Troops Books

I was excited to purchase and start reading this book. Bruce Catton's Army of the Potomac trilogy had been my introduction to Civil War literature and I was looking forward to what I thought would be a modern complement to Douglas Southall Freeman's "Lee's Lieutenant's". Unfortunately this volume falls woefully short of the heights attained for and achieved by it's predecessors.
Quite frankly this book is boring and poorly written. The author cannot distinguish the interesting tidbit that sheds light on a man or situation from arcane trivia that would best be relegated to footnotes. Like an attorney piling on argument after argument to make their case, Beattie piles on detail after detail until the reader is left numbed, dazed and confused, with no true revelation after all the data has been assimilated.
I make it a point to try and finish every book I purchase, but I nearly gave up on this volume several times. The Army of the Potomac deserves it's own Freeman, but it has not found him in Beattie. I would hope that a truly gifted author like Gary Gallagher, Robert Krick or Joseph Glatthaar would take up the task and complete the job begun by Bruce Catton many years ago.

I was skeptical at the beginning. By using D. S. Freedman as his model, he set an impossibly high standard. Well, he is no Freedman, as far as I can tell, but who is? He is an attorney for whom this is a labor of love. He must be a very good lawyer because he collects his facts exhaustively, assembles them intelligently, and then puts it all into a narrative the "jury" -- the reader -- can understand.

One particular technique, which a professional historian probably could not use, is very effective. He takes records that are in indirect discourse and puts them in direct discourse. So "Jones said that Smith told Robinson that it is all over and that Robinson said that it was not yet over," yawn, becomes the more gripping: Smith: "It's all over." Robinson: "Not yet."

So it is replete with wonderful details, some of which fill in blanks you had always wondered about, for the Civil War buff who gets tired of reading the same old thing over and over. In spite of, or perhaps because of, the details, this is a real page-turner. I use it for bedtime reading and, instead of lulling me to sleep, I have trouble turning the light off.

This is not a story-teller book, like Foote or Catton, though he tells many good stories. But what I like most is his knowledgeable analysis of the pros and cons of decisions made in the formation of conduct of this great army. Highly recommended.

July 2, 2002. - The Eastern Theater of The American Civil War - The curtain rose from the stage at the premier of Da Cappo Press' newest production, to reveal "Army of the Potomac: Birth of Command November 1860 - September 1862." Authored by Russel H. Beatie, it is the first of a series covering the history of the Army of the Potomac.

Mr. Beatie has been kind enough to present us with a Dramatis Personae, a playbill, if you will, providing us with the briefest of possible biographical sketches of the players about to grace the stage. Receiving top billing, of course, is Winfield Scott, the hero of the Mexican War. He is supported by a cast of subordinates: Charles P. Stone, Robert Patterson, Fitz-John Porter, Benjamin F. Butler, Elmer Ellsworth, J. K. F. Mansfield, Irvin McDowell, Samuel P. Heintzelman, David Hunter, George B. McClellan and Nathaniel Prentis Banks.

The stage has been carefully set. On November 6th, 1860 Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States without a single electoral vote from any of the Southern states. Shortly thereafter, on December 20th, South Carolina was the first state to secede from the union. It is January 1861 and Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia & Louisiana have now also left the Union. Texas will join her sister Southern states on February 1st.

Lincoln, having been confronted with the problem of resuplying or reinforcing Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, immediately upon his inauguration, chose the less confrontational route: to resuply it, thus, maneuvering the South into firing the first shot of the war on April 12th, 1861 and providing the inciting incident of our national drama, and the beginning of the Civil War. Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee soon after seceded and joined the Confederate States of America.

Mr. Beatie illuminates the central question in the first act of his drama, "How does one create an army?" by shining his spotlight on New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Ohio, where from nebular clouds regiments of soldiers begin to emerge.

Maryland provides our first plot point. Heavily secessionist in sentiment, Maryland surrounds Washington D.C. on three sides. With Virginia having already seceded, if Maryland were to cast its lot with her sister slave states, Washington would be cut off. Now that there is an army, fractured though it is, how does one move it through hostile territory to Washington where it is needed?

Here the author shifts his focus from upstage to stage center, narrating Abraham Lincoln's steps to ensure that Maryland stayed in the Union by suspending the writ of habeas corpus and arresting the state legislators who sided with the South. All the while, Patterson, Porter, Butler, Keyes, Lefferts & Stone began to secure routes both through and around Baltimore, a city seemingly seething with anti-unionist sentiment, to Washington, D.C.

The first Battle of Bull Run is the center piece of Mr. Beatie's second act, as the action moves down stage to Virginia. Mr. Beatie deftly weaves together the fate of Harper's Ferry and Patterson's attempts to keep Joseph E. Johnston's southern soldiers bottled up in the Shenandoah Valley and preventing them from joining the rest of the Confederate Army under P.G.T. Beauregard at Manassas. Patterson's ultimate failure allowed the two Southern armies to join in battle against the Federal Army, led by Irvin McDowell at Bull Run Creek.

The battle is the midpoint in Mr. Beatie's drama. As the two armies collide on the field of battle, the point of view is strictly from the vantage of the men and commanders of the Federal army. Mr. Beatie presents the facts and events throughout his narrative as they happen, this technique can some times be confusing to the audience, and the one critique this reviewer has is the wish for more maps in this section to allow the audiance to better follow the action as it proceeds. The fog of war envelopes the Union forces, facts are misinterpreted, mistakes are made, and ultimately the failure of the command structure results in a Confederate victory, and the curtain falls on a defeated demoralized Federal army as they gradually make their way back to Washington.

George B. McClellan enters from stage right at the beginning of the final act. Having been called from the West after several small but impressive victories to assume command of what will soon come to be known as the Army of the Potomac. Mr. Beatie concentrates on the bickering between Scott, the General-In-Chief and his subordinate officer, McClellan, and as the light shines brighter on McClellan, Scott's time in the light begins to fade. Scott's letter of resignation sent to Lincoln serves as the last plot point and the final curtain falls to the stage floor with George B. McClellan soon to be commissioned as General-In-Chief.

Mr. Beatie's "Army of the Potomac: Birth of Command November 1860 - September 1862," has been well received and hailed as a critical success. Not since Douglas Shouthall Freeman's, "Lee's Lieutenants," has a work of such magnitude and scope as Mr. Beatie's graced the literary stage of the American Civil War.

An appendix, "Officers and Battlefield Maneuvers," as well as a fully annotated bibliography siting the strengths of weaknesses of the source materials used, serve as Mr. Beatie's curtain calls. And on a production note, the book is fully noted with footnotes at the bottom of every page.

This, Mr. Beatie's first production in the series, has already spawned two sequels, and if they are its equal, I'm sure they will be followed by others.

Russel Beatie develops a history of the origins of the Army of the Potomac. He notes that (page xv): "This is the story of a group of men during a short but extraordinary period in their lives." He also observes that his role model is D. S. Freeman, who focused on the development and actions of the Army of Northern Virginia.

This is a nice detailed work of the personalities at the beginning, the crucible of battle, the various components of the Army. There is a nice, brief Appendix on battlefield maneuvers.

The book itself begins at the beginning, with Winfield Scott as the head of the Army. Although a southerner, he remained loyal to the Union as its army's Commander-in-Chief after the breaking out of the Civil War. There is a segment entitled "Dramatis Personae" at the outset of the book, providing brief biographical sketches of key figures in the early days of the Army of the Potomac, including such figures as Scott, Charles Stone, Robert Patterson, Fitz-John Porter to George McClellan. These sketches provide nice context for what follows.

The Army begins to emerge as volunteers and regulars from throughout the North wended their way to Washington, D. C. Irvin McDowell was the first head of the Army. The book traces the organizing of the Army and its first foray into Virginia, culminating with the Union near victory but, in the end, chaotic defeat at Bull Run/Manassas. The antiquated Robert Patterson's failure to pin down Confederate General Joseph Johnston in the Shenandoah Valley was a key factor in the Union defeat.

Once the Army returned to the area of Washington, D. C, after the defeat, General George McClellan entered the picture. A wonderful organizer, he would prove wanting as a field commander in battle. However, he was the person to take a mob and make it into a finely honed instrument of battle--the Army of the Potomac.

The text goes on to note the conflict between McClellan and Scott, contentiousness between McClellan and Abraham Lincoln, and so on. Discussion also notes the headquarters staff as it developed, the evolution of the cavalry and artillery in the army. Finally, a chapter on the engineers completes the volume.

This book is very nice in that it lays the stage for understanding how the Army of the Potomac developed in all its detail. It is not a compellingly written book, and one can almost drown in some details. Nonetheless, Beatie does a real service by providing a detailed examination of the early months of this fighting vehicle.

I was somewhat disappointed in this book. Mr. Beatie is a fine researcher, but not a great writer. I didn't like that he quoted verbatim long conversations as they appeared in memoirs many years later. That got a bit old. More paraphrasing would have been preferable.

Also, although the examples of history are sometimes useful, I didn't like many of the "off message" moments where Beatie talked in detail about how the ancients or Napoleon addressed a particular issue germane to the development of the Army of the Potomac.

Also, there are a lot of choppy sentences. The book needed a better edit job.

I'm hoping for better from Volume II. The main redemning aspect of Vol. I is that it covers a period rarely examined in this detail. It's good to break some new ground. I just don't think this book did so in a highly effective manner.

A lot of formulas, critical advice, honest opinions. But also, a lot of missing practical advice, a lot of missing result comparisons. You have to buy it though since there is nothing else out there...it is really a two-star, but the fact that you cannot buy anything else at its level makes it a four star book.

Bill Troop has been very well connected to a lot of people in photography over the years and was heavily engaged with developers at Kodak in Rochester. He accumulated a significant amount of subjective information and has pretty much pushed it all right into this book. It's prefect for the darkroom enthusiast who is intrigued with historic processes and how they might effect ones creative options. Note that this is not an instructional book for beginners but something more targeted at the advanced enthusiast whose interest has grown beyond the use of commonly available processes.

Things you never knew about the developing process are in this. I was quite impressed, and am enthusiastic about re-reading it.

very useful, it goes deep in the film developing as expected. It's a good starting point to make the own recipe and to learn *how works this kind of developer*. And many many more useful storic and pratic informations. Simply I love it. Dedicated to everyone feels to be an hero in this digital war against the true, pure, black and white...

I bought this book as the other books I have are now a bit dated. As the understanding of film development is always evolving, I thought this book would give me the latest ideas and knowledge.
It does to some extent, but I could not help feeling the authors did not take the time to fully research and comprehend the details. Where they have quoted chemists / researchers the details are clear. However where they have tried to interpret or discuss aspects in some places it appears they do not clearly understand what they are trying to explain. The result is that they contradict themselves, fail to make things clear, or just plain get things wrong. They also only seem to address research by Kodak and a few independent researchers. The book thus misses out on research done by Fuji, Agfa, Ilford, etc. which is a significant omission in my opinion.

So is the book worth it ? I think that I would still buy it as there are very few sources of up to date information available. And to be fair, they seem to have taken care in reproducing the formula. However, I would be sure to read some of the older books on developers, and cross check the information before relying on it.

To be honest, I am a little disappointed. I expected more details about different types of equipment used in different missions. But I might have felt this way, because I couldn't get enough of that stuff! All in all, the book is fun to read. It is written very well and contains many very good pictures.

Now in a newly updated second edition, U.S. Navy Seals is the story of one of America's most elite military forces. This in-depth, profusely illustrated survey covers the training, skills, and missions of a world-famous special forces at are acknowledged to be among the most disciplined, flexible, multi-skilled soldiers who have fought hazardous actions around the world, the most recent being in Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, and Desert Storm. U.S. Navy Seals is an impressive and informative addition to any personal, academic, or community library Military Studies reference collection or reading list.

I just recently purchased this book and i loved it from the second i opened it. If you are interested in the Navy SEALs or anything about them, this book is right for you. It explains the SEALs in great detail and informs you about the missions they conduct, BUD/S training, the history of the SEAL Teams, techniques they use, pretty much everything. There are great photographs. I love this book, and i'm sure you will too.

This is a good overview of various aspects of U.S. Navy SEALs training and operations (at least those that aren't classified). It has a surprising amount of information in it, given that this is a relatively small book! It's also entertaining to read: the author did a good job with his writing, giving the reader some good technical information without getting too "dry" in presenting it. However, there ARE some technical inaccuracies present: for instance, to the best of my knowledge there IS no such thing as an "H&K MP4 submachine gun." The weapons the author shows in all of the pictures and calls "MP4" are H&K MP5s. Still, this is a good, compact resource, despite the minor errors.

At least it's written with a comedic tone..

But that is about all he has going for him. This book provides a "brief" and very inaccurate guide to the Navy SEALs. The weapons...oh how in depth I could go. First, he mistakes the M4 Carbine for a CAR-15. Then, he calls an HKMP5A4 a MP4. Mr.Halberstadt, there is no such thing as a MP4. He refuses to give the reader more depth, and mistakingly calls the MP5k, just the MP5. As if the reader who knows nothing shall now believe MP5k is the ONLY MP5. Confusing? It can be...but this book will make you even MORE confused when you buy your first small arms guide. Buy Orr Kelly's "Brave Men Deep Waters" book before you even touch this script.

Zon was a delightful read, full of suspense and very exciting visuals. At first I was not to sure about the book as I'm not a big Sci Fi reader (I like it more on TV) and also the book has a strong narrative and I'm more drawn to books with more `dialog' starting it off, however, within the first chapter I was taken by surprise by the highly adventurous story behind the main character Zon.
Also although it was classified as SCI FI, and I went in thinking that, I found Zon to be a very contemporary read, with all the Wall Street scenes and issues touched on in the storyline (and I think a bit of a hidden morale on the part of the author between the lines as well). Zon, all in all was easy to follow without a lot of `out there' terms and such. It was a bit graphic but not so over the top to where you lost the reason for the violence. It also kept me on the edge of my train seat. I also found much humor within the pages as well. All of the characters were well developed and fitted for the story.
I wasn't sure about the power the main character processed at first but as I continued to read, it came to me and I was like `O'. The ending was surprising as well and I really liked the twist that came in the final chapter...read like a sequel might come from it.
I'm looking forward to reading the author's other book HINC as it's a totally different genre from Zon and I'm sure shows more reach for Mr. Morris.
Zon is a must read for those true Sci Fi fans.
Keep up the good work and continued success to you.

Zon is a creative fantasy/reality story that takes a young blackman through the trails of growing into manhood in a world that really doesn't allow him to fit in...he finds a way to make the adjustments necessary to not only survive butto take charge of his life above all adversity and find true love and fullfillment on the way. It's a good read to use for modeling behavior for young men of all backgrounds.

The story of Zon is one man's journey into the depths of his inner soul to search for the true meaning of his existence. This finely crafted tale follows the adventures of college graduate Zon on an unexpected death fall into the arms of his ancesteral homeland of Africa, where his shattered life is slowly pieced backed together and the man he was gives way to the spiritual power that transforms him into a powerful and wise being. His return to America is fraught with the kinds of adventures that Hollywood writers fall short of when trying to capture journies of the soul.Author Gregory Morris captures in one compelling novel the true test of African-American men who give of themselves to serve a greater good. I thirsted for every page of this great story and hated for it to end. I saw so much more of what writing can be when seen and told through the mind of a writer who thinks beyond superficial triviality commonly found in too many contemporary novels. ZON is a must read for anyone who wants to read beyond their limitations and sail into a world where truth, honesty and adventure. If Hollywood truly wants to move beyond car crashes and bimbo babes to explore an area of true African-American heroism, then they need look no further than Gregory Morris's ZON!

This book is filled with action, suspense, and twist that will make you read on for more! What I really enjoyed about this book is how the author brought in poltical issues, business savvy, passion, laughter, and other issues that made you think. The character Zon is a hero in his own right. Almost like a Black modern day Bat Man. I highly recommend this book not only to Sci-Fic buffs, but to all audiences. You will truly enjoy this book.

Gregory K, Morris has created a Black super hero and his name is ZON. Mr. Morris opens his novel with a weak-minded half-crazed man who enlisted in the Peace Corp, giving up a lucrative career in engineering, after a seemingly harmless college incident. His split second decision changes his life more than he ever expected by literally falling into Beinin, a hidden Utopia in Africa. It is here where he goes through a mental, spiritual, and physical transformation. He is no longer a weak man run off by pranks of adolescences, but an assured man with a definite purpose. He eventually emerges from the secret world ready to take on the evils of this world; racism, greed, and governmental corruptions. Along the way he picks up a cub, a best friend, and a love.

ZON is a mish mash of wonderment and confusion. Mr. Morris contains the reader inside of ZON's head for a great deal of time in this novel. The details and description of life in Beinin made it difficult for this reader to get into this novel initially. However, once ZON leaves Beinin, the book begins to move. ZON's interactions with militia men, racists in a small town, Wall Street, and ultimately the American government draws the reader in rooting for good verses evil. Additionally my enjoyment increased as I discussed the novel (and there is plenty to discuss).

If you are a reader who loves detailed explanations of how people are created before you are exposed to their purpose this most definitely is a book you do not want to miss. If this description doesn't really speak to your taste, I challenge you to try something new and pick it up. This is a book I would have never read but glad I did.

Kotanya
APOOO BOOKCLUB

This entire series is vetted as for "young readers" and while it is not a complex, deep philosophical book it kept my interest through out and I am 54 so this is one I have shared with my thirteen year old and we have been equally satisfied with it.

Me because it was entertaining enough and not in anyway condenscending in tone and to my thirteen year old as the main character is fourteen. LOL.

I recommend the entire series

Zahn has a great writting style, but the plot for this book was not as compelling as the others. Still good though.

great book, amazing quality. hard back book with a very decorative cover. all around a great buy...

After reading the previous novels in this series, I expected a more rounded story for the end novel (it may not be). The culmination of the big fight against the evil magicians seemed to be pretty much a throw away, and new discoveries about the 'new' dragon habitation they are living in were not really detailed. I love this series, I just hope if there are any more books, that the author returns to his normal great story.

In this, the fourth book of the Dragonback series Timothy Zahn takes the reader to a strange planet where Draycos and Jack are being hunted by the mercenaries that hold the the information the pair need to save Draycos' people from being ambushed. On this planet they find a race of beings called the Phookas who appear to be of the same race as Draycos, but they appear to be at the level of herd animals, which makes Draycos question where he himself may actually have come from. They are acoompanied by Alison someone who Jack metDragon and Soldier: The Second Dragonback Adventure (Dragonback) with her help they defeat the mercenaries, and escape to fight another day, but Alison seems to have her own agenda. Zahn does a great job in developing the relationship between Draycos and Jack. The series keeps getting better and better.

This is a five-star read for what it does: show how life as an elite U.S. Army Ranger is very similar to the life of a dedicated Christian. Holton describes in vivid detail the challenges of the incredible training and physical demands placed upon the Ranger trainee and how that training saves lives on the battlefield. And interspersed throughout the narrative are reminders and illustrations of how living the Christian life also requires one to be an elite soldier. This is a small book, very personal, very well-written for someone who is not a professional writer, and very profound. Certainly, every military man should read this, but so should anyone who is serious about living the Christian life. A very inspiring book.

I'm currently non-denominational and chose to read this book for two reasons: I served in the same Regiment as Mr. Holton (different time period) and I'm currently at a crossroads in my life concerning the idea of organized religion. Simply stated, I'm a lost sheep amongst the herd.
So I figured maybe I could pick up a few jewels from this book. And I feel I did.
But to the interested reader, be aware that this book is heavy on Army speak, to the point that I think it would take the average reader some time to try and understand what he talks about. I thought his stories were humorous, but then again much of what he says I've done before. So just understand that and further understand it's STILL worth reading.
It's an excellent resource for any soldier who's struggling to find the application of God in his life. I came to a realization yesterday that I'm missing something and oddly enough this book appeared in my life the same evening (odd, huh?). Fortuitous as it was, I read it in a day and firmly believe he deals w/ real-life issues concerning combat, leadership, and most important, spirituality, which in turn makes for a very good, down-to-earth read.
Three stars for the subject it covers; casual, combat-disinterested readers may not enjoy (even though combat isn't the issue he's hinting at--it's really revelations LEARNED from it which is the pot of gold).
If you're compelled by anything I've said, check it out.

ok i'll make this quick. this is a book that will be read in my house for years to come... one of the best i have ever read. if you have any doubts about this book... forget them... this book demands a rating higher than 5...(...)

I read about this book in New Man Magazine.... And I must say... This is a great book for anyone to read... I have shared it already with at least 5 people.... So do yourself a favor and pick it up.

Whether you realize it or not, ever since Satan rebelled against God, every human being has arrived on planet earth - a world at war! Chuck's book shows how the lessons he learned as a more elite soldier - a US Army Ranger (hooah) - are directly applicable to life as a Christian being a more elite soldier in the army of the Lord and participating in the daily spiritual battle. Chuck also shows how God, knows us, loves us, and takes time to meet our needs - the last chapter will get your full and undivided attention and show you just how much God cares.

Most Vietnam novels and movies focus on the bloody battles between the soldiers of both sides. Of Rice and Men is the story of the other army personnel who actually outnumbered the combat troops by a large number but also risked their lives daily for a cause they didn't understand any more than the combat soldiers did. This fictional story follows the lives of a few of these men and women in a traditional war time told story mixed in with a mild Carl Hiaasen type surrealness in its characters, which lightens the tale and allows the reader to laugh at a situation where death can come to those there at any minute. An interesting and informative read that makes you think about aspects of the war, we've never really been told about before.

Not a novel so much as a series of vignettes; this is a very funny bring-tears-to-your eyes book. Makes you wonder about the transitions from the dedicated stop-the-nazis generation of WWII captured in Catch 22 to the laid-back generation that fought in Vietnam captured here, to the Nazis now fighting in Iraq where all signs of humor and compassion appear to be completely lost.

Many of the other reviewers have already said all that needs to be said about this wonderful, funny, painful, delightful, thoughtful, and intelligent book. If there is only one book about the war in Vietnam that you have the time or energy to read, this is it! War isn't wonderful, or honorable, or great, or uplifting - War is something happens when stupid diplomats fail the do the job they're paid to do. And Galli's book shows just how absurd and idiotic war really is.

Some very funny chapters. The book is somewhat disjointed , but it is still worth a read.

Outstanding book that brings back many memories. I don't know how the author remembered such details of life in Vietnam whether you were a combat trooper or in support. The author does carry some baggage with him as do many of those that served. Just understand it is from his point of view.

This book by the late Heinz Guderian is a manual for tank and mabile armored warfare. It is relevant today in the sense that tanks are still in use in 90% of the countries. The Indians, the British, the Americans, they all have tanks today in the age of copmuputer-aided nuclear warfare.

Personally, from the book, I learn of all the firsthand hardships of war as witnessed and fely by General Guderian. He went on to become one of Germany's greatest soldiers whio knew the real art of war. This book is a must for all War Story buffs...

"Achtung Panzer" is THE definitive book about German panzer theory development, tactics, and strategy by a man who should know, Heinz Guderian. Only the new WWII novel "The Triumph and the Glory" held my interest with such elan as this study of armored warfare by a master of the game. If you think this is a dry, technical book you couldn't be more mistaken, it is very well written and eminently readable. I recommend it highly!

Colonel-General (final rank) Guderian's insight into the lessons of WWI tank tactics is a must read for anyone who wants to understand German combined arms tactics employed from 1939-42. He praises British and French use of tanks and critically presents the lessons to be derived from the "war to end all wars" to current (1937)tactics. These lessons are just as applicable today. Heinz Guderian practiced what he preached as well. He was known as "schnelle Heinz" (fast Heinz). I would recommend this as a classic textbook.

Es una de las principales fuentes para el desarrollo de mi pagina sobre la Segunda Guerra Mundial; para una persona dedicada el estudio de la estrategia del empleo de las unidades acorazadas, llena plenamente las expectativas.

This book shows just how intelligent and far-seeing Guderian was. Initially the book provides an overview on weapons and tactics in the first world war, before moving on to Guderian's own ideas for the needs and tactics needed for a successful tank force. What suprised me most was how relevant his thoughts are in a modern context. This is a very interesting read for anyone interested in the late (1916-'18) WWI or tank tactics. Although I enjoyed it, I was rather put off at first as I was not expecting the in-depth analysis of WWI, however this was only momentary and I soon got really into the book.

Your knowlege of the Civil war will never be complete without reading this book. This book takes you there........

"Like Men of War" has never received the exposure that it should have or I feel is entitled to. Trudeau is a prize winning Civil War author, who tackled some obscure subjects. We benefit from this by seeing parts of the war that just do not coverage. "Like Men of War" is an excellent history of the USCT, its' development and battles. This is not a small book but it reads well. A small book could not do the USCT justice.

I do not know if it is possible to understand the American Civil War or Black History without reading this book.

"Like Men of War" is a good book that details the overlooked exploits the United States Colored Troops from the Civil War. Most battles and skirmishes in which black troops took part are mentioned here. The book's only faults are its ponderous length, its discounting of massacres committed by the U.S.C.T. against Confederates, and its discounting of the contributions of blacks to the Southern cause. (Unknown to many, there were blacks who sided with the CSA and did shoulder arms for it.) Otherwise, this book is good primer on a part of the Union army that at the end of the war was 10% of the Union's total force.

This book offers a history lesson of the Negro within the ranks of our great military, some ver positive and some very negative. It is well written and presents a good picture of the civil war and fighting as a black soldier. As a retired military officer, I thoroughly enjoyed this read and would like to see more research in this area.

Per Mr. Ford's (a write-in) comments on black soldiers and their inability to stand and fight, I will offer the following comments:

Some of the most important tenants in producing successful soldiers are training, discipline, leadership and morale. Not making excuses for any soldier of any racial background who flee any battlefield (or Mr. Fords comments), I think that if one properly researches the history of the black soldier during the civil war, one would find that they were not in many instances very well trained, disciplined, nor led. There primary function was to perform menial duties (grave diggers, personal aides, and other non combat related duties). In addition, to many white officers, it was considered a slap in the face to command black troops. So I oft wonder who trained them and how creditable was the training? In addition, who led these men and what were their qualifications to lead?

Although not a very appeasing statement, but American soldiers throughout history have been routed on the battlefield. This is demonstrated throughout the Civil War by both Union and Confederate soldiers. During the First Battle of Manassas, union soldiers ran after being routed by confederate forces. Also, during the battle at Gettysburg confederate soldiers fled the battlefield in the face of adversity and in some cases after poor leadership decisions.

More recently, American soldiers were routed during the Africa Campaign of WWII and also during Korea where many American soldiers fled the battlefield in the face of overwhelming odds, lack of leadership, proper training, decipline, morale, and proper logistics.

Although Mr. Ford commentary is truly eloquent, he should do a better job researching and clearly presenting the facts.

This proves to be quite an interesting book about the black troops during the Civil War. Its definitely is a military history of those troops instead of social or political history. The author appears to know his stuff and I supposed for many neo-Confederates out there, this book will sound very politically incorrect since it shows the brave soldiers of the south murdering defenseless black POWs after some battles. Of course, I am sure the black troops did some paid back as well which in the face of war, was only proper. This seem to distract many readers but overall, this book is about the black troops of the war and how they fought, performed and conducted themselves. All was not glory for them but in hindsight, they did quite well considering the situation they were in.

I was expecting this to be a dry informational book. But it briefs you on the basic of tanks, and throws you into battle in an interactive, sectioned book where you choose what will happen next.
You learn a lot from the story, from your mistakes, and from appendixes in the back. If you end up dying in combat, or even succeeding, there's is a section which tells you what you did right or wrong with quotes from famous generals and military theorists like Patton and Sun Tzu.
Great book, great read, and cheap! Love it!

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I wish I could use this series of books on new platoon leaders. It would teach them to manage resources, be tough when they have to be and no try to be everyone's friend (and the consequences that come with that). Get the other two in the series first.

This book is fun and interactive. You are thrust into an immediate combat situation and are given a company of tanks, you have very little time to organize and to get to know your men. So how do you find success? Who do you rely on? What kind of information do you need before you can make your decision? This book will challenge your assumptions, preconceptions, and your skill in making sense out of information in battle.

Good luck and Enjoy!

An  unusual book that deals with leadership at the tactical level.  "Combat Team: The Captain's War, An Interactive Exercise in Company Level Command in Battle, is by John F. Antal, an Army officer presently serving in the office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The premise of the book, which the author describes as a "scrambled text"; is that the reader commands a company-sized combined arms team and leads it through a series of combat situations. The "scrambled text" requires an action at the end of each section of the book. Readers will jump to specified sections of the narrative based on a roll of the dice or decisions they have made while working through each section. This replication of a profoundly nonlinear process illustrates the passage from Clausewitz's On War with which Antal introduces the Foreword: "Everything in war is simple, but the simplest thing is difficult. The difficulties accumulate and end by producing a kind of friction that is inconceivable unless one has experienced war." From PARAMETERS, US Army War College Quarterly, The United States Army's Senior Professional Journal,  Winter 1998, pp. 143-44.

I read Antal's other book (Infantry Combat) a number of years ago and felt like I actually learned some valuable insights (albeit as an "armchair" expert). This book however seemed too binary and simple. I finished it to the "best" outcome in one pass and most of the potential for bad outcomes relied on a dice roll. By binary, I mean that if you made the right choice (which seemed obvious) things went very well, if you made the wrong choice, you were dead within a couple of pages. Overall, I would say that this text oversimplifies the decision making process in combat too greatly by limiting the number of choices and with the abundance of information available. The best plans are truly simple (overly complicated plans almost never work), but if you've read anything about armor tactics, this book isn't worth much for educational value. There is no real information quandary and the fog of war seems very thin in this text. I would expect that any commander would make the right decisions in these situations, thus the limited value of this book. It would seem obvious that sometimes in combat, there is no perfect solution with an ideal outcome, just a choice about how to deal with a deadly situation in the best possible way.
That being said, I did enjoy reading this text and it was a nice entry-level exam that, in my own mind, validated what I felt I understood about armored combat.