Troops Books

This book is invaluable. You have a 3star general advising you on the most common of issues facing people in command or in leadership positions. I have given copies to all my junior officers and it has saved them and I often in the common sense approach to solving situations.

The book is a collection of detailed special operations stories from the Vietnam war to the last invasion of Iraq. Most of the stories are complemented by detailed pictures of mission plans and military hardware.

However, the book provides claims that US special forces organized, advised and run operations together with PKK in northern Iraq, PKK is classified as a terrorist organization by the US State Department. Therefore, if the details in the book (listed below) are true, the book is a groundbreaking revelation of the sins of the US military/state establishment. If they are not, then one suspects the validity of other details in the book.

I have no way to prove or disprove the following claims, but you can verify their presence by the Amazon's search inside function:

Link to joint US operations with terrorists:
page 225: "10th Special Forces Group teams working with peshmerga militia soldiers from the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK in the Kurdish north..."

Link to US support of terrorists:
Page 252: "For years since Operation Desert Storm in 1991, the 10th Special Forces Group had been discreetly working with the PKK ..."

Link to US advising terrorists:
Page 253: "...commander of Joint Special Operations Task Force-North (JSOTF-N). Originally, JSOTF-N's mission was to act as advisers to the PKK, which would have formed a vanguard for the 4th MID on their drive south. ..."

Link to US matchmaking between terrorists and their rivals for operational security:
Page 264: "The KDP was a rival to the PKK, and the two political groups' jockeying for power in the Kurdish-controlled territory was an element that complicated American operations in the Kurdish controlled territory...".

PKK has been responsible for more than 40,000 deaths in US ally Turkey and therefore viewed as the al-Qaeda problem of Turkey. Perhaps these revelations explain why US lost support and face in a previously staunch supporter.

State Department Link to the status of PKK:
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2008/jan/99128.htm

Unlike most "contribution" books on black soldiers in American history which treat them simply as dark-skinned, blue-jacketed white men, Christian's work focuses on the meaning of African Americans' military service for race relations in Texas. This state, both a century ago and now, lay at the nexus of several cultures and races, including Anglos, Hispanics, and Blacks. The presence of black troops strangely revealed similarities between the other two groups with regard to anti-black racism, indicating that Mexicans themselves adopted much of the "southern" outlook toward English-speaking minorities. Christian's book will not sell as well as others on this topic, like Leckie's for example, because he addresses little of the "saddles and boots" history that campaign narrative fans are so fond of. But he moves military history in an admirable new direction, taking on questions that social historians have asked for twenty years. His approach and methodology are somewhat traditional, ignoring many books on the sociology of race which could complement his study, and the writing is a tad dry. But those problems are minor. Hopefully this study will gain the place it deserves, both in African American history and the history of the army in Texas.

This book covers the last two weeks of the hardest infantry course in the western world. 6 months ( withou injury ) and then a week in the field immediately followed by a series of combat fitness tests. THe text accuratly covers what happens near the end of training for those who chose to be a bootneck and those who want to earn the covetted Green Beret and return to their home units to work alongside bootnecks in the field. I been to lympstone ( where recruit training is undertaken ) - the only thing missng is this book are the three hour PT 'beastings' on the assault course and the warmups prior to attacking any physical challenge. ( NB. All commando tests are carried out in BOOTS and with weighted webbing 22lbs min + weapon ) Excellent.

As a fan of espionage, terrorism, and special ops. books I had to check this out. This covers a multitude of the aforementioned groups. It is extraordinarily researched and I strongly recommed it for the avid reader of books about "the weird world of Spooks, Counter-terrorists, Adventureres and the not-quite professionals.

short notes about Elite Troops of WW2, gives nice overall info from different troops from different countries. good one.

As a Captain in the Washington State Civil War Association I portray the Company "A" 1st Confederate Engineers commanding officer. We try to make our re-enacments as authentic as possible but information on the Confederate Engineers is very difficult to find as most records were lost when Richmond was evacuated. I have found Mr. Jackson's book to be of immense help in studying the history of the 1st C.E. The information he gives is obviously well researched and is presented in an interesting way so it is enjoyable to read. The use of letters from the participants gives the book a personal touch that I found drew me into the action as though I were actually there in the works at Petersburg while the seige was going on. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the War Between the States.

Another good series on the Third Reich dealing with the Wermacht 's(German Armed Forces) defensive methods in France. This book quite rightly gives ample mention to feldmarshal Erwin Rommel's efforts in building the 'Atlantic Wall'. Historian Samuel Mitcham Jr was quite close to the mark when he said in his book 'Hitler's Field Marshals' that had Rommel been given complete control of Panzer and Infantry forces in Normandy allied success would have become doubtful. 'Fortress Europe' also pays considerable attention to individual German officers like 'tankkiller' Oberleutnant Wittmann and Major 'Hajo' Herrmann, the orginator of the 'Wilde Sau' or Wild Boar tactics for night-fighters. Some discrepancies, I felt, a picture on page 22 shows members of the I.N.A (Indian National Army) or the Indian Legion who were fighting against the British in Europe , the picture is described as showing former Indian prisoners-of-war from North Africa(correctly) with members of ' a militant Indian nationalist group'. I didn't realize patriots had to be termed as militants or otherwise, after all Free French Forces were never termed as 'militant French nationalist groups'. Apart from this, this book is quite good , and presents an accurate picture of the 'Third Reich'.

Although covering the same subject as Warrior 74: Gebirgsjager, German Mountain Trooper 1939-45, I found this Elite volume to be somewhat more focused and less repetitive, although both volumes are neccessarily brief.

Elite, extremely fit, and highly motivated but lightly equipped infantry troops mostly from Southern Germany and Austria Gebirgsjager fought in all theatres of World War 2, proving extremely effective in Norway and Greece until their eventual stop-gap employment and destruction in the Western Front.

This volume covers the main Gebirgs divisions and corps, the SS and ethnic Gebirgs formations, major campaigns, decorations and insignia, uniforms, and has the usual excellent Osprey color plates and period illustrations. However weapons, tactics, and general unit structure are not covered to a great extent, my only complaint about this otherwise excellent general reference.


Both Osprey volumes mentioned make good companions to;
Seven Days in January; With the 6th SS-Mountain Division in Operation Nordwind, 0-9666389-5-6

THIS BOOK WAS REALLY GOOD. I READ IT SEVERAL TIMES. I WAS THERE GREETING THE TROOPS. AND IF I DIDNT GREET THEM THIS BOOK MADE IT SEEM LIKE I WAS THERE. THE BOOK CAME TO LIFE. I AM GLAD I GREETED THE TROOPS AND READ THE BOOK. THE BOOK MADE ME THINK OF ALL THE MEMORIES I HAD OF GREETING THE TROOPS. THE BOOK BROUGHT BACK SO MANY MEMORIES.