The ASL Book Club

[djohannsen]

Thanks for the memories!

I'm really happy to hear that someone enjoyed my ramblings about a book written almost 75 years ago.

(After the light-weight interlude, it's now back to the more laborious [but enjoyable] reading of Ellis' Washington biography and Elting's book on the War of 1812.)

 

[KhandidGamera]

Have had this for about a year, just never posted about it. Very detailed maps that almost worth the price of the book itself. German side perspective. From the level of detail would expect it to be very useful for ASL scenario design.

The Crimean Campaigns 1941-1944, Wilhelm Tieke, J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing Inc. (January 1, 2014)
(Publisher is code for very expensive, but high quality)

Published in 70's, but translated to English from German only recently.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1927332044/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[MAS01]

Currently reading the new Victor Davis Hanson book, "The Second World Wars". Interesting approach in that instead of chronological, it is thematic.

Order the new "Case Red: The Collapse of France" by Robert Forczyk about the last three weeks of the French campaign.

 

[Yuri0352]

As today is the 74th anniversary of the landings at Tarawa atoll, I have begun a re-reading of Col. Alexander's 'Utmost Savagery - the three days of Tarawa'. I have also ordered the Osprey book on the SNLF.

When my house guests depart after the Thanksgiving holiday, I plan on reviewing the BRT gamers guide and setting up the Tarawa HASL.

 

[von Marwitz]

I have begun a re-reading of Col. Alexander's 'Utmost Savagery - the three days of Tarawa'.

A very good book.

von Marwitz

 

[djohannsen]

As today is the 74th anniversary of the landings at Tarawa atoll, I have begun a re-reading of Col. Alexander's 'Utmost Savagery - the three days of Tarawa'.

Way back in 1987 I did my "Battle Study" on lessons learned from Tarawa. I don't remember what book I used as my main (secondary) source, but since that day I have always regarded Tarawa as maybe the USMC's finest moment. Though, I think because of the relatively small-scale of the landings, Tarawa seems to be overshadowed in most people's minds by Iwo Jima and Okinawa, what Marines in the first couple of landing waves managed in the face of staggering losses is awe inspiring and the highest testament to the training and discipline and ethos of the Corps. I need to get back to Tarawa (wish that I owned "Blood Reef"), so please let us know what you think of the book.

 

[Yuri0352]

Way back in 1987 I did my "Battle Study" on lessons learned from Tarawa. I don't remember what book I used as my main (secondary) source, but since that day I have always regarded Tarawa as maybe the USMC's finest moment. Though, I think because of the relatively small-scale of the landings, Tarawa seems to be overshadowed in most people's minds by Iwo Jima and Okinawa, what Marines in the first couple of landing waves managed in the face of staggering losses is awe inspiring and the highest testament to the training and discipline and ethos of the Corps. I need to get back to Tarawa (wish that I owned "Blood Reef"), so please let us know what you think of the book.

I recommend Col. Alexander's book very highly. Although it was published in 1995, it is well researched and benefited from translations of the Senshi Sosho (Japanese war histories). The book is remarkably even handed as it includes first hand accounts of the fighting from some of the few surviving rikusentai defenders.
Although the book is written by marine officer, it certainly should not be regarded as a USMC hagiography, as Col. Alexander very clearly describes the errors, assumptions and other shortcomings in the U.S. assault plan.
A very exciting and informative read!

 

[djohannsen]

I recommend Col. Alexander's book very highly. Although it was published in 1995, it is well researched and benefited from translations of the Senshi Sosho (Japanese war histories). The book is remarkably even handed as it includes first hand accounts of the fighting from some of the few surviving rikusentai defenders.
Although the book is written by marine officer, it certainly should not be regarded as a USMC hagiography, as Col. Alexander very clearly describes the errors, assumptions and other shortcomings in the U.S. assault plan.
A very exciting and informative read!

There were certainly many errors and shortcomings, as we were definitely working the bugs out. Anyhow, I appreciate you taking the time to give your assessment. I will certainly grab this book and move it somewhere near the top of the queue (several books in-progress right now, though).

Dave

 

[Justiciar]

As today is the 74th anniversary of the landings at Tarawa atoll, I have begun a re-reading of Col. Alexander's 'Utmost Savagery - the three days of Tarawa'. I have also ordered the Osprey book on the SNLF.

When my house guests depart after the Thanksgiving holiday, I plan on reviewing the BRT gamers guide and setting up the Tarawa HASL.

It is a good+ book. It suffers from one major irritating short coming, but not* one that ruins the book by any stretch. On pages 73-74 he has only half the famed (gold) "Colley" (D-2) map...the book needs the other half as Alexander does discuss actions in this area.

Also agree Alexander has the historian's objective eye.

 

[HansK]

I am reading 'Kampfgruppe Walther and Panzerbrigade 107' by Jack Didden and Maarten Swarts. The same guys that wrote 'Autumn Gale'.

Awesome book on these German units before, during and after Market-Garden, and the role they played during the Overloon battle.

Many great details about the units involved, both German and Allied, and packed with lots of great pictures. Many seen for the first time.

The book also mentions that work is in progress on a book covering the German 15. Armee in The Netherlands during 1944.

And if you do not own 'Autumn Gale' yet, the publisher has just announced that a limited reprint is seriously considered if enough orders get in.

So, visit their website for details. You can still find 'Autumn Gale' on the internet, but it will set you back € 400,00+...

 

[Yuri0352]

I've just completed my reading of Utmost Savagery - the three days of Tarawa in approx. 'real time' of the battle. Now I'm starting Col. Alexander's follow-up volume, Storm Landings, which is an overview of the final amphibious assaults during the last years of the Pacific war.

 

[Eagle4ty]

Got fired up with the pending release of Operation Schmidt by BFP, so re-read Charles MacDonald and Sidney Matthews', Three Battles: Arnaville, Altuzzo, and Schmidt, CMH Pub. 11-7-1. (well actually read the Schmidt portion thus far). Since I had known a few guys from my VFW that were there, including a local Pastor who had been a Platoon Leader in the "Bloody Bucket" at the time in Kommerscheidt, it had kind of a special attraction to me from the stories we would hear from those guys over a few libations or at Veteran's Day activities. Lot of great stuff in the book as it goes down to platoon level operations at times though most seem to be armor or engineer centrist at that level (hey, with that fight and the immediately following actions during the Battle of The Bulge, there simply weren't that many of the original Infantry guys left around to tell their stories). recommended again, even if like me you had read the book many years earlier.

 

[Paul M. Weir]

Though I get the impression that it is a rewrite of previous stuff
"Race For The Reichstag", "The 1945 Battle for Berlin" by Tony Le Tissier ISBN 184884230-9.

As usual any volume from Mr. Berlin is highly recommended.

 

[hongkongwargamer]

Getting into "Left of Bang : How the Marine Corp's Combat Hunter Program can save your life" by Patrick Van Horne, Jason Riley

 

[djohannsen]

I'm hoping to that someone here might be able to give a book recommendation...

I've been reading on the 1940 campaign in the West (feeding a growing interest in early war), but none of the books that I have are especially "well endowed" with maps (I know, that constant complaint in military history). So, can anyone recommend a source of large and clear maps? (For example, does the West Point Atlas have good coverage of these early war battles?) The book needn't be a history of the campaign in France, Belgium, and Holland (I've got several accounts already queued up), but just would really like large and clear maps to which I could refer. I would be really grateful for any pointers.

Dave

 

[jrv]

At what scale? Tactical? Strategic? (note: I have very little to offer, but I'm sure the answer would be useful to other correspondents. The Osprey Campaign Series volume 3, France 1940, has a few maps and bird's-eye pictures at different scales).

JR

 

[djohannsen]

At what scale? Tactical? Strategic? (note: I have very little to offer, but I'm sure the answer would be useful to other correspondents. The Osprey Campaign Series volume 3, France 1940, has a few maps and bird's-eye pictures at different scales).

JR

Ideally, a large format military atlas devoted to the campaign. I guess that I would like to see something like weekly strategic "big blue arrow" maps, accompanied by almost daily operational maps, and then individual tactical maps of significant battles. Thus, something that one could consult when reading at almost any level of history of the campaign or any of its various battles. I'm guessing that there is nothing that meets this ideal, but would be curious to hear about what people have found that might come closest to this "dream book."

Postscript: I went ahead and ordered "The West Point Atlas of War; World War II; European Theater" Certainly not near as much as I would want, but what's there is nice (large format, color, and accurate).

 

[Servius]

I 'read' book's on Audable. just finished "D-day through German Eyes" by Holger Eckhertz.

The book was started by his father who was a Wehrmacht reporter, who in 1944 interviewed Soldiers stationed on the Atlantic Wall. Then in 1954 re-interviewed those same men asking them about their experience on D-Day. Holger Eckhertz took his father's material and organized it into book form. He says he did not alter the interviews. If we take him at his word, and I did, we can hear some of the "I was only taking orders" and "I was doing my job as a soldier" coming throu. It is, as Art Johnson on Laugh In would say "Very Interesting".
But nothing scenario worthey.

What struck me about that book was how astounded some of the German soldiers were at how mechanized the Allied armies were. The German army for all it's mechanized reputation depended heavily on horses.

Also, they really didn't like WP.

 

[djohannsen]

I just finished Warner's "The Battle of France, 1940." It would be hard to recommend this book to anyone. It focused primarily on the BEF (with only enough about other events in France in May and June to provide some context) and then seemed to consist of a series of disjoint anecdotal accounts. One got the sense that Warner was only recapitulating secondary sources and the book contained numerous unsubstantiated generalities that seemed to be repeated folk-lore. Though I'm interested in the topic, this was a book that very much disappointed me.

Off to a much more promising start is Giangreco's 2nd edition of "Hell to Pay: Operation DOWNFALL and the Invasion of Japan, 1945-1947" - I hope to give a report of this book in a couple of weeks.

 

[pwashington]

[QUOTE="Off to a much more promising start is Giangreco's 2nd edition of "Hell to Pay: Operation DOWNFALL and the Invasion of Japan, 1945-1947" - I hope to give a report of this book in a couple of weeks.[/QUOTE]

Just picked up this book yesterday. Read the 1st Ed., will be interested to see how this version compares. Truman made the right decision.