I love military history books and this one by Max Hastings ranks along Antony Beevor's WW2 books (Stalingrad, Berlin etc....., he is very uncompromising in his views of certain military failures like Market Garden, Zhukov's Oder crossing and the Ardennes Offensive, even that the allied soldier was a factor in why the war didn't end in 1944, criticism of Montgomery and Patton and Churchill aswell, the cautiousness of Allied generals viewed against Soviet generals who cared little for their men and had a lot of pressure placed on them from Stalin, there are lots more observations in no real order, the maps are not great either but this is minor compared to the writing and content. I loved the book for it's opinions and would recommend it to anybody with an interest in the last years of the war.
Now a couple of years ago I loaned this book to Ian (a fellow Reject) and I haven't seen it since (even after many enquiries as to it's whereabouts), it upset him that much the criticism of the allied soldier and Churchill especially in the last years of the war in the book, I believe he binned it or burnt it but only Ian knows? I mention this as I ended up buying the book again and love the effect it had on him and I believe some books do bring out the passion in people but he still owes me for the book.
I think the late war priod is filled with all sorts of very interesting things, not all of what we might want to imagine either. The bony weary human element after years of grinding warfare is one of the most undersung components too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recommendation - I loved Max Hasting's "Das Reich" too BTW
We were pretty much bought up on the myths which sustained our grand parents throughout the conflict. While they had their purpose at the time, it's only right that the truth be explored now that the time has long passed.
ReplyDeleteCertainly I can't imagine that, whatever the reality, it really detracts from the individual heroism displayed by the people involved in the conflict in any case.
Good post and I'll look out for that!
I must check it out.
ReplyDeleteIts safe to say that a few Ego's of senior Generals cost the lives of many thousands of allied troops, Market Garden being one example.
You can still watch the very good WW2 Armagedden series on Channel4 using their internet 4 on Demand service.
Also the BBC series D-Day to Berlin can be watched on their iPlayer and has some very good reconstructions.
Its interesting to read German soldiers thoughts on Allied tactics, especially during Normandy, where they again and again wonder why the Allies, especially the British don't push on and take better advantage of their overwhelming firepower in planes, tanks and men.
I'm all for books ingendering a strong reaction--as long its their books they're abusing and not mine.
ReplyDeletekinda don't have time for books right now.. but i bet this is good one since i like the army stuff also
ReplyDeleteOne of the worst things I ever did was study history. I was brought up in the 50's and 60's and it was a time filled with myths about the War and other things. I spent a long time afterwards having my 'heritage' steadily eroded. ;O)
ReplyDeleteStill, it's a decent book, although MH does tend to be variable in his output. His Falklands book reads more like the official British history than an historical analysis (and I think Hugh Bischeno may have an equal claim to be [one of] the first journalists into Stanley). Then again, he was the Telegraph's editor . . . .
Cant say i read much (except for my work) but this definately looks worth a read!
ReplyDeleteI've read MH's 'Op.OVERLORD', and I found it amazing. I come from Greece, and I am always seeking for objective views on historical facts, such as WW2. I don't like to choose sides, but I think that MH books make you think that we are all losers when it comes to war. Those who lose less are the final winners. And that they all have irritating (and deadly of course) habits! :-)
ReplyDeleteT.
This is why I never lend out books.
ReplyDeleteWill check this out so i can give an opinion ;D
ReplyDeleteBinned or burnt the book? Isn't that one of the seven deadly sins?
ReplyDeleteYikes -- not returning a borrowed book? Not cool.
ReplyDeleteI'm launching back into WWII after several years away from it, and I'm not familiar with Max Hastings -- based on your post and the comments by Paul of the Man Cave and Thanos, I must give MH a try.
must be a really good book for you to buy it twice, and a really good friend for you to let the first one go. :)
ReplyDeleteI'll check it out! Not cool returning your book though.
ReplyDeleteAlways on the lookout for good history books, will check it out.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested on getting my hands on this.
ReplyDeleteshame on that Ian guy, what is he, a Spanish inquisition to burn books? :))
ReplyDeleteWhen historical research findings clash with common belief there is always repercussions. The hope is we learn from history and not parrot fairy tales. Some refuse to change their dogmatic views. The irony is the more facts disproving a fallacy the more some will refuse to accept them.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a thought provoking read.
Looks like an awesome read! :)
ReplyDeletelol is he a nazi... like who burns books nowadays...
ReplyDeleteI'll have to get this book. I like Max Hastings work (his book Das Reich was excellent) so expect this will be up to his normal standard for research and insight.
ReplyDeleteI do lime Max's work. For a journalist (or perhaps because he's a journalist rather than a historian) he's not one to avoid tackling treasured illusions for the sake of avoiding controversy.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree with him 100% of the time, but he always makes a good argument. I also have his books on the Korean War and the War in the Pacific.
How I wish I had the attention span to read a book right now. Looks like a great read though!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like an interesting book. I'd like to hear his views and opinions on this.
ReplyDeleteBooks, to me, are serious business. Kinda like my games and caffeine.
ReplyDeleteI need to find the cliff notes... no time for heavy reading right now ;(
ReplyDeleteHeh, you need to bring your mate to book..
ReplyDeleteI have read this book 3 times and have nearly a complete collection of MH's works, he makes a good read if sometimes controversial.
History is fascinating. It's awesome to see such huge future impact hinge on such seemingly small things.
ReplyDeleteI am going to have to check that book out since I love WW2 history.
ReplyDeletetoo heavy for me at the moment!
ReplyDeleteMy gramps is still kicking and he was in the war. He actually stormed Normandy. Talking to him is like reading the best book ever.
ReplyDeleteAre you gathering support for a potential offensive against Ian to regain the book?
ReplyDeleteI haven't read Armageddon, but I did read the Pacific war companion, Retribution. Hastings is provocative and interesting. I'm glad to see we are entering into a new phase of historical writing about WWII where we can question those old assumptions about the war. Good recommendation.
ReplyDeleteI got his book Das Reich at the 1/2 price book warehouse a long time ago and I thought it was excellent.
ReplyDeleteVoluntary loan?
ReplyDeleteThat's subconsciously considered a gift.
You'll have to get yourself another copy I reckon.
Poor Ian, he did throw his rattle around a lot!!! This of course is another book you've not lent me yet!!
ReplyDeleteI hate it when people don't return shizz.....i was freaking out recently when a friend of mine held onto a battery charger I lent her back in Jan. what if I needed a good jump?
ReplyDeleteIf it's one thing I learned from my history of Soviet Union class, it's that Stalin was not to be fucked with.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_No._227
no surrender, only death.
Guess I should check it out when I have time. Sounds really interesting.
ReplyDeleteI have an interest in millitary history as well.. Never been much of a reader though
ReplyDeleteLove old war book with maps and battle plans!
ReplyDeleteThat is why I do not let people borrow my shit. You never know if you will see it again
ReplyDeleteThat's a sharp summary. I hope Ian takes the hint.
ReplyDeleteanything that involves wwII is amazing!
ReplyDeleteI'm a great reader of history books and I love them, but tell your friend Ian that he must try to read ANY english written military book about WWII as an Italian and only THEN he will be allowed to be "upset" ;) ... It's not easy to go in a war that you don't want (only your leader wants it), with utterly ineffective equipments and vehicles... Everything written in the post war is almost esclusively from American or british sources. If your consider that for nearly 60 years, the "political situation" left in my country teached us that only the "liberation war" from '43 to 45 really counted, it looks like we didn't really made the '40 and '43 part of the war...
ReplyDeleteMy 2 grandpas fought in that war (one was a radio operator on SM79 torpedo bombers, the other was an infantry soldier) they both nearly get shot by germans after the armistice of sept 8th '43 just because they were italians and at wrong place at the wrong moment and one was sent to dachau, One of my girlfriend uncles was in Cefalonia....
History is seldom as it's written, especially by the winners... As Quetopia said, the best thing to do is to speak to who saw those years, unfortunately, harder everyday...
Sorry if I hijacked your comments, just wanted to give you a different opinion....
Cheers
Fabio
Sounds like a very interesting book. If only I had the time to sit down and read one......
ReplyDeleteIsn't that *Sir* Max Hastings? Heh, my go-to WWII book, the collected edition of Osprey's World in Flames series had him write the foreward.
ReplyDeleteI like the military books. Definitely offer a different life perspective. Kinda weird that a military book is MIA.
ReplyDeleteNot into military books but this book looks interesting so I'll check it out sometime :D
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why some people are so resentful to criticism. The Allied forces in the war were HARDLY perfect, and calling them on their mistakes is not at all an insult.
ReplyDelete@Gnotta: The italian campaign is hardly mentioned in the book which is quite bad.
ReplyDeleteI love these kind of books!Sounds worth checking this one out if i go to the library soon!
ReplyDeleteIf I ever get me head above the stack of books I'm reading I'll check this one out as I enjoy perspectives. Bad form if your friend did as you suggested he might have as it's not his property to dispense.
ReplyDeleteChristopher
This book looks like its worth a read actually, might have to pick it up.
ReplyDeleteI will have to check this book out. I like books that go against the grain of conventional thinking and have some substance to back it up.
ReplyDeletenice synopsis, ill check it out
ReplyDeleteWell Ian's all right otherwise isn't he, so he is just signalling what his depth is, and he is not comfortable beyond that depth. That explains the strange non-answers, and wishing you'd just stop asking about it.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened is called growing pains, and most people never do grow past that point, and maybe he never will. It's normal for most people.
These books are just for some people who need better answers. Whatever you do, don't let him borrow the John Mosier books on WW1 or WW2. He is not old enough for those, and may never be.
Max Hastings is a reasonable military historian but he can be somewhat sloppy with his basic facts. Take for instance in Armageddon he gets the date of the American capture of the bridge at Remagen wrong!! It is school boy type error but one that blights Hastings' books. His book on Normandy is very good but again he shows he doesn't delve deep enough research wise. In one part he states the 12th SS for example was down to the srength of 300 men!! This is blatantly incorrect as Niklas Zetterling in his brilliant statistical analysis Normandy '44 shows. The documents Hastings is basing his arguments on are in fact orders for 300 men of the divion in regards to a certain movement and nothing to do with the actual strength of the divion. How he could publish this is beyond me because the division after Falaise crossed the Seine with a strength of approx 12,000 men according to Hubert Meyer the divisions chief of staff. He wrote the divional history in 1994 which was published by JJ Fedorowicz in Canada.
ReplyDeleteMax Hastings is worth reading but his facts must be taken with a grain of salt unfortuantely as he can be somewhat lazy in his research. But overall his arguments are very sound. Bomber Command I think is his best work and I highly recommend it!!
Sorry, hope I'm not appearing patronising with this comment!
nice dude!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'd be very interested in reading this one! Most of the history we learned in the States pretty much painted Patton as a flawless strategist who had no weaknesses other than slapping his troops around. Interesting to hear how the war in Europe could have ended in 44 too. I doubt the conditions were the same in the Pacific though.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see a book review once in a while
ReplyDeleteHe burnt your book? That's radical...
ReplyDeleteyeah, i have learned to never loan books, they just never find their way back.
ReplyDeleteHi! I want to say you that there is a Stylish Blogger Award for you here: http://www.massimomoscarelli.it/leadaddicted/?p=1135
ReplyDeleteThanks for your blog that I follow in every post : )
wow this book actually sounds very interesting! If I ever take the time, I will be sure to read it! :D
ReplyDelete