Behind the Lines: Corps 07 (Corps)

Book Description

Philippines, 1942. A renegade Army officer and a corps of Marines fight their way through the heart of enemy Japanese territory.

Customer Reviews:

I'm totally hooked on these books!.......2007-04-29

The Corp series is my first W.E.B. Griffin series, but it definitely won't be my last. This author is a storyteller extraordinaire, and this series is wonderful. Griffin's characterizations are incredibly good, and I will be sorry to reach the end of the series and see the end of General Pickering, Killer McCoy, Pick Pickering and all the other wonderful characters in these books. In this book, we have Ken (Killer) McCoy being sent behind enemy lines in the Phillipines to lend aid and supplies to a guerrilla army led by General Fertig. It is an incredibly dangerous mission, and we need to wait until the very end of the book to see whether or not Ken McCoy can get out. The time is sent around the end of the year in 1942, and the beginning of 1943. At that time the War in the Pacific was going full steam, and the Americans were running into some surprising difficulties with the Japanese. As far as I'm concerned, this series gets better and better, and I have two books left to read before I'm done.

Gripping Reading.......2006-03-13

BEHIND THE LINES is a fast read, gripping most of the time. I wish there were clarification on this story. It's listed as a novel, yet the author's ENDNOTE describes what happened to "General" Fertig after the war. I guess it's an historical novel.

One of the Authors Best Efforts.......2005-08-15

BE WARN !! These books are like peanuts, you pick one up and you just can't stop. I got hooked on these back in the 80's and I am hard core adict to them! These series are well written, researched and the characters will reach out and grab you. So if you don't want to get addicted then go no further.

The most entertaining novel I have ever read.......2003-02-12

This book got me back into reading books after a being severely burned out post college (it took four years to pick-up a book and actually read it and it would have been longer had I not listened to this book on tape.)

I can't say enough about "Behind the Lines." After listening to this book I read straight through the series and could not put one of them down while I was reading. In fact, like one of the other posters stated, finishing them nearly brought me to tears. I will morn when "The Corps" series ends.

If you are a military history buff and like action-adventure novels, then this would also be the most entertaining novel you have ever read. I promise.

Thank you for the experience W.E.B.

A Waste of Time.......2003-01-14

I picked up these books hoping to gain some insight into the actions of the Marine Corps in the Pacific during World War II. What I found instead was a sort of soap opera that rambles on for hundreds of pages without getting around to much actual fighting. For example, The Marines don't even get to Guadalcanal (their first major offensive) until the end of book III, some 1200 pages into the story. Those 1200 intervening pages are mostly conversations (ad nauseam) between stateside Marine Corps officers as they sit around headquarters, or go out on the town chasing skirts.

The small portion of the books that is devoted to actual battles is done in such a cursory fashion that you're left with the impression that the author either finds this aspect of the Marines' mission distasteful, or doesn't understand it well enough to write about it. Mr. Griffin could have deleted about 80% of his material, and would have ended up with better books, albeit still not good ones.

If you're the sort of person who likes to watch daytime soap operas, then you may enjoy these books. If, on the other hand, you're interested in military history, the banality of these books will leave you screaming in frustration.

Average customer rating:

Exceptional

Bringing the Atrocities of War Home

Excellent book

The reality of war revealed

incredibly moving book

Behind the Lines: Powerful and Revealing American and Foreign War Letters -- and One Man's Search to Find Them
Andrew Carroll
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books
General | United States | Military | History | Subjects | Books
General | World | History | Subjects | Books
Letters & Correspondence | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

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Eyewitness to America: 500 Years of American History in the Words of Those Who Saw It Happen

ASIN: 0743256166

Customer Reviews:

Exceptional.......2007-10-14

I purchased this book recently and could not put it down.Who better to tell a story than the ones who lived it?The letters are not only from the soldiers who fought on either side of a conflict,but from the very people who lived through them.The accounts are graphic in many cases and I now have a better understanding of the horrible reality of it all.The historical quips help with the insight as to what was going on at the time of the letter.Its a great read by an outstanding author who has done so much for our troops.

Bringing the Atrocities of War Home.......2005-08-21

BEHIND THE LINES is a powerful collection of fragments of thoughts that were initiated over the past two hundred plus years of war scars. Andrew Carroll continues his commitment to bring the reality of war to the forefront of our attention and I know no better manner for anti-war statements than the words found in this illuminating and horrifying book.

Carroll approaches war as a panacea - an evil that has been with us around the globe for centuries and just continues unabated. Many poets and writers are struggling to make the public cognizant of the horrors of war, but Carroll scans American involvement in wars from the Revolutionary War to the present and in doing so he demonstrates the madness that we must learn to stop.

Letters, documents, memos, soldiers' notes as well as civilians' responses fill these pages, some eloquent, some simply pitiful, and some stoic as well as some encouraging. The messages are not skewed in a way that makes Carroll seem like he is ranting. Rather he lets the words of the living and the dead speak truths far larger than fiction.

This is a beautifully conceived volume that for the sake of the survival of civilization belongs on the reading desks of everyone. Tough reading, this, but enormously informative and important. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, August 05

Excellent book.......2005-06-30

This is a great book!! I really enjoyed reading it, and found myself unable to put it down. The book gives readers a better understanding of what soldiers and their families go through. After reading this book, I believe I have a better appreciation for our Veterans and our troops serving our country. Definately a recommended book in my opinion.

The reality of war revealed.......2005-05-22

Andy Carroll's last book - War Letters - showed what war is like by reprinting letters of American combatants who had ac-tually fought those wars. (I should confess that one of my letters about Vietnam was reprinted in that book.)

Andy's new book - Behind The Lines - shows what war is like with reprints of letters from both combatants and non-combatants - civilian women and children. This book also in-cludes letters written by non-Americans as well as Americans.

Andy limited the letters to those from the wars in which America was involved. Thsee wars range from the Revolutionary War (there's a great letter from a Hessian soldier [Hessians were German soldiers "leased" to Great Britain to fight as mer-cenaries] giving his impressions of America and the poor fighting ability of the rebels), the Civil War, World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam (there's a good letter from a soldier asking his parents to forgive him for having killed a man in combat), Kosovo and Gulf Wars I and II.

While many letters deal with combat, other letters show the many faces of war. At times, war can be terrifying, funny, ab-surd, touching and hilarious. (You know you've been fighting too long when the same incident strikes you as both terrifying and hilarious.)

One letter was a love letter written by a California woman to a Swiss national. In fact, the letter was complete fabrication. The Swiss national actually was a German spy traveling in Great Britain during WWII. The letter was created to make his cover seem more believable.

One letter was from a brother who had enlisted in the Union army in the U.S. Civil War. He wrote to berate his brother for having enlisted in the Confederate army.

One letter was from a German wife to her husband's company commander. She requested that her husband be given a leave "because of our sexual relationship." She wanted her husband to come home so they can have sex. The commander's sym-pathetic reply is included in the book.

One letter writer came up with a list of "The Army's Ten Commandments," which should bring a smile to anyone who served in the Army. Commandment number four is, "Thou shall not laugh at second lieutenants."

One writer came up with a letter filled with multiple choice op-tions. By checking various options, he could either proclaim his undying love or write about an upcom-ing/imminent/current/recent military offensive.

Several letter writers tried to warn their families that they should prepare for a slight adjustment period when the men come home. One Vietnam writer warned, "If it should start raining, pay no attention to his joyous scream as he strips naked, grabs a bar of soap, and runs outdoors for a shower." (As a Vietnam veteran, I found that letter puzzling. Doesn't everybody shower that way?)

The book is divided into several themes that illustrate the dif-ferent faces of war: friendship; combat; laughing though the tears; civilians caught in the crossfire; and the aftermath of war.

As a Vietnam Infantry pointman and squad leader, I view a book about war differently from most people. Andy's book showed me a side of war I had never considered - its impact on non-combatants - who could neither run away (what any sane person does when people are trying to kill him) nor fight (if you're going to die anyway, why not die fighting?).

The book also showed me what I already knew from my own experience: that war changes forever those touched by it.

One Vietnam veteran was haunted by the fact that several of his comrades had died rescuing him after he was seriously wounded. So decades after the end of the Vietnam war, he left a letter at the Vietnam Memorial thanking those men for their sacrifice. That letter is included in the book.

Don't buy this book if you are looking for stories about triumphant soldiers marching in victory parades in front of cheering, grateful crowds. That's not the side of war that Andy wanted to show. Instead, the book shows the side of war that doesn't make the 5:00 TV news.

You will need to read this book in small doses because the emotional impact of the letters can be overwhelming. In Los Angeles I attended a reading of selected letters from the book. One of the speakers read a letter he had written as a Jewish teenager while riding in a sealed railway car on his way to a German concentration camp. The letter told his sister how much he loved her. He pushed the finished letter through a hole in the side of the railway car and hoped that a kind peasant would find and mail it to his sister. One did.

incredibly moving book.......2005-05-12

This compilation is marvelously well-edited and includes an incredible variety of letters from soldiers and civilians from numerous wars. The author has put together a very nuanced, clear-eyed, resonant and moving collection and has written helpful, insightful descriptions throughout the book. This book would make a great gift.

The One that Got Away: My SAS Mission behind Enemy Lines

Average customer rating:

Great story!
Worth a read
The limit of human endurance...
comparison
good book

The One that Got Away: My SAS Mission behind Enemy Lines
Chris Ryan
Manufacturer: Potomac Books Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Military & Spies | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1574881566

Book Description

The British Army's Special Air Service is one of the world's premier special operations units. During the Gulf War, deep behind Iraqi lines, an SAS team was compromised. A fierce firefight ensued, and the eight men were forced to run for their lives. Only one, Chris Ryan, escaped capture or death, and he did it by walking nearly 180 miles through the desert for seven days and eight nights. This story features extraordinary courage under fire, narrow escapes, a battle against the most adverse physical conditions, and, above all, of one man's courageous refusal to lie down and die.

Customer Reviews:

Great story!.......2007-07-10

This book is great mainly due to the dangerous background of the mission. Ryan survived for about ten days in a hostile environment while he had to deal with coldness, exhaustion, injuries and starvation. Therefore it is an account of an incredible surviving. Respect for Ryan. His book is a must-read !

Worth a read.......2007-03-27

Not the tale of an inhumanly capable and faultless warrior and all the more compelling for that. Very interesting and informative, a more realistic treatment of events that the McNabb book, or at least more believable.

The limit of human endurance..........2006-01-27

Imagine driving two hundred miles, a long boring journey no doubt. Seems like ages...

Imagine walking it with no food, little water, and freezing temperatures that had already cost the lives of two of the SAS patrol troopers. That's what Ryan did when he journeyed to the Syrian border when the infamous Bravo Two Zero mission fell apart due to bad luck, poor intelligence, and below zero temperatures.

The famous - or infamous - Bravo Two Zero mission was about eight SAS troops that where sent behind enemy lines during the first gulf war. They were compromised early on, and with a fire fight early on, and no communication from headquarters, the men had to evade and escape. Four of the men were captured and tortured in an Iraqi sess-pit of a gaol. Three of the men died, one shot in combat and two died from hypothermia. Only one escaped. "The One That Got Away" is his story...

Ryan had to endure a terrific journey on foot of 200 miles to get to the Syrian border. Along the way, he drills (kills) a few Iraqi soldiers, or guards. He even breaks one's neck, told in squirm-inducing detail:

"When the second man saw me, his eyes widened in terror and he instantly began to run. But somehow, with a surge of adrenalin, I flew after him, jumped on him and brought him down with my legs locked round his hips. I got one arm round his neck in a judo hold and stretched his chin up. There was a muffled crack, and he died instantaneously."

Ryan's spirit comes from a very deep well, and with his SAS training, he pushes on even when he is on the verge of complete exhaustion (towards the end, he starts hallucinating).

Andy NcNab's "Bravo Two Zero" book is about McNab's torture at the hands of his Iraqi captives. Ryan's story is also about brutal pain, but his is self-inflicted as he desperately seeks to escape capture (he loses all his toe nails due to the 200 mile hike, he is on the verge of getting frost bite, he drinks radioactive water, and to finish off bad luck, he nearly gets lynched when he finally gets to Syria).

Ryan comes across as a methodical man. He plays by the book (he doesn't journey during the day - an SAS no-no). His methodical thinking about getting things right sometimes makes the other members of the SAS patrol seem incompetent. That seems a tad unfair (though as the author, and with the slight fact that he was actually there, he may have a right to say what he wants). I think the real incompetence in the Bravo Two Zero mission was the lack of intelligence from the top brass and not the men on the ground (why should you have the cold terrain as the enemy as well as the Iraqis when it needn't be? Shouldn't Intelligence know that the temperatures in Iraqi can drop really low?)

Even if you not a fan of Special Forces you will find this book riveting. People who like endurance will also love this book - for example if you are one of them loons who think climbing Everest in a pair of flip-flops is a great day out, then this book is also for you.

Seriously, I would recommend reading this, especially now when the second Gulf war is still simmering. It gives you a realistic journey on combat that you rarely get with the media. I also recommend McNab's "Bravo Two Zero" as it gives an account of his capture and torture.

comparison.......2006-01-13

this is a fantastic book. the SAS are phenominal. this mission was flawed, and this book is a testiment to the hardcore training and personnel of the SAS. however, to address another reviewer's comments, i fully disagree with the assessement that the SAS are vastly superior to Delta Force. firstly, for a number of years ive had close affiliations with the special operations world, and personally know a great number of both Delta operators and SAS soldiers and have conversed with them greatly on training, tactics, and so forth. no arguement that both are superior to the SEALs, who have always been overrated and hollywood. but the fact is, it is a complete and utter fallacy to state that Delta dont have the training to survive the way this SAS team did. thats absurd. first, delta's founder, charlie beckwith, a green beret who spent time with the SAS, used the SAS unit structure and training criteria as a template for Delta. second, Delta and the SAS are two of the most closely aligned units in the world, with frequent exchanges, putting Delta operators through SAS training and vice versa, as well as executing missions together from time to time. bottom line, Delta is the US military's MOST elite, MOST well trained, and MOST combat experienced unit of the last 25 years. Delta operators and SAS soldiers dont bother with the comparison themselves, because they're of the same caliber and embrace each other. further, the reason Delta has never done what mcnab's team did is because they've never been in the situation, which by the way was caused by MISTAKES. now im not bashing the SAS, even the most elite units make mistakes, Delta has as well. ultimately, these men survived through a undominable will, and escape, evasion and survival tactics, and to assume that Delta does not have this training is ludicrous, not to mention wholly untrue.

good book.......2005-06-14

i think this book is very good.

Book Description

In 1861, when war erupted between the States, President Lincoln made an impassioned plea for volunteers. Determined not to remain on the sidelines, Emma Edmonds cropped her hair, donned men’s clothing, and enlisted in the Union Army. Posing in turn as a slave, peddler, washerwoman, and fop, Emma became a cunning master of disguise, risking discovery and death at every turn behind Confederate lines.

Customer Reviews:

School Review.......2006-12-15

Disguised as a union soldier, Emma would risk her life for her country. Emma Edmonds was born in Saint John, Canada in 1840. When she was sixteen years old she ran away to the United States. When she was twenty one, President Lincoln made a request for seventy five thousand men to volunteer for the Army. She decided that she wanted to be a field nurse for the Union Army but those jobs were so dangerous that they were only given to men. So she cut her hair short, dressed up like a man, and enlisted under the name Franklin Thompson. Emma was assigned to the Second Regiment of Michigan Volunteers. The next day she and all the others in her Regiment were off to training camp. Upset at hearing the news that one of her friends had died in the war, Emma went to go see a woman named Mrs. Butler who lived on the camp with the soldiers. Emma started talking and she ended up telling her secret identity. After that day, Mrs. Butler became Emma's closest friend and the only one who new here secret. One day news came to the camp that a Union spy had been killed at a rebel camp. Now they needed a new spy and Emma volunteered. So she disguised herself as a black slave named Cuff. She snuck onto a rebel camp to gather any valuable information. She found out how many weapons they had, where people were hiding, anything that would help the union defeat the rebels. Once she had gathered enough information, she snuck back to the Union camp. With this information, the union began to fight. Emma became very busy in the hospital as more and more got injured. As the union reached a river, they had to stop and make a bridge across it which would take weeks. The Union army didn't have enough information to make an attack. It was time for Emma to become a spy again. This time she dressed up as a middle aged peddler woman. In this disguise she had no trouble at all getting into the camp and she was allowed to walk around freely. She found out a lot of useful information including the fact that the rebels had an ambush waiting for the union troops. She then rode away on a one of the rebel's horses. They were so impressed with Emma's work that they made her a messenger during all the fighting. For many months Emma was sent off on spy missions and was successful on all of them. Emma returned to being a nurse as the war went on. She was then struck with malaria. She couldn't go to the hospital she worked at because then they would find out she was a girl. So she decided to leave, get the help she needed and then come back. So she left and checked herself into a hospital. Once she got her malaria under control, she saw a union poster in a window. It said that Franklin Thompson was absent without leave. He was known as a deserter. Emma was upset but she continued being a nurse under her rightful name. Later on, after she was married she petitioned the war department to review her case. She had her military rights restored and received and honorable discharge. Other troops were surprised to find out that their old friend Frank Thompson was actually Emma Edmonds. Emma lived in La Porte until her death in 1898. This is a good book full of adventure and suspense.

I thought it was cool how Emma was able to pull off so many disguises. Emma's biggest disguise was being a man. She was able to fool everyone, even her fellow soldiers who she became friends with, that she was a guy. She pulled it off without anyone ever asking questions. Also, there was her favorite disguise, the black slave named Cuff. She was again pretending to be a guy and she was able to come up with something to make her skin look dark. She was able to fool everyone in the rebel camp. Another disguise was as a peddler woman. Even though she was dressed up as a girl, no one ever thought that she actually looked like a real girl. She was even able to fool them then.

Emma was brave and took many risks during her life. One big risk was just signing up. She could have gotten into a lot of trouble if they found out that she was lying and was a girl. And being in the middle of a war is dangerous too. Another risk was when Emma disguised herself as Mr. Mayberry. She was supposed to lead a man, who was leaking union information to the rebels, into a union ambush. If anything went wrong she could've ended up dead and no one would have known. Also, when she was dressed up as a black slave woman, she could have gotten killed. She found secret rebel documents and was going to take them back to her camp. But if she was caught with them they probably would have killed her.

When ever Emma made a decision she stuck to it and didn't turn back. For example, when she decided to run away. She was only sixteen and was afraid of her dad. But she set her fears aside and made the decision to leave and she was happy about it. Another example is when she decided to volunteer for the Army. She was scared and worried that they wouldn't believe her disguise. But she made her decision and wasn't going to second guess herself. Also, when she wanted to become a spy. It was dangerous but she wanted to do it anyway. And even after Mrs. Butler tried and tried to convince her not to do it, Emma stuck to her decision.

This is a great book that will make you not want to put it down. I would recommend it to most people who like biographies and adventure story. This book may not interest everyone but overall it was good.

C. Chapman

The heroing tale of a young girl taking a stand.......2006-02-21

Emma Edmonds is a young girl from Canada, living in the North during the Civil War. She's always been outgoing and bold- never able to stay in one place at a time. So when she feels a calling to join the Union army, she does what any rebellious girl would do- cuts her hair, gets the uniform, and joins up. At first she's awkward and unsure- terrified that she'll be discovered. She sees the whole thing as a big adventure-that is, until an old love interest of hers is killed in the war. She decides to really take a stand and looks at the war in a whole different way. She fights with all her power-until she gets word that a Union spy was recently killed by the Confederates. She quickly lands the job of replacement. She goes across the rebel lines, a different disguise each time, and collects useful information which helped to save many battles.
Emma Edmonds, whom I had never heard of before reading the book, is a facinating character. How she summoned the courage to join the army I will never know. A very good book, but a little slow in places.

Behind Rebel Lines.......2005-05-03

I didn't really like this book. I didn't really like the author's writing style, it was a little hard to understand and follow. The subject wasn't very interesting to me. I think that it would have been hard to try to re-create a story about the civil war. I think that the author did good on that.

I wouldn't really recommend this book unless you are interested in things about the army. I think that it was cool though that a woman would take that kind of risk just to be in combat. Also it was cool that she was that passionate about serving her country.

The good Forcer.......2004-12-11

My grandma forced me to read "Behind Rebel Lines". But it turned out to be an awsome and interesting book!

A woman's extraordinary role in the civil war.......2003-12-28

Behind the Lines is an adaptation of the Emma Edmonds story for young adults. Emma Edmonds was a native of Saint John New Brunswick, Canada who left for the United States several years prior to the war. She eventually found her way to Michigan where, following the outbreak of war, she under the alias Franklin Thompson enlisted with the 2nd Michigan Infantry. She served with the unit as an orderly for about a year before she volunteered herself as a spy, and during the course of the next year went on eleven assignments. Not only were her spying activities dangerous, but she always had to remain vigilant among her comrades as well, lest her identity be discovered. This is a very interesting and entertaining bit of history, one that is sure to interest even some of those who insist that history is "bo-ring".

Secret Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines with the Elite Warriors of SOG

Average customer rating:

I couldn't put it down
Great Book!
I had no idea
Extraordinary bravery wasted in Washington
Another great read...

Secret Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines with the Elite Warriors of SOG
John L. Plaster
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Vietnam War | Military | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0684856735

Book Description

The leading historian of SOG, the elite commando unit in Vietnam, tells the astonishing story of the SOG warriors who penetrated enemy lines in operations directed at the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

The warriors of SOG -- code-named the Studies and Observations Group -- were a secret operations force in Vietnam, the forerunner of today's Delta Force and SEALs. Highly skilled Green Berets, they were the bravest of the brave, the most highly decorated unit in the war. Chief among their activities was observing the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the main North Vietnamese supply route into South Vietnam, and disrupting its operations. SOG warriors secretly penetrated deep into Laos and Cambodia to identify bombing targets, destroy troops, ambush trucks, mine roads, and, in their most difficult assignment, capture North Vietnamese soldiers for intelligence purposes.

Operating in the most dangerous conditions imaginable -- always outnumbered, often by as much as 100 to 1 -- SOG commandos matched wits with an un-relenting foe that hunted them with trackers and dogs. They suffered an extraordinarily high casualty rate. Ten entire teams disappeared and another fourteen were overrun and annihilated. Many of the missions run by SOG fighters were rescues and attempted rescues of fellow soldiers and downed helicopter pilots who supported SOG missions.

In Secret Commandos, a riveting account of his years in SOG from 1969 to 1971, John Plaster describes his own remarkable covert missions as well as those of dozens of his comrades. He takes readers from his grueling training for SOG to his heart-stopping first assignments to his experiences as a SOG veteran and team leader. Even as SOG's field of operations became more limited late in the war, these accomplished warriors continued to give their all, fighting for each other.

Customer Reviews:

I couldn't put it down.......2007-05-18

I had chills after reading the first three pages. The action is incredible. I was on pins and needles, like it was all happening for the first time right in front of me. Plaster also conveyed his love for his friends through these pages. There were several places that I cried just for feeling the sacrifice of these incredible, selfless warriors. I love this book.

Great Book!.......2007-02-19

I loved this book- couldn't put it down. I liked it even better than Maj. Plaster's other book, 'SOG-The Secret Wars of America's Commandos in Vietnam', which was itself a doggone fine book. Based on what I've read to this point, this is the difinitive book on SOG in Vietnam. But I did come away with a question after reading it: How did those guys move through the jungle so quietly with cannonballs for gonads?

I had no idea.......2007-01-12

I am not old enough to remember the tail end of Vietnam. Most of what I know came from history class or the movies. But this book allowed me to read about a part of the Vietnam war, I did not know existed. In fact, I believe a lot of people had no idea what was taking place in Cambodia and in Laos during this time period. Special forces, secret missions, thousands of North Vietnamese in "de-militarized" areas and only the Green Berets to keep them in check. Experience the first hand accounts of american special forces units as they are dropped deep behind enemy territory only to be hunted and attacked by forces who outnumber them significantly. Overall, the book is extemly interesting and a different kind of read. Real soldiers in real situtations, where any mistep means death.

Extraordinary bravery wasted in Washington.......2006-08-26

Having spent more than enough time in SEA before Plaster got there, I could relate to his willingness to fight the good fight to fight Communist aggression since I've been there and done that.
What was truly remarkable about this book is that despite the fact that his efforts to win the battles on the field of battle were really for naught, he does not spend much time dealing with the "cut and run" crowd in Washington who made any victory impossible. The willingness of his teams to insert into the forbidden zones of Cambodia and Laos in order to protect the boots on the ground further down the Ho Chi Minh trail, at a time when Congress shaking in its shoes seems remarkable even to this day. The personal stories to confront the enemy in the face of almost certain death will leave you shaking your head. But this is the military that one former president "loathed" as he visited Moscow and committed a felony in lying to his draft board in order to maintain his "political viability."

The bravery and dedication of men like Plaster was not only undermined, but desecrated as the draft dodgers and phony heroes with four months of service in the theater went back to testify in front of Congressional committees who did more to assist the Viet Cong than anything that the Soviets or Chinese did at the time. What a waste of brave men who gave their all while those who gave nothing rose to elected office on the bodies of their fellow Americans. Plaster names all the brave men who died during his tour of duty as he sings "Hey Blue" to acknowledge their deaths, and it is a list far too long. His detailed accounts of his many missions would make a great movie, but Hollywood has no taste for true bravery when it has important issues to deal with, like orcas in a tank.

This is a well written book, but it is too kind to those who stabbed men like Plaster and his fellow SOG teammates in the back and dishonored their patriotism and sacrifice. But nothing has changed. The same kind of heroism is being undermined today as politicians in Washington demand a similar end in Iraq, without a single minute of thought to their last "victory" in ending the war in Vietnam, costing millions of lives as they ran away. But their grandfathers did the same when they carried Chamberlain on their shoulders as he delivered "Peace in our time" and sent 80,000,000 humans to their deaths in the process.

Another great read..........2006-08-14

While both of Plaster's other books outline the historical aspects of this unit, I feel closer to these men, in a way, after reading this book. I can almost hear Pete "Fat Albert" Wilson bursting through the door bellowing "Wine for my troops," and I can nearly place Bob Howard's raked smile after defying the odds along the Trail.

While John's other books stand alone in their own historical significance to SOG, this book delivers the intensity of sudden combat and the heartbreaking tragedy of losing close friends like Pete Wilson, Fred Krupa, and Chuck Hein.

All of John's books have proven to be an invaluable asset to my research on SOG.

Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines (Prima's Official Strategy Guide)

Average customer rating:

Great help
ROCK'S

Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines (Prima's Official Strategy Guide)
Michael Knight
Manufacturer: Prima Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0761517456
Release Date: 1998-08-12

Amazon.com

Commandos is a great game of special operations warfare set in World War II. The game is mostly action, with just a hint of strategy--but rest assured, you'll need some strategy tips to keep your six commandos alive through all 20 missions. This excellent guide from Prima starts you off with a section that explains how to control your troops during a mission and how to spot the various types of enemies you're likely to run into. You'll then get an extensive bio of each of the commandos, with information on their special skills and equipment. From that point on, the book dives into a series of walkthroughs that will take you through the entire game, from basic training right through the three campaigns. At the end of the guide, you'll find a lengthy chapter on multiplayer Commandos and how to apply your covert combat tactics to real, live opponents. --Michael Ryan

Book Description

Fatally efficient single- and multiplayer tactics
Walkthroughs for all campaigns
Kill order for every single enemy
Tactics for using your 6 Commandos
Detailed mission maps
Strategies for taking out enemy units, vehicles, and gun platforms

Customer Reviews:

Great help.......2002-10-07

I played the first fifteen mission of the Behind enemy lines, till I bought Men of Courage, so I am evaluating the tips from this book till the Mission 15.
First there is a brief introduction about the mission, and dividing them into phases, with little history.
There are a lot of detailed pictures, with soldiers numbered in the best order you should take care of them. The text is detailed, full with helpful advices and cautions, especially about tricky points in the mission (where you must hide the bodies, unseen patrolling guards, time limits). Also information about liberating allies, or using barrel, which it took me long time to figure out had I did not use this manual. You do not have to follow all the tips exactly, use your imagination and feel the challenge of "straddling in the combat filed". I did that in Mission 5 and 13.
It is a great help, and without the missions will take longtime to accomplish, so use and enjoy the Commandos.

ROCK'S.......2000-05-02

IT WAS VERY GOOD IT HELP'D A LOT

Armed Madhouse: Who's Afraid of Osama Wolf? China Floats, Bush Sinks, The Scheme to Steal '08, No Child's Behind Left, and Other Dispatches from the Front Lines of the Class War

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Read the book, avoid the audio version
The truth exponentially!
Hostile Takeover
Highly Informative, Disturbingly Insightful
Why Isn't Congress Reading This Book?

Armed Madhouse: Who's Afraid of Osama Wolf? China Floats, Bush Sinks, The Scheme to Steal '08, No Child's Behind Left, and Other Dispatches from the Front Lines of the Class War
Greg Palast
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

Conspiracy Theories | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

U.S. | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0743555821

Book Description

The bestselling author of The Best Democracy Money Can Buy offers his most provocative and funniest book yet!

Greg Palast has spent the last thirty years getting the goods on corporate con men and political hucksters. Now he and his special guests cut through the TV news babytalk in Armed Madhouse. Armed with more than fifty classified documents and confidential memos, Palast brings you the stories not allowed in The New York Times, including:

Before invading, George Bush didn't have a secret plan to seize Iraq's oil -- he had two. Palast shows you both.

In "Who's Afraid of Osama Wolf?," Palast reveals the horror and humor of the War on Terror.

In "The Network," Palast gives you the skinny on the new global order -- and pushes Thomas Friedman over the edge of his Flat World.

It was Palast, for BBC TV, who first uncovered how Jeb Bush and Katherine Harris stole Election 2000. Now he tells you that Kerry won in 2004 -- and that 2008 is already fixed.

Who drowned New Orleans? Palast names names -- and adds some suggestions for fighting the new Class War.

Greg Palast speaks truth to power the only way you can -- by letting the facts speak for themselves. Get the straight story on what today's self-appointed Masters of the Universe have in store for you.

Customer Reviews:

Read the book, avoid the audio version.......2007-10-10

The material presented seems to be meticulously researched, and clearly and systematically presented. The problem is -on the audio CD edition- the sarcasm with which the lines are spoken. The sneering, cloying sarcasm is so intense, so pervasive, and so grating that it detracts from the narrative. Is it really necessary to emulate Anne Coulter's style?

The truth exponentially!.......2007-10-05

Greg Palast is the modern day Thomas Paine. Believe me when I say that that is not overstatement. This is the book that got a man tazed by his vociferous opining over one single chapter - in fact, the very chapter that is what makes this book so important to understanding the hijacking of an entire country and its Constitution by the Bush crime machine.

The very fact that Palast has to go to another country to speak his truth tells you that we are in serious danger of losing the fourth estate altogether if we don't pay attention and do something about it.

I heard Palast on progressive radio and started my quest for the facts by reading his online pieces, and then buying this book. I only wish more Americans had listened much earlier and perhaps we could have avoided the fiasco that began with the hanging chad fiasco of 2001 when the Supreme Court appointed King George. That horrific event began the decent into constitutional chaos and the monumental abyss of lies, torture, rendering, the attack on human rights in our country and more.

I am so glad there is a Greg Palast. Just as glad as Bush cronies hate everything this man represents. "Armed Madhouse" is a welcome addition to my reference library and historic archives. Read and become enlightened!

Hostile Takeover.......2007-10-04

Greg Palast's Armed Madhouse documents the thesis of CW Mills' seminal 1956 book The Power Elite - that US politics is just a facade: A facade for a hostile corporate takeover of both governments and nations. Palast asserts and documents that the "war on terror" was conceived as an attempt to destroy OPEC, further impoverish the US middle class, and reap windfall corporate profits from rebuilding Iraq, whose "no-bid", cash cow rebuilding Palast calls "the biggest reconstruction project since the pyramids" [page 277]. Palast humorously remarks in passing that "Operation Iraqi Freedom" was originally dubbed Operation Iraqi Liberation ("O.I.L.") by White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.

"Conspiracy nuts think George Bush, from the moment he took office, had a secret plan to control Iraq's oil. They're wrong. Bush had two plans. Here they are: One crafted by the neoconservatives at the Pentagon, another fashioned by the State Department and Big Oil. This is the history of the secret cold war between these two power elites, which drives the hot war on the Tigris" [page 51].

"[This book] is about how they are taking these American rights away, stripping them off you one by one, from the Wage and Hour Law's 40-hour week to the Clayton Antitrust Law to the False Claims Act to the laws that keep your lights on and your pensions protected. Many are laws that you've probably never heard of, like the Public Utility Holding Company Act. But, take my word for it, you'll miss them when they're gone" [page 284].

Outstanding book.

Highly Informative, Disturbingly Insightful.......2007-10-01

Palast uncovers advanced economic plots to make the rich richer and the poor their servants. First he discusses the oil economy as it relates to big businesses and the political systems of those countries in power. Although there are those who completely dispel Palast's notion that oil is in seemingly infinite supply (and I don't mean right-wingers, either... do a google), I don't think if Palast is wrong on this count that it destroys his theories on how the oil industry operates and prospers. Other keep-the-rich rich schemes include the stealing of elections, something I've already studied and yet, was completely horrified to learn further extent to this phenomenon. Other notable topics include China, our lack-luster education system, and how the working class is held down. Well worth the listen, but have your brain turned on and focused. You can't be day dreaming and get what the author is saying because there are a lot of details given and he talks rather quickly.

Why Isn't Congress Reading This Book?.......2007-09-23

This book should be a mandatory assignment to be read by every member of congress. It's all about lies and the real reason for this war. Controll of oil prices.

Sterling Point Books: Behind Enemy Lines: A Young Pilot's Story (Sterling Point Books)

Average customer rating:

Sterling Point Books: Behind Enemy Lines: A Young Pilot's Story (Sterling Point Books)
H. R. DeMallie
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Military & Wars | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1402745176

Book Description

An unforgettable autobiographical tale of survival during World War II. DeMaillie, pilot of a B-17, describes in riveting detail his successful bombing run from England to the industrial center of Germany. But things go very wrong on the return flight when his plane is struck by enemy fire and the crew is forced to parachute into Holland. Although a group of heroic Dutch resistance fighters try to hide him, the Nazis eventually capture DeMaillie and send him to a prisoner of war camp. There, he endures hunger, cold, and brutality until the Allies finally free him. Years later, he returns to Holland in search of his brave Dutch rescuers.

W.E.B. Griffin CD Collection: Honor Bound, Behind the Lines, The Murderers (Griffin, W.E.B.)

Average customer rating:

W.E.B. Griffin CD Collection: Honor Bound, Behind the Lines, The Murderers (Griffin, W.E.B.)
W.E.B. Griffin
Manufacturer: Brilliance Audio on CD
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1597377139
Release Date: 2005-12-25

Book Description

Honor Bound:
October 1942. At a secret rendezvous point off the coast of neutral Argentina, a small merchant ship delivers supplies to Nazi submarines and raiders. The OSS is determined to sabotage the operation by any means necessary. But one of the key saboteurs must fight his own private battle between duty and honor. Because he was chosen for a reason - to gain the trust and support of his own flesh and blood. A powerful Argentinian called "el Coronel." The father he never knew...

Behind the Lines:
World War II. On the island of Mindanao, the Philippines, a man calling himself "General" Fertig has set himself up as a guerrilla leader to harass the Japanese. Army records show that the only officer named Fertig in the Philippines is a reserve lieutenant colonel of the Corps of Engineers, reported MIA on Luzon. It's Marine lieutenant Ken McCoy's mission to sneak behind the lines and find out if he's for real.

The Murderers:
A cop is found shot dead in his home - is it connected to corruption in the narcotics division? A bar owner and his partner's wife are in the wrong place at the wrong time and are gunned down together - was it a mob hit? A beautiful, well-connected young woman dies an ugly death in her parents' mansion - was it accidental? It's up to Special Operations Division detectives Washington, Payne, and their crew to piece it together.

Behind Enemy Lines: The Dominion War, Book 1 (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

Average customer rating:

Good book, well-written.
Picard and Ro reunited? It worked for me.
In For A Penny...
Books were not as important as I thought they would be.
Finally the Dominion

Behind Enemy Lines: The Dominion War, Book 1 (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
John Vornholt
Manufacturer: Star Trek
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Adventure | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 067102499X

Book Description

From the Gamma quadrant they came -- hordes of fierce Jem'Hadar warriors commanded by the mysterious Changelings, who will stop at nothing to achieve victory over both the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon™ Empire. Now that the Dominion has entered into an unholy alliance with the Cardassian military regime and seized control of Deep Space Nine™, Starfleet finds itself fighting a losing war against unbeatable odds. As mighty fleets clash in the deadly battleground of space, the fate of the entire Alpha Quadrant hangs in the balance.

The Enterprise-E is patrolling the Cardassian border, bracing for the joint Dominion-Cardassian offensive that Starfleet knows will come soon, when Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew are reunited with a former crewmate, friend, and enemy: Ro Laren. The onetime officer, who defected from Starfleet to join the rebel Maquis, brings disturbing news. Deep behind enemy lines, the Dominion is attempting to build an artificial wormhole that will allow them to bypass the mined Bajoran wormhole and bring fresh reinforcements into the Alpha Quadrant, altering the balance of power irrevocably. If Captain Picard cannot stop the project, the new wormhole will guarantee the ultimate victory of the Dominion!

Download Description

"The Enterprise-E" is patrolling the Cardassian border, bracing for the joint Dominion-Cardassian offensive that Starfleet knows will come, when Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew are reunited with a former crewmate, friend, and enemy: Ro Laren.

Customer Reviews:

Good book, well-written........2004-05-02

This book succeeds at what it sets out to be: an excellent action-based story set during the Dominion War against the Cardassians and the Founders. It makes little to no attempt to be more than that, so if you're in the mood for something more than a good action story, this isn't what you're looking for. But if that's what you're in the mood for, this will do just fine.

Picard and Ro reunited? It worked for me........2003-12-25

First, books 1 and 3 should really be part 1 of the Dominion War, and books 2 and 4, part 2 (or vice-versa) since there is no overlap between the two whatsoever. I agree that it was a little questionable of Picard to let Ro off so easily and 'welcome' her back, but it is understandable given the context of the Dominion War and the Federation losing thus far. Crusher and Troi are virtually ignored. Riker is his typical self, macking on a woman. Data kicks ass alone, though I wish more of his inner thoughts were explored. Geordi is good, but Ro and Picard and Sam Lavelle steal the show. Grof's character is well written and evokes an emotional response. Picard is his usual brilliant self and Ro evokes the same strong character as on the series. The cover of the books (all four) are rather misleading (esp. the 4th), but I don't agree that books 1 and 3 are lacking when viewed in the context of the Dominion War. Books 2 and 4 are where the gusto is, where we see some of the Federation Fleet attack some of the Dominion fleet. Books 1 and 3 are the small scale level of undercover ops about what has to be done to save the quadrant. Both series (1&3, 2&4) are essential turning points in the War, and I'm very glad to see that Picard was his usual brilliant self saving the entire Quadrant... yet again. If either Sisko or Picard had failed, while the other succeeded, it would all be for nought, which makes this 4 part series somewhat intertwined. Personally I prefered books 1&3 to 2&4 since 2&4 were for the most part taken straight from the TV show. My only complaint, why does the Enterprise drop shields to fire her quantum torpedoes? Answer: she doesn't, or at least she shouldn't!

In For A Penny..........2003-08-03

As one of the first novels by John Vornholt, I really enjoyed the start of this adventure. This is the first review I will write after completing this book, but will come back and revise it after I have completed the series.

I was overjoyed to see the return of some of my favorite minor characters. The return of Sam Lavelle and Taurik from the Next Generation Episode "Lower Decks" as prisoners of war fighting for their lives and their freedom. We also see Ro Laren return to the Federation to continue on with the good fight.

The development of Data and Riker in this novel showed unexpected twists and turns. The loneliness of duty and the personal losses people suffer during tragic times played a wonderful but somber reprieve from the action filled development of Picard and Ro.

Going back after the completion of the Next Generation movies, the finale of Deep Space Nine, and the re-launch of the Deep Space Nine novels, I question where the development of characters should be. The expansion of the Ro character in this story arc has been well done but I reserve how well the transition from the end of this arc to the beginning of Avatar by S.D. Perry. To read my final say on the matter, jump over to the review of the final novel in this arc.

Books were not as important as I thought they would be........2003-05-26

When I saw this seies I bought all the books. The dominion war is referred to a number of Star Trek books with little detail. The 2 Shatner Trilogies refer to it as well. And, of course the TV shows dealt with it.

I figured that with four books to accomplish to job, I would get a "full" understanding and description of the Dominion war. It doesn't happen. These books offer little and are not important to the Star Trek story.

Books one and three are with the TNG characters. I don't care for TNG books that have little or no participation of my second favorite character DATA. (guess how i feel about nemesis?) Books 2 and 4 are with the DS9 characters and seem to offer little that you haven't seen.

Riker spends the entire book in space dock romancing a lunatic bureaucrat. Data sits on a lifeless planet doing nothing.

Worf still hasn't married Jax or whoever she is this week. Ron Laran falls for a guy named Sam?

Books 1 and 3 rate a 3.5 star and books 2 and 4 rate a 2.5 for an average of 3. But if you are interested in buying books to fill in fun details about the dominion war, they haven't been written yet.

Maybe Michael Stackpole and Aaron Allston can get together and write a good series about the Dominion War.

Finally the Dominion.......2003-03-02

Since I began reading a variety of Star Trek Books it became clear that The Dominion War was a central event. Virtually all of the books I had read referred to the war with The Dominion, so it was clear this 4 part series was important to putting many other books in their proper perspective,

The second in the series is going to switch to the setting of Deep Space 9 but this first book spends its time initially with The Enterprise TNG crew and then introduces many characters from episodes of The Next Generation television series. Many of these players have become slaves constructing a weapon that is arguably the most lethal of any man-made object imaginable when used by a species like the Jem-Hadar. The device can also be harmless and productive, think of an airport or interstate highway, hard to do without but when turned in to transport for weapons and destruction their function can be even more powerful for evil than good.

Ro Laren was always one of my favorite characters that disappeared from the television series never to return. She is back in this book, and judging from the storyline she will play a prominent role in his story arc. She has also appeared in the Deep Space 9 series Avatar, so I hope she has made a more or less permanent return.

The Federation is in the midst of a war and a pretty severe beating when Ro Laren once again finds herself face to face with the captain she once betrayed. Captain Picard makes decisions that are would be unique if made by other captains, but he tends to make decisions despite, in this case, his second officer Riker all but physically restraining him. And thus begins one of the most motley crews ever to man any transport and to take it to the most forbidding areas of a war, and then to an area behind enemy lines.

An interesting side story is the mission that Data takes on his own, a task that no conventional life form could ever fulfill. Data has plenty of work but he also finds he has plenty of time to reflect and philosophize on how he deals with war versus his human counterparts. His emotion chip is at his control, and he constantly makes evaluations as to whether or not it should be on or off. One of the questions he arrives at is how do his friends remain sane during war? Again an interesting time for Data and while not a major portion of the book, a storyline that is sure to be continued.

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