Patriot Pirates: The Privateer War for Freedom and Fortune in the American Revolution
Robert H. Patton. New York: Pantheon Books, 2008. 275 pp. Illus. Notes. Bib. Index. $26.
This well-written book tells of the "legalized pirates" commissioned by the Continental Congress to raid, plunder, and carry as much enemy loot as possible back to America. Robert Patton, grandson of the famous World War II general, has done great work to bring this story to life.
It was a risky business that Thomas Jefferson hoped would "distress the British trade in every part of the world." The book focuses on the far-flung geographical areas that thrived on privateering, from Massachusetts and Canada to the West Indies and England.
Naval hero John Paul Jones was initially "disgusted" that privateering was used to support the war. But eventually, even that iconic figure apparently was tempted by the enormous profits to be gained.
One of the Founding Fathers, John Adams of Massachusetts, avidly supported piracy. In Essex County north of Boston, ports were aswarm with seamen, "their pockets full of hard money . . . drinking at all the public houses." One common sailor, Joseph Peabody, went from teenaged deck hand to privateer investor over the course of nine voyages from 1777 to 1783. He became Salem's largest magnate, ultimately operating 83 ships and managing 8,000 employees.
Gustavus Conyngham, feared as "the Dunkirk pirate," was not nearly as lucky as Peabody. After an enemy frigate captured his cutter, he was imprisoned in New York and England and subjected to severe physical abuse. Two years later, he dug his way out of prison and escaped to Amsterdam. After brief service under John Paul Jones, he was captured again on a merchantman en route to America and underwent another year of imprisonment before finally escaping for good.
Patriot Pirates is a fascinating account that would make an exciting television series.
Ungoverned Territories: Understanding and Reducing Terrorism Risks
Angela Rabasa, Steven Boraz, Peter Chalk, Kim Cragin, Theodore W. Karasik, Jennifer D. P. Moroney, Kevin A. O'Brien, John E. Peters. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2007. 352 pp. Illus. Footnotes. Appen. Bib. $44.
Ungoverned territories are described here as "failed or failing states or ungoverned areas within viable states." They generate innumerable security problems and often grow into terrorist sanctuaries. Threats arising from these territories have attracted increased attention since 9/11, which amply demonstrated how they could harbor terrorists and serve to launch devastating attacks.
By using a framework applied to eight cases around the world, the authors illustrate conditions that spawn ungoverned territories. They help us to better understand what makes certain areas more useful to terrorists and insurgents than others. Specifically, they highlight several types that affect U.S. security interests and propose strategies for dealing with them.
The early chapters range from explaining lack of governance and dimensions of ungovernability to comparative analyses of case studies and recommendations for the U.S. government. Subsequent chapters present case studies on: the Pakistani-Afghan border region; Arabian Peninsula; the Sulawesi-Mindanao arc; the East Africa corridor; West Africa; North Caucasus; the Colombia-Venezuela border; and the Guatemala-Chiapas border. Each study includes policy implications and conclusions/recommendations.
Given their long-troubled history that continues to this day, it is surprising to find that Venezuela and Colombia are each other's third-largest trading partners. Also, this study's author estimates that conflicts among the various Colombian drug groups and the central government have levied a butcher's bill of more than 100,000 deaths in the last 25 years.
Although definitely not light reading, Ungoverned Territories should prove most useful to U.S. policy makers and graduate students. According to former Secretary of State George Shultz, it is "a genuine breakthrough."
Small United States and United Nations Warships in the Korean War
Paul M. Edwards. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2008. 250 pp. Illus. Bib. Index. $39.95.
During the Korean War, smaller craft—such as picket boats and minesweepers—did much hard and dangerous work. While mentioned only briefly in most histories of that conflict, they performed essential combat functions and assisted in securing the U.S. Navy—UN partnership. Paul Edwards rectifies this oversight.
Here is an extensive accounting of the many types of vessels involved as well as an overview of the difficulties inherent to mobilizing an aging U.S. fleet when downsizing had been expected. The chapters include: "A Brief History of the Naval War," "Ship Identity and Designation," "Submarines," "The Landing Ships," and "Minesweepers."
Each chapter offers background on the types of ships covered and their missions; then lists each one, complete with specifications and service highlights. For example, the attack transport section notes the USS Montrose (APA-212) as: "Launched 13 September 1944. . . . received one battle star for World War II. . . . recommissioned for Korean service 12 September 1950. . . . received three battle stars. . . . later served in Vietnam. . . . decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register 2 November 1969."
In relating the truly astounding contributions of the U.S. Merchant Marine, the author lists more than 500 ships that answered vital logistic demands and took part in amphibious landings and evacuations of U.S. and UN forces. Similarly, he cites the considerable Allied naval support. There were more than 100 ships, with homeports in Australia, Canada, Columbia, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Thailand, and the ROK.
In careful and scholarly detail, Edwards—who also wrote The Hill Wars of the Korean Conflict (McFarland and Company, 2005)—provides a virtual mine of facts and personal accounts on the regrettably "forgotten" Korean War.
The U.S. Army in World War II: The Stories Behind the Photos
Steve Crawford. Dulles, VA: Potomac Books, Inc., 2007. 128 pp. Illus. Index. $24.95.
Like the author's excellent work on the Marine Corps in World War II, this book features the same kind of stunning black-and-white photos of men at war. It summarizes battles and accompanies the fine photos with annotations that describe weapons and equipment in detail.
Following a decidedly dreary photo of U.S. POWs gathered in front of an American flag to "celebrate" 4 July 1942 in the Philippines, the story moves to a 1st Armored Division M3 Lee tank and its crew in North Africa several months later. The next few sections describe arduous operations in the Pacific Theater and New Guinea, where terrain "was deadlier than the enemy."
"Progress was measured by yards" shows a hard-working 81-mm mortar crew in action at Cassino, Italy, where the three battalions of the 133rd Infantry Regiment suffered 50 percent casualties. In "Beside the seaside on the English Riviera," Soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division march through a peaceful British town. Not long thereafter, the division lost 5,000 killed or wounded in 26 days of combat in Normandy.
"Taking Fox Green on Omaha Beach" is a remarkable display of the strain inflicted by ground combat. The photo of wounded men and (probably) combat medics of the 16th Infantry Regiment is especially gripping. On D-Day, the Germans inflicted 935 casualties on that outfit.
With wonderful photos and his detailed research, Steve Crawford reminds us of the Army's critical role in both major theaters of our most costly and deadly war.