Book Description
As National Public Radio's much loved and respected senior foreign correspondent Anne Garrels has covered conflicts in Chechnya, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. In Naked in Baghdad she reveals how as one of only sixteen non-embedded journalists who stayed in the now legendary Palestine Hotel throughout the American invasion she managed to deliver the most immediate, insightful and independent reports with unparalleled vividness and immediacy.Her evolving relationship with her Iraqi driver/minder Amer, and the wonderful e-mail bulletins sent to friends by her husband, Vint Lawrence, counterpoint the daily events of her life in Baghdad, and result in a deeply moving, and intimate portrait by one of bravest and most enlightening news reporters.
Customer Reviews:
The only way this book could be enhanced..........2006-02-23
The only way this book could be enhanced is to have a CD of her broadcasts for NPR. Unfortunately I live in a part of the country where NPR broadcasts are hard to get and it could have made it even better. Unfortunately because I didn't get to hear the broadcasts I could only guess at their content from what the book mentioned. She writes well and seems to find the "hidden stories". Her husband's e-mails are a great voice from the other side of the correspondents life. Itr only adds to the pleasure that he is also a great writer. He had me laughing at some points I certainly hadn't expected to laugh. Overall though the book is great and highly recommended, however I'm sure it's even better if you've heard her NPR reports.
True Journalisam.......2006-01-24
Enough good words have been said about the book. But ultimately, this book is not about the war. That's why readers who expected to get detailed war stories will be disappointed.
It's about true journalism. Annie showed us the grace under fire, the courage to pursuit the truth, the genuine care for the people she reported on, and above all, the dedication to give a voice to the people who couldn't speak for themselves.
Amazing chance to learn the story behind that voice on the radio.......2005-08-30
As a listener to NPR, I feel so much closer to Garrels after learning the backstory behind her reports from the trenches of Iraq. She has extreme skill and intuition at conducting herself in a foreign country, at making people willing to talk, at befriending the right people.
I learned a lot about how much the Iraqi government practiced supression in the old regime. People were terrified for their lives if they talked to foreign reporters, and Garrels had to pay many bribes to get press credentials. When leaving Iraq, corrupt officials invent tests and fees for Garrels and her assistant to pay. Her stories humanized the Iraqi conflict for me--I met both crooks and good guys through Garrels.
Garrels has a great storytelling style. She'll tell an anecdote and then end with a biting one line zinger. She's as taltened on paper as she is on the air, and I'll be watching for more from this amazing woman.
Another view!.......2005-06-21
Learning Iraq from her is totally different than Television. This is another perspective to war. It is possible to find Iraqi individuals feelings about all situation. Book gives you Iraq before the war, during the war, and after the war. This historical event is explained very well. Book name comes from her naked reporting. Because, she was hiding her satellite phone from Iraqi officers. During the broadcast she reports naked and if officer comes she will say them she is naked and gets extra time for hiding the phone before open the door. Also she slips away from AIDS test due to her age.
This is another must read book for Iraq war.
Annie lays her soul bare in Baghdad.......2005-05-30
I used to hear NPR's anchors say "Thanks, Annie," as they said goodby to each other at the end of even the shortest of broadcasts from Baghdad. After reading this book, I know why. Even the use of her nickname on the air was a way of telling her they cared about her safety, and to take care of herself. And, with the help of Amer, she did, the best she could. This book didn't give sweeping overviews of how the buildup to the war, and then the war itself, went. The Iraqi government was managing the reporters too much for that. But she got away from her minder as much as she could and learned as much as she could, and let the American people know as much as she could. Here, in this book, is the back story of what could not safely be said on the air. It is full of telling details of people she met, their hopes and fears, the things they said and did not say, especially how those changed depending on whether a government official was within hearing distance. She also tells what it was like to be one of only a few reporters left, with few supplies, no electricity, and constant harrassment and demands for bribes. I knew she was a great reporter, and had reported on other wars. This book made me see exactly why she is a great reporter. She is tenacious and courageous and knows what stories to go after. She is willing to use the fact that she is a woman, both with women and men, and the fact that she is no longer young, to get interviews with all kinds of people. She trusts her gut. And when it's time to get out, she gets out. This book taught me more about the war in Iraq than anything else I've read. I just recommended it to a friend who has two sons serving there. I recommend it to others who want to see, not the broad military sweep, but what the buildup and beginning of the war were like for the people.
Book Description
When he was a student in Paris, Truong Nhu Tang met Ho Chi Minh. Later he fought in the Vietnamese jungle and emerged as one of the major figures in the "fight for liberation" -- and one of the most determined adversaries of the United States. He became the Vietcong's Minister of Justice, but at the end of the war he fled the country in disillusionment and despair. He now lives in exile in Paris, the highest level official to have defected from Vietnam to the West. This is his candid, revealing and unforgettable autobiography.
Customer Reviews:
A Rich Kid Goes To War.......2007-08-09
Basically this is a personal account of a priviledged Saigon family member who joins the Viet Cong and then becomes very disillusioned with the 'final victory'. While I enjoyed reading parts of this book, most of it reads like a personal diary with many names and characters who few even know.
As a very educated man, the author did not seem to understand that politically aggressive countries like the Soviet Union, the US, China, and even North Viet Nam need to control. So when the South Viet Nam government fell after the US left, North Viet Nam and the Soviet Union swept right into power. How could anyone not see this coming who actually lived most of his life there and dealt with these governments almost daily?
The author also had lived a very comfortable life in Paris for years as a student and later as a Viet Cong official. Later he would also make official visits to Eastern Bloc countries and the Soviet Union getting a good view of their poverty and bread lines. I was amazed that after he saw the contrast between communist countries and capitalistic countries he could ever embrace a communist ideology for his own country. He doesn't really explain his polictical expectations for Viet Nam.
The book describes the Viet Nam struggle from a personal view but never really measures the sacrifice of millions from many countries. The book talks about the 'glorious' meetings in the jungle and the words of 'Uncle Ho' in their hearts but it never discusses the 22,000 buried alive in the Cu Chi Tunnels, or the hundreds of thousands killed during B-52 attacks along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, or the millions dead in the Killing Fields of Cambodia, etc, etc. The irony of this war is that In the end, market forces are driving Viet Nam to a market-based economy where the communist government becomes more irrelevant every day. Capitalism was the enemy for so long and now it is consuming their country. Maybe the author should update his book because now the future is starting to look very bright for Viet Nam!
A Vietcong Memoir: An Inside Account of the Vietnam War & Its aftermath.......2007-02-15
As a Vietnam veteran who survived the Tet Offensive, I was deeply moved to read about the war from the "other" side. Mr. Truong Nhu Tang describes in depth how dedicated the Vietcong leaders were. They were "nationalists" who were intent on saving their country from politicians whom they perceived to be corrupt elitists. After reading his description of life in the jungle it is a wonder any of them survived the hardships of such an existence. The evolution of the Ho Chi Minh Trail was fascinating. I was amazed at The dedication of the workers who were responsible for keeping the trail open...bomb craters from night bombing runs were either filled or detoured around.
Poignant personal account of optimism, revolution, and political disillusionment.......2006-11-25
This is more than an inside story of the Vietcong, it is a personal account of one young man's journey through political optimism to revolutionary zeal to political disillusionment. It is a moving personal tale of the cost paid by so many for what their strongly-held convictions and then the realization that what they fought to win was worse than what they defeated. It is the personal side of revolution and the demise of so many revolutionaries once the struggle is over. A very moving account of the power of an idea and its demands on the lives of those it touches.
HEAVY ON POLITICS, NOT ON GUERILLA WARFARE.......2005-05-24
I gladly award this book a 4-star rating. The author expresses himself well, and certainly has a lot to say about Vietnam's military struggle. He details Vietnam's fight against (1) the French; (2) the U.S.; and (3) North Vietnam and their Soviet supporters.
What's missing is a more gritty description of guerilla warfare. As I was reading this I wrote in the column "So who invented the perkinje pit?", and "How effective were the coca-cola cans you guys turned into bombs?" and "How did you convince housewives to become snipers and kill people?" There is nothing like that here. According to the author the Viet Cong were one big, happy family that had fun together when they weren't being tragically bombed by American B-52s.
Tang's description of Vietnamese politics is even a bit sketchy. He talks quite a bit about Ho Chi Minh's beliefs in "independence," and what a humble, sweet guy "Uncle Ho" was. He never says what Ho's beliefs about guerilla warfare were. Really, how did this "Sweet guy" resolve to have his people put on black pajamas and become killers?
With his high and mighty position in the Viet Cong administration, Tang would have known where the V.C.'s supplies were coming from. He mentions the Ho Chi Minh trail, but nothing about who gave all those poor vietnamese the gear they used. He says that in 1975 the South Vietnamese army (enemies of the Viet Cong) were going to be "outgunned." I remember writing in the column "WHERE'D YOU GET THE GUNS, TANG?"
Basically, this is a very good book. It is NOT a definitive account of guerilla warfare, however.
A Biography, with little analysis/explanation of the NLF.......2003-11-12
I chose to read this book because of my interest in the Vietnam War. I like a balanced approach, and wanted to see what the opposition had to say, other than the official Communist party line.
While the author is impressive, and lead an interesting life, I ws dissapointed by the book. Its mostly his biography, with little analysis.
What I was looking for was a book by someone from the COmmunist side on the forming, organisation, and running of the NLF. What were their concerns, difficulties etc. A few pages address this, but the vast majority are about the author and some of his friends.
As a biography its fine, but as a book on the NLF theer isnt enough there. It could have been cut by 2/3.
I can't recommend it for students of the Vietnam War.
Book Description
Whether a novice or an expert on the Civil War, readers will find
This Terrible War to be a well-designed and fully developed book, and a powerful tool in learning about the Civil War and its foreground and aftermath. The book provides an analysis of the United States in the time leading up to the war—the slavery debate, the differences between North and South, the economic and social climate of the country—and moves into the war itself, presenting stories of both common soldiers and powerful military figures. The authors also trace the impact and eventual abolition of slavery, examining the role of African-Americans during the war. They conclude that the victory of the North resulted from superior resources and manpower, but also examine other contributing factors—providing a well-rounded, interesting and thorough analysis. The final section of the book describes the aftermath of the war, and the Epilogue examines how Americans have remembered the Civil War in later years. Ideal for anyone interested in the United States Civil War or US military history in general.
Customer Reviews:
Hardcover not a better buy.......2005-08-26
Please be advised the hardcover edition of this book does not contain the primary source documents, which unfortunately for me my professor is using for the class. I already bought the hardcover from Amazon and now I have to buy a paperback edition to fulfill the requirements for the course. There is a big difference in a hardcover edition with 435 pages(but my hardcover has 416??) and a paperback with over 500.
I suggest you buy the paperback if you are using it for a class because the documents are important to have and integral to the study of history anyway.
Book Description
Robert Pierce Forbes goes behind the scenes of the crucial Missouri Compromise, the most important sectional crisis before the Civil War, to reveal the high-level deal-making, diplomacy, and deception that defused the crisis.
Customer Reviews:
Importance of the Aftermath in History.......2007-05-18
Dr. Robert P. Forbes is no stranger to students of the antebellum era. His previous articles have been noted for their clear readable style and scholarship. Dr. Forbes states the book took a long time to come into being as a finished work. The result shows a well thought out examination and interpretation which makes the wait worthwhile. His colleagues, experts in the field of antebellum history, state they "learned a great deal from the work." The real value of this work is in its examination not only of the well known history of the Missouri Compromise itself --the formulation and passage of the legislation--but the even more important aspects of the effect of this compromise and the devastating result of its being revoked. The book has enough meat in it to satisfy the most discerning scholar and a facile style to satisfy the general reader. This is a volume that belongs in the library of every student of history, of politics, social movement, and ultimtely the disolution of the Union. Congratulations to Robert Forbes for a great gift to us.
Book Description
In July 1863 the bloodiest and most decisive battle of the Civil War was fought near the sleepy town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. While many books have been written about the landmark battle, When the Smoke Cleared at Gettysburg differs from the rest by detailing the horrific aftermath of the battle, detailing what it takes to put a town back together after two armies have fought through its streets and across the surrounding countryside. The small town of 2,400 inhabitants was faced with the enormous problem of burying more than 7,000 dead soldiers and caring for 20,000 wounded men who had been left behind by both armies. Fields that just days earlier contained crops and livestock were now littered with firearms, munitions, and swords, and nearly every building still standing was turned into a field hospital with mounds of amputated limbs left behind after the surgeons had completed their grizzly work.
This sort of information is often overlooked in the history books about the Civil War. Here are firsthand accounts of life in the town and on the battlefield in the days and months following the brutal fighting. Included are stories and vivid descriptions from soldiers, reporters, civilians, doctors, and nurses. Good Samaritans came to help the wounded and the dying, and profiteers and souvenir hunters were not far behind. Then came the politicians, followed by legions of families seeking the remains of their fallen sons.
When the Smoke Cleared at Gettysburg presents the heartbreaking human misery resulting from this battle and by the ongoing war wherever it went. From the backbreaking chore of clearing the battlefield of the wounded and dead to nursing the amputees, one can learn much of the battle by seeing what ordinary people who were pulled into the war did to survive and rebuild their lives.
Customer Reviews:
An intersting history about the battle..........2005-01-20
This book tells parts of the story of the Battle of Gettysburg that are not generally known. The author details the early history of Gettysburg before the battle, as well as giving information about what the citizens did during the battle. Most of the book is concerned with the aftermath of the battle, as it concerns the soldiers, citizens and the town itself. Primarily, the book is a history of the town of Gettysburg and its citizens, as told by diaries handed down by the citizens of the town. Surprisingly, this story has been little told, and even though I have read much about the Civil War, I found much new, insightful information in this book. If you are looking for a Civil War book which offers a different perspective on an often-told story, this book is for you. Highly recommended!
The Aftermath of Gettysburg.......2004-02-24
The Battle of Gettysburg (July 1--3, 1863) was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, resulting in over 51, 000 casualties. The Battle itself was only the climax of Robert E. Lee's Pennsylvania campaign which also included a raid on Gettysburg by Confederate General Jubal Early on June 26, and a long difficult retreat back to Virginia by Lee's defeated army following the battle.
The story of this great battle has been told many times. Although there are also good accounts of the aftermath of the battle and of the effects of the battle on the town, they are not as numerous as the books devoted to the combat and, frequently, tend to be devoted to specific issues (such as the care of the wounded following the battle.)
I found George Sheldon's book "When the Smoke Cleared at Gettysburg" (2003) performed a real service. It presents a good overview of the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg in a simple clear way. The book is intended for nonspecialists with an interest in the battle and in the Civil War. On the whole, it is ably written and well researched. I learned a great deal from it.
The book begins with a good and appropriate overview of the history of the town of Gettysburg before the Civil War, including its demographics (about eight percent of the residents of Gettysburg were African American) and politics. There is a discussion of the effect on the town of the pending Confederate invasion during June, 1863 and of the effect of Early's raid late in June. This is followed by a brief treatment of the Battle itself. There is an excellent picture of the Confederate Army's retreat through the mud and the rain beginning on July 4 and of the hardships the retreat imposed on many wounded soldiers.
The book describes very well the carnage of the Battle and of the strain that burying the dead and caring for the wounded put upon a small Pennsylvania town of 2400 people. The horrors and unsanitary conditions of the field hospitals are well described. I also found this book give a good basic treatment of the assistance provided by the United States Sanitary Commission and the United States Christian Commission in caring for the wounded at Gettysburg. The book also discusses the history of Camp Letterman, the hospital facility that the military established east of Gettysburg two weeks after the battle to care for the wounded. The information is given in sufficient detail to be useful but it does not purport to be a full history of the subject.
The book discusses the effect of Gettysburg on the civilian population with good, clear, and specific references to some of the townspeople who wrote memoirs of their experiences. Again the coverage was sufficient to be informative without making a pretense of being exhaustive. The book also pays attention to African Americans in Gettysburg and the effect of the Battle and of Lee's invasion upon them. This is an area that has not been fully studied, and Mr. Sheldon's book helps fill a real gap.
The book discusses the burial of the dead of Gettysburg and the exhumation and reburial of many of them in the Gettysburg National Cemetery. There is a short treatment of the dedication of the Cemetery and of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. The book then concludes with a short history of the creation and administration of the Gettysburg Military Park, currently administered by the National Park Service, and of the reunions of veterans at Gettysburg in 1913 and 1938. The book bears eloquent, if brief, testimony to the importance Gettysburg has assumed to many Americans over the years.
This book is written in a popular, journalistic way but it should not be underestimated. Mr. Sheldon has done his research and has succinctly told the basics of an important story in a single book. The reader wanting to learn about the aftermath of Gettysburg will not be disappointed. This is a good book for the student of the Battle of Gettysburg and of the American Civil War.
Like being there yourself.......2003-09-22
Anyone who wants to know how people ACTUALLY REACTED in a time of horrible stress and its tragic aftermath owes it to themselves to read "When the Smoke Cleared at Gettysburg." The author did an amazing job of putting together this fascinating historical treatise using material from diverse sources including newspapers, photographs, diaries, firsthand accounts, personal memoirs, letters and more. An enormous undertaking, Sheldon coordinated his research into a coherent whole that clearly shows the importance of Gettysburg to the Civil War and the lives it directly impacted. Which was all of us, of course.
But the greatest thing about this book is that you don't need to be a Civil War scholar to appreciate it. Just a human being.
A poignant and profoundly vivid narrative.......2003-09-19
When The Smoke Cleared At Gettysburg: The Tragic Aftermath Of The Bloodiest Battle Of The Civil War by newspaper correspondent and author George Sheldon, presents objective overview of the aftermath of one of the American Civil War's most important battles, including firsthand, personal accounts of the Gettysburg townspeople, as well as the soldiers, reporters, doctors and others who had to deal with burying the dead, tending the wounded, and rebuilding a place shattered by war. A poignant and profoundly vivid narrative, When The Smoke Cleared At Gettysburg: The Tragic Aftermath Of The Bloodiest Battle Of The Civil War is an original, "reader friendly", and very highly recommended addition to the growing library of Civil War Studies.
The challenge is enduring this book...........2003-09-16
The challenge in reading this book is to actually reach the
end without throwing one's hands up in dismay. The poor
writing, the factual errors, and the repetition all combine to
make reading this book not merely a challenge, but an
ordeal. Check the bibliography for some worthwhile books
on the topic.
Average customer rating:
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East Timor, Australia and Regional Order: Intervention and its Aftermath (Politics in Asia Series)
James Cotton
Manufacturer: RoutledgeCurzon
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ASIN: 0415335809 |
Book Description
While humanitarian intervention was the major innovation in global governance in the 1990s, until the East Timor case it was always in the territory of a failing state. This book explains the exceptional nature of the East Timor intervention of 1999, and deals with the background to the trusteeship role of the UN in building the new polity. All of these developments had an important impact on regional order, not least testing the ASEAN norm of 'non-interference'.
Australian complicity in the Indonesian occupation of East Timor was a major factor in the persistence of Indonesian rule in the territory which was maintained for 25 years despite international censure and which required an unremitting campaign against the independence movement. This work reviews the reasons for that history of complicity, and explains the extraordinary change of policy that led ultimately to the occupation of the territory by the Australian-led INTERFET coalition.
This book will be essential reading for students of political science, Asian studies and international relations.
Book Description
Tackling the crucial issue of our day--the rebuilding of countries following ethnic cleansing and genocide, this book evaluates the role of trials and tribunals with regard to social reconstruction and reconciliation. The voices of the people of Rwanda and Yugoslavia are heard through the results of extensive surveys and recorded conversations. Their thoughts of past and future controversially conclude that international and local trials have little relevance to reconciliation. The contributors find that communities interpret justice far more broadly than defined by the international community and the relationship of trauma to a desire for trials is not clear-cut. An ecological model of social reconstruction is proposed, suggesting that coordinated multi-systematic strategies must be implemented if social repair is to occur. Finally, the contributors suggest that, while trials are essential to combat impunity and punish the guilty, their strengths and limitations must be acknowledged. Eric Stover is Director of the Human Rights Center and Adjunct Professor of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley. He was the Executive Director of Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) until December 1995. He has served on several investigations as an "Expert on Mission" to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the Hague. He is author of (with photographer Gilles Peress) The Graves: Srebrenica and Vukovar (Scalo Verlag Ac, 1998), War Crimes in the Balkans: Medicine Under Siege in the former Yugoslavia 1991-1995 (Physicians for Human Rights, 1996), Landmines: A Deadly Legacy (Physicians for Human Rights, 1993) and co-author (with Christopher Joyce) of Witnesses from the Grave (Little Brown, 1992) and The Breaking of Bodies and Minds: Torture, Psychiatric Abuse, and the Health Professions (W.H. Freeman & Co., 1985) Harvey M. Weinstein is Clinical Professor in the Joint Medical Program at the University of California, Berkeley. He has done research in and taught health and human rights, refugee health and mass violence and social reconstruction. Weinstein is a member of the Advisory Council of the State Refugee Health Program, and the International Human Rights Committee and the Caucus on Refugees and Immigrants of the American Public Health Association.
Average customer rating:
- A must read for anyone you can trust
< 30 that is.
- A major episode in 1960s American radicalism.
- Rads really is a true story of the 60's
- Such details...
- My hometown Madison
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Rads: The 1970 Bombing of the Army Math Research Center at the University of Wisconsin and Its Aftermath
Tom Bates
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
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The War at Home
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They Marched Into Sunlight: War and Peace Vietnam and America October 1967
ASIN: 0060167548 |
Customer Reviews:
A must read for anyone you can trust
< 30 that is........2006-04-12
Judy (pal to some) sent this book to me. she like me went to Madison during the late 60's. you did not go to the UW you went to Madison. The school was just part of the place, you grew up in. some never left. I started to read it while reading all my Neuro-Science stuff, my latest kick. then it consumed me. especially the last 100 pages.
this non-fiction book is incredibly well researched and written. history is not easy, nor is reality. of course it is special to me since this bombing took place one month after I graduated and left Madison. it was the exclamation point on my experience. as they say many changes took place.
I think it is a must read for any young person of today. with the war in Iraq it is so timely to see the difference in generations. to see that the generation of then is now the silent majority sitting back and watching history repeat itself, as they say always happens. but then again history is hard to grasp.
I think this book would be the foundation of a monster screen-play and movie. the whole situation has so many angles and levels.
I lived thru this but I did not know anything about this bombing. it was so interesting to me to learn now about it in such detail. but at the edges I shared the same experiences: the Mendota State Hospital for the Insane, professors Mosse and Goldberg, the politicos like Soglen, Mates, the celebrities coming thru town, to disappoint, etc.
I think this book more then any other I have read explores how a young generation was traumatized. back then the terrorists were in the White House. perhaps they still are? out of this trauma came the utter materialism of the last 20 years, this is a perspective as to why. many dreams exploded before and with that building.
Jess, aka Henry Dribble, class of 70
A major episode in 1960s American radicalism........2005-07-23
I knew bombers David Fine and Leo Burt as fellow members of The Daily Cardinal staff and figuratively crossed swords with them at editorial meetings over the strident content of staff-written editorials.
Bates manages to weave together an number of parallel narratives so the book reads like a novel. To do this he gives colorful, sometimes cruel physical descriptions of his characters, reconstructs conversations that took place years earlier, and describes the thoughts of characters, including Leo Burt, who has never been found and whom, we must presume, Bates never had the privilege of interviewing. But Bates understands his role as journalist and historian and with the above reservations, I believe he performed it well.
He documents the role of the Army Math Research Center in advancing the military capabilities of the U.S., and does so with a lucidity and economy of words that I never found in the exposes of Jim Rowen, who investigated the AMRC in the late '60's and helped inspire the bombing.
Rads traces the influence of three well-known UW history professors, including the Marxist Harvey Goldberg. Their conflicting views illustrate the diversity of thinking about anti-war tactics and revolution.
It is interesting to note in this book how many radicals turned to violence after being beaten by police at anti-war demonstrations.
At last this book is the story of Karl Armstrong. The narrative reveals Karl as confused, ambivalent and in every instance incompetent as an anti-war terrorist, fugitive and defendent, whose achievements were made possible by the countervailing bungling and in-fighting of the authorities. I can at the drop of a hat regale people with hilarious episodes of Karl's stupid criminal tricks, but of course that shortchanges the gravitas and the tragedy of this major episode in 1960s American radicalism.
I do not fault this book for proposing that abuse by his father laid the psychological groundwork for Karl's venture into violence. Bates did not weave this interpretation into his narrative, and I would be disappointed if an author did not offer his interpretation of events after devoting years to their study. The result is that Karl comes across as a sympathetic character, and his anti-war motivations are not discredited.
Rads really is a true story of the 60's.......2004-02-29
There are many accounts of the sixties which romanticize the activism against the war in Vietnam. RADS provides a sober account of the events surrounding the bombing of the Army Math Research Center in 1970. With the meticulous insight of an historian, Bates provides an overview of the events relating to the bombing without the bias of left or right-wing ideology. His riveting account has the ring of journalistic accuracy rather than stooping to advance a particular political point of view.
Such details..........2003-02-01
I read this about five years ago after finding it as a remainder in a supermarket.
What I recollect most about it was the uncanny detail the author came up with. In fact, it reminded me somewhat of at least one of Halberstram's books in that such detail MUST have been contrived. So, while well-written, there were some credibility problems.
To this day, I'm not absolutely sure where I stand on the bombing.
I would recommend it, though, as NOT romanticizing the radical left of that era. There are, of course, some from that time still living in Madison (and Berkeley, and Stanford, and...) reminiscing the period. They're kind of a radical 60s equivalent of the VFW and are just too naive to realize in how much of an Ivory Tower they reside . But there were down sides, not the least of which is graduate students whose entire careers were altered, finished because of this bombing.
My hometown Madison.......2001-09-02
I lived in Madison at the time of the legal procedings of the three captured bombers. Rads is the most comprehensive account of the bombing that I have personally read. However, I agree with a previous review that Bates mistakingly attributes Armstrong's actions to his family history. I believe that Armstrong was motivated personally from his experiences in Chicago during the 1968 convention, and seeing the escallation of the war. I went to the Madison Public Library and read the newspaper files on Armstrong and the others, and there were important events especially after Armstrong's return to Madison that were ommited. I believe that the single most important lesson from this book or from other events of that era i.e. Kent State, is that it was local people, hometown people that were involved in the anti-war movement. These people included both yound and old. They were not communist-sympathizers or professionals from out of town. Young men from Karl and Dwight Armstrong's east-side Madison neighborhood were much more likely to fight and die in Vietnam than men from David Fine's or Leo Burt's background. True, Fine did not light the fuse, but he got off much eaiser than the Armstrongs
Book Description
"To Bear Any Burden is necessary to understand the most significant aspect of the Indochina wars: the human one." - Tran Van Dinh, author of Blue Dragon White Tiger: A Tet Story
"At least this reader would like to spend hours if not days talking to each of the people within these pages." - Jack Reynolds, Network Correspondent, NBC
The 48 American and Asian veterans, refugees, and officials who speak in this book come from widely divergent backgrounds. In their narratives we hear them reliving crucial moments in the preparation, execution, and aftermath of war. It is a riveting, eyewitness account of the war and also reclaims from this tragic continuum larger patterns of courage and dedication.
Customer Reviews:
First rate war stories on Vietnam.......2005-09-17
This book reviews the aftermath of the Vietnam-U.S. war in a down to earth tone and it's impact on the people who's involvement in the war are explained in detail.Personally i like this book because of its content which voiced out the real opinion of the one involved in the war no matter whether they're the allies or enemies.It's a great book to those who wants to know more about the Vietnam war and its aftermath.
Great and significant book.......2002-10-06
This book is worth reading for anyone interested in the history of the Vietnam War.
It is a collection of forty-eight short recollections from a wide variety of Americans and Vietnamese involved in the war, or the country, from the late 50's to the 80's. It also touches on Cambodia and Laos. Each recollection is from one-half to six pages long, and may cover one short event, or several years' experience in the country.
The book deceptively starts out slowly, and it is only with continued reading that one discovers that within this chosen group of recollections are many of the great truths of politics and military conflict in South Vietnam.
The essays cover the fatal flaws inherent within South Vietnam, which include the long history of being a colony of France, without France taking any steps to prepare the country for independence, such as training civil servants or encouraging the rule of law through local rulers. Once independent, South Vietnam was fragmented on religious lines. The civil leaders were corrupt, engaged in nepotism, and did not relate well to the peasants. South Vietnamese military leaders were promoted not on merit, but by family ties and the size of the bribes they paid to the government. For political reasons, the military zone around Saigon was intentionally unorganized and inefficient.
The geography of South Vietnam -- having all its territory within easy reach of Laos, Cambodia, and North Vietnam -- made it a very difficult land to defend from an enemy with safe sanctuary so close to crucial areas. This book does not mention the oppressive acts of the South Vietnamese government, which helped alienate its citizens. The book seems to understand, if not almost excuse, wrongful acts by US soldiers.
The US tactics also contributed to defeat: rules of engagement tied the military's hands in senseless ways (a SAM base couldn't be attacked under construction, but pilots had to wait until it was operational); rotating inexperienced officers through Vietnam to "punch their combat ticket" was more important than retaining experienced officers and advisors who often "got it" just before being rotated out; the battle for "hearts and minds" was often ignored; and years were wasted on ineffective strategy, until home protests compelled withdrawal.
And, yes, North Vietnam really was an oppressive regime which used terror and lies to achieve its goals.
Any discussion of Vietnam brings up many "what if's?" What if South Vietnam had a more appealing and legitimate government? What if US politicians hadn't used such ineffective strategy and tactics? Is there ANY scenario which would have resulted in a long-term stable and secure South Vietnam?
If you're at all interested in the field, this is a book well worth searching out.
Superb! Riveting!.......2002-08-13
Al Santoli's book, To Bear Any Burden, is a narrative of stories told by 47 Americans, Vietnamese (both North and South), and Cambodians regarding their experiences before the US involvement, during the US war, and the war's aftermath (after the departure of US troops). Each tale (from two to 10 pages in length) is riveting in itself. The book moves in relative chronilogical order beginning in 1954 and concludes with the present (circa 1985). Each tale is successfully interwoven with the next story such that there is a cohesiveness and a logical flow to the story telling timeline.
Some of the stories are quite stunning: from the description of US soldiers being called baby-killers and spat on after they returned to the US [difficult to comprehend in this patriotic post 9/11 world] to the horror stories of the Communist regimes in Cambodia and in North/South Vietnam after the fall of Saigon [after reading theses stories, one should question why the US would want to establish ties to Vietnam].
This "straight from the hip" narrative is recommended to anyone wishing to learn more about the scenes from a participant's point of view.
Extrodinary, The second time through........1999-10-11
Moving and extreme reality
A "must-read" classic of America's involvement in SE Asia.......1999-04-06
I first read To Bear Any Burden when it was originally released in 1985. This has been a 'must-read' classic of American involvement in Southeast Asia since it was published. For it, Santoli interviewed, in depth, 47 individuals representative of that involvement from 1945 into the 1980s--Americans, Viet-Namese (communists and anti-communists), Cambodians and Laotians. The book is so artfully compiled as to flow like a single narration; yet the 'cast of characters' are separate in time, space, culture and social rank--an entire spectrum from ambassadors to villagers, soldiers to politicians, in one volume. No ones education about the Viet-Nam War is complete unless they've read this book.
Book Description
The June 1999 enty of NATO troops was hailed as the "Liberation of Kosovo" by the Western media -- most of whom promptly packed up and headed home from the Balkans.
The declaration of victory was naive and premature given the Alliance's stated objectives of deposing Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and creating a safe, multi-ethnic environment in Kosovo.
Rather than ending the civil strife, NATO's intervention set in motion a series of events which would have violent repercussions throughout Serbia, Kosovo and Macedonia over the next two years. This book, consisting primarily of Scott Taylor's first-hand observations and interviews with the people and players, is a very personal account of war and its aftermath in Serbia and Macedonia.
Customer Reviews:
A vital and eye-opening view into the Macedonian war.......2004-03-05
Although Macedonia's 2001 mini-war attracted great attention from the international media, real independent reporting was rare. Most the Western journalists were informed by other Western officials, spent a disproportionate amount of time at Skopje's luxurious Alexandar Palace Hotel, or mysteriously turned up in various rebel-held villages. Before the war even began, in fact, British reporters were filing stories from border villages where uniformed Albanians were gathering- at a time when they allegedly had no uniforms or clear leadership.
And then there was Scott Taylor. Ever dropping in unannounced, deadpanning his way through security checkpoints, hotel lobbies, armed insurrectionists and officials who don't speak English, Taylor draws on his military background and fearlessness to get a good view of some of the most interesting places of the war- most of them otherwise unreported.
...Diary of an Uncivil War is thus not only a good read- brisk, straight-up and comic in places- but also a real contribution to the primary source material on the Macedonian War, and as such it will become only more valuable with the passage of time for historians interested in researching the events of 2001. For those interested in the subject of Islamic terrorism in the Balkans, Taylor also provides an extremely detailed epilogue of sorts, chronicling terrorist presences in Macedonia, Bosnia, Kosovo and Albania.
The remainder of this review, as well as interviews with the author, Scott Taylor can be found here: www.balkanalysis.com
what happened next ?.......2002-06-04
finally someone waited to see what would happen after the nato attacks on serbia, and that was scott taylor. from the ousting of mr. molosevic, to his arrest, to captured territory of southern serbia by albanian(uck) terrorist, to finally civil or uncivil war in the republic of macedonia. where is nato now when the people they supported in kosovo are now causing upheavel in this small european democracy. after taking in upto a quarter of a million refugees, nato decided that the thanks it would give mecedonia was to arm these same people and to help further the cause of the terrorist albanian army uck. the book is so current it even has questions of al quaida and the u.s on the same side in macedonia helping albanians just before 9/11. interesting!!!???
What price the truth.......2002-04-30
Scott Taylor is a respected Canadian journalist, and a former soldier. He is editor and publisher of "Esprit de Corps". He has a special interest in the Balkans, and has written several previous books detailing his involvement and the involvement of Canadian forces there.
Scott write objectively, and factually. His books are both interesting and very easy to read. I have no reason to doubt the accuracy and honesty of this author. He is clearly biased in his own personal opinions, being a strong supporter of Serbs, Macedonians, etc. and openly critical if not hostile towards the actions and objectives of the UCK (KLA).
Scott is somewhat uniquely placed to report on events from both sides, being trusted by the one side because of his earlier writings, and by the other because of his Canadian nationality, which automatically leads the UCK to presume that he supports their cause.
This book is largely concerned with the incursion of the UCK into Macedonia, and the conflict that ensued, and continues to this day. It documents in detail the complexity the Macedonian government faced in responding to acts of terrorism on their own soil, while seeking to avoid at all costs offending NATO for fear of suffering Serbia's fate. It documents the extensive support, weaponry, and military assistance given to the UCK by the US, and the degree to which this support and encouragement hampered the Macedonians government's ability to respond effectively to a terrorist insurrection/armed invasion from Kosovo.
For those interested in the Balkans, terrorism, politics, or the involvement of the US in the conflict in Macedonia, as well as for those merely wishing to get a more balanced overall picture of the complexity of the various conflicts in the Balkans this book is well worth reading.
Books:
- New Edge of the Anvil: A Resource Book for the Blacksmith
- Notebooks
- Nothing Like It in the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad, 1863-1869
- Obsession (Alex Delaware Novels)
- Patriot Battles: How the War of Independence Was Fought
- Pioneer Cat (Stepping Stone, paper)
- Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before
- Pledge Of Allegiance 2001
- RABBIT-PROOF FENCE
- Report of Joint Fighter Conference: Nas Patuxent River, MD 16-23 October 1944 (Schiffer Military History)
Books Index
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