Soldier of the Press: Covering the Front in Europe and North Africa, 1936-1943
Henry T. Gorrell (author) and Kenneth Gorrell (editor). Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, 2009. 314 pp. Illus. Index. $34.95.
Henry Gorrell, a United Press correspondent, offered eyewitness accounts of warfare across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. He also wrote a lengthy manuscript that was discovered in the attic of the family farmhouse after 60 years and edited by his distant cousin, Kenneth Gorrell. It appears here in print for the first time.
In the prologue, Henry Gorrell aptly summarizes his manuscript and gives generous insights to his views and personality. After returning from Spain in late 1937, he writes, "I observed the dilemma of my own people as the dictator's propaganda poisoned world public opinion. Americans were not ready to fight another war in Europe." Later he writes, "My capacity for getting into trouble has been just as much a motivating factor as actual journalistic qualifications."
In early chapters Gorrell relates his experiences during the Spanish Civil War. One morning, Ernest Hemingway burst into his hotel room to the sounds of gunfire down the street. "Snap out of it, kid, it's a big story. Let's go," Hemingway said. They spent the rest of the morning in a ruined house overlooking the battlefield, drawing "the odd sniper's bullet" and a few shells.
Chapter 17 tells of the British retreat to El Alamein during World War II. On one occasion, an isolated New Zealand unit sent a message to General Bernard Freyburg, "We are surrounded. Casualties are heavy. What next?" Freyburg, who was himself wounded, quickly replied, "Get out your cooks and batmen and fight on."
Along with his considerable reporting accomplishments, Gorrell was awarded the Air Medal for saving the life of a wounded airman on a B-24 mission. He continued as a correspondent until 1945, later settling in Virginia, where he died in 1958 at age 57 after suffering a stroke. Readers can be thankful that Kenneth Gorrell managed to shepherd his cousin's exciting tales into print.
U.S. Military Innovation since the Cold War: Creation without Destruction
Harvey M. Sapolsky, Benjamin M. Friedman, Brendan R. Green (editors). New York, NY: Routledge, 2009. 202 pp. Illus. Notes. Index. $140.
This book describes how "the U.S. military reacted to the 'Revolution in Military Affairs' (RMA), and failed to innovate in its organization or doctrine to match the technological breakthroughs it brought about." It examines internal politics of the services as well as civil-military relations.
The compact volume portrays transformational and technological trends-or the lack of them-and the status of the "five" services. Curiously, the Special Operations Command is treated as a separate service.
Chapter Three covers the difficulties the Army has faced since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Naval War College professor Colin Jackson maintains that, even though the Army moved aggressively toward alternative visions of warfighting from 1999 through 2007, the shift "bore the imprint" of its underlying preference for conventional warfare. In Jackson's view, the future of Army modernization in the coming decade "remains uncertain."
In Chapter Four, Benjamin Friedman, a Cato Institute fellow, argues that, contrary to the hopes of RMA advocates, the Navy has "seen little innovation" since the Cold War. In his opinion, we must remain capable of threatening enemies from the sea, even if it no longer requires extensive naval air and surface forces. Chapter Five, contributed by MIT research associate Sanford Weiner, contends that expertise in communications, surveillance, and coordination technologies gives the Air Force a "leading position" in debates over interoperability and joint operations.
U.S. Military Innovation since the Cold War is not a smooth read. It needed much better editing to eliminate pretentious terminology, such as the "second interwar period," which in itself will drive most historians to distraction. Even so, the book makes a number of interesting points and highlights the political-military tensions that characterize our form of government.
On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery
Robert M. Poole. New York, NY: Walker & Company, 2009. 343 pp. Appen. Notes. $30.
Here is an intriguing history of a true American shrine. The first Soldier laid to rest at Arlington was buried on 13 May 1864, a month before Robert E. Lee's family plantation became a national cemetery. Fifteen chapters bring home the immensity of the more than 300,000 people, from privates to Presidents, who are interred in the 624 acres.
"A Splendid Little War" tells of the horrific explosion on the USS Maine at Havana Harbor in 1898, when more than 260 U.S. servicemen lost their lives. Not unexpectedly, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt was quick to advocate the punishment of Spain for "an act of dirty treachery." In 1919, the ship's mast became the centerpiece of the Maine Memorial at Arlington.
"Known but to God" describes the funeral of the Unknown Soldier. General John J. Pershing, the new Army chief of staff, insisted on walking behind the caisson during the five-mile trek from Capitol Hill to the new Memorial Amphitheater completed in 1920. After his introduction and the Lord's Prayer, President Warren G. Harding presented the Medal of Honor and Distinguished Service Cross to the unidentified Soldier.
"The Nastiest Little War," in the words of historian S. L. A. Marshall, was that waged in Korea for three years. The butcher's bill for this "limited war" was more than 36,576 U.S. military personnel. Perhaps I missed its description in the book, but I would note that the Korean War Memorial at Arlington is certainly the starkest presentation of combat troops that I have ever seen.
Robert Poole, former executive editor of National Geographic magazine, has done excellent work. Many veterans are apt to say that Arlington National Cemetery proves the federal government can do something right-and Poole certainly underscores that sentiment.
Benedict Arnold's Army: The 1775 Invasion of Canada during the Revolutionary War
Arthur S. Lefkowitz. New York, NY: Savas Beatie, 2008. 380 pp. Illus. Appen. Notes. Bib. Index. $32.95.
Benedict Arnold, a brilliant combat officer and our most famous traitor, is also one of the most fascinating and complex characters in American history. This book begins with his leadership of the more than 1,000-man corps that marched through 270 miles of incredibly rugged terrain to reach objectives in Canada.
In his introduction, the author establishes that George Washington's "bold plan" to capture Quebec was instigated when colonists expected a "short war and an easy reconciliation" with their King. Although Arnold's Canadian campaign ended in failure, his appointments to leadership positions under General Washington were largely well-founded. It was not until 1780, when Arnold was deeply in debt, that his treasonous acts were revealed.
The book presents essential background on the Arnold family and Benedict's youth in Norwich, Connecticut, when business reverses ruined his father. After becoming a successful businessman in his own right, Arnold eventually joined other merchants in opposing British taxation.
Starting with the office meeting between Colonel Arnold and General Washington in August 1775, subsequent chapters dwell on the planning and conduct of the Canadian invasion, which initially seemed easy to the "armchair generals in Congress." As it turned out, the mission was incredibly arduous. According to the best estimates, Arnold's corps suffered 454 killed or captured during the attack on Quebec. And survivors of the expedition returned home to find that the colonists' fight for "redress of grievances" had grown to one for independence.
Benedict Arnold's Army already has attracted many positive reviews, including these remarks by historian Thomas Fleming: "Seldom have I seen such impressive research. This may well be the definitive book on Arnold's march."