As an amateur World War Two Historian, there are several theaters of the War you must study to get a grasp on the War as a whole. The European and Pacific Theaters take up the bulk of this study of course, but one that has fascinated me for several years is the German/Soviet Theater of…
Category: Book Suggestions
Cold War Files: Forgetting Castro’s Crimes
‘Fighting Over Fidel: The New York Intellectuals and the Cuban Revolution’ Between the Old Left and the New Left, between the radicalism of the 1930s and the radicalism of the 1970s, there comes the curious figure of Fidel Castro. A celebrated revolutionary thinker. The absolute ruler of Cuba—and, for a time, the man believed to…
My Top 3 Ancient History Book Suggestions for January 2016
Being a History Geek and Amateur Historian I wanted to share with you guys a few Ancient History books you might like. Although Ancient History is not really something I read a lot, sometimes my Military History research takes me there.-SF The Ghost of Cannae: Hannibal and the Darkest Hour of the Roman Republic…
Military History: Marine Corp General James Mattis, “Nothing New Under the Sun…”
In 2013 General James N. Mattis retired after a 41-year Marine Corps career that included field commands in the Persian Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan. In the theater of combat the hard-charging general was known by the call sign “Chaos.” But it was his respect for history and studious commitment to training in strategy and…
Mean Streets: The Clash of Technology and Terrain and Urban Warfare
In urban environments, the playing field is levelled between the conventional armies and insurgents BE IT ALEPPO or Damascus, Mosul or Ramadi, or even Eastern Ukraine, combatants in today’s conflicts are frequently fighting in and over urban areas. The decision to wage war in cities is driven in part by modern military technology. Frequently,…
Military History: What the 173rd Airborne Looked Like Two Centuries Ago
Historic reoccurrence is a controversial concept. However, events, especially in military history, often take place in similar sites. The reason for this phenomenon is simple. Throughout centuries logistics, weaponry and technology change, but terrain and strategic points continue to shape military campaigns. Consequently, soldiers’ accounts share similarities in impressions, discomforts and adventures, even if they happen…
Wingate’s Way: Leadership Lessons from Britain’s Maverick General
I highly recommend Anglin’s book Orde Wingate: Unconventional Warrior for those of you who have an interest in learning about Counter-Insurgency Warfare and it’s timeless principles.-SF “Orde Wingate’s experiences from World War Two offer lessons for 21st Century military planners, particularly in the areas of counter-insurgency, covert and special operations and proxy wars.” By Dr. Simon Anglin MAJOR GENERAL Orde…
21st Century Seapower
When the Tamil Sea Tigers, the ferocious naval wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), was destroyed in the Sri Lankan government’s full-throttled spring 2009 offensive that put an end to the country’s decades-long civil war, few were sorry to see its demise. For while the group was a capable adversary of Sri…
My “Proposed” Reading List for 2016
With the New Year upon us, I thought I might share what books I have on deck for 2016. Keep in mind I am a writer and amateur historian, so my “professional reading” tends to have a very heavy emphasis on military history, in particular WW2 and the Cold War. My leisure and fiction reading…
War on the Rocks 2015 Holiday Reading List
Some real gems in this list..definitely worth a look and read. -SF We are a little tardy with this year’s holiday reading list, but there is still time for Santa (or Amazon) to get these books to you or your loved ones in time! Please see what our contributors think you should be reading this…