's "Red Storm Rising."
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  • TeamblueTeamblue Member Posts: 782 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Just read Eugene Burdick's "Fail Safe" form 1963 it is a particularly good read right now with parallells to "Sun of All Fears" and the potential India/Pakistan nuke-out. A very good book! Clancy's "Red Storm Rising" is my all-time fiction favorite.

    Justice through Valor 1*
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  • Jody CommanderJody Commander Member Posts: 855 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    "Catch 22" by Joseph Heller, insight into the WWII bomber crews struggles with ground boredom and flight stress.
    "To Hell and back" by Audie Murphy, story of a combat infantryman who won this nations highest honor, saw action in N.Africa,Italian and Europeon theatre's of operation.
    The autobiography of Alvin C. York, great story of an uneducated man with strong religious convictions against war, that went to war and won the Medal of Honor in WWI despite being a pacifist.
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  • ndbillyndbilly Member Posts: 1,573 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    "Sand in the Wind" by Robert Roth. Hard to find now but the best novel about Viet Nam that I've read.
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  • steve45steve45 Member Posts: 2,940 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Try to find Devils in Baggy Pants, by Ross Carter. Its about WW2 paratroops. No great thoughts on strategy, its pure man against man close quarters combat. Out of a 140 man company only two of the original men finished the war. One of them was Ross Carter. About WW1 theirs, A Rifleman went to war by H. W. McBride. About Face by Hackworth is very good also. Citizen Soldier by Stephen Ambrose is a great one. Read the prolouge and then see if you can put it down. All of these books are about man to man combat.
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  • boeboeboeboe Member Posts: 3,331
    edited November -1
    If you want a book on the WWI airwar, try "The Years of the Sky Kings", by Arch Whitehouse. The writer was considered one of Von Richtoven's "kills" and the book inspired many young men to become pilots during WWII. It is very detailed on the development and history of the air war and the aces during that war, from beginning to end. I will always remember being facinated by it when I was a kid.

    While probably not currently in print, a few months ago I did see some used copies available in those used book store affiliated with Barnes and Noble or Amazon.

    To err is human, to moo is bovine.
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  • agloreaglore Member Posts: 6,012
    edited November -1
    Hey Cloudermoron, why don't you take your head out of your BUTT, wipe your eyes and explain where Bullz was harrassing you in this thread. What a Moron you are.

    AlleninAlaska aglore@gci.net

    Free men are not equal and equal men are not free
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  • n4thethrilln4thethrill Member Posts: 366 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I will have to agree with garandfan also that is a great book

    you can be king or street sweeper but everyone is going to dance with the reaper
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  • Rob GreeneRob Greene Member Posts: 102 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Gotta agree with "Booger", About Face by Col. David Hackworth. It's one darn interesting book and he tells it like it is.

    **It is your right to posess a firearm. In case of questions, please refer to ammendment 2, United States Constitution.**
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  • Ms. BeastMs. Beast Member Posts: 496 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley

    It is about the 6 men who raised the Flag at Iwo Jima, about their enlisting, training and the landing. It is a great book.
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  • BullzeyeBullzeye Member Posts: 3,560
    edited November -1
    Here's one more:

    "Delta Force", by Charlie Beckwith. He's the guy who founded the Delta Force based on the ideas he picked up from the time he spent training with the SAS in Britain. Really fascinating stuff about what he went through to get it started, his time in Vietnam, and Delta's first (and worst) mission in Iran.
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  • tccoxtccox Member Posts: 7,379 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Another great book is "CURRAHEEE" by Burgett. A first person account by an ariborne trooper on D-day and the days following. This is a book by the guy who did it. I found it on BIBLIOFIND with a price range from 4.50 to 35.00. I read the book twice. I am retired military and I am so thankful I never had to go thru anything like these guys did. Tom

    Those who beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who dont.
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  • timberbeasttimberbeast Member Posts: 1,738 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    "No Shining Armor, the Marines at War in Vietnam, an Oral History" by Otto J. Lehrack. Great stuff, very intense. Lehrack just interviewed a bunch of guys he served with, and put their words in print for posterity. Every American should read this book.
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  • imadorkimadork Member Posts: 147 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The Guadalcanal Diaries and Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo are good ones. But in the fiction world, the precision of Tom Clancy gets my vote.
    I'm not really a dork...I just play one on TV.
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  • usmc2498215usmc2498215 Member Posts: 82 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    For those of you interested in Marine combat during WW2; "Legacy of Valor" by Bill Ross. This is probably one of the better books that tells the story of the battle of Iwo Jima. My second pick of the same period & theatre; "Good-bye Darkness" by William Manchester.
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  • Warpig883Warpig883 Member Posts: 6,459
    edited November -1
    Five Years to Freedon by Nick Rowe. The story of his 5 years as a POW in Vietnam and his ESCAPE.

    here is a little about him, he truly was an American hero


    http://www.psywarrior.com/rowe.html

    Edited by - warpig883 on 06/09/2002 06:07:41
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  • FatWoodDogFatWoodDog Member Posts: 90 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    American Caesar by William Manchester

    Diplomacy is the art of saying "Nice, Doggie..."until you find a Rock!!
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  • SpotterSpotter Member Posts: 74 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Five Years to Freedom, the late Nick Rowe.

    Devil's Guard. Former SS join Foreign Legion, fight in
    IndoChina. Read all 3 books, some say it's fiction but
    it's an interesting read nonetheless.


    AERO SCOUTS by Charles Holley

    Cavalry pilot in Vietnam. Very well written book.

    A LONELY KIND OF WAR by Marshall Harrison

    Very good read on the tactics and experiences of an
    Air Force FAC. I think the best part is the over-the-fence
    SOG rescue.

    MARINE, Life of Chesty Puller.

    Great historical reference to the Nicaragua campaign
    and the fight out of Chosin. Not to mention the career
    of Chesty himself.
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  • idsman75idsman75 Member Posts: 13,398 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    "About Face" by David Hackworth

    SSG idsman75, U.S. ARMY
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  • RockinURockinU Member Posts: 248 ✭
    edited November -1
    Fiction: Fields of Fire by James Webb

    Non: Rumor of War by Philip Caputo
    Gone Native by Allen Cornett
    War Story by Jim Morris
    Reluctant Warrior by Michael Hodgins
    Steel My Soldiers Hearts by Hackworth
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  • SNIPER1048SNIPER1048 Member Posts: 144 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    TRY THE BOOK (365 DAYS) WRITTEN BY A DOCTOR WHO NEVER SET FOOT IN VEITNAM. ALL HE DID WAS TALK TO HIS G.I. PATIENTS WHO WERE STILL ALIVE WHEN THEY GOT TO HIS HOSPITAL AFTER THEY WERE SHOT IN NAM. VERY POWERFULL AND TELL IT LIKE IT IS.

    "START THE BALL ROLLING THERE, TECTOR"
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  • twinstwins Member Posts: 647 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    A Rumor of War - Phillip Caputo
    Dog Soldiers - Robert Stone
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