Max Hastings: 1914 Catastrophe .. and a couple of other "Good Reads"

If I were going to recommend reading material for military officers currently serving in the Armed Forces of Great Britain, the United Kingdom or any of her Commonwealth and NATO partners, then it would have to be a collection like this (see below, Max Hastings - "Catastrophe Europe Goes to War 1914", just to remember how things can unexpectedly start!): 

Followed by a haunting tale of lost peace and complacency at all levels of government and the military (see below, Dan Dannatt's "Victory into Defeat"): 

Which turned an "Unhappy Ending" of one world war into a new nightmare of another, with opening rounds going to the vanquished. This is a "first love" book of mine (see below, Alistair Horne - "To Lose a Battle France 1940", I discovered it in teh early 1990's and it has been on my self ever since): 

Finally, while wild emotions are running around their heads, let them stop and read about Norway (mostly ignored apart from the First and Second Naval Battles of Narvik) - but look at the other Narvik, and the strange possibilities of this forgotten success in an otherwise bleak campaign .. which hailed the first successful allied amphibious operation of the war in 1940 (see below, Henrik Lunde's Hitler's Pre-Emptive War"): 

Thought provoking and a tale of swinging fortunes. Best remember from history the lessons of "things lost and things gained," as the best made plans of mice and men play out upon the stage not under their control. 

"The Korean War" by Max Hastings - Audible Book

I seem to have hit upon a good working theme, or problem solving rule. If I have an interesting book that has been sitting on my shelves for a very long time [denoting I was at least interested in the subject matter at some point] and I have not got round for one reason or another to reading it (or alternatively I haven't passed it on to someone else) - then, if there is an Audible version of it, I kickstart the learning experience with listening to the spoken word (which sounds a little bit like cheating). So far it has worked pretty well for me (yes, it is a bit like "still taking two bottles into the shower" and if you get that old TV advert reference you have my respect), but at least there is some knowledge transfer. The Korean War by Max Hastings got this treatment (see below, to be fair it works in reverse too, a good Audible book has caused a paper copy to be purchased too! Especially if there are nice diagrams and maps to be had in the paper copy):  

This book seemed a natural follow on from Mig Alley (which I also highly recommend) to take in the Land Battle element of the Korean War, with a little bit of naval Carrier and Raiding parties. It is also an old book, written in 1987 and was consequently I think a little dated with respect to the air war. Listening to the history I felt the giddy sense of nausea like a naval battle, akin to Jutland with the "Run to the South" and then the "Run to the North" analogous to the armies running up and down the Korean peninsular until they end up back where they started on the 38th Parallel - back to where they started from, which was very sobering! Not forgetting the Inchon landings. It was a thought provoking lesson of how much the world was in a dangerous place in the 1950's. 

I had not been aware previously of the intense danger of the period, the world tension and the novelty  of a New World Order that was slowly emerging and moving away from the pre WWII power structures. The world seemed to be awash with countless small fires. Absolutely fascinating. 

As I mentioned the air chapter stood out as a bit dated, clinging to the 10:1 kill ratio that Mig Alley (2019) robustly  dispelled, although it was very salient about the premature announcement from air theorists claiming "the death of" and "no need for" armies or navies, as the air force would do it all. To quote Hastings (p326-7): 

The experience of World War II showed that intensive strategic bombing could kill large number of civilians without decisive impact on the battlefield , or even the war-making capacity of an industrial power. Bombing could inflict a catastrophe upon a nation without defeating it. ,... Nor could the airmen claim that this problem had not been forseen. Alexander de Seversky was only one among many thoughtful students of air warfare. As early as 1942 he wrote: 'Total war from the air against an underdeveloped country or region is nigh well futile; it is one of the most curious features of the most modern weapon that it is especially effective against the most modern types of civilisation.'  .... it remains astonishing that ten years later, in Vietnam, they were allowed to mount a campaign under almost identical circumstances to those of Korea, with identical promises of potential and delusions of achievement , and with exactly repeated lack of success."

Yes, the mistake was repeated in Vietnam and who is to say that it is not being repeated still! As Mark Twain once said, "History never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme." 

Audible Book: Pedestal - Max Hastings

With my current diet of dog walking, car journeys and kitchen washing-up duties I have managed to ply through some Audible books running nicely in the background (see below, one of the latest being Pedestal by Max Hating which concerns the epic 1942 convoy run to relieve the siege of Malta):   

A straightforward chronological churn (not meant in a bad way, but in the same way the convoy made its sojourn to its Malta destination under intense Axis fire) of the convoy battle and all its different phases. It did up-end my rather simplistic narrative (probably based on post war Allied propaganda and black and white war films) of a valiant mission fought through with outstanding RN pluck (which there certainly was plenty of, alongside that of the Merchant Marine) to a worthy win in the expected traditions of the RN. Rather it was a game of two halves, the first with the convoy holding formation under duress with the heavy covering force present (albeit taking casualties, such as HMS Eagle [sunk], HMS Indomitable [damaged] and HMS Nigeria [damaged]), then when the heavy covering force withdrew (with its reduced intrinsic air support) a second brutal half of chaos and confusion under increased Axis air and small boat (MAS and E-Boat) attack - but with utter confusion on the British side (the convoy losing its formation and defensive structure). The Axis reigned superior here sinking many merchantmen and more cruisers [HMS Cairo and HMS Manchester (sunk) and HMS Kenya (damaged)]. Despite the disorganisation and confusion, the battered and brave remnants "got through" - some like the Brisbane Star making her "own way". Many curious and potentially ill thought decisions on both sides were highlighted, albeit with the benefit of hindsight, but it seems to have been a major Axis "missed opportunity" despite the dreadful toll inflicted. All it would have took was a sally by the Regina Marina and better target priority of the Axis bombers to sink the merchantmen [there was certain fixation on aircraft carriers and large warships] where and whenever possible (discuss). I enjoyed it and it is a battle on my wargaming "bucket list" (maybe with the Nimitz ruleset). 

Abyss by Max Hastings - Cuban Missile Crisis: Audible

On the back of Nuclear Folly I was recommended to go and also read the Max Hasting's account of the Cuban Missile Crisis in his "Abyss", to hear as it were a slightly more westernised version of events, although still with his keen critical, investigative journalistic integrity (see below, a longer listen but it was well worth it): 

Again he took no prisoners and was at pains to be far reaching in research as well as being balanced. Another epic listen broken up over several weeks. Why the thought of Russian nuclear missiles 90 miles from the US shore created the stir it did in the US was a main theme, whereas Europeans were well accustomed to it. This was the basic error of Khrushchev's thinking that lead to him to make such a mad adventurous gamble was explained. The tangled escalation of events, twisted tortuously in an insane manner that no fictional book would think worthy of a plausible plot-line. The cast of war-minded American Generals who felt goaded into action and belittled by not invading Cuba. The minor comical character that took world stage that became the latter villain of the piece to my mind was Castro. Just when a safe passage was in sight, navigated by others he tried to vaingloriously grab the tiller and cast teh ship onto the rocks. After listening to it, I am not sure how we made it here, As Kennedy himself stated, he thought there had been a one in three chance of nuclear war. 

A lighter read needed next! 

Nuclear Folly: Audible Audio Book

You read all about it in the history books, the popular press and the papers so you think you know all about the story at least at a superficial level, thinking no more real shocks to come out. Then you settle down with a book like "Nuclear Folly" and then and only then does it dawn on you, how "stupidly comfortable you are in your thinking" - you were lapping it all up and sitting in a "history with the benefit of hindsight" syndrome. Facts drawn out long after the events push a new interpretation and open up "the things that could have been"! (see below, a "good read" rating underestimates the staggering impact of the Soviet perspective on events): 

Most disturbing was the Epilogue that quite rightly pointed out what a dangerous time we are living in, remiss without some of the safeguards that existed in teh Cold War. I intend to follow up this with Max Hasting's Abyss. Need a strong coffee first.

Note: I was parallel streaming two very different books (one over Alexa in the kitchen and one from Audible in the car) hence such a sudden turn around in my reading speed ;)   

Audible Book - Street Without Joy

I seem to be continuing along with the Vietnam theme, or rather more a wider Indo-China theme, as I have just finished listening to a "Street Without Joy". This is a book really 'of its time' (written by the French journalist Bernard B. Fall who covered the war during this time for the French papers). It describes the ill-fated, tragically French led (but American backed and bank-rolled) prequel to the more famous Second Indo-China War (which then lead into the Vietnam War). The French Indo-China war was covered by the Max Hastings "Vietnam" book, but I felt the flavour of the time really came through in trumps with Bernard B Fall's book. It is an epic story of the demise of an eighteenth century colonial adventure that had out-lived its time and purpose post World War II (see below, I can highly recommend it, being poignant in the extreme as from his privileged perspective Bernard B. Fall saw the train crash coming but could do nothing to advert it): 

To me there was a frightening sting in the tail of the book, written in 1964/65. This was after the detailed description of the numerous reasons of the French defeat: be it the gradual and inevitable destruction of the of various forms of the remote defensive French outpost chains; after chronicling the one-by-one demise of the elite French mobile groups as they were continuously ambushed (each valiantly fighting a forlorn campaign to their deaths); after the tragic vulnerability of South Vietnamese citizens not being protected from Viet Minh intimidation (as the Viet Minh came as visitors in the night); after seeing the under performance of the much vaunted "American made" French air power with its inability to dominate the jungle battlefield as promised and after seeing the ability of the Viet Minh to dissipate back into the jungle when conventionally outmatched. It was the last chapter that chronicled the way that the American administration was rinsing and repeating the same pattern of behaviour. The tragedy of the next phase of Vietnam was already written in the stars.     

Audible - Vietnam, Max Hastings

I knew I needed to read this book, so I bought it, but it sat on the shelf (as it is no small volume) for  a long time. I knew I needed something to complement the numerous first hand accounts I had read, to try and to get a wider picture of the conflict. I relished Ken Burns marvellous TV documentary series and it stands out for its graphic imagery and cinematography. The hurdle of "reading about it" (a much more intimate process) defeated me though. As a second best (listening to it) Audible came to my aid. Max Hasting's "Vietnam" via Audible has become a friend on car journeys and dog walks, telling a very dark history with my hard copy flicked through for reference points of maps and pictures (see below, Max Hastings certainly pulls no punches with his views on the American politicians and Generals, which in his capacity as a reporter, he met first hand, from the likes of President Lyndon B. Johnson and Robert McNamara; absolutely fascinating): 

Update I: Just over a third of the way through this book and it is truly an epic journey, masterfully told. Starting with Vietnams earliest modern colonial history and disputed WWII ownership, through the French post WWII period in Indo China and finally into its most turbulent and troublesome times with the active American involvement. Still twenty hours to go! Gripping! Highly recommended.

Update II: Coming to the final few chapters and I honestly cannot believe the twists and turns - trials and tribulations that South Vietnam went through. As much as the pre-American deployment history was new to me, the post American withdrawal, political cynicism and huge battles (AVRN supported by US air power) that followed were equally "new" to my previously selective history (Platoon and The Deer Hunter) of the period. Everyone could see it was not going to end well and it didn't! I literally don't want to hear the next chapter unfold.

Update III: Finished. And the avoidable horror happened all the way to the end of this tragic period of history. The gut-retching senselessness of it all and then the haunting words that Max Hastings penned, to parallel the folly of the 1960's and 10970's to the subsequent Iraqi and Afghanistan events. To quote a US Cavalry Troop commander from Iraqi, "There was nothing to hang any success onto". No fabric or structure that was not alien to the indigenous peoples - that we (the Western World) were supposed to be helping!