Military Law Books

"Entertaining" and "fun to read" are not the usual descriptions applied to books like this heavily footnoted, two volume set. But this work is very enjoyable to read, despite its comprehensive and well-documented scope. David Irving will not be pleased. Mr. Sprecher effortlessly moves through the origins of the Military Tribunal conducting the trial, the 4 counts under which the defendants are tried, the defendant individuals, and the defendant government organizations. The prosecution cases against all of these are presented in volume I, and the defendants' cases are presented in volume II, followed by the judgement and aftermath.

Mr. Sprecher's presentation is a summary of each case presented by each prosecutor (or defense attorney), quasi-day-by-day, interspersed with personal observations, observations from other people such as psychologists who interacted with the defendants, and also provides defendant reactions to certain witnesses/documents during the trial. Highly informative, highly entertaining. Mr. Sprecher also provides pointers to follow-on sources, if you wish to do more research. An invaluable work.

One nit to pick, however: there are so many mispellings and typos in this work that one wonders if the publishers had editors go through the book prior to publishing it. Although the writing is first rate, the production work is second or third rate.

I first met the author in 1968, while I was still at Uni. Several years later I learned of his earlier life at Nuremburg. Now, I have found use in his having put down a summary of his work at Nuremburg. Mr. Sprecher has written a great reference work for anyone who might wish to pursue the evidence of Buchenwald, Treblinka, etc., rather than the dramatic stories we've often seen in film or read in novels. All human rights lawyers who are today looking for precedents to help support their arguments will find this is a thorough and excellently organised sourcebook. Non-lawyers need not worry--the language is quite readable, and while the text often refers to evidence, it nonetheless contains enough detail for the gruesome-minded.

This book discusses in considerable detail the trial before the first International Military Trial in Nuremberg in 1945 and 1946. From contemporaneous documents, Drexel Sprecher discloses the planning of aggressive wars by Nazi Germany which eventually resulted in the deaths of nearly 30 million people. Sprecher describes the evolution of the numerous concentration camps and the genocide of more than six million Jews and one-half million Gypsies. Though he was a prosecutor, Sprecher presents the first complete account of the defenses made on behalf of the 22 defendants at the trial. He also sets forth the findings of the International Military Tribunal concerning the guilt and innocence of the defendants. The book is an important source for reference by the several international tribunals which have been established by the United Nations to deal with recent war crimes and civil crimes involving the murder of large numbers of civilians. Inside the Nuremberg Trial is well organized into 122 chapters, each with many subsections. This organization makes it possible to find virtually any topic concerning the Nazi regime and the holocaust and how the Nazi leaders were brought to justice at Nuremberg.

There is not a shred of scientific evidence that the military strategies presently being used to stop terrorism will do anything but make the problem worse. So, why are so many governments on the
warpath? The simple answer is: because they can't think of anything else to do. At the same time, anti-war
protesters are ridiculed for offering no alternative.

Here's the alternative.

The message for today given in this book is: Whether you are a 5-star general or a civilian, wherever you live, or whatever your religion, you can begin today to make a significant contribution to stopping terrorism. How? By closing your eyes and practising Transcendental Meditation (TM).

A brief check on the research sources referenced in this book reveal that during the Lebanon conflict, the war almost came to a halt every time a few hundred practised this technique and the advanced TM-Sidhi Program of Yogic Flying together, and similar effects have been created on many subsequent occasions.

I discovered that much of this research is among the most strictly monitored and peer reviewed material in the whole of social sciences literature. All that's needed for permanent and productive peace is more people who meditate!

This book presents a theoretical understanding, based on fundamental but lucidly explained scientific, of the almost innumerable scientifically proven benefits of the Transcendental Meditation Program.

In brief, practising Transcendental Meditation not only gives you deeper rest than deep sleep, so the stresses of the day are dissolved, but the positive influence--like any quantum mechanical phenomenon--spreads spontaneously, so that everyone automatically begins to experience more success, satisfaction,
and creativity, as well as better health.

The recent World Economic Forum concluded that terrorism springs from poverty and lack of fulfilment. So check out Maharishi's Absolute Theory of Defence and you will a find a guide not only to promoting effective defence, but also to promoting creativity in every aspect of your country's life and helping the economy to advance far beyond dependence on foreign oil and military spending.

Maharishi’s Absolute Theory of
>Defenceâ€"Sovereignty in Invinc>ibility
A Totally New Take on Defence
>Brace yourself for a plunge. The first sentence of
>this book drops you right>
>into the origin of the universe, which Maharishi
>describes as a perfectly
>orderly and invincible field of 'absolute pure
>existence, or pure
>consciousness'. The thesis of this book is that
>accessing this field is the
>way to creating invincibility for an individual or a
>nation.
>
>If you are looking for a solution to the problems
>the world faces
>today--you'll find it here.
>
>The main idea is that the coherence or orderliness
>of a system is what makes>
>it invincible--able to defend itself from harm.
>Among many of the fascinatin>g
>examples given in the book is the Meissner Effect.
>This effect is displayed
>by a superconductor which, on the basis of its
>internal coherence, is capabl>e
>of warding off the penetration of a disorderly
>influence such as a magnetic
>field. What Maharishi is telling us is that this
>kind of coherence, which ca>n
>resist destructive influences, can be created in our
>own lives, in our
>nations, and in our world.
>
>The book left me feeling optimistic--that there is
>something I can do to
>improve life on earth, because individual coherence
>contributes to collectiv>e
>coherence. This book is clearly not a philosophical
>treatise. It is a
>blueprint for a practical solution for the desperate
>need of our world.

Book Review of:
Maharishi's Absolute Theory of Defence: Sovereignty in Invincibility

REVIEWED BY: Dr. Catherine A. Gorini, Hamilton, Massachusetts, USA

This book by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of the Transcendental Meditation Program, presents a theory of defense that is based on the wisdom of Vedic Science and supported by modern scientific theories and experimental research.

Maharishi calls his theory 'absolute' because it applies to any nation at any time, under any circumstances: by building up the internal coherence of national consciousness, any country can prevent the birth of an enemy, and thus ensure its own invincibility.

The book begins with a description of the nature of the Veda and the discovery of Veda and the Vedic Literature in human physiology. This is followed by a description of how Vedic Principles, brought to light by Maharishi, can be applied to create an invincible defense by the military of any nation. These principles are substantiated by explanations of how Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physiology have located the source of invincibility of natural systems in properties of coherence, purity , and self-referral.

The book concludes with a discussion of the Maharishi Effect--the measurable influence of coherence created by groups of individuals practicing the TM-Sidhi Technique of Yogic Flying; and a description of scientific research on Transcendental Meditation and the Maharishi Effect.

The logic used to present this theory is persuasive, and the ideas merit careful consideration by all thoughtful individuals interested in creating world peace.

Completely fascinating. Most Americans don't even know we had hundreds of camps all over the U.S. that housed German POWs. We study all the heros and villains of the war in broad terms, and tend to forget that there were thousands of little events that to the people involved were every bit as important as the publicized events. The U.S. Army executed a group of Germans who did what the American Army itself would have expected of its soldiers, and hushed up if American POWs did exactly the same thing. This is a frightening study of how the military bureaucracy is a law unto its own purposes. "The Killing of Corporal Kunz" and "Extreme Justice" are further fascinating looks at the same kind of situation.

Martial Justice: The Last Mass Execution in the United States is a compelling account of a conflict between honor and the fight against tyranny. A historical tragedy of German Submariner POW Werner Drechsler who was willing to sacrifice the bond of comradeship to save his homeland. On the other side, seven fellow German Submariner POWs who see Drechsler as a traitor. The actions taken by the seven leads them down a twisted wartime legal path that ends with their execution after the surrender of Germany. The book examines the strong bonds of loyalty shared amongst these young men. A close-knit fraternity which became stronger through adversity. The many questions left unanswered by history begs the reader to examine the tarnished legacy left behind by the prisoner of war experience in the United States.

Captivating, I couldn't put it down. Very well researched and extremely well written and easy to read. Any student of the U-boat was would do well to read this sad chapter in the history of the Ubootwaffe. It really gets into the mindset of the crews. Human nature is a fascinating beast and Martial Justice is a great study in the good and bad in us all.

For anyone with an interest in law or history this is a great read. Justice Rutledge was my grandfather's first cousin -- thus the initial reason I bought the book. Unfortunately the dust jacket was crinkled upon arrival so I'll have to send it back for a new copy.

As the folks at Amazon could tell you, I read many novels and very few biographies. I am a corporate lawyer, and have not practiced constitutional law since I clerked for Judge Ferren, the author of this Rutledge bio, more than 20 years ago. I picked up this book because of my connection to the author, but I stuck with it for other reasons. First, the writing is elegant and precise; it is a very readable book. The book tells the story of a good man (and very good lawyer/dean/judge) who is concerned with doing his job right, respected others, was respected by others in return, and achieved great things -- what an encouraging, uncynical story! (Not dissimilar to the author's own story, a fact that creates an extra richness of texture in this book, especially in its descriptions of the life of an appellate judge.) In addition, the constitutional issues that the Court dealt with during WWII and the immediate post-war era remain fascinating -- and very timely. These issues are made understandable to nonexperts without being oversimplified. I learned a lot, and greatly enjoyed the process.

At long last, thanks to Judge Ferren, we have a complete biography of Justice Wiley Rutledge. While Rutledge is not much remembered today, and his tenure on the Supreme Court was relatively brief (1943-49), his significance merits more attention than he has received. Judge Ferren employs a completely different approach than the only other biography of the Justice, Harper's "Justice Rutledge and the Bright Constellation" (1965). Harper focused almost exclusively upon Justice Rutledge's decisions. Judge Ferren does not get Rutledge on the court until page 222 (out of 548). While one might conclude that perhaps too much detail occupies the pre-Court discussion, I can't think of another judicial biography that so effectively affords one a feeling of becoming so intimately familiar with its subject. This initial section is particularly effective in discussing the political maneuvering that accompanied filling several vacancies on the Court, including Rutledge's. The book's central focus, Rutledge on the Court, is very well developed. Judge Ferren not only brings his own insight into the judicial process to his analysis, but discusses some unique aspects as well, such as Rutledge's habit of asking trusted law faculty members their opinions on issues before the court, and Rutledge's exhaustive preparation for writing opinions. The book also adds to our understanding of the personal interplay in that most bombastic of Supreme Courts, that chaired by Chief Justice Stone. Interspersed with the discussion of Court cases is additional biographical material relating to the Justice. Finally, the underlying research is simply awesome--truly a labor of love. While it is a very long book, if you are interested in Justice Rutledge or his period on the Court, it makes for indispensable reading.

The book was easy to read, and not complicated to follow and understand the instructions.

My State Representative has a copy of this book and we are working on improving benefits for the State of Oklahoma. Our benefit book now has thirty two pages and seven of those are dedicated to license plates.
All PX's and BX's should have this book available to all future veterans so they can get ready to return to civilian life in their home state or any state they decide to live in.
Every Veterans Organization should have this book to have informed service officers to help veterans. Also this book should be used by service organizations to help them improve their own State's benefits.
My sincere thanks goes to Mr Armstrong & Rizzuti for the work put into this book

Very informative and comprehensive , a thourough and well organized list of state programs to aid any vet looking to simplify their search through the quagmire we call governmental agencies.

The attacks of September 11, 2001, fundamentally altered America's national security paradigm. Among their many newly assigned tasks, policy-makers were forced to rethink the appropriate role of the armed services in bolstering homeland security, as well as fighting a global war on terror. In A War of a Different Kind: Military Force and America's Search for Homeland Security, Stephen Duncan provides thoughtful analysis of these issues, with particular attention paid to the military's place in defending the homeland. As a former federal criminal prosecutor, assistant secretary of defense, and decorated war veteran with over forty years of service, Duncan is able to provide first-hand knowledge of the inadequacies that led to September 11, as well as the difficulties that now lie ahead. A War of a Different Kind is a well-documented, thoughtful and timely analysis of the complexities of transforming the military to meet the challenges of homeland defense and the larger war on terror.

Steve Duncan has written a book that is truly important. His perspective is that of a former Assistant Secretary of Defense responsible for Reserve Affairs in the Reagan and first Bush administrations, the Pentagon official responsible for pulling together the Defense Department's counterdrug efforts, a prcticing attorney, and the former CEO of a high tech company. Today, he is the Director of the Institute for Homeland Security Sudies at the National Defense University. With such a background - and writing before the release of the report of the 9/11 Commission - he has captured the fog of this strange new war. His approach, while historical, is a unique case study of the national security politics in their bureaucratic and substantive aspects. As such, it takes its place with such works as James Locher's study of the passage of the Goldwater-Nichols Act, Victory on the Potomac. Unlike that book, Duncan has given more attention to the substantive issues of the Global War on Terrorism from the time before America knew it was at war until the present. His analysis is superb and he bends over backwards to be fair to all the participants. In this case, it is fair to say the facts he presents show an America that was simply asleep in its own dream world. It woke up on September 11, 2001 and, as Duncan shows, demonstrated what Americans are made of.

"A War of a Different Kind" addresses the issue of protecting America's interests and providing homeland security from terrorism. While the evening news and the "911 Commission Report" provide information on events leading up to and surrounding September 11, 2001, this book provides a thoroughly referenced, in-depth understanding of the complex issues including historical background, military doctrine, foreign policy, constitutional and criminal law, and the role of the armed forces relative to other federal, state, and local jurisdictions. These subjects come alive in context with the events of 9/11, allowing the reader to develop a comprehensive understanding of the challenges we face. This book will be of interest to the general public and should be required reading for anyone involved in homeland security including the military, elected officials, and law enforcement personnel.

You won't find many of the usual right wing nut jobs reviewing this book, because it is very hard to libel documentary evidence. In law, we say "res ipsa loquitor," or "the thing speaks for itself." And this book has delivered the goods: documentary evidence in spades. If you don't come away from this book convinced that at the very least there is a prima facie case for indicting the US military high command, up to and including the shrub and Darth Cheney, on charges of aggravated war crimes and crimes against humanity, then you just haven't paid attention, or, worse, you are part of that portion of humanity--Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pinochet, Pol Pot, etc.--that thinks there is nothing wrong with torture and that, in fact, we should use it more. If that is the case, you will find plenty to warm your heart here.

This book is a great collection of the records of the Bush administration's torture policy. Seeing as it is a collection of documents obtained through FOIA some of it is redacted. This redaction lends the book that air of "what are they trying to cover up." This book would be great for research.

The introduction sets it all out in a nice brief synopsis. Thus, this book has little author influence as to opinion. It allows you to see for yourself.

Rather than trying to be a synopsis of a text, Velm captures the spirit and essence of each period covered as well as consistently helpful hints on test prep. It's kind of like having Alt. U.S. History version 2, the view from the left side of the fence.Entertaining as a stand alone 'read' even if you're not prepping for the test.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It's not easy to make history come alive, especially with the looming threat of a major exam. This book doesn't just summarize facts that you might need for the exam. It takes the drudgery out of the exam review. I found myself forgetting that preparation for the exam was the focus and just enjoying the history that became truly compelling in this book. I really think that it would be helpful if this book were used in classrooms along with other methods of test prepration. It is comprehensive without ever being dull, and it's written with wit and compassion. If it's possible to take the stress out of preparation for an AP exam, this book accomplishes that task.

The only reason that this five volume work is rated with five stars is that is the highest I could go on this forum. It rates a 'ten' easily.

This monumnetal, authoritative, exhaustively researched work is also a great read. Ramsay Phipps delved into the lives and accomplishments of some of the greatest soldiers in history and came up with the definitive work on the period. Generally, we are given information and books from 1800-1815 on these same individuals, at least those that survived the French Revolutionary Wars. Here we see them at their beginnings, from peasant, private soldier, apprentice dyer, poor, but proud minor noblemen (of which Napoleon himself was one), smuggler, and are dragged or thrown onto the stage of one of the greatest events in the history of man, the French Revolution which launched Europe into almost 23 years of constant, bloody warfare that brought down kings, lay countries prostrate, and changed Europe, and the world forever.

High deeds and bloody battles flow through this work to tell of the high-hearted Marceau, the brilliant, dedicated Desaix, the monumental Kleber, who was described by Napoleon as looking like the god of war, Mars, as he led his troops into the fire. The multi-talented Berthier, who would become Napoleon's indispensable chief of staff, iron-hand Soult, incorruptible Davout, taciturn, deadly Reynier, they all pepper these volumes to weave a tale of valor, sacrifice, and victory for la patrie.

This work must be put back into print, and it is worth the price asked. It is an indispensable work, accurate, reliable, and fascinating to read. If you don't own it or haven't read it, you are missing out on one of the highlights of Napoleonic period literature.

The only reason that this five volume work is rated with five stars is that is the highest I could go on this forum. It rates a 'ten' easily.

This monumnetal, authoritative, exhaustively researched work is also a great read. Ramsay Phipps delved into the lives and accomplishments of some of the greatest soldiers in history and came up with the definitive work on the period. Generally, we are given information and books from 1800-1815 on these same individuals, at least those that survived the French Revolutionary Wars. Here we see them at their beginnings, from peasant, private soldier, apprentice dyer, poor, but proud minor noblemen (of which Napoleon himself was one), smuggler, and are dragged or thrown onto the stage of one of the greatest events in the history of man, the French Revolution which launched Europe into almost 23 years of constant, bloody warfare that brought down kings, lay countries prostrate, and changed Europe, and the world forever.

High deeds and bloody battles flow through this work to tell of the high-hearted Marceau, the brilliant, dedicated Desaix, the monumental Kleber, who was described by Napoleon as looking like the god of war, Mars, as he led his troops into the fire. The multi-talented Berthier, who would become Napoleon's indispensable chief of staff, iron-hand Soult, incorruptible Davout, taciturn, deadly Reynier, they all pepper these volumes to weave a tale of valor, sacrifice, and victory for la patrie.

This work must be put back into print, and it is worth the price asked. It is an indispensable work, accurate, reliable, and fascinating to read. If you don't own it or haven't read it, you are missing out on one of the highlights of Napoleonic period literature.

This book is an important contribution to the rule of law promotion field. The book particularly distinguishes itself in that it combines an understanding of the academic debate with the on-ground reality of establishing or rebuilding a system of justice in a war-torn area. Very few books, articles, or other publications manage to explore rule of law promotion with both perspectives in hand. The authors are to be applauded for performing this balancing act and providing the public with such a useful blend of information and analysis.

In fact, I have found this book to be so useful that I now use it as a core text in a class on rule of law promotion, which I teach in law school. While the text addresses a number of legal issues, I believe it to be accessible to non-lawyers who are interested in understanding, and perhaps working, in the rule of law promotion field. On the topics covered, this book captures accurately the challenges, opportunities, and limitations of the field as it is today.

This book comes at a particularily appropriate time. It has become very clear that the administrations of the major powers are operating at the limits of their capabilities in the area of peacemaking after conflict.

It seems that there was a string of what have to be considered real successes: Japan and Germany were out bitter enemies during World War II, yet after the war, what has to be considered enlightened supervision totally changed their governments to democracies reflecting the will of the people and making them good neighbors. South Korea is another example.

Then a series of bloodbaths occurred. Perhaps a hundred wars since then, with perhaps a hundred million people killed. Are we to allow more 'holocausts' in Haiti, Rwanda, and on and on.

This book is the report of law professors in U.S. law schools, but professors with experience on the ground in Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, East Timor, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Iraq. ==These are not subjects that were unknown in our Government before the Iraq/Afthanistan invasions, but the level of the difficulty in establishing working governments certainly seems to have been minimized.

This book is an important contribution to thinking about the problems now being faced in Iraq.