Book Description
April 2000 (SH 21-76) This recently updated handbook draws from bloody lessons learned from two centuries of special operations combat, crammed with info on demolitions, boobytraps, rapelling, communications, survival and than 30 other topics.
Customer Reviews:
Size is not everything Amber..........2007-05-02
It's the amount of content inside the book. The SH 21-74 Ranger Handbook is rich in content and is a useful addition to any man's library.
DRY BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE...........2006-03-01
This and previous versions of this manual have been rated poorly by civilians since their inception. I find this to be unfair because they are failing to rate the manual on the proper foundations. One looking to buy this manual must take into account several facts:
This was not intended for civilian leisure reading.
Almost half of this book is extremely dry because it contains step by step instructions for written and verbal communication (Fragmentary Orders, Warning Orders, etc). This is essential because properly maintained lines of communication are crucial in the military.
The remaining material in this book is dry because it is 100% matter of fact. The men who rely on this book for day to day use do not have the time to read through off-topic commentary.
This being said, I doubt many civilians will enjoy reading this manual. There are probably books out there which provide much of the same material and would make for a more enjoyable read. However, I strongly recommend this manual to any military personnel in combat situations. This manual is small enough to use as a pocket reference, but the text is large enough to read. Although not all personnel require this material every day, one never knows when the knowledge could come into use. If or when it is used, this manual will save lives.
Manuals covering similar important subjects:
Map Reading and Land Navigation (FM 21-26)
Survival (FM 21-76)
Special Forces Handbook (ST 31-180)
Special Forces Operational Techniques (FM 31-20)
It's not the size, it's the content........2004-12-20
This book is the newest out and very hard to find else where.
The Military content is up to date and is what the troops are using right now. The book is made small still with very good print and pictures so you can take it into the field. Glad to know our military does not buy things just because of the size.
This book is far better than the other ranger books in print.
Very Small for $20. .......2004-12-16
I bought this because it is supposed to be the newest version. I paid 19.99 for it, and thought my husband would get a kick out of it, since he's always going on about how "cool" the rangers are. Frankly, it was a little disapointing. Not what I expect out of a 20 dollar book. It has some charts in it, and I would say its about 5inches by 3inches. IF this book was under $10 I would have given it a higher rating, because thats what it looks like it's worth.
Book Description
For a soldier, knowing where you are is a matter of life and death, and so it comes as no surprise that the Army has produced the most complete, clear, and thorough guide to map reading and navigation available.
The book starts with a comprehensive explanation of the meaning and uses of maps, whether photographic, planimetric (standard-style) or topographic, then progresses to discuss the use of those maps, discussing compass techniques, celestial navigation, and determination of distance. There is a detailed section on interpreting topographic maps, with notes on tactical considerations for differing terrain, as well as determining the ease of movement through an area.
Chapters include:
Training Strategy - Maps -Marginal Information and Symbols - Grids - Scale and Distance -Direction - Overlays - Aerial Photographs - Navigation Equipment and Methods - Elevation and Relief - Terrain Association - Mounted Land Navigation - Navigation in Different Types of Terrain - Unit Sustainment
There is also information on field sketching, the tricky art of map folding, units of measure and conversion factors, map symbols, orienteering, and the global positioning system (GPS).
For the adult outdoorsman venturing into the wild, the Boy Scout, or the serious military buff, the Army's guide to map reading and navigation is an indispensable must.
Customer Reviews:
not to learn from.......2007-06-12
Found this book confusing. Maps are illegible which makes the text irrelevant. It covers way too much detail all at once instead of progressing through steps. Covers alot of info and data useful only for those in the military. May work in conjunction with a lecture course, but by itself I would be surprised if anyone learned only from this book. I am new to this so maybe it's just not for beginners.
Learn to Navigate.......2007-04-10
Study orienteering with the handbook used by the U.S. Army. This guide is perfect for any outdoorsman or for teaching Boy Scouts how to use a compass.
First choice for teaching purposes.......2007-03-07
I own several excellent books on compass use and "orienteering."
The Army version "Map Reading and Land Navigation" is the simplest and most straightforward explanation of how to get around with just a compass and a map. If I were teaching teenagers (Scouts, etc.) how to use these tools this would be my choice of text.
A 'must' for any who might need basic survival skills.......2005-08-08
Soldiers need to know how to read maps accurately, how to navigate, and how to understand all manner of maps, compasses, celestial navigation and more. So does the outdoorsman. For the military and the outdoors wilderness trekker, U.S. Army Map Reading And Land Navigation Handbook provides basic instruction on grids, scale and distance, reading overlays and using navigation equipment. A 'must' for any who might need basic survival skills.
Average customer rating:
- Quick Reference
- U.S.ARMY HERALDIC CRESTS
- The most comprehensive book on the subject.
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U.S. Army Heraldic Crests: A Complete Illustrated History of Authorized Distinctive Unit Insignia
Barry Jason Stein
Manufacturer: University of South Carolina Press
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Customer Reviews:
Quick Reference.......2002-06-29
Good quick reference to identifing current authorized insignia. Does not cover the insignia of decommisioned units that can be found in the ASMIC organizations libraries. Has a good index to find motto's of units as well.
U.S.ARMY HERALDIC CRESTS.......2000-01-31
VERY GOOD AND HELPFUL REFERENCE FOR AS FAR AS IT GOES. UNFORTUNATELY IT DEALS WITH 'AUTHORIZED' AND DOES NOT HAVE REFERENCES TO ANY OUT-OF-DATE DISTINCTIVE UNIT INSIGNIA. IN MY LIMITED COLLECTION I HAVE NUMEROUS EXAMPLES THAT DO NOT APPEAR IN THIS BOOK AS I THOUGHT THEY WOULD. THIS INCLUDES MOST OF THE D.I.'s FOR THE ARMY AIR FORCES. I AM JUST AS INTERESTED IN THE OLDER, PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED AND/OR USED D.I.'s. ANOTHER FEATURE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL WOULD BE A TIMELINE IN THE USE OF THE VARIOUS FASTENING METHODS USED.
AGAIN, A VERY HELPFUL BOOK BUT LIMITED IN SCOPE.
The most comprehensive book on the subject........1996-07-26
Catalogs over 3,000 distinctive insignia, with full-color
illustrations, descriptions, translations of mottos, and
other useful information.
A few darker DI's do not photograph well but enough detail
can be seen to identify them. It is hoped this minor fault
will be corrected in future editions of this most useful
book.
Book Description
As a war correspondent, Wilbur Fisk was an amateur, yet his letters to the Montpelier Green Mountain Freeman comprise one of the finest collections of Civil War letters in existence. "Literary gems," historian Herman Hattaway calls them. "In fact, they are so good that it would be believable that some expert novelist had created them."
But Fisk was no novelist. He was a rural school teacher from Vermont, primarily self-educated, who enlisted in the Union Army simply because he believed he would regret it later if he didn't.
Unlike professional war correspondents, Private Fisk had no access to rank or headquarters. Instead, he wrote of life as a private--as one of the foot soldiers who slept in the mud and obeyed orders no matter how incomprehensible.
Between December 11, 1861, and July 26, 1865, Fisk wrote nearly 100 letters from the battlefield. At the beginning of the war he was exuberant and eager for contact with the enemy. Two years later, Fisk was disillusioned and war weary. "The rebel dead and ours lay thickly together, their thirst for blood forever quenched. Their bodies were swollen, black, and hideously unnatural. They eyes glared from their sockets, their tongues protruded from their mouths, and in almost every case, clots of blood and mangled flesh showed how they had died, and rendered a sight ghastly beyond description. I thought I had become hardened to almost anything, but I cannot say I ever wish to see another sight like that I saw on the battle-field of Gettysburg."
Fisk wrote as eloquently on the moral and political issues behind the war as he did on the everyday hardships of life in the Army of the Potomac. He saw the war as a question of right and wrong and he continued to believe that it had to be fought, even after he was well acquainted with its horror and pointlessness.
This book is part of the Modern War Studies series.
Book Description
Every organization needs good leadership in order to win against the competition. Through his own personal story and those of nine other Rangers, Barber illuminates fundamental lessons about what it really takes to win. These first-person accounts of trial and triumph highlight the importance and the inherent truth of the Army’s most fundamental leadership principles: seeking and taking responsibility for your actions, and knowing yourself and seeking self-improvement. Adhering to those principles—and putting them at the core of your organization—will push you and your company to do more and do it better.
Download Description
Leadership skills that create exceptional personal and professional success-from the military's toughest school
From the Dieppe Raid and the D-Day invasion to Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. Army Rangers have earned their reputation for bravery, leadership, and sacrifice in combat. In any military conflict, Rangers are among the first troops on the ground. They willingly accept the most dangerous missions in war, and their volunteer members risk all they have to get the job done. They are tough, they are fearless, and they are leaders.
Ranger School teaches its graduates how to excel under extreme conditions, how to persevere despite seemingly impossible odds, and how to develop the mental strength to succeed at any cost. In No Excuse Leadership, former Ranger Brace Barber shares the leadership lessons all Ranger School alumni learn. Those lessons not only helped him excel as an officer, but also gave him the skills to succeed as a businessman in the private sector. Currently the cofounder and president of two companies, Barber explains what it's like to make it through the toughest and best leadership school in the U.S. military and-through the personal stories of nine other Rangers-illuminates fundamental Ranger School lessons about what makes great leadership and great leaders. For business leaders who want to challenge themselves and their organizations, for good leaders who want to be great leaders, for leaders who want to prove to themselves and to their organizations that no challenge is impossible, No Excuse Leadership offers an inside look at the ultimate leadership training ground-Ranger School.
Brace E. Barber (Colorado Springs, CO) is a graduate of West Point and the U.S. Army's Airborne and Ranger Schools. He has served in the military around the world, including near the Korean demilitarized zone. Using the organization and leadership skills he learned in the military, he cofounded, and currently serves
Customer Reviews:
I recommend this book to anyone who wants more from life, and take any excuse..........2007-06-27
Buy this book to a friend or relative, that needs that little motivation to improve your life quality without excuses. Regardless of your life, financial condition , military or not. These principles are universal. Thank, Brace.
Good things to know before you enter the Army........2007-05-30
I bought this book for my son who is going in to the Army in a few months. He read the book and found a lot of useful information in it. He's glad that he read it and has gone back through it a 2nd time.
Great .......2007-02-11
I am a graduate of Ranger School Class 2-99 and I thought this was an excellent book on how individuals that read this book can apply their leadership skills to civilian and military occupations. For the longest time, it has been difficult for me to explain to friends, family, and fellow Army officers what Ranger School was about, other than it being totally miserable for 62 days.
The individuals that shared their stories in this book are authentic because I remember the days they described. Brace Barber made this book interesting because he used other Soldier's points of view on Ranger School and how they perceived the lessons they learned about leadership. The Army claims Ranger School is the ultimate leadership school and I have to agree 100% with them. I plan to make it a requirement for my platoon leaders to read this book when I take command. RLTW!
Non- stop motovation!.......2006-08-15
I have never read a book that has inspired me more.
I was in the Army for 8yrs and was a paratrooper, this book has inspired me too the point that i have re-entered the Army at 33
in hopes of becoming a special forces soldier. I enjoyed reading about the passion, drive, and comradery that the elite rangers and ranger battalion's share.
Leadership is not Management.......2006-06-24
Apart from Jack Schropp's book: Unbeatable: Lessons from a Navy Seal ... this is pretty good. The best leaders often emerge when it is literally do or die. What more obvious scenario than being in a combat zone. There is some wisdom that in life there are no excuses, only results, and a healthy warrior spirit is a strong quality in a leader. Perhaps that is why Alexander the Great conquered the entire known world by 26.
Amazon.com
Stephen E. Ambrose combines history and journalism to describe how American GIs battled their way to the Rhineland. He focuses on the combat experiences of ordinary soldiers, as opposed to the generals who led them, and offers a series of compelling vignettes that read like an enterprising reporter's dispatches from the front lines. The book presents just enough contextual material to help readers understand the big picture, and includes memorable accounts of the Battle of the Bulge and other events as seen through the weary eyes of the men who fought in the foxholes. Highly recommended for fans of Ambrose, as well as all readers interested in understanding the life of a 1940s army grunt. A sort of sequel to Ambrose's bestselling 1994 book D-Day, Citizen Soldiers is more than capable of standing on its own.
Book Description
In this riveting account, historian Stephen Ambrose continues where he left off in his #1 bestseller D-Day. Ambrose again follows the individual characters of this noble, brutal, and tragic war, from the high command down to the ordinary soldier, drawing on hundreds of interviews to re-create the war experience with startling clarity and immediacy. From the hedgerows of Normandy to the overrunning of Germany, Ambrose tells the real story of World War II from the perspective of the men and women who fought it.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Oral History of the GI in Europe.......2007-10-16
Ambrose's book takes up where his prequel left off - the battle of Normandy. He continues their saga as they battle their way into the heartland of Germany. Especially riveting are the conditions under which the GIs fought during the battle of the Bulge. Also, what makes this a riveting read is that he uses oral histories of the GIs, both American and German. Secondly, Ambrose does not belittle the German effort as he did in his June 6, 1944 book. In Citizen Soldiers, he gives the Germans their rightly due as fighting soldiers and indicates they had it just as rough in the field as the Americans.
It was also interesting to read how the Germans believed they should have been fighting with the Americans instead of against them - and that they should have focused together on the Russians. Ambrose made clear, which I had never really thought about, was that the Germans should have been placing all their men on the Eastern front and should have reduced their efforts in the West.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book as much as his other books. I believe you can read this one and his June 6 book in any order. A must for any library.
My Dad's War.......2007-08-21
This was my dad's war. He was drafted. I was too young for Vietnam. The stopped drafting the year before I was eligible.
My dad doesn't talk about it much. I have a 7 year old, my dad was 80 when he was born. When a war movie comes on, I tell my son, "your granddad was a brave soldier". Once when we were at his house, my son said to my dad, "granddad, you were a brave soldier". My dad turned to me and said, "I was scared to death the whole time I was over there". I replied, "yeah, dad, but you did it. You were in those battles and fought as scared as you may have been".
This is their story. They weren't the enlisted men like today. These kids were drafted. I can't imagine to be so young and to see so much death.
This is a very good book that tells the story of the scared, but brave men who put their lives on the line because they had to. They did it and they won.
God bless all our soldiers!
I had no idea..........2007-06-13
...that the winter of 1944-1945 was so horrific for the average G.I. on the front. A truly excellent read. The fact that Ambrose really admired and respected the "Greatest Generation" is clear from this book - and highlights why we must respect and admire them as well.
I especially appreciated his defense of the 1950's "Man in the Gray Flannel Suit" towards the end of the book. The so-called conformity of the 1950's wasn't a weakness or fault. It was a societal strength. I have always suspected this, but didn't know why. Ambrose explains it.
God Bless the World War II vets - among whom was my own father.
An entertaining and highly informative read.......2007-05-13
This illuminating book covers the WWII European Theatre from the top down, from FDR, Churchill, Stalin & Hitler to Ike, Monty, Patton & the German High Command to the grunts in the foxholes on both sides of the line. Very interesting & well written with both facts and anecdodtal stories.
Ambrose: Right on The Money Again.......2007-04-07
Once again, Ambrose captures our attention on the subject of World War II. For this particular book, Ambrose doesn't focus on one unit, like Band Of Brothers, instead he focuses on all members of the United States Armed Forces that participated in the European Theater of Operations. Aptly titled, Citizen Soldiers. This book gives a very full insight to the behavior and feelings of the various people in various units as the the Allied forces pushed their way from Normandy to Germany. Vivid details of random battles, and a lot of information about the regular every day soldier who carries out orders, not the generals that give them. Nice change of pace. I recommend this book to anybody seeking more information on World War II, or any military history buff. Because of language, I would only recommend this to a mature 13-16 year old.
Book Description
A non-technical narrative of the actual making of the first Atom bomb with an accent on the personal cases of the participants and the industrial companies that built it. Rich of human stories and anecdotes. Foreign editiosn of the book are available in Great Britain, France, Japan, Germany, Italy, and Bulgaria.
Customer Reviews:
SON OF WWII VET.......2007-08-25
I JUST HAD TO RESPOND TO THE REVIEW OF MR. C. SCANLON. FIRST OFF THE JAPANESE HAD NOT SURRENDERED WHEN WE DROPPED THE BOMBS. THEY DIDN'T SURRENDER UNTIL SEVERAL DAYS AFTER THE ATOMIC BOMBING OF HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI AND THEN ONLY AFTER A FAILED PALACE COUP BY THE ARMY! A COUP THAT FAILED IN NO SMALL PART BECAUSE OF THE FINAL B-29 FIRE BOMBING RAID OF THE WAR. AND IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT HISTORICAL,POLITICAL,RELIGIOUS AND MORAL ABDICATION YOU NEED TO SPEAK TO THE JAPANESE WHO PERPETRATED THE RAPE OF NANKING!ALSO WHEN THE MASS MURDERING FASCIST SCUM OF THE WORLD STOP TEACHING THE LESSONS OF WAR WE IN THE PEACE AND FREEDOM LOVING DEMOCRACIES WILL NO LONGER FEEL THE NEED TO LEARN THEM SO WELL!MY FATHER WAS A COMBAT MARINE IN WWII. HE FOUGHT ON GUAM AND IWO JIMA AND DID'T HAVE HIS 18TH BIRTHDAY UNTIL THE DAY AFTER THEY DECLARED IWO JIMA SECURE! SO I THANK GOD THAT THAT OLD MISSOURI REDNECK HARRY TRUMAN(TRU-MAN:NEVER WAS A PERSON MORE APTLY NAMED)DROPPED THOSE BOMBS!AGAIN I SAY THANK GOD!
The UNTOLD STORY about the atomic bombs is its blind moral ethical religious and legal obscenity.......2007-08-09
The Untold Story of the Atomic Bomb, at least in this nation, is that Japan had already surrendered and the inexperienced Truman tossed them to intimidate our Soviet allies, with no care for the hundred of thousands of human lives, mainly sheltered civilians, women and children, lost.
This is the true Untold Story of the Atomic Bomb. This present book is obscene in its treatment of the Manhattan Project as an interesting overcoming of scientific, engineering and material obstacles, as it ignores the human and spiritual price. Pass up this book and read those which explore that dimension, and repent, and never study war, no more.
Such human and biospheric suffering and devastation we'd have averted had we never sold our souls to these diabolic weapons of sin and of death.
Try instead reading, within this cusp of the forgotten anniversaries of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Racing the Enemy: Stalin, Truman, and the Surrender of Japan, or viewing Hiroshima Mon Amour - Criterion Collection, or seeing Barefoot Gen Volume One: A Cartoon Story of Hiroshima once again.
Whatever media fit your personal learning style, to realize and to repent and to study war, no more. See Letters from the End of the World: A Firsthand Account of the Bombing of Hiroshima or even Hiroshima, anything but this book, which only promotes our national psychosis to total war without cause, which even today bears its bitter fruit in countless lives lost. Skip this book; get Encyclical Letter (Pacem in Terris) of His Holiness John XXIII ... On Establishing Universal Peace in Truth, Justice, Charity and Liberty. and Challenge of Peace: God's Promise and Our Response a Pastoral Letter on War and Peace (Publication / Office of Publishing and Promotion Services, U) instead.
America's Most Intense Engineering Achievement, Ever.......2007-06-13
Never in the history of the United States, before or since, has the full assets of the country been thrown behind the solution of a single engineering problem. Every resource, scientific and financial, was provided upon request. The results were a phenomenal success.
This account was written at a time when the primary sources were almost all still available for their first hand insight. The implications of this story for future generations of Americans are far reaching. A must read.
One of the most interesting scientific and engineering efforts ever.......2007-01-02
There isn't much I can add to what other reviewers have said other than concur that this is a fascinating book. The challenges that faced the Nobel Laureates, scientists, engineers, managers of American's largest corporations, and military were beyond imagination. Groueff does an excellent job developing character profiles of people involved in the Project -- all in brief sketches.
You will especially enjoy this account if you have ever visited or traveled through Oak Ridge, TN, Hanford, WA, Los Alamos, NM, the University of Chicago, the old Woolworth Building in New York, DuPont Chemical Company, the American Chicle Company chewing gum factory in New York... well, maybe you get the idea how varied the real story is.
chris's review on "Manhatten Project".......2005-04-28
The Manhattan Project is a book that explains and tells us how the Atomic bomb was made. This is also a book that tells us how it was a race against other countries, especially Japan to get the bomb done first. People in the states were scared about others countries getting done first and landing the bombs on the United States. The problems that we had trying to get this little toy made. It shows and explains the process in which it was made and also the scientist that they picked to make the two bombs that landed on Japan.
This book is definitely a book that I would recommend to read to help further your knowledge on the past. If you don't know how the bombs were made or why they were made this book is very enjoyable to read. It is a rather lengthy book, but if you like to read then you would love to read this. This book is very useful to learn more about the technologies that we had back around WWII and also to just realize where the big boom of technology started. Before this we did try to learn more about technology, but that was mostly to help everybody out. From the time when they made the atomic bomb is when they started building more technologies in the defense for our nation.
This book is defiantly a readable book. Most people can read a book if I can finish one. I am not much of a fast or good reader, so if I can read a book then most likely everybody will be able to read the book. Most of the terminology in the book is fairly easy to understand and to read. This book may take a couple of weeks to read, but in the end it is a great book and I would recommend it highly. This book is a book that you can read anywhere. It is not like some books where you either have to be in a mood or have to read in a certain spot to get the feel of the book. This is book is a great reading book right before bed or just when you have some free time at work.
You can almost put anything as being part of technology or have technology part of it. This book goes great in depth about the atomic bomb. Some say one of our greatest inventions ever made. This is the technology that helped us win a war and also to defend our nations. This is definitely one of the high points in both science and technology in our past and future that is for sure. The technology for atomic weapons just keeps getting more accurate and high-tech. Now days you can use a remote control to direct a weapon where as in the book and WWII they had to use planes to drop them over the target.
On a scale from one to ten I would give this book a nine. It may be a little less than a nine if you are not interested in the wars and technology such as bombs. I loved this book and will probably read it again sometime in the future.
Amazon.com
On June 25, 1876, Gen. George Armstrong Custer and some 200 cavalrymen under his command blundered into a coulee along the banks of Montana's Little Bighorn River. They never came out; several thousand Cheyenne, Sioux, and Arapaho warriors saw to that. The name and the event of the Little Bighorn have subsequently entered into American mythology, reverberating throughout the nation's history. Custer's famous demise has yielded thousands of books, and Son of the Morning Star is exceptional among them: part anthropological study of Plains Indian life, part military history, and part character study of the principal actors in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Evan Connell's work presents the first truly balanced account of Custer's career.
Book Description
Custer's Last Stand is among the most enduring events in American history--more than one hundred years after the fact, books continue to be written and people continue to argue about even the most basic details surrounding the Little Bighorn. Evan S. Connell, whom Joyce Carol Oates has described as "one of our most interesting and intelligent American writers," wrote what continues to be the most reliable--and compulsively readable--account of the subject. Connell makes good use of his meticulous research and novelist's eye for the story and detail to re-vreate the heroism, foolishness, and savagery of this crucial chapter in the history of the West.
Customer Reviews:
A Fantastic Read.......2007-06-22
Evan S. Connell doesn't care about preconceptions about what happened at Little Big Horn. Instead he weaves a narrative that explores and explodes every myth and legend surrounding the battle and everything leading up to it. The writing is absorbing and magnificent, and Mr. Connell takes his time to explore the lives of not only the leading participants, Custer and Sitting Bull, Gall and Sherman, but digs down in the dirt of the geography and even the lives of what most would consider secondary characters. He even lays down a fascinating side story about the fate of Custer's horse.
One of the best books I've ever read.......2007-05-22
I didn't find this book hard to follow at all. Even when I was sleepy I knew what I was reading about. It is the characters in this book and the back drop that brings this story alive. Connell does a great job of bringing unknown and well known characters to life and giving them more than just a name and place of death. What a story this is when you add up all the sum parts. And, I was able to get a bigger picture than just the death of Custard from reading this great book.
History with the eye of the fiction author.......2007-05-16
This is not a traditional history book and it seems that those who object seem to do so primarally on those grounds. There is no question that this book does not read or even flow as a typical history which in my view is a tribute to the creative author and a a risk taking publisher both of whom deserve high praise.
It is the reader rather than a historian who benefit from this treatment. The myriad of detail adds color and depth to the men's characters in a way that no regular history book has ever done. Yes the detail slows the narative and yes the author is all over the place, retrospection, current event, future writing all withing a page or two and yet somehow the whole thing holds together and the information is assimilated in a lasting and meaningful way.
The reasonings are so logical and fresh given the years and speculation and outright lies that they shine from the page. One example - why was Custer not scalped. Reasons given over the years run from Indian admiration for his courage to contempt. The author's take, Custer's hair was cut short for the campain, he was also going bald. In short his scalp was so unatractive as a trophy, that no one bothered.
The author engages in speculation and unlike regular historians, he readily admits when he is doing so. For example he openly shared his puzzlement as to why certain versions of Custer's death are rejected by one generation only to be viewed as the most credible by furture generations.
All and all this is a wonderful read and anyone with an interest in this history would benefit even if some of the facts shared conflict with previous ideas.
Custer remains an inegma but this book comes as close as we are ever likely to get to understanding him and the men who served with him.
Politics disguised as history.......2007-01-23
A morose and spiritless rendition of the plains Indian Wars, told from the perspective of a late 20th Century San Francisco mentality that sees nothing good in America, past or present. Contains a total of four or five pages worth of vivid and memorable prose - the "funnel of a tornado" image is unforgettable - nearly half of which is repeated on the jacket blurbs and photo captions. The bulk of the book consists of endless excerpts from hundreds of primary sources, most of which are not cited. (The bibliography is the most rewarding aspect of the book.) Clearly a fan of the Kurosawa-Rashomon school of epistemology, Connell repeatedly wastes the reader's time with hypothetical scenarios concerning facts and events of little importance, only to inform the reader in the end that we can't know for certain, and anyway it doesn't really matter. One assumes that had Connell been born a 19th Century Sioux, he would have spent his time castigating the tribe for having stolen the lands of whatever tribes claimed it before them. The one thing Connell is certain of, it seems, is that anything, even the savage inter-tribal warfare that went on for tens of millennia before the "wasichus" came on the scene, was preferable to the way of life that replaced it. This reviewer guesses that more than a few Native Americans past and present would take issue with such a conclusion, but what do they know.
huge disappointment........2006-10-21
i have had this book in my library for a long time and very much looked forward to reading it. a book that got rave reviews by critics, an outstanding novelist (evan s connell) writing about the legendary downfall of custer at little bighorn, how could i go wrong with this one. well, i guess that there is no such thing as a sure thing, because i found this book way too long & way too tedious. the author digresses all throughout the book, dropping the narrative and taking off on dull useless sidetracks that should never have been included. dozens and dozens of characters are introduced that you will never rememeber (and will never need to remember). strange and poor organization make this book a real dud. too bad.
Average customer rating:
- A true American Hero
- Man of character, man of faith whose story should be proclaimed!
- Well rounded biography
- Excellent Title of an Excellent Leader
- Well Researched Look at a Major Civil War Figure
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In the Hands of Providence: Joshua L. Chamberlain and the American Civil War
Alice Rains Trulock
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
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Binding: Hardcover
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Grant, Ulysses S.
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Similar Items:
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Through Blood and Fire at Gettysburg
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The Passing of Armies: An Account Of The Final Campaign Of The Army Of The Potomac
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"Bayonet! Forward": My Civil War Reminiscences
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Stand Firm Ye Boys from Maine: The 20th Maine and the Gettysburg Campaign
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Joshua Chamberlain: A Hero's Life and Legacy
ASIN: 0807820202 |
Book Description
This remarkable biography traces the life and times of Joshua L. Chamberlain, the professor-turned-soldier who led the Twentieth Maine Regiment to glory at Gettysburg, earned a battlefield promotion to brigadier general from Ulysses S. Grant at Petersburg, and was wounded six times during the course of the Civil War. Chosen to accept the formal Confederate surrender at Appomattox, Chamberlain endeared himself to succeeding generations with his unforgettable salutation of Robert E. Lee's vanquished army. After the war, he went on to serve four terms as governor of his home state of Maine and later became president of Bowdoin College. He wrote prolifically about the war, including The Passing of the Armies, a classic account of the final campaign of the Army of the Potomac.
Customer Reviews:
A true American Hero.......2006-03-29
In the Hands of Providence is a very well researched look of the life of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. Alice Turlock presents a definitive biography of this modest professor from Bowden College, who met challenge after challenge to become one of the greatest leaders in Civil War history. Chamberlain had extraordinary observational and superb writing skills. His persistence at recording the historic events, which included his emotional reactions, gave Trulock's wonderful historic accounts for her book.
The book starts by giving us an in depth look at his obscure Christian upbringing in rural Maine, and follows his processes of becoming a great young man. He was an exceptional college student, receiving the praise of his instructors. He was also highly regarded by his neighbors and towns' folk alike. Many considered him to have the highest moral and ethical standard. He was so trusted and respected as a young man in his home town that an older business man of Maine, who was an acquaintance of Chamberlain's, entrusted him with the dealings of his estate.
While finishing his studies at Bowden, Chamberlain married his sweetheart Frances Caroline Adams. They had a very close and loving relationship. But during the war, the constant distance between them put a great deal of strain on their relationship. After graduation, he accepted a position as a professor at Bowden, and held that position for several years. Chamberlain maintained a very close relationship with his family, and he was especially close to his father in law George Adams.
When the war broke out in 1861, Chamberlain ask for a leave of absence from Bowden to enlist, but was turned down. Not to be left out of the war, he again applied for a sabbatical to study in Europe, and this time it was granted. He had no intentions on going to Europe, and instead immediately enlisted in the army as a lieutenant colonel, and never looked back. He played a huge role in the recruitment of the men for a regiment, which would later come to be known as the 20th Maine.
With no military experience, Chamberlain showed great promise in his leadership shills and military expertise. He became friends with his unit's commander, Colonial Ames, who became his tutor. According to Trulock, Chamberlain held a great deal of respect and admiration for Ames, and he gave Ames credit for his military success.
Trulock's description of Chamberlain's military life is extraordinary, and she supplies us with great details about the battles in which he was involved. At the battle of Antietam, Chamberlain was not directly involved in the fighting but was brought up in reserve the next day. Trulock gives a very vivid description of horror that Chamberlain witnessed upon arriving at the battlefield that day where 22,000 lay dead or wounded on the field. It was the bloodiest, one day battle in the Civil War.
Next, she transports us to the Fredericksburg, and the final assault by the North on Marye's Heights - the charge that involved the 20th of Maine. All the other divisions that day were either driven back, laid dead or wounded on the field. She describes tremendous courage that Chamberlain and his men showed as they made their charge on the now famous wall at Marye's Heights, the wall that was heavily guarded by Confederates. The division suffered great loses that late afternoon. They remained among the dead or wounded for 2 days and nights before the order was given to retreat.
The episode in history that Chamberlain is most remember for is the courage and heroism he displayed at the battle of Gettysburg. He was ordered to the top of a hill known as The Little Round Top where he was placed at the far left flank. There, Chamberlain was instructed to hold that position at all cost. The 20th Maine repelled assault after assault by the Confederates that day. When ammunition ran out, Chamberlain ordered a bayonet charge, an event that many historians say was the turning point of the Civil War.
Trulock also gives a very detailed account of the battle of Petersburg, where Chamberlain was horribly wounded. After hearing of his heroic actions during the battle, General Grant immediately promoted Chamberlain on the battlefield to Brigadier General. This was the only battlefield promotion ever issued by Grant. Somehow, Chamberlain survived his wound, due to the skilled surgery that was preformed on him that night and next day. Chamberlain's two close friends, Dr. Shaw and Dr. Townsend worked for hours repairing the damage inflicted by the mini ball. The wound he received that day would trouble him all of his life and required numerous surgery's to repair the damage.
His persistent heroism and outstanding leadership were the deciding factor when Grant chose Chamberlain to receive the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. He showed great respect for his fellow countrymen that day when he gave the order to his men to give a solders salute to the surrendering confederate men. His honorary actions that day were later critized by many people.
This book contains a lot of historic photos of Chamberlain's family, friends, fellow soldiers and numerous battle maps. The book also gives a great account of Chamberlain's life as Governor of Maine and President of Bowden College, but these accounts do not compare to the bravery and patriotic devotion that Chamberlain displayed during the Civil War. His actions made him a hero to his men, and the country he served.
Trulock has given us a great biography, not only one of the Civil War's greatest commanders, but one of the United States most distinguished citizens. The book flows very smoothly while covering details of battles that would interest even the most die hard Civil War enthusiast.
Finally, a book that does justice to an astonishing person. I highly recommend this book.
Man of character, man of faith whose story should be proclaimed!.......2006-01-25
Chamerlain's heroism is similar to Teddy Roosevelt, Alvin York, and Audie Murphy who came behind him, but have been better publicized.
The difference is that his act of confidence, courage and decisiveness may have been the one that changed the outcome of the Civil War, the 1864 election and the future of America.
In The Hands of Providence is the story of Chamberlain's exemplary character before, during and after that momentum changing moment. All Americans should read and learn this story.
- Richard V. Battle - Author of The Four Letter Word That Builds Character
Well rounded biography.......2005-05-10
I found Alice Trulock's biography on Joshua L. Chamberlain to be quite readable, well researched and well grounded. Considering the length of the book, Trulock's book read quite well for most readers of any level. Well, it may not be good as the one written by John Pullen but it definitely is superior to the one written by Edward Longacre. I put that in just for comparison purpose.
I think this biography may served as a good introduction to Chamberlain who's name have definitely reached near mythological level nowadays among Civil War readers thanks to Jeff Daniels and his role in that movie "Gettysburg". Of course, most readers would probably be disappointed that Jeff Daniel's portaryal of Chamberlain will not jive with Joshua Chamberlain of Trulock's book.
The biography covers all aspects of Chamberlain's life. The book does a good job covering Chamberlain's military career which proves to be the most important period of his life from which Chamberlain's life will be centered around until his death. I do wish to make a point here. He died at the age of 86, a very ripe old age and I doubt if his wounds he got from Petersburg really hasten his death, it may have cause him a lot of pain but even in modern days, most people don't live that long!
Overall, an very good biography on one of Union's more natural soldiers. A non-professional who performed better then most professional soldiers.
Excellent Title of an Excellent Leader.......2005-03-13
The Duke of Wellington supposedly stated that it is impossible for a Christian to serve in the military. Too bad he wasn't around during the American Civil War! Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson from the South and Joshua Chamberlain and Otis Howard from the North are notable exceptions to Wellington's thesis.
Trulock has written what is the best account of the hero of Little Round Top and who personally oversaw the surrender of Confederate troops at Appamattox.
Among the important events in Chamberlain's life covered include:
1. Birth and Christian upbringing in rural Maine.
2. His days as a student and adminstrator at Bowdoin College.
3. His early Civil War service including the formation of the famous 20th Maine Regiment.
4. Fascinating accounts of his involvement in major Civil War battles: Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Petersburg, and other engagements.
5. The horrible wound suffered at Petersburg that eventually killed him some 50 years later.
6. His loving yet strained marriage to Frances Caroline Adams.
7. Postwar public service as President of Bowdoin College and Governor of Maine.
Reading the book was a joy - the narrative flowed smoothly while covering several details of a fascinating character. The author managed to keep the story from becoming too bogged down in dry detail without insulting the reader's intelligence. Oh, how I wish more biographies were written like this!
The book also contains excellent battle maps and numerous photographs of the main characters: Chamberlain, his wife, parents, sister and brothers, many Civil War officers, and other important people in Joshua Chamberlain's life.
All in all, an excellent and highly recommended read. Read and enjoy!
Well Researched Look at a Major Civil War Figure.......2004-10-02
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was the epitome of the American citizen-soldier. Since the birth of the republic, American soldiers have left home and hearth to serve the nation and many of them have come home physically shattered and haunted by what they have seen while still others have not come home at all. Thrown into the breech, some of the citizen solders found they did not have the fortitude for what was asked of them while many others have excelled, performing better than graduates of West Point or Annapolis, America's most prestigious military academies. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was a citizen soldier who became a great hero of the Civil War, a man who met challenge after challenge and became a great leader of men and afterward, the course of his life was forever altered. An academically inclined young man, Chamberlain left Bowdin College and his studies and teaching in theology to accept a lieutenant colonel's commission in the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The modest young professor took part in most of the important battles of the North's Army of the Potomac. He was a participant in the Battle of Antietam, still the bloodiest single day in American history. Today, we can walk the battlefield off Sharpsburg Pike, in rural Maryland and see "Burnside's Bridge and the cornfields where so many men fell and get some small measure of what men like Chamberlain went through. We can also visit the battlefield at Fredericksburg and see the heights that he and his 20th Maine and the Union Army tried to take in bloody frontal assaults into the teeth of Confederate guns and under the pounding of their artillery on the hills. Today Chamberlain's comrades - as well as the fallen Confederate troops - are buried on the commanding heights they failed to take, one of the Civil War's bitter ironies. Colonel Chamberlain then immortalized himself at Gettysburg's Little Round Top where he anchored the Union left, repelling assault after assault and winning the day by leading a charge down the slope that broke the Rebel troops. He was given a general's star by General Grant at Petersburg and was honored to receive the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. His heroism and leadership qualities helped him win the Governorship of Maine no less than four times, after which he retired to the Presidency of Bowdin College, his alma mater. Alice Trulock who wrote this book, was not a professional writer and after her retirement from civic affairs, this book took her ten years of careful research, writing and rewriting to complete. She based her work on a great deal of new research and handles the account of infantry combat beautifully. Unfortunately, Trulock died before the book was released and so she wasn't able to accept the accolades that were due to her for such a well-written and moving biography of an emblematic Civil War figure.
Book Description
This is the latest edition of a U.S. Army field manual (FM 23-10) covering sniper training. The introduction states: "The sniper has special abilities, training and equipment. His job is to deliver discriminatory highly accurate rifle fire against enemy targets, which cannot be engaged successfully by the rifleman because of range, size, location, fleeting nature, or visibility. Sniping requires the development of basic infantry skills to a high degree of perfection. A sniper's training incorporates a wide variety of subjects designed to increase his value as a force multiplier and to ensure his survival on the battlefield. The art of sniping requires learning and repetitiously practicing these skills until mastered. A sniper must be highly trained in long-range rifle marksmanship and field craft skills to ensure maximum effective engagements with minimum risk. The primary mission of a sniper in combat is to support combat operations by delivering precise long-range fire on selected targets. By this, the sniper creates casualties among enemy troops, slows enemy movement, frightens enemy soldiers, lowers morale, and adds confusion to their operations. The secondary mission of the sniper is collecting and reporting battlefield information. A well-trained sniper, combined with the inherent accuracy of his rifle and ammunition, is a versatile supporting arm available to an infantry commander. The importance of the sniper cannot be measured simply by the number of casualties he inflicts upon the enemy. Realization of the sniper's presence instills fear in enemy troop elements and influences their decisions and actions. A sniper enhances a unit's firepower and augments the varied means for destruction and harassment of the enemy. Whether a sniper is organic or attached, he will provide that unit with extra supporting fire."
Contents include:
* Equipment (M24 sniper weapon system)
* Marksmanship
* Field Techniques
* Mission Preparation
* Operations
* Communications
* Tracking / Countertracking
Customer Reviews:
A Government's Best Shot.......2007-01-13
This is a very down-to-earth book with explanations and details that are crucial to the material in the book. There are few setbacks, such as the print, low-grade photos, and grammar errors. Overall, if you can overlook the minor flaws, you will see an immense amount of information.
Total Rip-off and misrepresentation.......2006-12-29
21st Century? Nonsense! FM 23-10 was issued on August 17, 1994. That is over 12 years ago. I had this same exact manual on CD-ROM along with many more military manuals that came FREE with a computer war game.
Shame on Amazon for not checking the origins and date of this charade. The copy quality is terrible and there is absolutely no value to be had.
Phil Zimmermann, JD
Needs an editor.......2005-07-17
I was pleasantly suprised to see that this book is published by the Department of Defense. Many similar books published by Paladin press devote an inordinate amount of space to their author's political diatribes (Plaster's excellent but somewhat dated Ultimate Sniper is an exception).
This book has a wealth of information, but is devoted exclusively to the M24 Army sniper system. It has no information on older scopes (like the ART scopes), nor on the Marine M40A3 or even Army modifications like the 300 Win Mag. Some areas are too brief (like the lack of mention of problems with accuracy if the scope is has one zero and the focus adjust is changed to a different yardage).
Where the book falls short is in editing. Not only did they pick the most butt ugly fonts, which they compress and resize line by line (from around 11 to 14 points), making reading slow, but almost every page has typos, spelling, or punctuation mistakes. The figures look like they have been copied from an old mimeographed version, and are sometimes almost impossible to figure out what they are showing. Some of the figures are mislabled (like two that reverse iron site pictures with scope pictures). Some are inaccurate (like the windage mirage for 1-3 MPH wind). Some tables are way off (like the windage adjustment for different MPH winds) - though a page or two before gives accurate formulas. There is no index and some paragraphs look like they were pasted twice at different places (like the adjustment of 1 MOA for 20% humidity changes).
Regardless of one's political leanings, most of us hope that our military is not sloppy. The editing of this book makes me wonder about how much precision is valued. That is curious in a book on sniping, which is generally read by people who place great importance on precision.
Us Government Field Manual.......2002-12-13
As a Gulf War Veteran and Us Air Force member, I found this FM to be very genuine to standard military training literature. Actually, I was shocked that it was offered to the civilian market. To all non-military members, Yes this is the real deal. It is a portion of the clasroom training material in Us Army Sniper school. However, if you are not familiar with military terminology I would suggest a book by an actual author and not the US Government.
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